Vietnam War
Introduction
The Vietnam war was a protracted conflict that sparked between North Vietnam’s communist government and its allies in the South, who were also known as Viet Cong. The battle was also known as the American war, which identified as a part of a larger regional conflict. The war was long and costly and was intensified by the ongoing cold war(History.com Editors). The war ran from 1954-1975. Not only three million people were killed in the duration of the war, but more than half of them were Vietnamese civilians who participated in the war. Forces belonging to the communists pay a stop to the war by seizing control of South Vietnam forces in 1975. It all began as a noble struggle that was aimed against communist aggression. During the years of war, the American military insisted that military force be used to defend the sovereign nation from the attack being caused by the external community.
The onset of the Vietnam War
Vietnam has been under the French colonial rule ever since the 19th century and is a country in the Indochinese peninsula. When world war II was still in progress, the Japanese invaded Vietnam intending to fight off the French administration. The resolution was inspired by the political leader known as Ho Chi Minh and the soviet communism and formed the league of independence for Vietnam. After massive defeat back in 1945 during the World War II period, the Japanese withdrew its forces, and the act left emperor Bao Dai in charge. Eyeing this opportunity, Ho’s forces immediately stood up and took over the city of Hanoi, which was on the northern side. With the unfolding events, they declared it the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and immediately made Ho Viet Minh the rightful president. In an attempt to regain back control of the region, France backed up emperor Bao, and they put up the state of Vietnam in 1949 and made the city of Saigon its headquarters. Amidst the struggles, it was evident that both sides had the same goals and agendas, which was a unified Vietnam. The difference was that Bao wanted close and cultural ties to the west, but Ho and his supporters longed for a nation that would be modeled like other communist countries such as Russia.
The war influenced by active involvement started in the year 1954, even though the ongoing scuffles in the region dated back a few decades ago. After the communist forces took over the northern region, armed conflicts between the southern and northern sides went on until Viet Minh’s forces got the decisive victory in May 1954 in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. The war not only dealt a defeat to the emperor’s side but also put a halt to almost a century-long rule of the French colonial rule (Lawrence 10). In July 1954, a subsequent treaty was signed at the Geneva conference and split the country in such a way that Bao would be in control over the region in the South while Ho would get power in the North. After that, nationwide elections were held for the reunification of the country in 1956. However, in 1955 a politician by the name Ngo Dinh Diem took over from Emperor Bao and became the president of the Republic of Vietnam.
Factors That Led to The Start of the Vietnam War
The Viet Cong
The war was brewing up at a time when the cold war was intensifying on a global scale. The US had stood up in its policies against the allies of the Soviet Union, and in 1955 President Eisenhower had assured his support to Diem, who stood with the South Vietnamese. Aiding them with military equipment and training, Diem’s group cracked down on Viet’s group, who was commonly known as Viet Cong. They then proceeded to torture and executed more than 100,000 of these individuals by 1960, Diem had made too many enemies who formed the National Liberation Front which was aimed at opposing the regime that Diem and his people were implementing.
Gulf of Tonkin
A coup was successful in overthrowing and killing Diem and his brother Ngo Dinh. By following the “dominoes theory,” the US ensured that political instability would further increase their economic and military support. In 1964, DRV boats armed with torpedoes attacked two US vessels in the Gulf of Tonkin. This action farther hastened the tension between the two groups. The action pushed the US to start regular bombings at the opposition in the year that followed. Later, 82,000 combat troops were deployed in Vietnam with more coming. On top of that, other countries such as Thailand and New Zealand also committed soldiers to fight in South Vietnam.
Lai Massacre
The next years were filled with war and carnage. In 1968, the US was allegedly accused of mercilessly killing more than 400 civilians who were unarmed in the village of My Lai. After the incident, antiwar demonstrations took place in Washington, where more than 200,000 showed up to peacefully protest ad call the withdrawal of the military from Vietnam. Later, Nixon ordered the end of the draft calls and their immediate withdrawal from Vietnam.
Effects of the Vietnam War
In Vietnam alone, nearly half a million people lost their lives in the war. During the war, an agent named Orange caused birth defects as it included chemical weapons and experiments in children, and its negative effect continues to be felt around the country(BBC). Even before the way, Vietnam, as a region, was one of the largest exporters of rice. The destruction of their farming grounds meant the country could not produce enough food for the war-stricken nation. Amid the war, many skilled workers fled the nation because of the war. It was a big blow to the economic industry.
In the US, their reputation was tarnished because they were in support of a corrupt government. About that, the media also claimed that the US military used very brutal and inhuman tactics to deal with the situations in Vietnam. In addition to this, the Americans had also lost many lives in the war. The US also used a significant amount of funds from its budget to finance the war. It is estimated that they spent around $100billion.
Conclusion
In 1973, North Vietnam concluded the war by coming into agreements in a final peace agreement and ended the hostility and brutality between the two sides. Even though the war ended, psychological effects on both the US and Vietnamese people were still felt. Some people had ended up with lost limbs. Others badly treated people who designed the drafts. Some even ended up fleeing the nation. In conclusion, the war ended when the North Vietnamese side decided to cease fire, and the US decided to pull out as the war was becoming long and costly, and the divisive conflict was costing too many lives.
Works Cited
BBC. “The Vietnam War.” BBC, 2017, www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zv7bkqt/revision/6. Accessed 21 July 2020.
History.com Editors. “Vietnam War.” History.com, Maven Channel, 2017, www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/vietnam-war-history. Accessed 21 July 2020.
Lawrence, Mark A. The Vietnam War: A Concise International History. 1st ed., Oxford University Press, 2010, books.google.co.ke/books?id=aJyGy_eOeQ0C&printsec=frontcover&dq=vietnam+war&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjvxv-0u97qAhWuz4UKHUnEBIMQ6AEwAXoECAIQAg#v=onepage&q=vietnam%20war&f=false. Accessed 21 July 2020.