The Vietnam War

 

         The Vietnam War took place between 1 November 1961 and 30 April 1975, the fall of Saigon. The war was fought between the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam), supported by China and the Soviet Union and the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam), supported by the United States. The conflict ended with the defeat of South Vietnam under communist rule and unify the country. US troops withdrew from Vietnam, the war is considered one of the great failures of American foreign policy.

       The Vietnam War, more broadly, means the Indochina War (1955-30 April 1975) and, more narrowly, the American intervention (between 1965-1973). In principle, the war was fought for the reunification of Vietnam divided temporarily decisive defeat of French colonial army in 1954. In this conflict, the two major communist powers competed with each other for influence in Southeast Asia and the US try to prevent the spread of communism in fragile countries in Asia, which recently became independent. Ground military conflicts were fought largely in South Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia respectively, in the border with Vietnam. In the first period of the war, the troops of South Vietnam, US military advisers prepared, tried to eliminate guerrillas hiding in rural areas and underground drainage system, but because of chaos and political oppression in the South, their number instead of decline, increased. In the 1960s the American political and military leadership has decided that in addition to US military advisers and instructors to send troops in the area. Guerrillas in northern army troops were supported by North Vietnam, trying several times to conquer South Vietnam, only American military intervention could save the situation. In response, the US aviation industry tried to destroy North Vietnam, but the effects were not as expected because aid to North Vietnam by the USSR and China. Due to uncensored images broadcast on television, public opinion worldwide could see cruelties of war without borders, which led to the strengthening of the peace movement and increasing resistance to conscription Americans. Meanwhile, US politicians have always tried to achieve independence party in the South, but North Vietnam would not yield in its claims, wishing that all foreign soldiers leave the south, the country is reunified and free elections to be held, relying on the fact that due to the chaos in South Vietnam, the election will be won by the communists. Finally, in 1972, delegations of the US and North Vietnam were realized, unbeknownst delegation of South Vietnam. American leadership since 1968 had the intention to withdraw from the conflict, but wanted to do so with minimal loss of prestige. After signing the peace agreement in 1973, the US withdrew its military forces from the region. South Vietnam forces, left without support, fell and North Vietnam, in violation of the peace agreement in 1975, attacked South Vietnam, occupying Saigon, its capital. The two countries were unified officially in 1976 as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.