Vietnam War

Throughout the years, America has fought in many battles and wars for several different causes, but no war has lasted longer and been disliked more that the Vietnam War. The Vietnam War began in 1959, dragged through the entire decade of the 1960s, and finally ended in 1975. There were military conflicts in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.

                This devastating war was all started after the First Indochina war when the Vietnamese people fought for their independence from France. After this war, Vietnam was divided into North Vietnam and South Vietnam. North Vietnam was controlled by Vietnamese Communists who went against France and wanted all of Vietnam to be united under Communism. South Vietnam was in control of the Vietnamese people who had not opposed the French. This is where the United States of America stepped into the Vietnam War also known as the Second Indochina War.

                In 1965, US troops were dispatched to South Vietnam to ensure that the government there would not collapse. The US had a plan that included three objectives in order to win the war. First was to commit the US forces needed to stop the losses by 1965’s end. Second was to halt the enemy forces from their attacks and attempts to take control. Thirds was to allow a year to a year and a half after the previous phase to destroy the rest of the enemy forces that were still in base areas.

                Staggering numbers are recorded of Vietnam. There was so much fighting and bombing and all kinds of conflict. During the war, over 58,000 Americans died while 304,000 others came away wounded. On both sides of the Vietnamese people, between 3 million and 4 million were killed along with 1.5 to 2 million people from Laos and Cambodia. The US dropped over 8 million tons of bombs throughout the whole war. The war effort costed the US around $150 billion. The actual fighting lasted 14 years, and President Lyndon B. Johnson was the president for most of the war.

                In the end, the US was unable to meet its goal, and in 1975 all of Vietnam was controlled and ruled by Communists. This was a great and hard fought war which will forever be remembered in the hearts of Americans and Vietnamese people.