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The
Vietnam War
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Vietnam War Facts: Fast Fact Sheet
Fast, fun facts and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
about the Vietnam War
(November 1, 1955 – April 30, 1975).
How long was the Vietnam War? The Vietnam War
lasted for 19 years, 5 months, 4 weeks and 1
day and
was America's longest involvement in any war. The
first US combat troops were sent to Vietnam
in March 1965 and left in August 1973.
When did the Vietnam War start? The date of the
Vietnam War started was November 1, 1955.
When did the Vietnam War end?
The Vietnam War officially ended on April
30, 1975 although direct U.S. military
involvement ended on 15 August 1973.
Why did the Vietnam War start?
The main cause of Vietnam War between the
north and the south was because the
Communist government of North Vietnam, under
Ho Chi Minh, sought
the reunification of the two countries and
led a guerrilla war by the Viet Cong against
anti-communist
Ngo Dinh
Diem in South Vietnam. The
United States entered the conflict to halt
the spread of Communism in Indochina.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: Who won the Vietnam War?
The Vietnam War ended in victory for the Communists
after American troops were withdrawn in 1973, and South Vietnam was
completely taken over by communist forces in 1975. It can therefore
be argued that the United States did not lose the War In Vietnam,
the South Vietnamese did - after America withdrew from military
action and Congress cut off funding. At the peak of US involvement
the Vietnam War was costing $2 billion every month. The South Vietnamese were
finally defeated by the North Vietnamese who remained well supported
and supplied by China and the Soviet Union.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: How many people died in the Vietnam War?
How many people died in the Vietnam War? By the end of
the prolonged conflict more than 3 million people, including over
58,000 Americans, including 38,224 Army and 14,844 Marines, were killed in the
Vietnam War. More than half of those
killed were Vietnamese civilians.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: Vietnam War Casualties
A total of 2.59 million Americans
served their country in the Vietnam War. 58,307 American troops
were killed and 304,000 were wounded, of which 75,000 returned
severely disabled. Amputations or crippling wounds were 300% higher
than in WW2. One out of every 10 Americans who served in the Vietnam war was
a casualty. The average age of the US troops killed in the conflict
was 23 years old.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: The French defeat at
Dien Bien Phu
The French defeat at the Battle of
Dien Bien Phu on May 7, 1954 by the Viet Minh Communist army ended
the French effort to retain Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos in the
Indochina War but began the direct involvement of the United States
who later replaced France to fight against communism in Vietnam.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: What was Indochina?
Indochina was a federation of
states controlled by the French consisting of the countries of
Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. When Vietnam was under the control of
the French they divided the country into three separate states
consisting of Cochin China (South Vietnam), Annam (Central Vietnam),
and Tonkin (North Vietnam).
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: The US Policy of
Containment and the Domino Theory
The United States Policy of
Containment
during the
Cold
War and the
Domino Theory played major parts in the US decision to enter
into the Vietnam War. The purpose of the Containment policy was to
restrict the spread of communism abroad by diplomatic, military and
economic actions. The Domino Theory
speculated that if a region came under communism, other
countries
would follow. The Containment Policy and the
speculations of the Domino theory resulted in the Vietnam War and
arguably led to the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and
Thailand staying free of Communism.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: Who were the Viet Cong?
Definition: The Viet Cong were
Vietnamese supporters of the communist National Liberation Front (NLF
or National Front for the Liberation of the South) in South Vietnam
who fought the guerrilla war between 1959 and 1975 to take over from
President Ngo Dinh Diem and his American
backers. The Viet Cong were also known as the 'VC' or 'Charlies' in
US Army slang.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: What was the Viet Minh?
Definition: The Viet Minh (League
for the Independence of Vietnam) was formed in 1941 and primarily
led by Communists under Ho Chi Minh to counter the Japanese invasion of Vietnam. Japan
handed Vietnam to the Viet Minh in 1945. The Viet Minh were helped
when the Communist Party of
Mao Zedong
was victorious in China in 1949.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: What was the Ho Chi Minh Trail?
Definition: The nickname "Ho Chi
Minh Trail" was given by Americans, for the Truong Song Road. The
Ho Chi Minh Trail consisted of many different roads, trails and foot
paths that stretched for 9,940 miles from North Vietnam, through
Cambodia and Loas, and into Southern Vietnam. The Ho Chi Minh Trail
was designed to get supplies and troops into Southern Vietnam. There
were also checkpoints along the trail that had underground medical and
rest centers that provided shelter for the troops.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: The Vietnam Terrain
Vietnam was a terrible country to
fight in with a difficult terrain consisting of jungles of trees and
vines, bush, deep valleys, river deltas, mountains, sharp ridges,
flooded paddies and plantations. The heat, rain, insects and leeches
resulted in a debilitating impact on the sweat-drenched American
troops.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: Agent Orange
The Americans fought a hi-tech war,
using B52 bombers, artillery, helicopters, napalm and defoliants
such as
Agent Orange
and Agent Blue. Agent Orange' was the name of a
chemical herbicide (that came in orange containers) which US forces
sprayed extensively in order to kill vegetation in the Vietnamese
jungle and infiltrate Viet Cong hideouts from 1962 to 1971. The Agent Orange chemical
was used for chemical warfare during Operation Ranch Hand.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: What was Napalm?
Definition: Napalm was a highly
flammable, sticky, gasoline-based gel that was used by the U.S.
military in flame-throwers and incendiary bombs. Napalm inflicted
devastating burns, maiming and killing many Vietnamese soldiers and
civilians.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: The Booby Traps - Punji
Sticks and the 'Bouncing Betty'
To add to the difficulty of the
Vietnam terrain the known patrol routes of the US troops, the Viet Cong set
countless, well hidden, booby traps, camouflaged pits and trip wires
that were attached to grenades or mines. Sharp 'Punji sticks' or 'Punji
stakes', made out of wood or bamboo with points often smeared with
poison were camouflaged by natural undergrowth or placed in pits
were designed to wound soldier’s legs and to delay or disrupt the
mobility of enemy troops. The explosive device known as the
‘Bouncing Betty’ was a type of landmine that was placed in locations
that US soldiers were likely to walk. The ‘Bouncing Betty’ had two
charges, the first propelled the explosive charge upward, and the
second was set to explode at about waist level.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: Guerilla Warfare
The American and anti-communist
forces had a superior army during the Vietnam War so the Viet Cong compensated by applying
the tactics of guerrilla warfare. Instead of traditional battles
they waged hit and run attacks and ambushes. The Viet Cong also
built elaborate tunnel systems allowing movement underground without
being seen and enabling the communist troops to stay underground for
extended periods of time.
Facts
for kids: Viet Cong Tunnels - The
Chu Chi Tunnel System
The Vietnamese used
over 30,000 miles (48,000 km) of tunnels throughout
North and South Vietnam as part of their guerrilla
warfare tactics throughout North and South Vietnam. The
Chu Chi Tunnel System was a system of underground
tunnels located just outside Saigon that allowed the
Viet Cong to ambush enemy soldiers and provide them with
a quick escape route. The Chu Chi Tunnel System was the
largest of all the tunnel systems running 155 miles (250
kilometers) and was accessible from almost any Viet Cong
base in the area. The Chu Chi Tunnels were up to 10
meters below ground, and measured about two feet wide by
two feet tall. The Chu Chi tunnels were discovered by
chance by an American Sergeant in 1967. US attempts to
destroy the tunnels with explosives, flooding, and
"tunnel rats" failed. The dimensions of the tunnels
prevented the passage of soldiers and weapons and the
in-built defense systems prevented the Americans from
neutralizing the tunnels.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: What was the Iron
Triangle?
The town of Chu Chi, with its
infamous tunnels, were located in the area known as the Iron
Triangle. The Iron Triangle was a densely forested 120 square miles
(310 km2) area to the north of Saigon in the Bình Duong
Province. The Iron Triangle was so named because it was a stronghold
and the base of revolutionary armed forces in South Vietnam, the
Viet Minh, during the Vietnam War.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: Why were Helicopters so
important?
The Vietnam War was the first
conflict that saw wide scale tactical deployment of helicopters.
During WW2 in the South Pacific the average soldier saw about 40
days of combat across a period of 4 years. The average soldier in
the Vietnam War saw about 240 days of combat in 1 year - due to the
mobility of the helicopter. The Bell UH-1 Iroquois, nicknamed the
'Huey', was used extensively in counter-guerilla operations. 7,013 Hueys flew during the conflict and 1,074 Huey pilots were killed
during the Vietnam War. The unprecedented mobility afforded by the
'Huey' helicopter was crucial in the fast and accurate deployment of
troops, taking the fight to the enemy. The Hueys were also
successfully used in MEDEVAC and search and rescue roles. MEDEVAC
helicopters flew nearly 500,000 missions, airlifting over 900,000
patients, of which nearly half were American. Flying the helicopters
was extremely dangerous. During WW2 bomber aircraft generally
flew missions with only 10 to 20 minutes exposed to hostile fire
whereas the low flying helicopters in Vietnam and were constantly
exposed to hostile fire even in their base camps.
Vietnam War Facts
for kids: Key People in the
Vietnam War
The key people who were
involved in the Vietnam War were US Presidents Dwight D.
Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard
Nixon. Henry Kissinger, Nixon's secretary of state negotiated
the eventual cease fire. Other important people involved in the
Vietnam War were Ngo Dinh Diem, Ho Chi Minh, Vo Nguyen Giap, Ngo
Dinh Nhu, Madame Nhu and Le Duan.
Vietnam War Facts
for kids: The Vietnam War US Presidents
There were four US Presidents
who served during the prolonged period of the Vietnam War.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower and President John F. Kennedy
sent increasing numbers of American military advisers and troops
to South Vietnam in the late 1950s and early 1960s. President
Lyndon Johnson greatly increased American military support until
500,000 US soldiers were in Vietnam. Distrust of Lyndon B.
Johnson mounted as the 'Credibility Gap' widened between what
the president and the military were telling the American public
about the conflict and what the American media were saying. The
Tet offensive mounted by the Communists was a severe setback for
the Americans and reports of atrocities such as the My Lai
massacre increased anti-war demonstrations in the US led
President Richard Nixon to decrease the number of American
troops in Vietnam and sent his secretary of state, Henry
Kissinger, to negotiate a cease-fire with North Vietnam. Direct
U.S. military involvement ended on 15 August 1973 and South
Vietnam was completely taken over by the communists in
1975.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: Who was Bao Dai?
Definition: Bao Dai (22 October
1913 – 30 July 1997) was the 13th and last emperor of Vietnam, who
reigned from 8 January 1926 - 25 August 1945 when he abdicated and
retired to France. Bao Dai was an ineffective ruler who needed the
support of the French colonial regime. He abdicated after the Viet
Minh drove out the Japanese occupation forces and took control of
the Vietnamese government.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: Who was Ngo Dinh Diem?
Definition: South Vietnam was led
by the Pro-American dictator
Ngo
Dinh Diem (January 3, 1901 -
November 2, 1963). The USA supported a military coup in 1963, during
which Ngo Dinh Diem was murdered, and put a military government in
South Vietnam.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: Who were Ngo Dinh Nhu and Madame Nhu?
Definition: Ngo Dinh Nhu, and his
wife Madame Nhu, played important roles during the conflict. Ngo
Dinh Nhu was the brother of Ngo Dinh Diem and the corrupt and brutal
head of the Can Lao, the South Vietnamese secret police. Nhu was
hated by the South Vietnamese population as was his spiteful,
extravagant wife, Madame Nhu. They cared little for the peasants and
the actions and power of this powerful couple were largely
responsible for the US backed coup of November 1963, in which both
Ngo Dinh Diem and Ngo Dinh Nhu were assassinated.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: Who was Ho Chi Minh?
Definition:
Ho Chi Minh (May 19,
1890 - September 2, 1969) helped to form the Indo-Chinese Communist
Party in 1930 and became the first president of North Vietnam from
1954-1969. Ho Chi Minh was the leader of the People's Army of
Vietnam (PAVN or North Vietnamese Army) and the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: Who was Vo Nguyen Giap?
Definition: Vo Nguyen Giap was the
long standing, trusted general of Ho Chi Minh and the commander of
Vietnamese Communist forces who proved his military genius at the
battle of 1954 Dien Bien Phu when the French were defeated and
continued his role, masterminding the Communists military strategy
of guerrilla warfare until the end of the conflict.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: Who was Le Duan?
Definition: Le Duan was the primary
leader of the North Vietnamese Communist Party after the death of Ho
Chi Minh in 1969.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: Key Events in the
Vietnam War
The key events during the Vietnam
War included the Gulf of Tonkin Incident (August 2, 1964), the My Lai
massacre March 16, 1968, the anti-war movement, the publication of
the Pentagon Papers in 1971 and the most famous battles such as the Tet Offensive (1968), the Easter Offensive, Battle of Hue, Battle of
Khe Sanh and the Battle of Hamburger Hill. For details of the famous
dates and events refer to the
Vietnam War
Timeline.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: What was the Gulf of
Tonkin Incident and Resolution?
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident
occurred on August 2, 1964 when the destroyer USS Maddox came under
attack by three North Vietnamese torpedo boats. The
Gulf of Tonkin
Resolution was passed on August 7, 1964 by nearly a unanimous vote
in Congress, giving President Lyndon B. Johnson a free hand to
escalate the war in Vietnam.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: The Anti-war Movement
In 1965 the casualties mounted in
the Vietnam War and
there was a surge of the Anti-war movement in America. 'Teach-ins'
were held at many campuses to discuss issues surrounding the
conflict and reasons for opposing it. Others expressed anger at the
Draft which enabled college students to defer military service until
after graduation. This led to protests from low income families and
minorities who could not afford to go to college or university. The
Anti-war movement was also backed by young people during the Flower
Power era of peace and love, a counterculture that saw the growth of
the Youth Movement.. Opposition continued to grow and
draftees refused to go to Vietnam and the number of prosecutions
and protests rose.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: The Hawks and the Doves
The anti-war protests resulted in
the American people becoming divided into two camps over the long
standing conflict. Those who wanted America to stay and fight were
called the Hawks and those who wanted the United States to withdraw
from the Vietnam War became known as the Doves.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: What was the Tet
Offensive?
What was the
Tet Offensive? On January 30, 1968, during Tet the
Vietnamese new year, a massive surprise attack was launched by the
Vietnamese. The surprise attack became known as the 'Tet Offensive'
in which North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces began a coordinated
series of fierce attacks on more than 100 south Vietnamese cities
and towns. There was even an attack by the Viet Cong on the American
Embassy in Saigon. In the same week of the Tet Offensive, the tally
of American soldiers who had died in Vietnam passed that of the
Korean War. After the Tet Offensive the anti-war movement as many
Americans gave up all hope of winning the Vietnam War.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: What was the My Lai
Massacre?
The
My Lai Massacre happened on
March 16, 1968 which involved the mass killing by US troops of
between 347-504 unarmed South Vietnamese most of which were old men,
women and children. News of the My Lai massacre broke in November
1969 to the horror of the nation. News of other atrocities
committed during the Vietnam War by both sides spread across the nation. There were rumors
of incidents involving 'fragging' in which demoralized American
troops killed their own superior officers in order to avoid being
sent on dangerous missions.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: U.S. Invasion of Cambodia and expansion of the Vietnam War
On April 30, 1970, President
Richard Nixon, fearing a humiliating defeat in Vietnam, escalated
the war in Indochina even further by ordering the U.S. invasion of
Cambodia and the need to draft 150,000 more U.S. soldiers for an
expansion of the Vietnam War effort. (The U.S. invasion of Cambodia
was supported by its military government and as a result led to its
downfall and the take over of Cambodia by the
Khmer Rouge, under
the brutal dictator, Pol Pot. Under the merciless regime of Pol Pot,
over one million Cambodians were put to death). The Mayaguez
Incident led to the Battle on Koh Tang in Cambodia was officially
the last American battle of the Vietnam War and was the only time
Americans fought against the Khmer Rouge.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: The Kent State Shooting
The invasion of Cambodia, and the
expansion of the war effort, led to anger and outrage as students
were galvanized into organizing numerous ant-war demonstrations and
protests in college campuses across the United States. Four student
demonstrators were shot dead and nine were injured in an anti-war
protest during the
Kent State
Shooting by Ohio National Guardsmen on May 4, 1970.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: Nixon Policy of Vietnamization
President Nixon adopted the policy
of
Vietnamization in 1969 to end
the Vietnam War by turning the fighting over to the Vietnamese.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: What were the Pentagon Papers?
Definition: The 'Pentagon
Papers'
was the name given to a secret Department of Defense study of U.S.
political and military involvement in Vietnam from 1945 to 1967. The
secret 'Pentagon Papers' were leaked to the New York Times and the
Washington Post in 1971 and caused an uproar with the American
Public. By 1971 opinion polls showed that 66% of Americans wanted
the Vietnam War as quickly as possible.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: The Paris Peace Accords
and Ceasefire Agreement
The Paris Peace Accords was signed
on January 27, 1973 and included a ceasefire agreement ending US
Involvement in the Vietnam War and the
End of the Vietnam War. The last non-combat US troops left
Vietnam on March 29, 1973 and the last POW’s were released on April
1, 1973.
Vietnam
War Facts
for kids: The Fall of Saigon and South
Vietnam
No sooner had the US troops
withdrawn, the ceasefire agreement collapsed and the North
Vietnamese Army launched a full scale invasion of the south. Saigon
was captured on April 30, 1975 and renamed as Ho Chi Minh city.
President Nguyen Van Theu's South Vietnamese government surrendered
to the Communists, marking the end of the Vietnam War.
Vietnam War Facts
for kids: The Vietnam War Memorial
The Vietnam War
Memorial is a monument that was built in honor of
individuals in the American armed services who died
during the conflict. The monument consists of a
black marble wall and is located in a 3 acre park
area of Constitutional Gardens in Washington, D.C.,
The Memorial Wall was designed by American architect
Maya Lin and consists of two 246 feet 9 inches
(75.21 m) long walls. The names of those KIA
(Killed in Action), or MIA (Missing in Action)
during the Vietnam War are
inscribed in the black marble wall.
Vietnam War
●
Facts about the Vietnam War for kids and schools
●
Summary of the Vietnam War in US history
●
The Vietnam War, a major
event in US history
●
Dwight Eisenhower from January 20, 1953 to January 20, 1961
●
Fast, fun facts about the Vietnam War
●
Foreign & Domestic
policies of President Dwight Eisenhower
● Dwight Eisenhower Presidency and
Vietnam War for schools,
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