Our Boys in 'Nam

Vietnam was colonized by France since 1884, causing the formation of several Vietnamese opposition groups. One such group was the Viet Minh common front formed in 1941, which was controlled by the Communist party in Vietnam. Because France was taken over by the Axis during WWII, the Japanese took over the French colonies. When famine struck northern Vietnam in 1944, the Viet Minh inspired the people to refuse to pay taxes and to raid rice storages. The group recruited many members during this period. In 1945 Japan was defeated and the leader of the Viet Minh Ho Chi Minh declared the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Vietnam struggled against the French and finally gained independence in 1954, with the help of the PRC, the Communist party in China, and the Soviet Union. Many Vietnamese were allowed to freely move between North and South Vietnam, separated by the 17th parallel. The Viet Minh, led by Ho Chi Minh, governed the North and the Republic of Vietnam, led by Ngo Dinh Diem, ruled the South. The North Vietnamese army is referred to as the People's Army of Vietnam and the communist South Vietnamese army is referred to as the Vietcong.

The Kennedy Administration grew wary of the spread of communism during the Cold War. However, Kennedy believed that South Vietnam carried much of the responsibilities regarding guerrilla warfare because he was against the deployment of American troops. As Kennedy's advisers pressed for military action, the President stuck with merely giving aid. The Southern government, filled with corruption and poor leadership, eventually required US troops.

President Lyndon Johnson took over the Presidency in 1963. He was initially more involved in the "Great Society." However, he was notified of two attacks on American battleships on intelligence missions near the Gulf of Tonkin in 1964. It was later found in 2005 that there were actually no attacks on the battleships. However, these "fake" attacks allowed Johnson to conduct military operations in Vietnam. The US constantly bombed Vietnam for three years, hoping that it would intimidate North Vietnamese as well as bolster the morale of South Vietnamese. On 1965, the marines were dispatched to Vietnam. There was not much progress however, because of the deadly guerrilla tactics. In 1968, North Vietnamese forces attacked during Tet holiday, the Vietnamese counterpart of New Year's. The attack was devastating to the Vietcong as US forces retaliated quickly.

The Vietnam War concluded during Nixon's presidency. The Paris Peace Accords were signed in 1973, ending direct US involvement in the war. The treaty ordered a ceasefire between the two states. In 1975 Northern forces captured Saigon, ending the war. Although the North Vietnamese technically won, the war ended up as a stalemate for both powers. The US had no choice but to retreat from the war, failing to enforce the policy of containment, while Vietnam suffered many casualties. Neither countries paid reparations.

Andrew C and Ben H