What was the vietnam war?

Question: What was the vietnam war!?

easy to understand info about vietnam warWww@QuestionHome@Com

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The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, the Vietnam Conflict, and, in Vietnam, the American War, occurred from 1956 to April 30, 1975!. The war was fought between the communist Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) and its communist allies and the US-supported Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam)!. It concluded with the defeat and dissolution of South Vietnam after North Vietnam violated the 1973 cease-fire agreement and invaded the South in 1975 after US forces had largely withdrawn!. For the United States, the war effectively ended in the withdrawal of American troops and the failure of its foreign policy in Vietnam!.

Over 1!.4 million military personnel were killed in the war (of which 6 percent were members of the United States armed forces), while estimates of civilian fatalities range up to 2 million!. On April 30, 1975, the capital of South Vietnam, Saigon, fell to the communist forces of North Vietnam, effectively ending the Vietnam War!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Vietnam was once an enemy to the Us!. And i think it was about policies!.And killing American soldiers!.And there were differences in cultures and ideals!.

We should not be so willing to go to other countries and fight them!.Although it is good to defend your self and country men it is not okay to go and start war!.

God , can takes life but we can't that is not right!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

the Domino theory!.
Thats if one country falls to communism then all the others around it will fall too, like Domino's!.
The north Vietnam was communist,and the south liked it, "Vietcong"!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Basically, President Johnson needed something to give a reason to go in and fight and pushed the now-bogus Gulf of Tonkin incident to allow the US to go inWww@QuestionHome@Com

A gradually escalated attempt at implementing the Containmnent Doctrine put forth by George F!. Kennan in "The Long Telegram" and "X Article" that went horribly wrong!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

At the beginning , it was known as Indochina!. Japan had it at the end of WWII and they turned it over to France!. President Eisenhower got the US into it!. President Kennedy said he was going to start bringing troops home and he was assassinated shortly after!. Lyndon Johnson retracted Kennedy's statement immediately and escalated the war!. We finally got out in the 70's, nearly 40 years after we sent the first Advisors!. See below for a more detailed timeline!. also note that people are still blaming Kennedy for the war, but he didn't get us in and had announced that we were getting out, which Johnson changed following JFK's assassination!.

A Vietnam War Timeline
[Note: This timeline is an abbreviated version of the more detailed timeline posted on the Public Broadcasting System's "Vietnam Online" section of The American Experience!.]

1945
Ho Chi Minh Creates Provisional Government: Following the surrender of Japan to Allied forces, Ho Chi Minh and his People's Congress create the National Liberation Committee of Vietnam to form a provisional government!. Japan transfers all power to Ho's Vietminh!.
Ho Declares Independence of Vietnam
British Forces Land in Saigon, Return Authority to French
First American Dies in Vietnam: Lt!. Col!. A!. Peter Dewey, head of American OSS mission, was killed by Vietminh troops while driving a jeep to the airport!. Reports later indicated that his death was due to a case of mistaken identity -- he had been mistaken for a Frenchman!.
1946
French and Vietminh Reach Accord: France recognizes Vietnam as a "free state" within the French Union!. French troops replace Chinese in the North!.
Negotiations Between French and Vietminh Breakdown
Indochina War Begins: Following months of steadily deteriorating relations, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam launches its first consorted attack against the French!.
1947
Vietminh Move North of Hanoi
Valluy Fails to Defeat Vietminh: French General Etienne Valluy attempts, and fails, to wipe out the Vietminh in one stroke!.
1949
Elysee Agreement Signed: Bao Dai and President Vincent Auriol of France sign the Elysee Agreement!. As part of the agreement the French pledge to assist in the building of a national anti-Communist army!.
1950
Chinese, Soviets Offer Weapons to Vietminh
US Pledges $15M to Aid French: The United States sends $15 million dollars in military aid to the French for the war in Indochina!. Included in the aid package is a military mission and military advisors!.
1953
France Grants Laos Full Independence
Vietminh Forces Push into Laos
1954
Battle of Dienbienphu Begins: A force of 40,000 heavily armed Vietminh lay seige to the French garrison at Dienbienphu!. Using Chinese artillery to shell the airstrip, the Vietminh make it impossible for French supplies to arrive by air!. It soon becomes clear that the French have met their match!.
Eisenhower Cites "Domino Theory" Regarding Southeast Asia: Responding to the defeat of the French by the Vietminh at Dienbienphu, President Eisenhower outlines the Domino Theory: "You have a row of dominoes set up!. You knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is the certainty that it will go over very quickly!."
French Defeated at Dien Bien Phu
Geneva Convention Begins: Delegates from nine nations convene in Geneva to start negotiations that will lead to the end of hostilities in Indochina!. The idea of partitioning Vietnam is first explored at this forum!.
Geneva Convention Agreements Announced: Vietminh General Ta Quang Buu and French General Henri Delteil sign the Agreement on the Cessation of Hostilities in Vietnam!. As part of the agreement, a provisional demarcation line is drawn at the 17th parallel which will divide Vietnam until nationwide elections are held in 1956!. The United States does not accept the agreement, neither does the government of Bao Dai!.
1955
Diem Rejects Conditions of Geneva Accords, Refuses to Participate in Nationwide Elections
China and Soviet Union Pledge Additional Financial Support to Hanoi
Diem Urged to Negotiate with North: Britain, France, and United States covertly urge Diem to respect Geneva accords and conduct discussions with the North!.
Diem Becomes President of Republic of Vietnam: Diem defeats Bao Dai in rigged election and proclaims himself President of Republic of Vietnam!.
1956
French Leave Vietnam
US Training South Vietnamese: The US Military Assistance Advisor Group (MAAG) assumes responsibility, from French, for training South Vietnamese forces!.
1957
Communist Insurgency into South Vietnam: Communist insurgent activity in South Vietnam begins!. Guerrillas assassinate more than 400 South Vietnamese officials!. Thirty-seven armed companies are organized along the Mekong Delta!.
Terrorist Bombings Rock Saigon: Thirteen Americans working for MAAG and US Information Service are wounded in terrorist bombings in Saigon!.
1959
Weapons Moving Along Ho Chi Minh Trail: North Vietnam forms Group 559 to begin infiltrating cadres and weapons into South Vietnam via the Ho Chi Minh Trail!. The Trail will become a strategic target for future military attacks!.
US Servicemen Killed in Guerilla Attack: Major Dale R!. Buis and Master Sargeant Chester M!. Ovnand become the first Americans to die in the Vietnam War when guerillas strike at Bienhoa
Diem Orders Crackdown on Communists, Dissidents
1960
North Vietnam Imposes Universal Military Conscription
Kennedy Elected President: John F!. Kennedy narrowly defeats Richard Nixon for the presidency!.
Diem Survives Coup Attempt
Vietcong Formed: Hanoi forms National Liberation Front for South Vietnam!. Diem government dubs them "Vietcong!."
1961
Battle of Kienhoa Province: 400 guerillas attack village in Kienhoa Province, and are defeated by South Vietnamese troops!.
Vice President Johnson Tours Saigon: During a tour of Asian countries, Vice President Lyndon Johnson visits Diem in Saigon!. Johnson assures Diem that he is crucial to US objectives in Vietnam and calls him "the Churchill of Asia!."
1962
US Military Employs Agent Orange: US Air Force begins using Agent Orange -- a defoliant that came in metal orange containers-to expose roads and trails used by Vietcong forces!.
Diem Palace Bombed in Coup Attempt
Mansfield Voices Doubt on Vietnam Policy: Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield reports back to JFK from Saigon his opinion that Diem had wasted the two billion dollars America had spent there!.
1963
Battle of Ap Bac: Vietcong units defeat South Vietnamese Army (ARVN) in Battle of Ap Bac
President Kennedy Assassinated in Dallas: Kennedy's death meant that the problem of how to proceed in Vietnam fell squarely into the lap of his vice president, Lyndon Johnson!.
Buddhists Protest Against Diem: Tensions between Buddhists and the Diem government are further strained as Diem, a Catholic, removes Buddhists from several key government positions and replaces them with Catholics!. Buddhist monks protest Diem's intolerance for other religions and the measures he takes to silence them!. In a show of protest, Buddhist monks start setting themselves on fire in public places!.
Diem Overthrown, Murdered: With tacit approval of the United States, operatives within the South Vietnamese military overthrow Diem!. He and his brother Nhu are shot and killed in the aftermath!.
1964
General Nguyen Khanh Seizes Power in Saigon: In a bloodless coup, General Nguyen Khanh seizes power in Saigon!. South Vietnam junta leader, Major General Duong Van Minh, is placed under house arrest, but is allowed to remain as a figurehead chief-of-state!.
Gulf of Tonkin Incident: On August 2, three North Vietnamese PT boats allegedly fire torpedoes at the USS Maddox, a destroyer located in the international waters of the Tonkin Gulf, some thirty miles off the coast of North Vietnam!. The attack comes after six months of covert US and South Vietnamese naval operations!. A second, even more highly disputed attack, is alleged to have taken place on August 4!.
Debate on Gulf of Tonkin Resolution: The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution is approved by Congress on August 7 and authorizes President Lyndon Johnson to "take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression!." The resolution passes unanimously in the House, and by a margin of 82-2 in the Senate!. The Resolution allows Johnson to wage all out war against North Vietnam without ever securing a formal Declaration of War from Congress!.
Vietcong Attack Bienhoa Air Base
LBJ Defeats Goldwater: Lyndon Johnson is elected in a landslide over Republican Barry Goldwater of Arizona!. During the campaign, Johnson's position on Vietnam appeared to lean toward de-escalation of US involvement, and sharply contrasted the more militant views held by Goldwater!.
1965
Operation "Rolling Thunder" Deployed: Sustained American bombing raids of North Vietnam, dubbed Operation Rolling Thunder, begin in February!. The nearly continuous air raids would go on for three years!.
Marines Arrive at Danang: The first American combat troops, the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, arrive in Vietnam to defend the US airfield at Danang!. Scattered Vietcong gunfire is reported, but no Marines are injured!.
Heavy Fighting at Ia Drang Valley: The first conventional battle of the Vietnam war takes place as American forces clash with North Vietnamese units in the Ia Drang Valley!. The US 1st Air Cavalry Division employs its newly enhanced technique of aerial reconnaissance to finally defeat the NVA, although heavy casualties are reported on both sides!.
US Troop Levels Top 200,000
Vietnam "Teach-In" Broadcast to Nation's Universities: The practice of protesting UWww@QuestionHome@Com