Vietnam War

They were drafted.

Thalidomide was originally used as a light sedative. It proved to be a powerful teratogen, and was withdrawn after having caused a number of very serious birth defects.

Interestingly, though, thalidomide can once again be prescribed in connection with the treatment of multiple myeloma. Safeguards are in effect to prevent the distribution of the drug to women who are pregnant, or who could become pregnant.

1. Could not invade NORTH Vietnam (what good would this have done anyway?)

2. Could not use nuclear weapons (what good would this have done anyway?)

3. Could not isolate the war from re-supply

The media at the time referred to them as "boat people" since they arrived by ships and boats. "Ship People" just didn't come out right.

A belief that one nation's fall to communism would lead to others

He didn't want to cause more protests and riots and he wanted to keep peace for as long as he could.

The prime root cause of most wars to date is a struggle over resources: mainly ownership of land, but natural resources (including water) have also been common causes.

There are of course many different reasons for any given war, and resource acquisition (or protection) may not have been a prime reason for any specific war, but practically all of them have it as at least a secondary cause.

Seems like there was one or two each week.

No foreign nation took over Cambodia. The communist backed Cambodian Rebel's called the Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia. Vietnam briefly occupied Cambodia in the late 1970's to set up a new government that could control it's own borders better. Cambodian rebels kept causing problems on the Cambodian/Vietnamese border, so the Viet's had had enough of it, and invaded Cambodia to clean up the place.

Ngo Dinh Diem was the US backed leader of South Vietnam during the days before the Vietnam War started in earnest. In total, the war lasted from 1955 until 1975.

It went from '55 to '75. But you will always get the following answers, depending upon whom you're talking to: 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1964, and 1965. Very very few people will argue with the ending date of 30 April 1975.

Just so you'll know, hardly anyone living in that era (Time magazine, Life magazine, TV, etc.) never used that term because it sounded like the "National Football League", the NFL. And football was popular in America back then. But to the very rare category of historians for the Vietnam War, you're most likely referring to the VC (Viet Cong). And I say most likely, because in this day and age of the computer, etc. National Liberation Front could be or mean almost anything...even a civil rights movement or womens liberation movement from the 1960s.

But presuming you're talking about the VC, they were communists living in South Vietnam.

They were not members of the NVA (North Viet Army). The war consisted of two basic enemies: VC & NVA. The war started via the VC (always supported by the NVA), but after the Tonkin Gulf Incident in '64, the NVA were DIRECTLY involved at all times. And after the Tet offensive of '68, the NVA shouldered nearly the whole war (since the VC were nearly wiped out during their offensive).

Even though the US Army did ISSUE cigarettes, matches, writing pens, writing paper, envelopes, knives, eye-glasses, soft caps (hats), and wrist watches (Hamiltons); some personal items were cigarettes, smoking pipes, zippo cigarette lighters, writing pens, eye-glasses, SUN-GLASS's (either sent to him or bought in the PX), custom baseball caps (green of course), civilian knives, and sometimes civilian firearms such as revolvers and shotguns. The knives, revolvers, and shotguns were often inherited from GI's before them; and most likely arrived in country from US Advisers from the 1950's and early 1960's. Music cassettes and recorders were often possessed by mounted troops (tank and ACAV crewmen); cassettes such as Buffalo Springfield, Deep Purple, Doors, Santana, Black Sabbeth, Led Zepplin, Steppenwolf, Cream, Beach Boys, Monkey's, etc. Mandatory GI issued equipment was: steel helmet (M1), plastic 1 & 2 qt canteens, ammo, rifle/machingun, grenades, C rations. Officers and NCO's carried maps and compass's. RTO carried the PRC-25 man portable back pack radio: RTO-Radio Telephone Operator/PRC-25 nomenclature of man-portable radio.

The VC and NVA both engaged in Guerrilla warfare. This could be as simple as shoot & scoot type of attack or a complex as a well planned ambush. Usually a US Marine or Soldier would be wounded by a trap (punti sticks, large hole, small mine field) and as others helped him, the VC would engage the Americans, pinning them down in a long firefight.

The Vietnam War, like Korea, WWII, WWI, were largely fought by conscripted (drafted) men. Desert Storm, and the current Irag conflict has been fought by an all volunteer military. The fact is that the majority of us that served in Vietnam,were RA (enlisted), especially in the early years,1960-1967. At wars end,the DoD stated that 54% of Vietnam Vets,were volunteers. A questionare was sent to Vietnam vets asking if they would do it again and 75% answered YES,even knowing the end result.So please get facts before posting. Vietnam was NOT largely fought by Draftees but volunteers. The ones that were drafted,fought and died as valorous as any troops of any war and that too is a fact.

The effect was a protracted war. The why is both obscure and profound. First to the obsure: the concept of a war of containment implied that this was not a war to be fought and won, and if the former is true, protect yourself, this isn't worth committing your life to. In no other war in US history was a war fought with such an educated force. They were not the young riflemen of World War I who had an eighth grade education or the rifleman of WWII who as a child of the depression had fared little better, or of the Korean War where the frontline troop still was short of a high school education. The young troops of the Vietnam War were better educated. They could think and reason, many had interupted a college education to serve and they did not blindly or easily go to the slaughter.

The US Military had been divided for years on where the Defense dollars should be placed. The Air Force had been reciving funds at the expense of ground forces. The Army saw this as an opportunity to reverese the trend and that was the first profound rationale that encouraged acceptance of the war, the Army was ill equiped to fight any war and needed to re-equip since most of their assets were already positioned in Korea and Europe as per Cold War policy.

A quick defeat against the Viet Cong and the Viet Minh could not be achieved because the troops were committed to defend and not to attack.

Because US ground forces were unavailable.

Because bickering within the DoD prevented proper leadership to exist.

Because the US Military when commited when committed must be given a clear objective.

Because senior officers wanted advancement.

Because junior officers wanted advancement.

Because everyone wanted to survive a war without a clear objective.

The plane a solider took at the end of this tour. Soliders often dreamed of freedom birds because they took them out of harms way.

College students and men with certain occupations recieved deferments. _Khloee was here <3

October 26, 1955 US promises aid to the newly established Republic of South Vietnam; US military men are in country and commencing operations April 1956. Last US military men depart 1975.

The hawks believed that Communism was rapidly spreading and that it had to be stopped before it reached the United States. Several countries did become Communist during that time period, including Cuba, which was located just a little too close to the U.S. for some people.

The 17th parallel division between North and South Vietnam was the result of a Chinese proposal at the Geneva Conference of 1954 which ended the French war in Vietnam. China did not want a strong, unified Vietnam on its southern border and easily convinced the great powers to go along with their proposal. Ho Chi Minh was dependent on Chinese aid and had to go along. Elections were scheduled for 1956, but South Vietnam, which did not sign the Geneva Accord, refused to participate.

The USAF F100 Super Sabre. The F100 fought in Vietnam from 1961 thru 1971, firing it's 20mm cannons against ground targets longer than any other jet attack aircraft. The Super Sabre was also amongst the most favorite to call in by ground forces, because the F100 came in low and CLOSE to the men on the ground all the while firing it's guns.

The U.S. mainly supported the South but Australia and some neutral countries supported the South as well. The Soviet Union and China mainly supported the North.