It helped divide the two nations so we could win the Vietnam War faster.
17th
Korean War. The 17th parallel was Vietnam.
17th parallel
17th Parallel.
17th parallel.
17th Parallel
Vietnam was split at the 17th parallel
It followed the 17th parallel of latitude on the map.
17th Parallel.
The Geneva Accords of 1954, which ended the First Indochina War, created two Vietnamese states, one controlled by the Viet Minh north of the 17th parallel and one controlled by the State of Vietnam (the former administrators of colonial Vietnam) south of the 17th parallel. The United States and France maintained their defense of the State of Vietnam (which would become the Republic of Vietnam or "South Vietnam"), which prevented the Viet Minh from forcibly uniting the two Vietnams until 1975.
During the Viet War from '55 thru '75, there were two Vietnams: North Vietnam & South Vietnam; they were divided at the 17th parallel.
Divided at the 17th parallel in 54/55.