Discuss american involvement in the vietnam war. include how and why it got involved, the experience fighting in vietnam, why it withdrew and the effects of the war and withdrawal.

1954-1973

South Vietnam
North Vietnam
Cambodia
Laos

North Vietnamese

South Vietnam: 850,00
United States: 540,000
South Korea: 50,000
Others: 80,000 plus

South Vietnam: 200,000 – 400,000 civilians
170,000-220,000 military
Over 1 million wounded
United States:
58,200 dead
300,000 wounded
North Vietnam:
50,000 plus civilian dead
400,000-1 million military dead.
Over 500,000 wounded

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Vietnam War summary: Summary of the Vietnam War: The Vietnam War is the commonly used name for the Second Indochina War, 1954–1973. Usually, it refers to the period when the United States and other members of the SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty Organization) joined the forces of the Republic of South Vietnam in contesting communist forces comprised of South Vietnamese guerrillas and regular-force units, generally known as Viet Cong (VC), and the North Vietnamese Army (NVA). The U.S. had the largest foreign military presence and basically directed the war from 1965 to 1968. For this reason, in Vietnam today it is known as the American War. It was a direct result of the First Indochina War (1946–1954) between France, which claimed Vietnam as a colony, and the communist forces then known as Viet Minh. In 1973 a “third” Vietnam war began—a continuation, actually—between North and South Vietnam but without significant U.S. involvement. It ended with communist victory in April 1975.

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