Vietnam

Vietnam. The war America lost, and I believe, never truly recovered from. Here, I will go over a history of Vietnam from prior to World War II, all the way through the Vietnam War. This wide range of years is necessary to study to gain true insight into the country of Vietnam, rather then just the years in which war took place.

So, Vietnam was an independent country that, after multiple years of conquest by the French, became part of French Indochina in 1885. While the French made multiple changes to the country, such as a western-styled set up of modern education and the like, the French also forced Vietnam to be based on a plantation economy, forcing them to grow tobacco, coffee, tea and indigo for export. Many Vietnamese were upset at the French for ignoring their arguments for self-government and civil rights. Several attempts at breaking free from French control occurred, but all failed. That is, until after World War II.

During World War II, France was invaded by Nazi Germany, and taken over. Part of France, named Vichy France, joined with Nazi Germany. This caused the French forces in Vietnam to surrender to the Japanese, who then took over and used all the natural resources of Vietnam in its' war efforts.

We Need More Dragons!

A leader for the Vietnamese emerged during this time. In 1941, the Viet Minh – a communist and nationalist liberation movement – emerged under Ho Chi Minh to seek independence for Vietnam from France as well as to oppose the Japanese occupation.

Pretty Clear What They Wanted

As World War II came to an end, the Japanese left Vietnam, and Ho Chi Minh took control. At the same time, France was sending troops down to take back control of Vietnam. This did not sit too well with Ho Chi Minh and his followers. On November 20, 1946, triggered by the Haiphong Incident, the First Indochina War between Viet Minh and the French forces ensued, lasting until July 20, 1954. Eventually, a cease fire was reached, splitting Vietnam into two parts--the Communist North, and the Democratic South, with a Demilitarized Zone in between. This would not last long, however.

As time went on, it became clear that neither North or South Vietnam were the "utopias for the people" they claimed to be. Both were totalitarian governments, with the Communist government in the North killing those it believed were trying to undermine it, and the government in the South jailing thousands it believes to be "subversive Communists". Thousands were jailed or killed in both North and South. Then came the Buddhist demonstrations. Angry with the way Buddhist religion was being treated in South Vietnam (the Buddhist flag was banned, and innocent Buddhist civilians were shot and killed). Unlike most demonstrations, these Buddhist demonstrations were a bit more hardcore. Like they lit themselves on fire in protest kind of hardcore.

WARNING: DISTURBING IMAGES COMING UP! SCROLL QUICK IF YOU DON'T WISH TO SEE!

Yes, This Is Real

Yeah, the Buddhists were not happy at all. As the instability in the region continued to grow, with coup after coup taking place. the Communists began to gain ground. As part of it's Domino Theory, where if an area fell to Communism, the other countries in the area would be quick to follow, the United States began to send troops to South Vietnam in an effort to prevent the Communists from taking complete control.

United States:  Damn! There goes the entire southern hemisphere!

This would become the second longest war America has ever fought, second only to Afghanistan. At its peak, over 500,000 troops were stationed in Vietnam, and fighting was constant. The war saw the largest use of military helicopters of any war, before or after.

GET TO THE CHOPPA!

As the war dragged on, and U.S. casualties mounted, it became clear that the citizens of the United States were tired of the war. Mass anti-war rallies were taking place, and the counter-culture at the time was pretty pissed off.

"End The War, Man! And Give Us More Weed!"

The Last Photo Of These Hippies Before Eric Cartman Got To Them.

Eventually, under the Nixon administration, the United States began to pull out, under the slogan "Peace With Honor". It would be one of the only good things Nixon did with his term as president.

"Now Shut Up, You Damn Hippies!"

The North Vietnamese Army eventually took control of South Vietnam, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam was formed. The forced mass collectivization of farms and factories the Communist government enforced led to a huge famine, and many tried to flee the country. This caused a huge humanitarian crisis.

Being On A Boat--Definitely Not As Cool Back Then

Eventually, the government would change things up and things began to improve. Now, Vietnam holds diplomatic relations with over 172 countries and is involved in organizations such as the United Nations, ASEAN, NAM, etc.

The storied past of Vietnam is often overlooked by those in the United States, who tend not to think of the small nation, but I believe it is important to learn everything one can about other nations. This world is a small place, and with the advance of technology and economical markets being so interdependent on each other, knowing everything one can is of much importance.

Until Next Time!