2Greenspan, Jesse. Laos is the most heavily bombed country in the world, with an estimated 30% of cluster bombs remaining unexploded. They were released to, The release of the Pentagon Papers to the public caused massive outrage, particularly over the news that the Kennedy administration had helped coordinate the military coup of 1963 and the assassination of Ngô Đình Diệm, as well as the reports that U.S. bombing of the North had done little to negatively impact. The Vietnam War was the most unpopular war in United States history. "How Jane Fonda’s 1972 Trip to North Vietnam Earned Her the Nickname ‘Hanoi Jane.’" Washington Post, September 18, 2017. World War I destroyed empires and killed millions of people. The Vietnam war … In March 1965, after the North Vietnamese had fired at two United States army vessels, President Lyndon Johnson decided it was time to step up their efforts to help South Vietnam overcome the North. In 1976, Vietnam was united as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. NPR: All Things Considered, July 24, 2015. About 2 million civilians and 1.3 million soldiers were killed or died during the war. Most historians believe that the true nature of the engagement misrepresented to the American public and utilized, perhaps unjustly, by President Johnson as a. Pits filled with spiked bamboo and covered over with leaves, called "punji pits," were common hazards faced by U.S. soldiers in Vietnam. The Democratic Republic of Vietnam had come into power in 1945 and was seeking to gain independence from France. You will learn something about everything! Did you know that the Vietnam War is known here as the “American War”? New York: Facts on File Publications, 1985. Civilian loss of life was also very heavy, with the lowest estimates around 415,000.Similarly, casualty totals among the VC and NVA and the number of dea… Richard Nixon is elected and promises gradual troop withdrawal. World War II changed the economic, political, and global landscape forever. U.S. military leaders predict American military involvment to end by 1965, and announce military personnel withdrawal. The Vietnam War cost a lot of money AND human lives. The United States, however, would not agree to Vietnam holding a general election, since they feared the communist party in the north of the country might win. Ken Burns and Lynn Novick: the Vietnam War. 9. One of the main tactics of guerrilla warfare was to make it difficult for the enemy to discover their opponents. Saigon is renamed Ho Chi Minh City. The Vietnam War was instrumental in raising consciousness about Post-Traumatic. Accessed: March 30, 2018. In 1950, the United States supported the France army by sending aid and supporting the South Vietnamese troops. 11"Weapons of the Vietnam War." 9Summers, Harry G. Vietnam War Almanac. The Vietnam War first began in 1959, five years after the division of the country by the Geneva Accords. Total U.S. military strength in Vietnam rises to 385,000. Southern State of Vietnam, under Bao Dai. The number of MIA/POW at the war's end was 2,646, and as of January 2018, 1,601 soldiers remain unaccounted for. The defeated Japanese declare an independent Vietnam ruled by Vietnamese loyalists in the South and the Viet Minh in the North. The Gulf of Tonkin Incident, 50 Years Ago, How Jane Fonda’s 1972 Trip to North Vietnam Earned Her the Nickname ‘Hanoi Jane.’, The Myth of the Spitting Anti-War Protestor, Vietnam War Study Raises Concerns about Veterans' Mental Health. Accessed: March 30, 2018. Operation "Junction City." 10 Sobering Facts about the Vietnam War The Vietnam War was a military conflict between North Vietnam and U.S.-aided South Vietnam from 1955–1975. A 2015 federal study of Vietnam War veterans found that nearly 300,000 veterans suffer from daily health problems, whether physical or emotional, as a result of their experiences in the war. However, Vietnamese civilians on both sides of the conflicts were killed, both combatants and civilians. 1Evans, Sophie Jane. History.com, August 1, 2014. In August, U.S. Congress passes the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, giving the president wide powers to conduct the war in Vietnam. French troops return. The Geneva Accords, signed in July 1954, effectively divided Vietnam at the 17th parallel (latitude 17° N). Learn about Vietnam War protests, the Tet Offensive, the My Lai Massacre, the Pentagon Papers and more. By 1995, Vietnam had realized the full scale of civilian harm during the war. In 1954, countries came together at the United Nations in Geneva to explore how the French could withdraw from the country peacefully. From the end of the 19 th Century up until the 1940s Vietnam had been a French colony and formed part of French Indochina. "The Myth of the Spitting Anti-War Protestor." Nowadays, Vietnam attracts plenty of tourists, many of whom come to pay tribute to those who lost their lives or visit the memorials, but also to see the beauty of the country despite the historic conflict and tragedies. "The Orphans of Agent Orange: Fifty Years On, Children Suffer from the Horrific Effects of America’s Use of Chemical Weapons during the Vietnam War." Interesting Facts. The United States grew interested in the political situation in Vietnam because of the perceived growing threat of global communism. The Vietnam War was a civil war that North Vietnam launched against South Vietnam in 1959. The South "State of Vietnam" is renamed the Republic of Explore how the Civil War powerfully changed the American landscape, the mechanics of warfare, politics, & much more with our interesting Civil War facts. Heroin use reached epidemic proportions among American troops. More than 3/4 of U.S. soldiers volunteered for the war. President Johnson Vietnam's army overran neighboring Cambodia in 1978, driving the genocidal Khmer Rouge out of power. Gulf of Tonkin Incident occurs August 2-4. During the war, around 1 million Catholics migrate towards south Vietnam for temporary peace. 5"My Lai Massacre." The number of Americans who died in the Vietnam War is 58,220. The Viet Cong, a party from the South which supported the North, was not established until 1960, and plagued the South with guerrilla warfare. "The Gulf of Tonkin Incident, 50 Years Ago." 7"Pentagon Papers." Emperor Bao Dai. It is difficult, however, to separate fact from hyperbole in the midst of such social and emotional tumult. favored by the U.S. They agreed to hold a general election two years later in 1956, which would seek to unite the country in a democratic manner rather than through warfare. The conflict has deep historical roots, most recently the First Indochina War between the communist North and the French-backed South, and the subsequent splitting of Vietnam into North and South. Battle of Ấp Bắc is fought on Jan. 2. The North Vietnamese eventually won the war in 1975 and reunited Vietnam as a communist country. Sadly, the Vietnam War caused devastation and harm for thousands of civilians and soldiers, and continues to be remembered as one of the world’s longest and most deadly wars. Conference splits Vietnam along the 17th parallel, into the Northern VETERAN NATHAN PHILLIPS VIETNAM. 31. The Viet Nimh defeat the French in the battle of Dien Bien Phu. After the war, the chemical mixture was found to cause tumors, birth defects, and other maladies, which both returning U.S. soldiers and many Vietnamese suffered from. The Vietnam War was a conflict between the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong, and the South Vietnamese and the United States of America. 8. Vietnam is a nature’s paradise that will make you fall in love with it instantly.And keep you coming back to the unique culinary experience. The famous story of the photo “Napalm Girl” and how the… War. establishes the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in the North. The Vietnam War, was a Cold War-era proxy war that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. President Nixon suspends military operations on January 15. Explore its fascinating history with these interesting World War II facts. The Vietnamese Communist Party controlled the North. Accessed: March 30, 2018. Accessed: March 30, 2018. One of North Vietnam's most important assets during the war was the "Ho Chi Minh Trail," a network of roads leading from North Vietnam into central South Vietnam, along which they transported soldiers, arms, and supplies to the Viet Cong in the South. Vietnam Veterans represented 9.7% of their generation. There are many stories of anti-war protesters spitting on soldiers upon their return. France had colonized Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, a group of nations which had become known as French Indochina. Leaders from both the U.S. and South Vietnam died during the war. She studied English Literature at university and enjoys sailing & playing the piano in her free time. Although guerrilla warfare was not a new tactic, it was used heavily by the Viet Cong in support of the northern government. Vietnam was a French colony from the mid-19th century until its expulsion in 1954. He is replaced by Duong Van Minh. The Vietnam War was a conflict between the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong, and the South Vietnamese and the United States of America. To what extent U.S. was successful in Vietnam is debatable, and the controversy has given rise to many myths on both sides. Total U.S strength by year's end is 181,000. 6Nalty, Bernard C., ed. 4Lembcke, Jerry. restricts U.S. bombing operations and announces he will not seek re-election. Many U.S. leaders labored under the delusion that Vietnam was a small country and could be easily controlled. At the end of the Vietnam War, the USS Midway crew pushed $10 million worth of helicopters into the sea so that a Cessna full of evacuees could land on the deck. Congress repeals the Tonkin Gulf Resolution. American and South Vietnamese forces relied heavily on air power during the war. Of Those Lost. Since the Northern government wanted to unite the country, the Vietnam War started out as a civil war, seeking to bring the North and South together and create a united Vietnam. Here are 10 facts that you probably did not know about the Vietnam War: 1. "Vietnam War Study Raises Concerns about Veterans' Mental Health." Ho Chi Minh died during the war in 1969. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. Daily Mail, March 13, 2014. A CIA-backed military coup ends in Diem's assassination. Vietnam War (1954–75), conflict that pitted the communist government of North Vietnam and its allies in South Vietnam, the Viet Cong, against South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States. The USA dropped almost 2 … Lizzie enjoys writing about current issues & business. The B-52 heavy bomber, F4 Phantom, and Bell UH-1 guaranteed American superiority in the air. South Vietnam requests U.S. military instructors, which are provided. After peace talks in Paris, the fighting in Vietnam continued, until the South surrendered to the communist North in 1975. In fact, over 80% of draftees were white, and 10-15% were African American, which was reflective of the relative population levels at the time. Accessed: March 30, 2018. North Vietnam was supported by the Soviet Union, China, and other communistallies… The United States military command ordered U.S. soldiers to attack a village believed to be filled with Viet Cong. Bombing operation of North Vietnam "Rolling Thunder" begun. Additionally, 150,000 were injured and 10,000 went missing in the war. Over 2 million civilians from both the North and South had been killed, with over a million soldiers killed between all armies involved. Since the 1970s, Vietnam has slowly liberalized its economic system and recovered from decades of war. 26. Veteran Successes. The Vietnam War was an expensive war that lasted nearly 20 years. The Orphans of Agent Orange: Fifty Years On, Children Suffer from the Horrific Effects of America’s Use of Chemical Weapons during the Vietnam War. Here it is, our top 10 interesting facts about Vietnam war that you may not know: Vietnam was under Chinese rule for roughly a thousand years until 938 AD. 12Zwerdling, Daniel. The Tet Offensive, which began January 30, 1968, was the largest offensive of the Vietnam War. Educated in, Leaders of the free world feared a "domino effect" regarding the spread of communism. War. Accessed: March 30, 2018. Vietnam has been subject to many foreign powers. Upto 1954 USA spend $1 billion in the Vietnam war which was about 80% of the war. President Kennedy increases military aid to South Vietnam, but does not Lizzie RobinsonLizzie Robinson has been a freelance writer since 2011. 10Vietnam War Fast Facts. The bitter controversy surrounding the Vietnam War led many soldiers to feel unwelcome upon their return home. The Paris Peace Accord is signed on January 27, and the war officially ends. Prior to the Vietnam War, the North of the country was governed by a communist government, while the South was governed separately by a government which sought to align itself further with the West. The Vietnam War Facts: 6 Things You Need to Know about the War The Vietnam War was steep deep in the Domino Theory. President Kennedy wanted to get the US Army out of Vietnam Source North Vietnamese forces invade South Vietnam. Vietnam. A 1980 Veterans Administration survey revealed that 82% of U.S. combatants in Vietnam felt that the war had been lost because the U.S. government had hamstrung their efforts, not allowing them to win. The Vietnam war has a long and bloody history. President Eisenhower’s Domino Theory cemented U.S. involvement in Vietnam over the years. The Vietnam War was a military conflict between North Vietnam and U.S.-aided South Vietnam from 1955–1975. Ho Chi Minh dies. Completed in 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC, commemorates the soldiers who died or went missing in action during the war. 30. At the Armed Forces History Museum in Largo, FL, visitors pass through a replica of the Ho Chi Minh Trail in the Vietnam Gallery. A controversial tool used during the Vietnam War was "Agent Orange," a defoliant designed to strip away forest cover used by enemy guerrilla troops. Though the United States and South Vietnamese forces pushed back the Tet Offensive, the swiftness and ferocity of the attack led to a turn in popular opinion of the war in the United States. New York: Salamander Books, 1996. It was part of a larger regional conflict as well as a manifestation of the Cold War. © 2021 Fact Retriever LLC. Television broadcasts of battles and general conditions in Vietnam played a large role in souring U.S. public opinion on the conflict. Interesting Facts. The New York Times releases the "Pentagon Papers.". 43,500 support personnel remain. North and South Vietnam were divided at the 17th parallel. 32. Fallacy of the Domino Theory President Dwight … The Viet Cong were Vietnamese rebels in the South who fought against the Southern Vietnam government and the United States. The Vietnam War was, in fact, an indirect war between the Soviet Union and the United States of America. At its narrowest point, the country is just 25 miles wide. Their cuisine is well known for its balance of the five Asian elements; spicy, sour, bitter, salty and sweet.28. Laos is thought to be the most heavily bombed country in the world per capita, with an estimated 30% of cluster bombs remaining unexploded. The majority of North Vietnamese and Viet Cong armaments were manufactured by. In Vietnam, the common name for the war is Kháng chiến chống Mỹ, or the "Resistance War Against America.". One of the world’s longest conflicts, and still today it’s quite controversial. shocks the American public, and support for the war drops. Vietnam Is A Cultural Mix Of Chinese, French, And Japan One of the worst recorded incidents in the Vietnam War is the My Lai Massacre. The village was actually occupied mainly by, The Vietnam War left deeps marks on the American psyche, especially the soldiers, leading to the creation of a number of books and films exploring the war's social and emotional ramifications. However, many US citizens did not approve of the move to invade Laos and Cambodia, promoting protests up and down the country. Only 1.8 million out of the total 8.7 million who served were drafted. There are many interesting facts about the Vietnam War which many people don’t know – let’s explore some of the lesser-known facts about this period of history. Accessed: March 30, 2018. Since the war ended in 1975 the country bloomed with tourists willing to see all of its magical rivers and beaches and the magical old cities. This theory held that if communism took root in one country, it would soon spread to others, in this case, neighboring nations like Laos, Cambodia, and. 1. The amazing story of Kim Phuc “The girl of Napalm” War. The Vietnam War dragged on for a variety of reasons, including the difficult, heavily forested terrain, the guerrilla tactics of the communist forces, and hesitant U.S. leadership restricting the army's options for decisive action. The "Tet Offensive" begins on January 30th, a coordinated attack on key Its unpopularity helped to shape the turbulent social movements of the 1960s and led to deep divisions within the nation. The first man to die in Vietnam was James Davis, in 1961. Thich Quang Duc (The fiery monk) Interesting Facts. Although international law has many measures and regulations in place to prevent injuries and deaths to civilians, the sad reality is that it is often innocent civilians who pay the price for war. Many soldiers returning from the war felt they had been betrayed at home by liberals, hippies, and feminists who had undermined U.S. morale and the will to keep fighting, and the government, which had caved to social pressure. The attack American leaders viewed North Vietnam, led by communist Ho Chi Minh, as an ideological threat to the surrounding region. South Vietnamese president Ngô Đình Diệm was assassinated on November 2, 1963, a mere twenty days before President Kennedy was shot in Dallas. When the United Nations set the 2030 Agenda for the Sustainable Development Goals, they included an extra goal for Laos – to rid the country of dangerous unexploded items. Over 500,000 anti-war protestors march in Washington D.C. commit US combat troops. Buddhist monks commit suicide by setting themselves on fire in opposition to Diem's Vietnam has a communist government. Learn more U.S. military facts here. Since its beginning in the American frontier, the U.S. military has evolved in tandem with the United States itself. The Vietnam War was primarily between the North and South of Vietnam, but it didn’t end there. However, the North sought help from the Viet Cong from the South, while the South brought in help from the United States of America. three provinces: Tonkin, Annam, and Cochinchina. The leader of North Vietnam, Nguyễn Sinh Cung, better known by the pseudonym Ho Chi Minh, was the president of communist North Vietnam from 1954 to 1965. at year's end stands at 536,100. The Fact Site is the number one source for the most interesting & random facts about animals, celebrities, food, films, games & so much more. See the fact file below for more information on the Vietnam War or alternatively, you can download our 23-page Vietnam War worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment. The Vietnam War (also known as Second Indochina War or American War in Vietnam) lasted from 1 November 1955–30 April 1975, (19 years, 5 months, 4 weeks and 1 day). However, a lot of facts and tidbits of information regarding this war never came to the light of the day owing to the extensive loss of life. A long war which began in 1955 and didn’t end until 1979, the Vietnam War is one of the most well-known conflicts of recent years. American actress Jane Fonda was an outspoken anti-war activist, going so far as to, The Gulf of Tonkin incident was the purported justification for increased U.S. involvement in the war. Deaths in Vietnam War (1954–75) per R. J. Rummel (except where otherwise noted) Low estimate of deaths Middle estimate of deaths High estimate of deaths Notes and comments North Vietnam/Viet Cong military and civilian war dead 533,000: 1,062,000: 1,489,000: includes an estimated 50,000/65,000/70,000 civilians killed by U.S/SVN bombing/shelling: South Vietnam/U.S./South Korea war … More than 3 million people died during the Vietnam war. The Vietnamese believe in Three Kitchen Gods or Tao Quan, who live with and observe each family’s actions. However, Vietnamese civilians on both sides of the conflicts were killed, both combatants and civilians. Bao Dai is deposed and replaced by nationalist leader Ngô Đình Diệm, who is He was with the 509th Radio Research Station. Facts About the Vietnam War. This was partly due to the United States troops withdrawing two years previously, leaving the South too weak to continue on its own with any great strength or power to overcome the enemy. This war is commonly known as the Vietnam War and the Second Indochina War in the United States. Fact: The Vietnam War unleashed thousands of addicts upon the US healthcare and legal systems. oppressive rule. Low estimates calculate 110,000 combat KIA and a half-million wounded. First Indonchina War rages for eight years between French and By the year's end, U.S. military strength in Vietnam is at 23,000. Inscribed on two long black walls made of gabbro stone are 58,313 names. The Geneva continue on college campuses around the country. Ho Chi Minh's communist Viet Minh American citizens felt they had been misinformed of the true progress of the war, and that victory was not, in fact, within easy reach. All rights reserved. Today you are going to find out the real true facts of the Vietnam War. While many people know about the Vietnam War, not everybody knows how it ended. The final American ground troops withdraw. The U.S. suffered over 47,000 killed in action plus another 11,000 noncombat deaths; over 150,000 were wounded and 10,000 missing.Casualties for the Republic of South Vietnam will never be adequately resolved. In August of 1964, the U.S. Destroyers Maddox and Turner Joy engaged in a firefight with North Vietnamese submarines. U.S. strength is at 486,000 by year's end. According to historians, the United States did not want to take over Vietnam, but rather give enough support so that the South Vietnamese army could take on the North Vietnamese communists, and defeat them. U.S. student protests By 1995, Vietnam had realized the full scale of civilian harm during the war. You will find out the real information that proves that the information peddled by the media about this conflict is nothing more than sensationalised propaganda to sell copies of newspapers and magazines. 12 Vietnam War Facts for Kids The Vietnam war was fought between November 1st, 1955 and April 30th, 1975. The United States won virtually every major battle it fought against the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong, but it still lost the war through a combination of factors such as political restrictions on military activity, a lack of sufficient understanding of the Vietnamese people, and social backlash against the war in the States. History.com, 2011. Vietnam was a colonial possession of France from 1883 until the Vietnamese victory at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu on May 7, 1954. The Vietnam War (Vietnamese: Chiến tranh Việt Nam), also known as the Second Indochina War, and in Vietnam as the Resistance War Against America (Vietnamese: Kháng chiến chống Mỹ) or simply the American War, was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. The splitting of Vietnam along the 17th parallel by the 1954 Geneva Conference was intended as a temporary measure, with, To this day, children in Vietnam are being born with horrific birth defects from the lingering effects of “Agent Orange,” an herbicide used by the. In total, 8,744,000 U.S. combat troops fought in the Vietnam War. The United States officially entered the war in 1965 when the North Vietnamese attacked the USS Maddox, backing South Vietnam. South Vietnamese positions by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong. In fact, Vietnam is nearly the size of. 8Stilwell, Blake. The standard rifle used by U.S. ground troops was the M-16 rifle, while the communist forces used Russian-made AK-47s. Here are 25 Interesting Facts About Vietnam War. New York Times, October 13, 2017. Ho Chi Minh had many names and nearly as many political identities, Scenes such as this flashed across American television screens, prompting social backlash, The trail ran from North Vietnam through Laos and Cambodia into South Vietnam, The Vietnamese are still feeling the horrific effects of Agent Orange, The Soviet-made AK-47 had a reputation for being nearly indestructible, In addition to punji stakes, trip wires and crude explosive traps were constant dangers. The Vietnam War lasted about 40 years and involved several countries. Accessed: March 30, 2018. Vietnam Forums; Vietnam War Facts. Interesting Facts. War protests sweep across the U.S. U.S. troops participate in a South Vietnamese offensive in Cambodia. 1-5 Interesting Facts About Vietnam War 1. The fall of Saigon in 1975 was an important milestone, and the North was able to bring together the country at last with Ha Noi as the capital. The conflict has deep historical roots, most recently the First Indochina War between the communist North and the French-backed South, and the subsequent splitting of Vietnam into North and South. While the Vietnam War was a resounding defeat for America, it doesn’t mean that the negative facts on the war are true. As a result, the United States during the late 1960’s didn’t invade the North or seek to cause further damage through attacks, but rather they focused on South Vietnam and how they could multiply the efforts of the Southern troops. States including France and Japan were concerned that if one country became a communist nation, other neighboring and nearby countries would follow closely behind. North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces began a coordinated series of attacks against key South Vietnamese targets on the Vietnamese new year. © 2021 The Fact Site | All Rights Reserved | Sitemap, The Fact Site requires you to enable Javascript to browse our website, 5 Impressive Accomplishments of Elon Musk, 20 Fascinating Facts About Rhinos That You Should Know, 100 History Facts They Didn’t Teach You At School, 1000 Random & Interesting Facts About Literally Everything, How Pepsi Became The Sixth Largest Military In The World, April 11: Facts & Historical Events On This Day. In May 1971, reports in American newspapers and periodicals addressed a growing and tragic crisis among American troops deployed in and returning from Vietnam. As visitors enter the trail, they hear the all too familiar sound associated with this war – a helicopter flying amongst enemy fire. The country was a part of Imperial. The United States and South Vietnamese troops faced a two-pronged adversary: the North Vietnamese army and the National Liberation Front, better known as the Việt Cộng, South Vietnamese communists who used guerrilla tactics against U.S. forces. WWII ends. This caused anger and frustration among many of the enemy troops in the South, who became unaware of who their enemies were and lost trust in their neighbors. Not only was the cost of the war astronomical, the fact that 3 million people died in the war, including 58,000 Americans, is staggering. April 30, 1975 - South Vietnam surrenders to North Vietnam as North Vietnamese troops enter Saigon, ENDING the Vietnam conflict. North Vietnam takes Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, and take control of the country. History.com, 2011. When Richard Nixon became President of the United States in 1969, he wanted to bring the US troops out of Vietnam and leave the fighting to the Vietnamese soldiers. Laos and Cambodia were heavily involved in the war, which meant their civilians paid a large price too. The war cost about $200 billion, and over a million soldiers and two million civilians died because of it. Vietnam protesters often falsely claimed that the draft unfairly targeted minorities. An estimated 1.3 million military combatants died in the Vietnam War, from all countries involved, as well as 1 million civilians. communist Democratic Republic of Vietnam under Ho Chi Minh, and the The Vietnam War (1954–75) was fought between the communist government of North Vietnam and its allies in South Vietnam (known as the Viet Cong) on one side, and the government of South Vietnam and its key ally, the United States, on the other, and it defined America in the second half of the 20th century. Accessed: March 30, 2018. The Vietnam War. Myths about Vietnam War were mostly invented to assure the nation that the war was an American success story. History.com, 2009. Notable books include, The Pentagon Papers were a series of documents containing classified information on the progress and status of the war in Vietnam. The Vietnam War was one of the longest in the world's history, lasting from 1954 to 1975. Vietnam war facts: The Vietnam war last for 19 years and all three countries become communist. 3Itkowitz, Colby. U.S. strength The USA fabricated the reason for the attack on a naval ship in Gulf of Tonkin. This made it difficult for their enemy to find them, and involved setting up hundreds of booby traps which caused injuries and deaths to their opponents. Vietnam had been divided into two, with a communist regime in the north under Ho Chi Minh and a democratic government in the south under Ngo Dinh Diem. Vietnam War Facts, Stats and Myths Totals. The city of Saigon was later renamed to Ho Chi Minh City in his honor. They depart at the end of the Lunar Year to report their findings to Ngoc Hoan, The Jade Emperor.27. Business Insider, July 23, 2015. 33. Accessed: March 30, 2018. Historians of the Vietnam War point to many misconceptions on the part of the United States that contributed to U.S. failure in the war, the most serious of which was a severe lack of understanding of Vietnamese history and society.