Why Did US Go to War with Vietnam (And Got Defeated)

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The Vietnam War represented a watershed not only in American and Vietnamese history but also internationally. It wasn't just a battle between two nations, but between two ideologies, two military strategies and a fight for the hearts and minds of two vastly different national populations. See all captivating history books here:

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[ductoantran]

Americans lost because Americans did not understand Vietnamese history. Vietnam only had nationalism. But the Americans went looking for communist.

[oshonation]

I love what you said
They were not fighting an army or people, they were fighting against an Idea which is not won by military weapons

[BinhLe-bzeu]

The Truth about the Vietnam War that was never told to American peoples. The Vietnam War started during the Civil Rights movement and racial tension between whites and blacks all across America. Several members in the US government were segregationist and they had their eyes dumping their Blacks problem on Vietnam with the chaos that was happening in Vietnam at that time between Communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam. At that time, the South Vietnamese had 250, 000 troops and North Vietnamese had 60, 000 troops and the DMZ line had already been establish at the 17th parallel. Many Vietnamese peoples from both North and South did Not support going to War and killing each other over the idea of Communist. Even though several North and South Vietnamese leaders believe Vietnam should Not be divided and try to distrupt one another. But they couldn't rally enough support among the Vietnamese peoples in Vietnam to support going to War. Until Nov. 2, 1963 When JF Kennedy and LB Johnson order his CIA to stage a military coup assasination on a catholic South Vietnamese President, Ngô Đình Diệm and his young brother Ngô Đình Nhu. This give America the power to do what ever they want to Vietnam and to the Vietnamese peoples. And they appointed an ex-Vietminh soldiers, Nguyễn Văn Thiệu as their puppet South Vietnamese President. The South Vietnamese President who cause the lives of 500, 000 South Vietnamese troops killed or capture by the North Vietnamese army and their communist allies The Pathet Lao army, and the Communist Khmer Rouge army of Cambodia when he order them to be station and patrol in Kampuchea. And who told Nguyễn Văn Thiệu to do so? The United States, fear more Americans troops will be killed in Kampuchea. 20 days after the military coup assassination of South Vietnamese President Ngô Đình Diệm and his young brother Ngô Đình Nhu. US President JF Kennedy was assasinated in Dallas, TX on Nov 22, 1963 and LB Johnson was sworn in as the 36th US President. On Aug 10, 1964, US President LB Johnson declare US military action to Vietnam over an alleged attack on a US destroyer, Maddox that was on patrol past the 17th parallel near Hanoi, the capital of North Vietnam. While supporting the South Vietnam. 500, 000 US ground troops was sent to fight in Vietnam. 40% of those US troops that were sent to fight in Vietnam were adult blacks male along with high school drop out white male, non-college white male, trouble teen white male, and white convict male were all sent to fight in Vietnam. And when these US troops arrive in Vietnam and they did their "Search and Destroyed mission." The Communist North Vietnam gain mass support for their cause and their army grew from 60, 000 troops to over 1, 000, 000 troops. In 1975, the Democrats control congress cuts off funds to all US promise military aids to South Vietnam causing the Fall of Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam on April 30, 1975. Thus began a mass flow of Vietnamese refugee fleeing out of Vietnam. 10 of thousands of Vietnamese refugee died at sea from hunger, thirst, illness, Thai pirates, and Chinese warships. Today over 100's of thousands young South Vietnamese childrens are born of birth defect from the US toxic biological chemical, Agent Orange which the US military spray all over rivers and forest of South Vietnam. 3, 000, 000 innocent Vietnamese civilians of women, childrens, and old peoples had to die in their country during the Vietnam War. The Vietnam War is the worse United States War Crime in history. From Truman, JF Kennedy and LB Johnson were all were WWI and WWII veteran who sent the next young American men to become killers. Why I post this is because for years I'm tired Americans use Vietnam War as a Propaganda War story. Telling peoples that they there to help South Vietnam fight against communist North Vietnam. When America is the root cause of the Vietnam War and the downfall of South Vietnam.

[icekidtvshorts]

Nice explanation, best I've ever seen

[dylanheckert]

Correction it was capitalism versus communism. Democracy never got a chance in either

[alexanderchenf]

You have missed the most important reason why S Vietnam was lost: America cut off supplies to S Vietnam while Russia and China maintained if not increased supplies to N Vietnam. S Vietnam was able to stand on its own without American supplies for 2 years, before it was overrun by the entire communist world

[PortmanRd]

Thank the god's the U.K had the common sense not to get involved in a conflict that was unwinnable. Over 58, 000 American lives lost, and what for?

[wiseone]

Making foolish assumptions, an inability to adapt to changing conditions and poor leadership did the americans in. What an embarrassment, worse than Afghanistan and Iraq even.

[nadasou]

The French ate the meat, the American chewed the bone. What is the compromise between these two countries making one exit without hitch while the next get into the fight voluntarily? 🤔

[RacerX]

Americas ego thought they could beat the VC with their military and technology. The VC barely had an Air Force or Navy. The GI was just there to do their "tour"..the VC just wanted their country united and to be free from the West. Ho Chi Minh actually tried to get Washington on his side but Washington said no and sided with the French..no amount of firepower can beat the fighting spirit of the VC

[jinchovelazquez]

yall have a complete series available for sale? like the book one to book whatever was wrote last?

[lyxaduong]

Verry, verry good job done with a lot of historical accuracy here.

[chaseroberts]

Don't mess with Vietnam. They have beaten the Mongol's, Chinese(multiple times). Japanese, French, and America. It is much wiser to have them as allies.

[samsonmusesa]

It was a senseless war for the United States to fight in Vietnam.

[Robert-hrsh]

It was a war of not having the Military in Total Control. US Military Vet and I approve this message.

[ebukalucky]

Best understanding of the Vietnam war, thank you

[oladaposalami]

When u pull out in disgrace that's a lost. The vietnamese that died could be termed as sacrifice of freedom. They want things done their own way and not the imperial way. Lesson for all power drunk nations

[Legba]

Vietnam’s problems go back 900 years and frankly, America has no place fucking around in it.

[svenerikjohansson]

Actually it was not a "traditional military loss" for USA. There was a peace agreement in 1973, which ended the direct fighting involvement for USA, even if it continued to send support to the Saigon government. But the peace agreement was broken. nad in 1975 the Saigon government was defeated. By that USA was not a direct fighting part of the war anymore. Public opinion in USA would not had not supported another involvement as a figting part and sending soldiers there and more losses of lives in 1974-75.

[davidwhitney]

The French with their own hubris thought they would win and retain Vietnam as essentially their colony. They had their asses kicked at Dien Bien Phu, losing their Vietnam War. But we Americans, with an arrogance and hubris which made that of the French seem like nothing. With all our massive military might and technology we could accomplish what the French with their wine, cheese and mistresses, could never do. With the inevitable tragic results- 58, 000 dead, countless thousands more wounded in mind and body, and a country torn apparent, along with millions of Vietnamese. When will we ever learn?