Vietnam War

The Vietnam War began following World War II as the Viet Minh, a movement imbued with nationalism and communist philosophy led by Ho Chi Minh, sought to gain the country’s independence from French colonial rule. French involvement in the Vietnam War ended in 1954 following the disastrous defeat at Dien Bien Phu. However, the United States became increasingly embroiled in the effort to prop up the pro-Western government of South Vietnam in its continuing fight with the communist North and its insurgency, the Viet Cong. U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War escalated steadily during the 1960s, but eventually American military personnel were withdrawn in 1973. In April 1975, communist forces occupied the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon, unifying the country and ending the Vietnam War.

General William C. Westmoreland was a stalwart fighter and patriot through three separate wars.

Vietnam War

Soldier Profiles: General William C. Westmoreland

By Blaine Taylor

In 1989, this writer had occasion to interview four-star General William Childs Westmoreland, now 86, formerly U.S. military commander in South Vietnam and at the time of the interview a retired Chief of Staff of the Army. Read more

World War II experiences led to more shoulder-fired anti-tank weapons such as the RPG and the M72 LAW, both widely used in the Vietnam War.

Vietnam War

The M72 LAW & the RPG in the Vietnam War

By Michael Haskew

Among the most effective and feared weapons of the communist North Vietnamese Army and the Viet Cong insurgency during the Vietnam War was the rocket-propelled grenade, commonly known as the RPG. Read more

The famed Bell UH-1 Huey and Hughes OH-6 Cayuse Loach demonstrated the versatility of the helicopter during wartime in Vietnam.

Vietnam War

The Bell UH-1 Huey & the Hughes OH-6 Loach

By Michael Haskew

The helicopter came of age during the Vietnam War, performing a variety of tasks from troop transportation and deployment to the evacuation of wounded personnel, the delivery of supplies, offensive firepower, and observation. Read more

Though hydrofoil boats were very effective in their initial combat tours, financial difficulties prevented further implementation after Vietnam.

Vietnam War

Famous Navy Ships: The Hydrofoil Boat

by Brad Reynolds

Hydrofoil boat technology was first tested during Operation Market Time in the Vietnam War. This technology, invented in the early 1900s, had never been applied to combat vessels until the U.S. Read more

In the wake of the events on August of 1963 near the Gulf of Tonkin, the USS Maddox quickly became a symbol of North Vietnamese aggression.

Vietnam War

Famous Navy Ships: The USS Maddox

by Brad Reynolds

The United States Navy commissioned the USS Maddox toward the end of World War II as a fast carrier escort for action in the Philippines and South China Sea. Read more

Game designer Johan Nagel explains that with Vietnam 65, winning the hearts and minds of the locals is essential for success.

Vietnam War

Game Features: Vietnam 65

by James Hart

No static occupations, no traditional front lines, and growing opposition from both the local population and citizens back home—for America, Vietnam was a very different kind of war. Read more

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