America's war with Vietnam: causes. Vietnam: the history of the war with America, years who won

The Reasons, because of which began America's war with Vietnam, in General, was the confrontation of two political systems. In the Asian country went Communist and Western democratic ideology. This conflict was the episode much more global confrontation – the Cold war.

Prerequisites

In the first half of the twentieth century Vietnam, like other countries in Southeast Asia, was a colony of France. This order was broken by the Second world war. First, Vietnam was occupied by Japan, then there were supporters of communism, spoke out against the imperialist French government. These supporters of national independence has received strong support from China. Shortly after the Second world war was finally installed power of the Communists.

Leaving Southeast Asia, the French recognized legitimate government of South Vietnam. The North of the country was under Communist control. In 1957, between the two modes began the internal opposition. It was not America's war with Vietnam, however, in that period, the United States first intervened in the region.

Just then in the midst was the Cold war. Any White house administration all the forces opposed to the establishment of another Communist regime in any country in the world, whether supported by the Soviet Union or China. Under President Eisenhower, the Americans came out openly on the side of the South Vietnamese Prime Minister NGO Dinh Diem, although they have not used a private army.

The Approaching war

The leader of the Vietnamese Communist was Ho Chi Minh. He organized the NLF-the national liberation front of South Vietnam. In the West, this organization became widely known as the Vietcong. Supporters of Ho Chi Minh waged a successful guerrilla war. They organized the attacks and haunted the government army. At the end of 1961 the Americans entered Vietnam, the first troops. However, these groups were small. At first Washington has decided to limit sending to Saigon military advisers and specialists.

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Gradually, the situation worsened Diem. In these circumstances, the war between America and Vietnam became more and more inevitable. In 1953 Siam was overthrown and killed in a coup by South Vietnamese army. In the following months the authorities in Saigon randomly changed several times. The rebels used the weakness of the enemy and took control of new regions of the country.

First-collisions

In August 1964, America's war with Vietnam became much closer after the battle in the Gulf of Tonkin in which he faced American intelligence destroyer “painful” and torpedo boats of the NLF. In response to this event, the U.S. Congress authorized President Lyndon Johnson to begin full-scale operation in Southeast Asia.

The Head of state for some time adhered to a peaceful course. He did it before the election of 1964. Johnson won the campaign thanks to the peace-loving rhetoric, selling ideas “hawk” Barry Goldwater. Arriving at the White house, the politician changed his mind and started the preparation of the operation.

The Viet Cong, meanwhile, captured all of new rural area. They even began to attack American targets in the southern part of the country. The number of US troops on the eve of a full-scale invasion was about 23 thousand people. Finally, Johnson made the decision to invade Vietnam after the Viet Cong attack on the American base in Pleiku.

The invasion

The Date, when did America's war with Vietnam, is considered to be March 2, 1965. On this day, the U.S. air force began the operation “thunder” – the regular bombing of North Vietnam. After a few days in the southern part of the country have landed the us Marines. Its appearance was caused by the need to protect the strategically important airfield Danang.

Now it was not just the Vietnamese civil war, and the US war with Vietnam. The years of the campaign (1965-1973) considered the time of greatest tension in the region. After 8 months after the invasion of Vietnam there were more than 180 thousand us military. At the peak of the confrontation, the figure has increased three times.

In August, 1965 was the first big battle with the Viet Cong ground forces of the United States. It was an operation called "starlight". The conflict flared up. This trend continued that fall, when the whole world has heard the news about the battle in the valley of Ya-Drang.

“seek and destroy”

The First four years of intervention until the very end of 1969, the U.S. military conducted a large-scale offensive in South Vietnam. The strategy of the US army consistent with the principle “search and destroy” developed by commander William Westmoreland. American tactics have divided the territory of South Vietnam into four zones called corps.

In the first of these regions, located directly next to the possessions of the Communists, acted Marines. The war between America and Vietnam, there was conducted the following way. The US army has established three enclaves (Fubai, Danang and Chulai), and then proceeded to cleanse the surrounding areas. This operation took the whole of 1966. Over time, militaryaction is more complicated. Initially Americans resisted the forces of the NLF. But then the North Vietnamese were waiting for them, the main army of this state.

A Big headache for the Americans was the DMZ (demilitarized zone). Through it the Viet Cong were shipped to the South of the country a large number of people and equipment. Because of this, the marine corps had, on the one hand, to combine their enclaves on the coast, and on the other – to deter the enemy near the DMZ. In the summer of 1966 in the demilitarized zone the operation took place «Hastings”. Its purpose was to halt the transfer of the NLF forces. In the future, the marine corps is fully focused on the DMZ, passing the coast under the care of fresh American forces. The contingent is increased without stopping. In 1967, in South Vietnam formed 23rd infantry division United States sunk into Oblivion after the defeat in Europe of the Third Reich.

War in the mountains

Tactical zone, II corps of the affected mountain areas adjacent to the border with Laos. Through these areas the Viet Cong penetrated into the plains of the coast. In 1965, lie the Annam mountains began operation of the 1st cavalry division. In the area of the valley of Ya-Drang it stopped the advance of the North Vietnamese army.

At the end of 1966 to the mountains entered the 4th infantry division of the United States (1st cavalry moved into the province of Binding). They were helped by South Korean troops, who also arrived in Vietnam. The war with America, the cause of which was the reluctance of Western countries to tolerate the expansion of communism, touched and their Asian allies. South Korea in the 1950s, survived its own bloody confrontation with North Korea, and its population better than others understood the price of such conflict.

The Culmination of hostilities in the zone of II corps was the battle at Dakto in November 1967. The Americans managed with heavy losses to disrupt the Viet Cong offensive. The biggest blow took the 173rd airborne brigade.

Guerrilla warfare

The Protracted war America's Vietnam years could not be terminated because of the guerrilla. Nimble squads of Viet Cong attacked the enemy infrastructure and seamlessly hiding in tropical forests. The main task of the Americans in the fight against the guerrillas was to protect the enemy from Saigon. In the provinces adjoining the city, was formed III corps area.

In addition to the South Koreans, allies of the US in Vietnam were Australians. The military force of this country was based in the province Fucktoy. Here ran the important road No. 13, which started in Saigon and ended at the border with Cambodia.

In the future in South Vietnam passed several major operations: “Attleboro”, “junction city” and “cedar falls”. However, guerrilla warfare continued. Its main area was the Mekong Delta. This area was full of swamps, forests and canals. Its characteristic feature, even during hostilities there was a high population density. Due to all these circumstances so long and successfully continued the guerrilla war. USA, Vietnam, briefly, lingered much longer than originally thought in Washington.

Christmas attack

In early 1968, the North Vietnamese began a siege of the base of the U.S. marine corps Chechani. Thus began the Tet offensive. It received its name from the local new year. Normally in Tet escalation of the conflict decreased. This time it was different – offensive covered the whole of Vietnam. The war with America, the cause of which lay in the intransigence of the two political systems was not to end until, until both sides have exhausted their resources. Launching a large-scale attack on enemy positions, Vietcong risked almost all available forces.

Was Attacked numerous cities, including Saigon. However, the Communists managed to take only the hue – one of the ancient capitals of the country. In other areas the attacks were successfully repulsed. By March, the attack fizzled out. It has not achieved its main objective: the overthrow of the South Vietnamese government. Moreover, the Americans recaptured hue. The battle was one of the fiercest during the war. Vietnam and America, however, continued the bloodshed. Although the offensive had failed, it had a significant effect on the morale of the Americans.

In the United States large-scale attack of the Communists was perceived as weakness of the US army. A significant role in shaping public opinion played media. Great attention was paid to siege Chechani. Newspapers criticized the government for its giant spending on a senseless war.

Meanwhile, in the spring of 1968 began the offensive the Americans and their allies. For successful completion of the operation, the military asked Washington to send to Vietnam, more than 200 thousand soldiers. President Lyndon Johnson decided not to take such a step. Anti-militarist sentiment in the US became more and more serious factor in internal policy. In the end Vietnam went only a small reinforcement, and at the end of March, Johnson announced the cessation of bombing North of the country.

Vietnamization

However longwas America's war with Vietnam, the withdrawal of American troops inexorably approaching. At the end of 1968, the presidential elections were won by Richard Nixon. He campaigned under anti-war slogans and expressed the desire to make “peace with honor". Against this background, the supporters of the Communists in Vietnam began in the first place to attack American bases and positions in order to expedite the withdrawal of U.S. troops from their country.

In 1969, the Nixon administration formulated a policy of vietnamization. It has replaced the doctrine of “search and destroy”. The gist of it was that before leaving the country, Americans had to cede control over their positions to the government in Saigon. Steps in this direction began on the background of the Second Tet offensive. Once again it covered the whole of South Vietnam.

The history of the war with America might have been different if the Communists had rear bases in neighboring Cambodia. In this country, as well as in Vietnam, it was its civil strife between supporters of the two opposing political systems. In the spring of 1970 the power in Cambodia in a coup seized an officer of the LON Nol overthrew king Norodom Sihanouk. The new government changed its attitude to the Communist rebels and began to destroy their shelter in the jungle. Unhappy with the attacks in the rear of the Viet Cong, the North Vietnamese invaded Cambodia. To help Nola in the Heart of the country has also hastened the Americans and their allies. These events added fuel to the fire of anti-militarism campaign in the States themselves. Two months later, under pressure from unhappy population, Nixon had ordered the withdrawal of the army from Cambodia.

The Last battle

Many of the conflicts of the Cold war in the third world had ended with the establishment of Communist regimes. Was no exception, and America's war with Vietnam. Who won this campaign? The Viet Cong. By the end of the war the morale of American soldiers has fallen dramatically. The troops spread drug use. By 1971, the Americans ceased to own a major operation, and gradually withdraw the army.

According to the policy of vietnamization, the responsibility for what is happening in the country rests on the shoulders of the government in Saigon – in February 1971, South Vietnamese forces launched an operation called "Lam son 719”. Its purpose was the suppression of the transport troops and weapons by adversaries of the partisan “Ho Chi Minh trail”. It is noteworthy that the Americans participate in it almost was not accepted.

In March 1972, North Vietnamese troops embarked on a new major Easter offensive. This time the 125-strong army helped hundreds of tanks – weapons, which the NLF was not before. The Americans were not involved in ground battles, but helped South Vietnam from the air. It is thanks to this support, the onslaught of the Communists managed to hold back. So from time to time could not stop the US war with Vietnam. Infection of pacifist sentiment in the United States, however, continued.

In 1972, the representatives of North Vietnam and the United States began talks in Paris. The sides almost came to an agreement. But at the last moment interfered with the President of South Vietnam Thieu. He persuaded the Americans to expose to the enemy the unacceptable conditions. In the end, the talks broke down.

Ending the war

The Last American operation in Vietnam was a series of carpet bombing of North Vietnam in late December 1972. She became known as the ‘Linebacker". Well as the operation got the name “Christmas bombing". They were the largest during the war.

The Operation was launched on the direct orders of Nixon. The President wanted as quickly as possible to end the war and decided finally to put pressure on the Communists. The bombing has affected Hanoi and other important cities of the Northern part of the country. When the war ended in Vietnam with the United States, it became clear that ‘Linebacker" forced the party to bridge the gap in the final negotiations.

The U.S. Army fully withdrew from Vietnam under the Paris peace agreement, signed on 27 January 1973. To that day the country was still about 24 million Americans. The withdrawal ended on March 29.

The Peace agreement also meant the beginning of a truce between the two parts of Vietnam. In fact this did not happen. Without the Americans, South Vietnam was defenseless against the Communists and lost the war, although in early 1973, even had numerical superiority in military power. Over time the United States ceased to provide economic assistance to Saigon. In April 1975, the Communists finally established their power over the territory of the whole of Vietnam. Thus ended the long confrontation in the Asian country.

Perhaps the US and defeated the enemy, but its role in the United States has played by public opinion who didn't like America's war with Vietnam (the results of the war were summed up for many years). The events of that campaign left a significant imprint on the popular culture of the second half of the twentieth century. During the war killed about 58 thousand American servicemen.