Vietnam War: Two Decades Of Bloodbath Killing Millions | Never-Ending Wars

The Vietnam War (1954-1975), which lasted over two decades, is an account of a prolonged, divisive and devastating armed conflict between North Vietnam’s communist government and their allies in the South, and South Vietnam along with its main ally - the United States.

The prolonged bloodbath in Vietnam reportedly killed over 3 million people, including more than 58,000 Americans, and over half of the total casualties were Vietnamese civilians. Vietnam did not release its official estimate of war casualties until 1995.

While the war established Vietnam as a potent military power in Southeast Asia, its scale devastated agriculture, business, industry and several other sectors.

What Caused The War?

The war was triggered by North Vietnam’s ambition to create a unified nation governed by the same communist model as the Soviet Union and China, while South Vietnam sought a government with closer ties to the West.

Ho Chi Minh, Viet Minh: End Of French Rule

A country on the eastern edge of the Indo-Chinese peninsula, Vietnam had been under French colonial rule since the 19th century. During World War II, Japan invaded Vietnam, but after Japan's defeat, they withdrew their forces.

To combat both French and Japanese occupation, Vietnamese communist leader Ho Chi Minh formed the Viet Minh (League for the Independence of Vietnam). Taking advantage of the situation, the Viet Minh forces captured Hanoi in 1945 and declared Vietnam's independence, with Ho as president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV).

This declaration did not sit well with the French, who attempted to regain control, leading to the French-Indo-China War in 1946. After eight years of conflict, the Viet Minh forces defeated the French at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. Through the Treaty of Geneva, the French agreed to leave, and the country was divided into North and South along the 17th parallel. Ho Chi Minh controlled the North, while the South was placed under the leadership of newly installed Premier Ngo Dinh Diem.

‘Domino Effect’, Saigon Military Mission: The U.S. Steps In

The United States became South Vietnam's principal ally due to its fear of communism spreading across Southeast Asia. The “Domino Effect” theory held that if one country fell to communism, neighbouring countries would likely follow. The U.S. began sending financial and military aid to South Vietnam to prevent this.

The Saigon Military Mission, a key turning point in the war, was launched in 1954 as a covert operation designed to wage psychological warfare. It was part of U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s pledge to support South Vietnam in combating communism. Despite resistance and political instability in the South, Ngo Dinh Diem, backed by U.S. military advisers, consolidated power by late 1955 and declared himself president after holding a referendum. It was limited only to the South.

However, Diem's governance was increasingly unpopular due to his ineffective leadership, especially his rural policies and failure to implement land reforms. South Vietnam, by 1963, was politically unstable. It culminated in Diem's overthrow and assassination, with the tacit approval of the John F. Kennedy-led U.S. administration. Just three weeks later, Kennedy was assassinated.

South Vietnamese communist guerrillas formed the National Liberation Front (NLF) in late 1960 to challenge the Diem regime. It intensified the conflict.

The Gulf Of Tonkin Resolution (1964)

The escalation of U.S. involvement was triggered by attacks on U.S. Navy destroyers Maddox and Turner Joy in the Gulf of Tonkin on August 2 and 4, 1964. The U.S. Senate, in response, passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, giving President Lyndon Johnson the authority to escalate military action. The U.S. sent its first large contingent of troops to South Vietnam in 1965, and its involvement continued to grow until President Richard Nixon initiated troop withdrawals after the Tet Offensive.

Tet Offensive, My Lai Massacre: Beginning Of De-escalation, Anti-War Sentiment

The Tet Offensive of 1968 was a significant turning point. It led to widespread disillusionment in the U.S. about the war's human cost. North Vietnam’s coordinated attacks on over 100 cities and military outposts in South Vietnam initially stunned the U.S. and its allies. Despite both sides suffering heavy losses, the offensive is often seen as a victory for North Vietnam, as it exposed the fragility of South Vietnam's defence.

The My Lai massacre, one of the most horrific atrocities of the war, occurred on March 16, 1968, when American soldiers brutally killed over 500 unarmed civilians, mostly women and children, in the village of My Lai. Many women were raped, and bodies were mutilated. The U.S. Army covered up the massacre for a year before it was revealed to the public. These events sparked a growing anti-war sentiment in the U.S. and triggered discussions about de-escalation.

De-escalation, Vietnamization, And The End Of The War

Faced with mounting political pressure, President Nixon began withdrawing U.S. troops in 1969. He also introduced the “Vietnamisation” plan, which aimed to shift the responsibility of the war to South Vietnam, allowing U.S. forces to gradually withdraw. Despite these efforts, Vietnamisation ultimately failed, and the U.S. signed a peace agreement in 1973, leading to the withdrawal of U.S. troops.

Soon after, the government of Saigon fell to the communist forces from the North, marking the official end of the war in 1975.

After 50 Years of War: How Is Vietnam Doing Now?

As April 2025 will mark the 50th anniversary of the war's end, various reports and studies offer different views of the current situation in Vietnam. Some suggest that the country still grapples with the war's legacy, while others point out that nearly 70 percent of the population, born after the war, have little interest in learning about it.

Nevertheless, after nearly half a century, and almost 30 years since the normalisation of U.S.-Vietnam relations, the country is emerging as a rising political power in the Indo-Pacific region. Once one of the world’s poorest nations, Vietnam is now a middle-income country with a dynamic, youthful population and a promising future.