Why did the US get involved with the French Vietnamese fighting?

China had become communist in 1949 and communists were in control of North Vietnam. The USA was afraid that communism would spread to South Vietnam and then the rest of Asia. It decided to send money, supplies and military advisers to help the South Vietnamese Government.

What did the Vietnamese call American soldiers?

American soldiers referred to the Viet Cong as Victor Charlie or V-C. “Victor” and “Charlie” are both letters in the NATO phonetic alphabet. “Charlie” referred to communist forces in general, both Viet Cong and North Vietnamese.

Did other countries support the Vietnam War?

In the end, almost 60,000 Australians served (521 of whom died), about 40,000 Thais served (321 of whom died), and over 3,000 New Zealanders served (37 of whom died). The Philippines, Taiwan and Spain likewise aided the U.S. war effort, whereas on the communist side North Korea and Cuba purportedly sent token support.

What impact did the My Lai massacre have on relations with the South Vietnamese?

On the home front in the United States, the brutality of the My Lai massacre and the efforts made by higher-ranking officers to conceal it exacerbated anti-war sentiment and increased the bitterness regarding the continuing U.S. military presence in Vietnam.

Why was the Vietnam War a Failure?

Although a number of factors and influences, domestic and international, contributed to America’s defeat in Vietnam, the overriding reason the United States lost the war was one that has often fueled nations’ losing military efforts throughout history: the fundamental error in strategic judgment called “refighting the …

Why did America lose the Vietnam War?

America “lost” South Vietnam because it was an artificial construct created in the wake of the French loss of Indochina. Because there never was an “organic” nation of South Vietnam, when the U.S. discontinued to invest military assets into that construct, it eventually ceased to exist.

Why was Australia involved in the Vietnam War?

The Australian government committed troops to the Vietnam War in 1965. Australia’s involvement in Vietnam was driven by a fear of communist expansion in Asia and the government’s desire to align itself with the United States.

Was Australia involved in the Vietnam War?

The arrival of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV) in South Vietnam during July and August 1962 was the beginning of Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War. Australia’s participation in the war was formally declared at an end when the Governor-General issued a proclamation on 11 January 1973.

What was the purpose of the My Lai massacre?

The My Lai Massacre intensified anti-war sentiments in the United States. Some Americans had already been demanding an end to the Vietnam War, but following the revelations about My Lai, more and more people began to believe that American troops should be withdrawn from Vietnam.

What were the causes of the My Lai massacre?

The My Lai Massacre stemmed from previous events in the Vietnam War. The Tet Offensive, which occurred during the first two months of 1968, was a large military invasion of South Vietnam by North Vietnam. Regardless, many Vietnamese were gathered and executed in ditches, homes were burned and crops destroyed.

How did Americans turn against the Vietnam War?

Bombarded by horrific images of the war on their televisions, Americans on the home front turned against the war as well: In October 1967, some 35,000 demonstrators staged a massive Vietnam War protest outside the Pentagon.

How did the Vietnam War affect immigration to America?

(Photo: Tillman/Wikimedia Commons) Large-scale immigration from Vietnam to the United States began at the end of the Vietnam War, when the fall of Saigon in 1975 led to the U.S.-sponsored evacuation of an estimated 125,000 Vietnamese refugees.

What countries were involved in the Vietnam War?

In addition to the United States, South Korea, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand also committed troops to fight in South Vietnam (albeit on a much smaller scale).

What happened to refugees from Vietnam after the war?

At the end of the war, the evacuation of thousands of infants and children from South Vietnam to the United States and other countries was known as Operation Babylift. Refugees from Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand also came to the United States after the end of the Vietnam War. asylum-seeker