Why did American soldiers blow up their officers with grenades in Vietnam? American equipment Vietnamese women in military operations

Our civilization is full of bloody wars and tragedies. People do not yet know how to live in peace on one small planet, lost in cold space. War is increasingly becoming a tool for the enrichment of some at the expense of the grief and misfortune of others. In the twentieth century, the assertion that power rules the world was once again confirmed.

In early September, in the year of the final surrender of fascism, the creation of the second people's state in Asia, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, was proclaimed. Power in the country was in the hands of the communist leader Ho Chi Minh, which radically changed the geopolitical situation in the region. However, the Europeans did not intend to leave their colonies, and a new bloody war soon broke out. British troops under the leadership of General Gracie created favorable conditions for the return of French colonists instead of the promised assistance in expelling the Japanese aggressors. The Allies openly violated the provisions of the Atlantic Charter, which stated that all countries that fought against fascism would receive the long-awaited freedom. Soon, French troops landed on Vietnamese territory in order to restore their former influence in the region. However, Vietnam by this time was experiencing an incredible rise in national spirit, and the French met fierce resistance.

At the initiative of the Soviet Union, at the end of April 1954, a document was signed in Geneva recognizing the independence of Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia, as well as restoring peace in the region. As a result, two parts of the country were formed, separated by a conventional border: Northern Vietnam, led by Ho Chi Minh, and Southern, headed by Ngo Dinh Diem. If Ho Chi Minh was a leader with real authority among the local population, supported by the countries of the socialist camp, then Diem turned out to be an ordinary puppet of the West. Soon Diem lost even the semblance of popularity among the people, and a guerrilla war broke out in South Vietnam. The democratic elections planned by the Geneva Act turned out to be completely disadvantageous for the Europeans, since it became clear that Ho Chi Minh’s victory was predetermined. It should be noted that the communists from the Democratic Republic of Vietnam played an important role in the development of the partisan movement. Soon the United States intervened in the conflict, but the lightning-fast conquest of the country did not take place.

The southern part of Vietnam was almost completely covered with impenetrable jungle, in which the partisans successfully hid. Military actions, customary and effective in Europe, were inapplicable here; the communist North provided significant support to the rebels. After the Tonkin Incident, the US Air Force bombed North Vietnam. Black phantoms were sent to Hanoi and, exerting a psychological effect on the population, destroyed mainly military targets. The air defense system in the underdeveloped country was almost completely absent, and the Americans quickly felt their impunity.

Help from the USSR followed immediately. To be more precise, Soviet support for the young people's state was carried out a year before the famous meeting in 1965, but large-scale deliveries of military equipment began after the official decision was made and the issues of transportation through China were resolved. In addition to weapons, Soviet military and civilian specialists, as well as correspondents, went to Vietnam. In the famous movie “Rambo”, American directors highlight the fierce battles between the “hero” and notorious thugs from the “Russian special forces”. This work concentrates all the fear of Soviet soldiers who, according to US politicians, fought against their valiant army of half a million. So, if you consider that the number of military personnel from the USSR who arrived in Hanoi was only a little over six thousand officers and about four thousand privates, it becomes clear how exaggerated such stories are.

In reality, only officers and privates were present on the territory of North Vietnam, called up to train the local military in the management of Soviet equipment and weapons. Contrary to the expectations of the Americans, who predicted that the first results of such training would appear only after a year, the Vietnamese entered into confrontation within two months. Perhaps such an unexpected and unpleasant circumstance for the American command gave rise to suspicions that Soviet pilots, and not local soldiers, were on the enemy’s side. Legends about Bolsheviks with machine guns hiding in impenetrable jungles and attacking American civilians in Vietnam are still popular in the States today. If you believe these stories, then you can conclude that only ten or eleven thousand Soviet soldiers were able to defeat the half-million American army, and this is truly incredible. The role of hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese with this approach is not at all clear.

However, it cannot be denied that the Americans had reason not to trust the USSR’s assurances about the exclusively advisory mission of military specialists. The fact is that the majority of the population of North Vietnam was illiterate. The overwhelming majority were starving, people were exhausted, so ordinary fighters did not have even a minimum reserve of stamina and strength. Young men could only withstand ten minutes of combat with the enemy. There was no need to talk about mastery in the field of piloting modern machines. Despite all of the above factors, during the first year of the confrontation with North Vietnam, a significant portion of American military aircraft were destroyed. MiGs outperformed the legendary phantoms in maneuverability, so they successfully evaded pursuit after an attack. The anti-aircraft systems, thanks to which most of the American bombers were shot down, were difficult to eliminate, since they were located under the cover of dense tropical forests. In addition, reconnaissance worked successfully, reporting fighter flights in advance.

The first months of work of the Soviet rocket scientists turned out to be extremely tense. Completely different climatic conditions, unfamiliar diseases, and annoying insects became far from the most important problem in completing the task. The training of Vietnamese comrades, who did not understand the Russian language at all, was carried out through demonstration, with the involvement of translators, who were often in short supply. However, Soviet specialists did not directly participate in the battles, since there were very few of them and they were too valuable. According to the testimony of direct participants, they did not even have their own weapons.

North Vietnamese PT-76, shot down in the battle near the Benhet special forces camp. March 1969

The American command strictly forbade shelling Soviet ships and transport, since such actions could provoke the outbreak of the Third World War, however, it was the Soviet military-economic machine that was opposed to the Americans. Two thousand tanks, seven hundred light and maneuverable aircraft, seven thousand mortars and guns, more than a hundred helicopters and much more were supplied by the USSR as free friendly assistance to Vietnam. Almost the entire air defense system of the country, which was later assessed by the enemy as impassable for any type of fighter, was built at the expense of the USSR, by Soviet specialists. The armament of the warring state took place under the most difficult conditions of constant bombing and open robbery by China. Over ten thousand Vietnamese were sent to the Union to undergo military training and learn how to use Soviet modern technology. According to various estimates, supporting friendly Vietnam cost the USSR budget from one and a half to two million dollars daily.

There is an opinion that the Soviets sent obsolete weapons to help the warring forces. In refutation, one can cite an interview with the Chairman of the Ministry of OR of Vietnam Veterans Nikolai Kolesnik, a direct participant and eyewitness to the events under study. According to him, modern MiG-21 vehicles were supplied, as well as Dvina anti-aircraft guns, the shells of which, according to the Americans, turned out to be the deadliest on earth at that time. Kolesnik notes the high qualifications of military specialists and the incredible tenacity of the Vietnamese in learning and striving to master the science of management as quickly as possible.

Despite the fact that the US authorities were well aware of the provision of military assistance to North Vietnam, all specialists, including military personnel, were required to wear exclusively civilian clothes, their documents were kept at the embassy, ​​and they learned about the final destination of their business trip at the last moment. Requirements of secrecy were maintained until the withdrawal of the Soviet contingent from the country, and the exact numbers and names of participants are not known to this day.

Relations between the USSR and Vietnam were built on the terms of “unequal friendship.” The Union was interested in spreading its influence in the region, which is why it provided such generous and selfless assistance. Vietnam collaborated with the Soviets solely for reasons of profit, successfully speculating on the position of the country fighting for independence and freedom. Sometimes they didn’t ask for help, but demanded it. In addition, direct participants often describe cases of provocations by the Vietnamese authorities.

International relations with this tropical country are still being built today by Russia as the direct successor of the Union. The political situation is developing differently, but the local population retains a feeling of gratitude to the Russian soldiers, and the heroes of that secret war are still proud of their participation in it.

Documentary investigation. Russian secrets of the Vietnam War

About 6,360 Soviet officers worked in Vietnam as military advisers - they allegedly only helped repel American air raids with the support of air defense missile systems. 13 people were officially recognized as dead. Every day of this nine-year war cost the USSR 2 million dollars.

The Americans knew very well where the Soviet camps were located, so while there were no active hostilities, they were tolerant of the Russians. Occasionally, flying planes dropped leaflets indicating the time of the bombing and inviting the Russians to leave the danger zone. The Americans' sense of complete impunity ended with a shock on July 25, 1964. This was the first battle between Soviet anti-aircraft gunners and American aircraft. On this day, three planes were destroyed by three missiles near Hanoi. The Americans experienced such horror that they did not fly for two weeks. The Vietnamese shamelessly speculated on help from the USSR and even exposed Soviet ships to attack.

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It became one of the largest local conflicts of the Cold War period. According to the Geneva Accords of 1954, which ended the Indochina War, Vietnam was divided along the 17th parallel into northern and southern parts. On July 16, 1955, Prime Minister of South Vietnam Ngo Dinh Diem announced that he would not implement the Geneva Agreements, and an anti-communist state would be created in South Vietnam. In 1957, the first anti-Ziem underground units appeared in South Vietnam and began a guerrilla war against the government. In 1959, the North Vietnamese communists and their allies declared support for the South Vietnamese partisans, and in December 1960, all underground groups united into the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam (NLLF), which in Western countries was more often called the “Viet Cong.”

The weapons that the South Vietnamese partisans fought with were very diverse. It had to be obtained in battles, through the introduction of secret agents into the enemy camp, and also through supplies from communist countries through Laos and Cambodia. As a result, the Viet Cong was armed with many examples of both Western and Soviet weapons.

Echoes of the previous war

During the Indochina War, which lasted from 1946 to 1954, the French army, fighting to preserve French colonial possessions in Indochina, was supported by Great Britain and the United States, and the Viet Minh national liberation movement was supported by communist China. Thanks to this, the arsenal of the Vietnamese partisans in the early 60s was rich and varied in composition. The Viet Cong had submachine guns MAT-49 (France), STEN (Great Britain), PPSh-41 (China), PPS-43 (China), Mosin carbines and rifles (USSR), Kar98k carbines (Germany), MAS-rifles 36 (France), Browning machine guns (USA), DP-28 (USSR), MG-42 (Germany). The most popular small arms of the Viet Cong were the MAT-49, Kar98k, Mosin rifles and PPSh.

Viet Cong fighters with small arms
Source: vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net

American machine guns

Since the United States entered the conflict, American material support for the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARV) has increased. Thompson and M3 submachine guns, M1 and BAR carbines began to arrive in the country. Some of these weapons immediately fell into the hands of the Viet Cong partisans, since many ARV soldiers were disloyal to the current government and willingly supplied their friends from « Viet Cong » . It is worth noting that after AK-47s fell into the hands of Vietnamese partisans, they happily abandoned American and British weapons, since Soviet machine guns were superior to enemy small arms. The only exception was the M3, which was very effective in close combat.

American soldier with an M3 assault rifle, Vietnam, 1967
Source: gunsbase.com

From the factory to the jungle

With the advent of the new American M-16 rifle in the ARV in 1967–68, it also appeared in service with the Viet Cong. The “Black Rifle” (as the soldiers dubbed it) showed low effectiveness during combat operations in the Vietnamese jungle. The barrel and bolt group of the Emka supplied to Vietnam were not chrome-plated, and there were no cleaning kits. All this led to the fact that the machine quickly became clogged with carbon deposits and failed. For this reason, the M16 was not particularly popular among the Viet Cong guerrillas. The new modification, the M16A1, was modified based on feedback received from soldiers who fought in Vietnam, and began entering service with the US Army in 1967. Unlike its predecessor, the M16A1 was readily used by both the Americans and the Viet Cong. The advantage of the modified “emka” was that it had a bayonet, but it was significantly inferior to the AK-47 in hand-to-hand combat, since its butt often split after impact, which did not happen with the butt of a Soviet machine gun.

Girl partisan with M-16
Source: historicalmoments2.com

Controversial symbol of the Viet Cong

The symbols of early guerrilla warfare in Vietnam are the M-1 carbine and the M3 submachine gun - this primarily refers to units of local forces that did not enjoy sufficient support from North Vietnam. The lightweight but powerful M-1 carbine was easy to operate and repair, and the M3 submachine gun was indispensable in close combat. You can find quite conflicting reviews about the M1 carbine. In Vietnamese museum exhibitions dedicated to guerrilla warfare in the jungle, it is presented as the main weapon of the Viet Cong at the initial stage of the war. At the same time, a number of experts indicate that the M1 is more correctly called the best among the weapons available to partisans, and with the advent of other types of small arms, the Vietnamese began to abandon the M1.

Girl partisan with an M-1 carbine
Source: pinterest.com

"Red" weapon

The third stage of development of the Viet Cong weapons base occurred during the Tet Offensive of 1968. During the offensive, the guerrillas suffered heavy losses, and to make up for them, the People's Army of North Vietnam sent some of its soldiers with weapons to the south. North Vietnamese soldiers were armed with the new SKS carbines, AK-47 assault rifles and RPD machine guns produced in China. The disadvantage of this weapon was its high sighting range (for the AK-47 it was 800 meters, for the RPD and SKS - 1 kilometer) - excessive in the conditions of Vietnam, where most of the shots were fired at point-blank range or from a very short distance. At the same time, the SKS performed excellently when firing from unprepared positions, which was very important for the Viet Cong fighters. The RPD used in Vietnam was significantly lighter than its predecessors, making it easy to carry. And the most effective small arms of the Vietnam War, based on the totality of its characteristics, was the AK-47.

Vietnamese partisan with an SKS carbine. Wax figure at the Vietnam Guerrilla Museum
Source: ru.wikipedia.org

Guerrilla air defense

The main weapon of the Vietnamese partisan air defense was the DShK heavy machine gun, which was extremely weak in its task of shooting down American aircraft. The partisans' air defense worked more effectively against helicopters, but this effectiveness was achieved rather due to good camouflage. The Viet Cong machine gunners managed, while remaining unnoticed, to bring the American helicopter within close range and fire the first burst. After this, the partisans lost their advantage and became a good target for helicopter pilots.

North Vietnamese soldiers with DShK. With the same machine guns supplied to South Vietnam, Viet Cong partisans tried to shoot down American helicopters

Before starting work, he received instructions from the colonel, which went something like this: “You are not a combat photographer. This is a moral and ethical operation. I want to see my guys work, and I want to hope that they do their duty with honor." He took nearly 2,000 photographs between March 1968 and May 1969, then returned home and developed them. After that, he kept the photographs in a box, and he did not show them to anyone for 45 years, until they were accidentally discovered. As Haughey himself admits, he found it extremely difficult to view them. The photographer does not know what happened to many of the people in his photographs. Having discovered the pictures, he viewed them all at once and then was unable to sleep for three days. It is difficult for a veteran to remember and talk about the events of those days.
A group of volunteers worked with Haughey to help him organize an exhibition of his work that will open April 5 at an art gallery in Portland, Oregon. Due to improper storage, many of the images were damaged, the same can be said about the notes that came with the photographs. As a result, many of the people, places and events depicted in the photographs remained unknown. It is hoped that the publication of photographs can provide additional information about who is depicted in them. Other photographs from the collection will be published as the project develops.

The soldier bowed his head in the truck: the soldier's name and location are unknown. This is what Charlie said when looking at this photo: "It was not uncommon to see someone riding in a truck with their head down. More often than not, no matter where we went, we always had our head down. Each soldier had a bulletproof vest, an M16, a steel helmet and a prayer."

.50 caliber pistol and sleeping man: Events take place near the firing line, near the Pershing base, names and dates unknown. The men lay down to rest in the truck while reading mail after it was delivered from their homeland. Many men burned the letters they received, or tore them into small pieces, immediately after reading them, because they did not want their personal information to be used against them if they were captured.

Captain William N. comes past a group of young soldiers near Kuti. Other names and details about the photo remain unknown.

Soldiers relax aboard the Bell UH-1 Iroquois - Huey. Staying on board a helicopter was a kind of vacation for the military, as it provided them with a few minutes of rest “without war.” Place, names and dates unknown.

Soldiers board a helicopter. The detail in this image has suffered greatly over the years due to improper storage of the photographs. Names, place and date unknown.

Reinforcing the bunker with sandbags at the fire support base. Names and dates unknown.

The shooter looks through a bamboo thicket. The military man looks at the machine gun that has just fired into the air. A few seconds after Hogy took this photograph, a machine gun began firing at the bamboo thicket where the soldier was located. Fortunately, he noticed a machine gun aimed in his direction in time and managed to throw himself to the ground, waiting out a series of shots. The soldier's name, location and date are unknown.

The RTO is transporting food and supplies to a military base near Dau Tieng. Date unknown.

Sergeant Edgar D. Bledsoy, of Olive Branch, Illinois, holds a seriously ill Vietnamese child in his arms. The child was taken to a military base for treatment. This photograph was first published in Tropic Lightning News, Issue No. 53, December 30, 1968.

A soldier loads an M2 mortar, a weapon originally developed in the United States for use in World War II and the Korean War. Events unfold while patrolling in rice fields. Names, date and place unknown.

The sergeant kneels on the wet ground and checks his M16. Name, date and place unknown.

RTO military aircraft were indispensable to support infantry during combat operations. In this case, the RTO observes the infantryman during a combat mission. Name, date and place unknown.

Nine helicopters brought soldiers to the site of the combat mission. At the site of the fire line, in the field, about 50 people were dropped off. This is the first landing of soldiers and military equipment near Dau Tieng. Names and date unknown.

“Tunnel rats” are specially trained soldiers whose task was to constantly patrol the network of tunnels, here the military looked for hiding opponents, warehouses with weapons and ammunition, as well as contraband. Subsequently, all these tunnels were destroyed by explosives installed throughout the area. Name, date and place unknown.

The driver of the M60 tank spends all his time in a combat vehicle, under a constant load of military equipment. The military of this unit always had everything they needed; they had no problems with ammunition and other materials. Name, date and place unknown.

A specially designed and prepared armored personnel carrier spews flames, thereby clearing an ambush position along the roadside of the supply route.

An infantry regiment officer oversees and directs combat operations on board a ship. Names, date and place unknown.

A soldier poses with captured mortars. The colonel instructed Haughey to go to this place specifically to photograph a huge cache of weapons that had been discovered and captured near Dau Ieng. Name and date unknown.

An unknown soldier smokes a cigarette after another mission. Name, date and place unknown.

The detainees are blindfolded and await interrogation with a US Army interpreter. Names, date and place unknown.

Helicopters take off from the base in Dau Tieng. Date unknown.

Soldiers load bags of weapons captured near a warehouse in Dau Tieng. Names and date unknown.

A team of machine gunners fires in preparation for a combat operation. Names, date and place unknown.

Residents of one of the Vietnamese villages argue with a soldier, not far from a truck transporting food. Names, date and place unknown.

A Chinook rescues survivors of a downed helicopter in rice fields near Treng after an explosion in January 1969. Photos from this series were originally published in Tropic Lightning News #41 and Stars and Stripes #25.

A medic provides assistance to injured Vietnamese. Names, date and place unknown.

An injured, exhausted soldier. Name, date and place unknown.

A Vietnamese boy peeks out from behind his friends to look at Hoagie's camera. Name, date and place unknown.

A medic washes a group of Vietnamese children. Names, date and place unknown.

Soldiers on routine jungle patrol. Haughey says most soldiers wore towels around their necks, just like the soldiers in the photo, as a way to combat sweat. Names, date and place unknown.

Soldiers pull a suspect from cover during a forced march in a Vietnamese village. Names, date and place unknown.

Charlie Haughey poses with a group of Vietnamese schoolchildren. Date and place unknown.

John Kerry (left) and an unidentified soldier cook steaks and drink beer at Cu Chi. Date unknown.

American soldiers patrolling the area walk through rubber tree plantations. Date and place unknown.

Unique retro photographs taken by war correspondents during the Vietnam War.

In the 21st century, against the backdrop of numerous military conflicts unleashed by the United States, the war that Washington once lost in Vietnam is fading into the shadows. But this particular war is the clearest example that patriotism and national consciousness can defeat the most powerful enemy with the most modern weapons.

1. Battle of Ya Drang Valley


At midnight, after heavy and grueling fighting, a 23-man detachment led by Sergeant Frederick Kluge set out to search for a group of 26 wounded Americans led by platoon leader Second Lieutenant Robert Jeannette. The photograph shows killed and wounded soldiers of the third battalion of the American 1st Cavalry Division, who unexpectedly came under guerrilla fire while trying to escape encirclement in the Ia Drang Valley, November 18, 1965.

2. POW soldier of the North Vietnamese army


A North Vietnamese Army soldier captured on November 19 by American units who were marching on foot to the Crooks landing zone, located 10 kilometers from the Albany zone.

3. Soldier of the reserve troops division


A US Marine who had recently arrived in South Vietnam and was immediately sent to search for North Vietnamese guerrillas near Da Nang Air Base, April 29, 1965.

4. Civilians cross a destroyed bridge in the city of Hue


The Battle of the South Vietnamese city of Hue is one of the longest and bloodiest battles of all time fighting in Vietnam, which took place in 1968 between the forces of the United States and South Vietnam on the one hand and the forces of North Vietnam and their allies on the other. The battle was characterized by fierce street fighting, accompanied by great destruction and casualties among civilians.

5. Battle of Dong Soai


Exhausted civilians emerged from their underground shelters after two days of bombardment and grueling fighting in the outskirts of Dong Xoai, June 6, 1965.

6. The US Army's Use of a Mixture of Defoliants and Herbicides


Four U.S. Fairchild C-123 Provider military transport aircraft spray liquid defoliant over North Vietnamese positions in September 1965. The uncontrolled and massive use of defoliants and herbicides caused serious environmental problems in those regions, as well as millions of cases of diseases, including hereditary ones, among the local population.

7. Among the remains of dead soldiers


A South Vietnamese Marine wears a special bandage among the decomposing corpses of American and Vietnamese soldiers who died during the fighting on a rubber plantation 70 km northeast of Saigon, November 27, 1965.

8. The only way to escape


Vietnamese women and children hide from artillery fire in an overgrown canal 30 km west of Saigon, January 1, 1966.

9. Unbearable heat


Vacationer Rick Holmes, fighting in Sector C with the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, January 3, 1966.

10. Massive Bomb Strike


An American Douglas A-1 Skyraider drops bombs filled with white phosphorus on North Vietnamese positions in the Ia Drang Valley, near the X-Ray landing zone, November 15, 1965.

11. American soldiers in Vietnam during a napalm attack


Fireballs from napalm explosions near the location of American troops.

12. Helping a seriously wounded comrade


A lightly wounded U.S. Marine gives water to his seriously wounded comrade during a special operation along the demilitarized zone between North and South Vietnam, July 21, 1966.

13. Detained on suspicion of assisting partisans

A Vietnamese child clings to his father, who was detained and tied up as a suspected North Vietnamese guerrilla collaborator 280 km northeast of Saigon, on February 17, 1966.

14. American Marine


The face of a U.S. Marine firing an M60 machine gun during one of the battles south of the demilitarized zone between North and South Vietnam, October 10, 1966.

15. Music show


Korean Kittens performs in a musical show for American soldiers from the 25th Infantry Division.

The reasons that led to America's war with Vietnam were generally due to the confrontation between two political systems. Communist and Western democratic ideologies clashed in the Asian country. This conflict became an episode of a much more global confrontation - the Cold War.

Prerequisites

In the first half of the 20th century, Vietnam, like other countries in Southeast Asia, was a colony of France. This order was disrupted by World War II. First, Vietnam was occupied by Japan, then supporters of communism appeared there and opposed the imperialist French authorities. These supporters of national independence received serious support from China. There, immediately after World War II, communist power was finally established.

Leaving Southeast Asia, the French recognized the government of South Vietnam as legitimate. The north of the country was under communist control. In 1957, internal confrontation began between the two regimes. This was not yet America’s war with Vietnam, but it was during that period that the United States first intervened in the situation in the region.

Just then the Cold War was in full swing. Any White House administration resisted with all its might the establishment of another communist regime in every country in the world, whether it was supported by the USSR or China. Under President Eisenhower, the Americans openly sided with South Vietnamese Prime Minister Ngo Dinh Diem, although they themselves had not yet used their own army.

Coming War

The leader of the Vietnamese communists was Ho Chi Minh. He organized the NLF - National Liberation Front of South Vietnam. In the West, this organization became widely known as the Viet Cong. Ho Chi Minh's supporters waged a successful guerrilla war. They carried out terrorist attacks and gave no rest to the government army. At the end of 1961, the Americans sent the first troops into Vietnam. However, these detachments were small in number. At first, Washington decided to limit itself to sending military advisers and specialists to Saigon.

Diem's ​​situation gradually worsened. Under these conditions, war between America and Vietnam became increasingly inevitable. In 1953, Diem was overthrown and killed in a coup staged by the South Vietnamese army. In the following months, power in Saigon changed chaotically several more times. The rebels took advantage of the enemy's weakness and took control of more and more regions of the country.

First clashes

In August 1964, America's war with Vietnam became an order of magnitude closer after a battle in which the American reconnaissance destroyer Maddox and torpedo boats of the National Liberation Front collided. In response to this event, the US Congress authorized President Lyndon Johnson to launch a full-scale operation in Southeast Asia.

The head of state followed a peaceful course for some time. He did this on the eve of the 1964 elections. Johnson won that campaign thanks to his peace-loving rhetoric, the opposite of the ideas of the hawk Barry Goldwater. Arriving at the White House, the politician changed his mind and began preparing the operation.

The Viet Cong, meanwhile, captured more and more rural areas. They even began attacking American targets in the southern part of the country. The number of US military personnel on the eve of the full-scale deployment of troops was about 23 thousand people. Johnson finally decided to invade Vietnam after the Viet Cong attacked the American base in Pleiku.

Deployment of troops

The date when America's war with Vietnam began is March 2, 1965. On this day, the US Air Force began Operation Rolling Thunder, a regular bombing campaign against North Vietnam. A few days later, American Marines landed in the southern part of the country. Its appearance was caused by the need to protect the strategically important Danang airfield.

Now it was not just the Vietnamese Civil War, but the US-Vietnam War. The campaign years (1965-1973) are considered the period of greatest tension in the region. Just 8 months after the start of the invasion, there were more than 180 thousand American troops in Vietnam. At the peak of the confrontation, this figure increased threefold.

In August 1965, the first major battle between the Viet Cong and US ground forces took place. This was Operation Starlight. The conflict flared up. A similar trend continued that same fall, when news of the battle in the Ia Drang Valley spread throughout the world.

"Find and destroy"

The first four years of the intervention until the very end of 1969, the US military waged a large-scale offensive in South Vietnam. The U.S. Army's strategy followed the "search and destroy" approach developed by Commander in Chief William Westmoreland. American tacticians divided the territory of South Vietnam into four zones, called corps.

In the first of these regions, located directly next to the Communist possessions, the Marines operated. The war between America and Vietnam was fought there as follows. The US Army established a foothold in three enclaves (Phu Bai, Da Nang and Chu Lai) and then began clearing the surrounding areas. This operation took all of 1966. Over time, the fighting here became more and more complicated. At first, the Americans were opposed by the forces of the NLF. However, then, on the territory of North Vietnam itself, the main army of this state was waiting for them.

The DMZ (demilitarized zone) became a big headache for the Americans. Through it, the Viet Cong transferred a large number of people and equipment to the south of the country. Because of this, the Marines had to, on the one hand, consolidate their enclaves on the coast, and on the other, contain the enemy in the DMZ area. In the summer of 1966, Operation Hastings took place in the demilitarized zone. Its goal was to stop the transfer of NLF forces. Subsequently, the Marine Corps focused entirely on the DMZ, placing the coast under the care of fresh American forces. The contingent here increased without stopping. In 1967, the US 23rd Infantry Division was formed in South Vietnam, which sank into oblivion after the defeat of the Third Reich in Europe.

War in the mountains

The II Corps tactical zone covered the mountainous areas adjacent to the Laotian border. Through these territories the Viet Cong penetrated to the flat coast. In 1965, the operation of the 1st Cavalry Division began in the Annam Mountains. In the Ia Drang Valley area, she stopped the advance of the North Vietnamese army.

At the end of 1966, the US 4th Infantry Division entered the mountains (the 1st Cavalry moved to Binh Dan province). They were assisted by South Korean troops who also arrived in Vietnam. The war with America, the reason for which was the reluctance of Western countries to tolerate the expansion of communism, also affected their Asian allies. South Korea experienced its own bloody confrontation with North Korea back in the 1950s, and its population understood the cost of such a conflict better than others.

The culmination of hostilities in the II Corps zone was the Battle of Dakto in November. The Americans managed, at the cost of heavy losses, to thwart the Viet Cong offensive. The 173rd Airborne Brigade took the hardest hit.

Guerrilla actions

America's protracted war with Vietnam continued for years due to guerrilla warfare. Nimble troops of the Viet Cong attacked enemy infrastructure and hid unhindered in the tropical forests. The main task of the Americans in the fight against partisans was to protect Saigon from the enemy. In the provinces adjacent to the city, the III Corps zone was formed.

In addition to the South Koreans, the Australians were allies of the United States in Vietnam. The military contingent of this country was based in Phuoc Tuy province. Here lay the most important road No. 13, which began in Saigon and ended at the border with Cambodia.

Subsequently, several more major operations took place: Attleboro, Junction City and Cedar Falls. Nevertheless, the guerrilla war continued. Its main area was the delta. This territory was replete with swamps, forests and canals. Its characteristic feature, even during hostilities, was its high population density. Thanks to all these circumstances, the partisan war continued so long and successfully. The United States and Vietnam, to put it briefly, stayed much longer than Washington initially expected.

New Year's Eve

In early 1968, the North Vietnamese began a siege of the American Marine base at Khe Sanh. Thus began the Tet Offensive. It got its name from the local New Year. The conflict typically de-escalated during Tet. This time everything was different - the offensive covered the whole of Vietnam. The war with America, the reason for which was the irreconcilability of the two political systems, could not end until both sides had exhausted their resources. By launching a large-scale attack on enemy positions, the Viet Cong risked almost all the forces available to them.

Numerous cities were attacked, including Saigon. However, the communists managed to occupy only Hue, one of the ancient capitals of the country. In other directions the attacks were successfully repulsed. By March the offensive had run out of steam. It never achieved its main goal: overthrowing the government of South Vietnam. Moreover, the Americans recaptured Hue. The battle turned out to be one of the fiercest during the war. Vietnam and America, however, continued the bloodshed. Although the offensive essentially failed, it had a significant effect on American morale.

In the States, the large-scale attack by the Communists was perceived as a weakness of the US Army. The media played a significant role in shaping public opinion. They paid much attention to the siege of Khe Sanh. Newspapers criticized the government for spending enormous amounts of money on a senseless war.

Meanwhile, in the spring of 1968, a counteroffensive by the Americans and their allies began. To successfully complete the operation, the military asked Washington to send more than 200 thousand more soldiers to Vietnam. The President did not dare to take such a step. Anti-militaristic sentiments in the United States became an increasingly serious factor in domestic politics. As a result, only small reinforcements were sent to Vietnam, and at the end of March Johnson announced an end to the bombing of the northern part of the country.

Vietnamization

No matter how long America's war with Vietnam had been, the date for the withdrawal of American troops was inexorably approaching. At the end of 1968, he won the presidential elections. He campaigned under anti-war slogans and declared his desire to conclude an “honorable peace.” Against this background, communist supporters in Vietnam began to primarily attack American bases and positions in order to speed up the withdrawal of US troops from their country.

In 1969, the Nixon administration formulated the principle of the Vietnamization policy. It replaced the “search and destroy” doctrine. Its essence was that before leaving the country, the Americans needed to transfer control of their positions to the government in Saigon. Steps in this direction began against the backdrop of the Second Tet Offensive. It again covered all of South Vietnam.

The history of the war with America could have turned out differently if the communists did not have rear bases in neighboring Cambodia. In this country, as well as in Vietnam, there was a civil confrontation between supporters of two opposing political systems. In the spring of 1970, officer Lon Nol seized power in Cambodia as a result of a coup, overthrowing King Norodom Sihanouk. The new government changed its attitude towards the communist rebels and began to destroy their jungle hideouts. Dissatisfied with attacks behind Viet Cong lines, North Vietnam invaded Cambodia. The Americans and their allies also rushed to the country to help Lon Nol. These events added fuel to the fire of the anti-war public campaign in the United States itself. Two months later, under pressure from a disgruntled population, Nixon ordered the withdrawal of the army from Cambodia.

Last battles

Many Cold War conflicts in third countries of the world ended with the establishment of communist regimes there. America's war with Vietnam was no exception. Who won this campaign? Viet Cong. By the end of the war, the morale of American soldiers had fallen greatly. Drug use has spread among the troops. By 1971, the Americans stopped their own large operations and began to gradually withdraw the army.

According to the Vietnamization policy, responsibility for what was happening in the country fell on the shoulders of the government in Saigon - in February 1971, South Vietnamese forces launched Operation Lam Son 719. Its goal was to suppress the transfer of enemy soldiers and weapons along the partisan “Ho Chi Minh Trail.” It is noteworthy that the Americans almost did not take part in it.

In March 1972, North Vietnamese troops launched a major new Easter Offensive. This time, the 125,000-strong army was supported by hundreds of tanks - weapons that the NLF had never had before. The Americans did not participate in ground battles, but assisted South Vietnam from the air. It was thanks to this support that the onslaught of the communists was contained. So, time after time, the US war with Vietnam could not stop. The contagion of pacifist sentiments in the States, however, continued.

In 1972, representatives of North Vietnam and the United States began negotiations in Paris. The parties have almost reached an agreement. However, at the last moment, South Vietnamese President Thieu intervened. He persuaded the Americans to impose unacceptable conditions on the enemy. As a result, the negotiations broke down.

End of the war

The last American operation in Vietnam was the North Vietnamese series in late December 1972. She became known as "Linebacker". The operation also became known as the “Christmas bombing.” They were the largest during the entire war.

The operation began on Nixon's direct orders. The President wanted to end the war as quickly as possible and decided to finally put pressure on the Communists. The bombings affected Hanoi and other important cities in the northern part of the country. When the Vietnam War with America ended, it became clear that it was Linebacker who forced the parties to iron out differences in the final negotiations.

The US Army completely withdrew from Vietnam according to the Paris Peace Agreement, signed on January 27, 1973. By that day, there were still about 24 thousand Americans left in the country. The withdrawal of troops was completed on March 29.

The peace agreement also meant the beginning of a truce between the two parts of Vietnam. In reality this did not happen. Without the Americans, he found himself defenseless against the communists and lost the war, although at the beginning of 1973 he even had a numerical superiority in military strength. Over time, the United States stopped providing economic assistance to Saigon. In April 1975, the communists finally established their power over the territory of all of Vietnam. Thus ended many years of confrontation in the Asian country.

Perhaps the United States would have defeated the enemy, but public opinion played a role in the United States, which did not 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 20th century. During the war, about 58 thousand American troops died.