Vietnam War

I. The important dates

1954/55: Declaration of Independence of Vietnam, as well as the splitting in           North- and South-Vietnam

: Civil War between N&S began

: official interrupt of the USA

: official armistice between the participates

: capitulation of the South

: establishment of the "socialistic republic of Vietnam" (SRV)

II.  Progress of war and casus belli

1959: - the North wanted to overthrow the government of the South

the USA supported the South with weapons and military strategies

the US government was frightened of the expansion of the communism

- at first only bombardments, then troops were put into action in 1965

armistice, but the fights went on between N&S

totally terminating of fighting actions

III. Consequences

2,5 Mio. were killed

112 Mill. Dollar expense for the USA

deformities and many cripple in the vietnamese population

no attainment of the objects

In 1954, in the Geneva Indochina peace conference, Vietnam was declared independent.

A year later in 1955 Vietnam was divided into North V., which was assisted by the communist party Vietminh(Vietcong), under the leading of Ho Chi Minh, and South V. , which was supported by the USA.

In 1959 the civil war between N&S V. began. The reason for it was an attempt of the North to overthrow the southern government. Since this time the US aided the South with weapons and strategy.

Five war- years later the US Army went actively into action. The reason for their decision was their fear of the extension of the communism. Their contribution was at first only bombardments of the reserves of the Vietcong. It was the same situation as we have in the Kosovo now. They bombed the jungle with napalm and splittering bombs. ( US aircrafts drew 3,1 Mio. t bombs on their enemies. That was 3 times more than in World War II).  But in 1965 troops were sent to Vietnam.(the number of soldiers in the whole war was over 500.000)Because the bombing of the reinforcement didn't stop "charley"(it was the nickname for the Vietcongs. Given by the G.I.'s.)

After fourteen cruel years an truce was declared. But only the USA withdrew all it's troops out of Vietnam, while the fights between N&S continued until 1975. In this year, the South capitulated and so the North took it over. The situation was comparable with the Jewish Persecution in the second world war, because all the anti- communists were persecuted and killed. One year later on the second of July `76 Vietnam was reunited under the power of the "socialistic republic of Vietnam".

The consequences of this war shocked a whole nation:

56000 US-, 190000 SV.-, 920000 NV.-soldiers lost their lifes. The rest of the 2.5 Mio. killed people were civilians. The totally cost of the US warfare was about 112 Mio. $, without reaching any aims. 3 Mio. cripple and wounded. And, not to forget, the following deformities, caused by the Napalm bombs, in the vietnamese population. Now, I think you can answer yourself the question of the use of this war.