History lesson - Vietnam

Here comes a "short" Vietnam history overview. Anyhoo, I went to the web and did some research, lots of information was also in Lonely Planet. First of all I was determined to understand the reasons and political conflicts around the American war in Vietnam. Here is what I discovered, early times are not covered very thoroughly, later times are written in greater detail.

This is also time for a DISCLAIMER: do not quote me on this information, this is just an attempt to organize the information and create a timeline for myself. If I'm terribly mistaken about something then please do let me know.

Vietnam was under Chinese domination for 1000 years. It started on the 2nd century BC when Chinese conquered the Red River Delta and ended 938 AD with the battle of Bach Dang River. Vietnamese independence followed seeing many enlightened emperors. On the early 15th century Chinese seized control again, although 1428 Vietnam saw liberation with Le Loi's victory over Chinese.

Year 1516 first Portuguese sailors arrived and were soon followed by Dominican missionaries. For 2 centuries Vietnam was divided between north where Trinh ruled (supported by Portuguese) and south where Nguyen Lords ruled (supported by Dutch). At some point Vietnamese expanded to Cambodia and Laos as well.

And now we get into the later history of 19th and 20th century. 1847 French Navy attacked Vietnam in response to Emperor Thieu Tri's suppression of Catholic missionaries, finally treaty was signed and 3 eastern provinces were given to French. 1872 French started to conquer other northern parts of Vietnam as well and by 1887 they had colonized the country.

Ho Chi Minh founded the first Marxist grouping in Indochina in 1925, then came Vietnamese Communist Party year 1930 and year 1941 followed League for the Independence of Vietnam aka Viet Minh that was dominated by Ho's communists. During WWII Vietnam fell under Japan, but they let French carry on their ruling there and did not intervene. The only forces opposed to both Japanese and French occupation was Viet Minh and Ho Chi Minh, apparently they both got US assistance during that period. By 1945 Viet Minh controlled large parts of the country.

1946 the war with French started again. Ho Chi Minh fled to the mountains and stayed there for 8 years but even despite the massive US support that French received there was no victory and French troops surrendered. In May 1954, as per Geneva Conference, war prisoners were exchanged and Vietnam was temporarily divided into 2 zones. So it became so that south was ruled by fiercely anticommunist Catholic Ngo Dinh Diem and north was ruled by Democratic Republic of Vietnam. By 1959 north and south were at war again.

Now comes the ever so sensitive topic - American war in Vietnam. Topic that is not discussed over dinner table in the US. I can't remember anything on the matter in our history books - how was it portrayed to us during Russian time?

So here we go. The Americans saw France's colonial war in Indochina as an important part of a worldwide struggle against communist expansion. As I understand there were Vietnamese communists or VC's in the north as well as North Vietnamese army. First was more like a rebellion grouping, second was official army of the northern state of Vietnam. In the south there was Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN). Northern forces were trying to overtake south where French were ruling.

So Americans figured to come and assist the French. Americans would stay in Vietnam for the next 25 years, first as advisers and later as the main force. In August 1964 two US destroyers claimed to have come under 'unprovoked' attack near North Vietnamese coast. As a result - US President orders bombs to be dropped on North Vietnam. First US troops landed in Vietnam in March of 1965. So there were battles between American forces and Vietnamese communists or VC. January 1968 VC's held strikes in 100 cities around Vietnam and took over US embassy courtyard in Saigon. US counterattacked aggressively by bombing heavily populated cities. US aggressiveness traumatized the civilian world, many local civilians would join VC in anger. All the horror of the bombings, chaos, massacres and attacks on unarmed civilians by American troops - it was broadcasted all over the world and world started antiwar activities and movements.

Meanwhile power changed in US, peace talks were held with the north, all the while the war got even bigger in Vietnam. US started secretly bombing Cambodia in order to flush out VC sanctuaries across the border, Northern Vietnamese forces moved deeper into Cambodia. There were more attacks in Northern Vietnam and on the 17th parallel as well. Austria, New Zealand, South Korea, Philippines and Thailand sent military personnel to South Vietnam to fight with Americans. north Vietnam was supported by China and Soviet Republic.

In January 1973 Paris Peace Accords were signed between USA, North Vietnam, South Vietnam and VC - agreeing on cease fire, withdrawal of US forces and release of US prisoners of war. As it turns out, throughout the whole conflict US never actually declared war on North Vietnam. Bombing of north stopped and US prisoners were released, but the war went on, only now South Vietnam was fighting North on its own, ARVN troops surrendered and fled quickly since they were not able to continue without all the support.

After taking over South Vietnam, the communists renamed Saigon to Ho Chi Minh City. Years of changes followed: transition to socialism in South, widespread political repression, cruel imprisonment of people who had ties to previous regime, intellectuals/artists/businesspeople who had opposed the North were pestered and held in horrendous conditions and so on and so on.

When south collapsed, more than 100 000 Vietnamese fled the country. In the next five years about half a million others would follow. By now many have returned, having foreign education they are now helping in driving the economy forward. This is believed by many to be the reason why South Vietnam economy is doing better nowadays. As it goes, the people are divided in their hears as well - north has never forgiven south in co-operating with Americans against their own people and south has never forgiven north in imposing communism and pestering hundreds of thousands Vietnamese.

Vietnam is socialist republic, Hanoi is the capital and population is 86 million people.

Also check Peeter's comment on the history - Vietnami ajaloo kokkuvõte