Vietnam War

November 1, 1955 – April 30, 1975 · Saigon

Result North Vietnamese victory

North Vietnam, backed by the Soviet Union and China, fought South Vietnam, backed by the U.S. and its allies, in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, 1955-1975. U.S. involvement escalated from 1965 until the 1973 Paris Peace Accords withdrawal; the 1975 Spring Offensive and fall of Saigon ended the war, and the two Vietnams reunified in 1976. 970,000-3 million Vietnamese and 58,220 American dead.

On the map Overview Contemporaries

South Vietnam and allies

North Vietnam and allies

Other

South Vietnam Republic of Vietnam

United States Combat troops 1965-1973

South Korea

Australia

New Zealand

Thailand

Philippines

Laos

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Republic of China

People's Republic of China Military aid and support troops

Soviet Union Military aid and advisers

North Korea Air force personnel and aid

Viet Cong

North Vietnam

Pathet Lao

Khmer Rouge

Communist Party of Vietnam

Dwight D. Eisenhower President, United States

John F. Kennedy President, United States

Lyndon B. Johnson President, United States

Richard Nixon President, United States

Gerald Ford President, United States

Henry Kissinger National Security Advisor, Negotiated the 1973 Paris Peace Accords

Robert McNamara Secretary of Defense

Clark Clifford Secretary of Defense

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Melvin Laird Secretary of Defense, Oversaw Vietnamization

James R. Schlesinger Secretary of Defense

Dean Rusk Secretary of State

Ngo Dinh Diem President of South Vietnam

Nguyễn Văn Thiệu President of South Vietnam

Nguyễn Cao Kỳ Prime Minister of South Vietnam

William Westmoreland Commander, MACV

Creighton Abrams Commander, MACV

Mao Zedong belligerent leader, China sent aid and support troops to North Vietnam

Nikita Khrushchev belligerent leader, Soviet leader until 1964

Ho Chi Minh President of North Vietnam

Lê Duẩn First Secretary of the Workers' Party of Vietnam

Leonid Brezhnev General Secretary of the CPSU, Soviet Union armed North Vietnam

Phạm Văn Đồng Prime Minister of North Vietnam

Võ Nguyên Giáp Commander of the People's Army of Vietnam

Lê Đức Thọ Chief negotiator, Negotiated the 1973 Paris Peace Accords

Strength and losses

Strength: c. 1,420,000

Laos Strength 72,000

Australia Strength 50,190 · Deaths 526

Philippines Strength 2,061 · Deaths 9

South Vietnam Captured c. 1,000,000 · Civilian deaths 195,000–430,000

United States Strength 3,403,000 · Killed 47,434 · Deaths 58,281 · Wounded 303,644

South Korea Deaths 5,099

Thailand Deaths 351

New Zealand Deaths 37

North Vietnam Strength 690,000 · Deaths c. 666,000–950,765 · Civilian deaths 30,000–182,000

People's Republic of China Strength 320,000

Khmer Rouge Strength 70,000

Soviet Union Strength 10,359 · Deaths 16

North Korea Strength 200 · Deaths 14

Units

63rd Group Army 64th Group Army 4th Corps (Vietnam) 5th Military Region 7th Military Region (People's Army of Vietnam) PAVN 2nd Corps (1974–1975) PAVN 4th Corps (1974–1975) 129th Division (People's Republic of China) 148th Division (People's Republic of China) 2nd Division (Vietnam) 308th Infantry Division (Vietnam) 320th Division (Vietnam) 5th Division (Vietnam) 275th Regiment D445 Battalion PAVN 304th Division Viet Cong 9th Division 191st Motorized Infantry Brigade 196th Light Combined Arms Brigade 33rd Regiment (People's Army of Vietnam) Viet Cong D445 Battalion Soviet Navy Korean People's Army Air Force

75th Group Army 82nd Group Army 83rd Group Army Republic of Vietnam Airborne Division 1st Infantry Regiment (United States) 21st Infantry Regiment (United States) 27th Infantry Regiment (United States) 6th Infantry Regiment (United States) 77th Field Artillery Regiment 7th Cavalry Regiment 9th Infantry Regiment (United States) 23rd Flying Training Squadron 40th Helicopter Squadron 67th Fighter Squadron South Vietnam Air Force Carrier Air Wing Eight Carrier Air Wing Eleven

Battles and events 65

Key events

Battle of Ia Drang November 14–18, 1965
Battle of Long Tan August 18, 1966
Siege of Khe Sanh January 21 – July 9, 1968 · Both sides claim victory
Tet Offensive January 30 – September 23, 1968 · U.S. – South Vietnamese victory
Battle of Huế January 31 – March 2, 1968 · American–South Vietnamese victory
Mỹ Lai massacre March 16, 1968
Battle of Hamburger Hill May 10–20, 1969 · Inconclusive
Cambodian campaign April 29 – July 22, 1970 · State of Cambodia/ARVN/US Victory
Operation Lam Son 719 February 8 – March 25, 1971
Easter Offensive March 30 – October 22, 1972 · U.S. and South Vietnamese victory
- Battle of An Lộc April 13 – July 20, 1972 · South Vietnamese and US victory
- Second Battle of Quảng Trị June 28 – September 16, 1972 · South Vietnamese and U.S. victory
Paris Peace Accords January 27, 1973
1975 spring offensive December 13, 1974 – April 30, 1975 · North Vietnamese victory
- Battle of Xuân Lộc April 9–21, 1975 · North Vietnamese victory

1958 1 event

North Vietnamese invasion of Laos 1958 – 1959 · Beginning of the Ho Chi Minh trail

1962 1 event

Operation Sunrise (Vietnam War) March 22 – April 30, 1962 · South Vietnam tactical victory

1963 4 events

Battle of Ap Bac January 2, 1963 · Viet Cong victory
Battle of Gò Công September 3, 1963 · South Vietnamese victory
1963 South Vietnamese coup d'état November 1, 1963
Battle of Hiep Hoa November 22, 1963 · Viet Cong/North Vietnamese victory

1964 8 events

Battle of Long Dinh February 26, 1964 · South Vietnamese victory
Battle of Kien Long April 12–20, 1964 · South Vietnamese victory; successful Viet Cong withdrawal
Operation Quyet Thang 202 April 27 – May 27, 1964 · South Vietnamese victory
Battle of Nam Dong July 5–6, 1964 · South Vietnam and United States victory
Operation Pierce Arrow August 5, 1964
Battle of An Lão December 7–9, 1964 · Viet Cong victory
Operation Barrel Roll December 14, 1964 – March 29, 1973 · Strategic US failure * US failure to interdict the Ho Chi Minh Trail
Battle of Binh Gia December 28, 1964 – January 1, 1965 · VC/PAVN victory

1965 7 events

Operation Starlite 1965 · Both sides claim victory
Operation Flaming Dart February 7–24, 1965 · Set a precedent for more systematic bombing under Operation Rolling Thunder
Attack on Camp Holloway February 7, 1965 · Viet Cong victory United States launched Operation Flaming Dart in retaliation.
Operation Market Time February 16, 1965 · Successful blockade by South Vietnam.
Battle of Ba Gia May 28–31, 1965 · Viet Cong victory
Battle of Đồng Xoài June 9–13, 1965 · Viet Cong victory
Battle of Ia Drang November 14–18, 1965

1966 4 events

Operation Crimp January 14, 1966
Battle of Xã Cẩm Mỹ April 11–12, 1966 · Viet Cong claim victory
Operation Birmingham April 24 – May 17, 1966 · U.S.-South Vietnamese tactical victory
Battle of Long Tan August 18, 1966

1967 6 events

Operation Bolo January 2, 1967 · American Victory
Operation Cedar Falls January 8–26, 1967
Battle of Trà Bình February 14–15, 1967 · South Korean victory
The Hill Fights April 24 – May 11, 1967 · American victory
Battle of Ong Thanh October 17, 1967 · Viet Cong victory
Battle of Dak To November 3–23, 1967

1968 10 events

New Year's Day battle of 1968 January 1–2, 1968 · American victory
Siege of Khe Sanh January 21 – July 9, 1968 · Both sides claim victory
Tet Offensive January 30 – September 23, 1968 · U.S. – South Vietnamese victory
Battle of Saigon (1968) January 30 – March 7, 1968
Battle of Huế January 31 – March 2, 1968 · American–South Vietnamese victory
Battle of Lang Vei February 6–7, 1968 · North Vietnamese victory
Mỹ Lai massacre March 16, 1968
May Offensive April 29 – May 30, 1968 · American and South Vietnamese victory
Battle of Kham Duc May 10–12, 1968 · North Vietnamese victory
Operation Speedy Express December 1968 · U.S. claims operational success VC claims U.S. operational failure

1969 3 events

Operation Menu March 18, 1969 – May 26, 1970
Operation Dewey Canyon March 18, 1969 · U.S. tactical victory
Battle of Hamburger Hill May 10–20, 1969 · Inconclusive

1970 4 events

Cambodian campaign April 29 – July 22, 1970 · State of Cambodia/ARVN/US Victory
Operation Freedom Deal May 19, 1970 – August 15, 1973
Battle of Fire Support Base Ripcord July 1–23, 1970
Operation Ivory Coast November 21, 1970 · Infiltration and retreat successful

1971 3 events

Operation Lam Son 719 February 8 – March 25, 1971
Battle of FSB Mary Ann March 28, 1971 · Viet Cong victory
Battle of Long Khánh June 6–7, 1971

1972 6 events

Easter Offensive March 30 – October 22, 1972 · U.S. and South Vietnamese victory
- Battle of An Lộc April 13 – July 20, 1972 · South Vietnamese and US victory
- Second Battle of Quảng Trị June 28 – September 16, 1972 · South Vietnamese and U.S. victory
First Battle of Quảng Trị March 30 – May 1, 1972 · North Vietnamese victory
Battle of An Lộc April 13 – July 20, 1972 · South Vietnamese and US victory
Battle of Kontum May 26–27, 1972 · South Vietnamese and U.S. victory
Second Battle of Quảng Trị June 28 – September 16, 1972 · South Vietnamese and U.S. victory
Operation Linebacker II December 18–29, 1972 · Both sides claim victory

1973 1 event

Paris Peace Accords January 27, 1973

1974 4 events

Battle of the Paracel Islands January 19, 1974 · Chinese victory
Battle of Kampot February 26 – April 2, 1974 · First;FANK Defense victory
Battle of Phước Long December 12, 1974 – January 6, 1975 · North Vietnamese victory
1975 spring offensive December 13, 1974 – April 30, 1975 · North Vietnamese victory
- Battle of Xuân Lộc April 9–21, 1975 · North Vietnamese victory

1975 3 events

Battle of Ban Me Thuot March 3–18, 1975 · North Vietnamese victory
Battle of Xuân Lộc April 9–21, 1975 · North Vietnamese victory
East Sea Campaign April 9–29, 1975 · North Vietnamese victory

Before and after

Followed from: Battle of Dien Bien Phu March 13 – May 7, 1954
Led to: Fall of Saigon April 30, 1975
Mayaguez incident May 12–15, 1975

Related events 1 degree away • 2 degrees away

1947

1951

1955

1959

1963

1967

1971

1975

1979

1983

1987

1991

First Indochina War

Cold War

Battle of Dien Bien Phu

Vietnam War

Laotian Civil War

Gulf of Tonkin incident

Cambodian Civil War

Fall of Saigon

Mayaguez incident

Also involved 104

Kim Il-sung belligerent leader, North Korea sent pilots and aid · North Vietnam and allies
Souphanouvong participant · South Vietnam and allies
Pol Pot Khmer Rouge leader; fought in the related Cambodian Civil War
Rodion Malinovsky Soviet Minister of Defence · North Vietnam and allies
Souvanna Phouma participant
Al Gore participant · South Vietnam and allies
John Kerry U.S. Navy officer · South Vietnam and allies
Tôn Đức Thắng Vice President of North Vietnam · North Vietnam and allies
Colin Powell U.S. Army officer · South Vietnam and allies
Robert Mueller participant · South Vietnam and allies
Alexander Haig participant · South Vietnam and allies
Gough Whitlam participant · South Vietnam and allies
Robert Menzies participant · South Vietnam and allies
Harold Holt participant · South Vietnam and allies
John Gorton participant · South Vietnam and allies
Michael Jeffery participant · South Vietnam and allies
Peter Cosgrove participant · South Vietnam and allies
Norodom Sihanouk participant
Hun Sen participant
Lon Nol participant
Long Boret participant
Sisowath Sirik Matak participant
Keith Holyoake participant · South Vietnam and allies
Thanom Kittikachorn participant · South Vietnam and allies

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Suchinda Kraprayoon participant · South Vietnam and allies
Le Duc Anh participant · North Vietnam and allies
Fidel Ramos participant
Roh Tae-woo participant · South Vietnam and allies
Park Chung-hee participant · South Vietnam and allies
Chun Doo-hwan participant · South Vietnam and allies
Vo Chi Cong participant · North Vietnam and allies
Trường Chinh participant · North Vietnam and allies
Dương Văn Minh President of South Vietnam, Surrendered Saigon on 30 April 1975 · South Vietnam and allies
Văn Tiến Dũng Chief of the General Staff, Commanded the final offensive on Saigon · North Vietnam and allies
Norman Schwarzkopf Jr. participant · South Vietnam and allies
Gary E. Luck participant · South Vietnam and allies
Walter E. Boomer participant · South Vietnam and allies
Michel Roquejeoffre participant
Edward C. Meyer participant · South Vietnam and allies
Carl E. Vuono participant · South Vietnam and allies
Earle Wheeler participant · South Vietnam and allies
Arthur W. Radford participant · South Vietnam and allies
Frederick C. Weyand participant · South Vietnam and allies
Eric Shinseki participant · South Vietnam and allies
Chuck Hagel participant · South Vietnam and allies
Dennis Reimer participant · South Vietnam and allies
George Scratchley Brown participant · South Vietnam and allies
David E. Jeremiah participant · South Vietnam and allies
Bernard W. Rogers participant · South Vietnam and allies
David C. Jones participant · South Vietnam and allies
Maxwell D. Taylor participant · South Vietnam and allies
Hugh Shelton participant · South Vietnam and allies
Richard Myers participant · South Vietnam and allies
William J. Crowe participant · South Vietnam and allies
Peter Pace participant · South Vietnam and allies
Thomas Hinman Moorer participant · South Vietnam and allies
John A. Wickham Jr. participant · South Vietnam and allies
John Shalikashvili participant · South Vietnam and allies
Michael Mullen participant · South Vietnam and allies
John William Vessey Jr. participant · South Vietnam and allies
William Calley participant · South Vietnam and allies
Ernest Medina participant · South Vietnam and allies
Hugh Thompson Jr. participant · South Vietnam and allies
U. S. Grant Sharp, Jr. participant · South Vietnam and allies
Roy L. Johnson participant · South Vietnam and allies
Joseph Metcalf, III participant · South Vietnam and allies
Stanley S. Hughes participant · South Vietnam and allies
Nguyễn Hữu An participant · North Vietnam and allies
Wesley Clark participant · South Vietnam and allies
Leighton W. Smith, Jr. participant · South Vietnam and allies
Michael E. Ryan participant · South Vietnam and allies
Hal Moore participant · South Vietnam and allies
Bui Dinh Dam participant
John Paul Vann participant · South Vietnam and allies
William R. Peers participant · South Vietnam and allies
William S. Wallace participant
Nguyen Van Toan participant
Nguyễn Văn Minh participant
Le Van Hung participant
John McCain participant · South Vietnam and allies
Hoàng Văn Thái participant · North Vietnam and allies
Yi Seok participant
Mark White participant · South Vietnam and allies
Don Sundquist participant · South Vietnam and allies
Joe Kernan participant · South Vietnam and allies
Chuck Horner participant · South Vietnam and allies
Andrew Goodpaster participant · South Vietnam and allies
John Galvin participant · South Vietnam and allies
George Joulwan participant · South Vietnam and allies
Joseph Ralston participant · South Vietnam and allies
James L. Jones participant · South Vietnam and allies
Phan Khắc Sửu participant
Trần Văn Hương participant
Oliver North participant · South Vietnam and allies
William F. Garrison participant · South Vietnam and allies
James Oren Ellis, Jr. participant · South Vietnam and allies
Dan K. McNeill participant · South Vietnam and allies
Đỗ Cao Trí participant
Hoang Xuan Lam participant
Lê Trọng Tấn participant
Le Nguyen Khang participant
Lu Mong Lan participant
Robert McDade participant
Jeremy Michael Boorda participant · South Vietnam and allies