Vietnam: 1964-1975

August 2, 1964. - American involvement in Vietnam escalated when North Vietnam launched an attack against the C. Turner Joy and the U.S.S. Maddox, two American ships on call in the Gulf of Tonkin, on August 2, 1964. In the U.S. Congress, the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was passed, allowing for an expanded war effort. Despite hopes for a limited, "controlled" war, the conflict would drag itself out for another decade.

In early 1965, U.S. President Lyndon Johnson ordered the first of many sustained bombing missions over North Vietnam , which would be known as Operation Rolling Thunder. In March of the same year, the first U.S. combat troops were sent to Vietnam.

Despite superior U.S. firepower and technology, the North Vietnamese forces were successful in fighting a protracted, guerilla-style conflict. American fortunes changed for the worse with the Tet Offensive in 1968, in which major South Vietnam cities were attacked. Historians disagree on the literal success of the offensive, but it proved to be a huge boost for North Vietnamese morale, and had the opposite effect on the South Vietnamese and U.S. forces.

January 31, 1968 - The turning point of the war occurs as 84,000 Viet Cong guerrillas aided by NVA troops launch the Tet Offensive attacking a hundred cities and towns throughout South Vietnam.

June 24, 1970 - The U.S. Senate repeals the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin Resolution.

In early January 1973, the Nixon administration, the Paris Peace Agreement ended open hostilities between the U.S. and North Vietnam. However, the South Vietnamese continued to battle the Communists from March 1973 until the fall of Saigon and the capture of the South Vietnamese presidential palace on April 30, 1975, which brought the war to a close.

April 29, 1975 - U.S. Marines and Air Force helicopters, flying from carriers off-shore, begin a massive airlift. In 18 hours, over 1,000 American civilians and almost 7,000 South Vietnamese refugees are flown out of Saigon.
April 30, 1975 - At 4:03 a.m., two U.S. Marines are killed in a rocket attack at Saigon's Tan Son Nhut airport. They are the last Americans to die in the Vietnam War. At dawn, the last Marines of the force guarding the U.S. embassy lift off. Only hours later, looters ransack the embassy, and North Vietnamese tanks role into Saigon, ending the war.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Vietnam
• War

[ChaoCZ]

what is the name of that third song ?

[AttitudeOfGratitude]

"Paint It Black" - Rolling Stones (1966)

watch?v=STWSTgfMruc

[penquinbum]

I was spat upon and called a baby killer. It was a fairly common experience. this lasted until about 1980, long after the end of the war and I was happily working on civvy street. I can't figure out why a friend of mine who was a navy nurse in Vietnam got the same treatment. She saved American lives (and some VN as well) but to the USA haters she too was a baby killer. I was a pilot and that really got them going. Apparently we targeted hospitals and orphanges according to our countrymen.

[SwampFox82nd]

I was most fortunate not to have served in Vietnam; my tour of duty was 1960-63 with the 82nd Airborne Division. We had the Cuban Crises, the formation of the Contras (Columbia, South America), and the formation of the infamous group known only as the SOA, School Of Americas. But, even I knew back in 1962-63 that the vary same "patriotic" group lied to all Americans about the Bay of Tonka Resolution in 1964. The very same clowns that lied about Saddam Hussein's "WMD."

Airborne All The Way

[penquinbum]

@TheBookWorm1718 HI Bookworm: My comments were made two years ago..an old thread! I returned home in late '71. By that time the war was extremely unpopular even as we were winding it down and we were convenient targets for anyone who wanted to vent against government, the 'military -industrial complex' and anything else they were opposed to. The lefties opposed the war and felt it ok to abuse a vet. It was as if wearing a military uniform made us the enemy. Our vets now get much more respect.

[TheBookWorm1718]

@penquinbum You'll have to excuse me because my history classes never touched much on Vietnam, but I could never figure out why the soldiers were the ones taking heat for the war upon returning home when they weren't the ones who started it. Seems to me it's always some politician who'll never see a day of combat himself that starts the wars, but nobody thinks to get mad at them. Instead they blame the boys whose only choice was join or go to jail and be labeled a traitor to the country.

[CaiLuongMienNam]

30/04/1975 là ngày mà thanh niên miền Nan kô còn giặc Mỹ bắt lính, cưỡng bách quân dịch, bắt đi làm tay sai, nô lệ, bị Mỹ đưa ra làm human shield, làm bia thịt đỡ đạn chết thay chết thế cho 60 vạn quân Mỹ xâm lược nước Nam. Vì vậy đây đúng là ngày vui của toàn dân tộc, bao gồm cả những người lính ngụy cũ. Đây là ngày vui của lính ngụy nào còn lương tâm con người, còn ít nhiều tinh thần VN, tâm hồn dân tộc, còn nhớ mình là con rồng cháu tiên.

[yeshuahfullofit]

Kennedy was in the process of withdrawing troops from Vietnam when he was murdered. Johnson lied in the 'Gulf of Tonkin Resolution'. It is admitted as a lie by the US Government. Anyone can google, 'gulf of tonkin lie'. No American should have to die for a lie. 

[peterm3964]

Burgers, hotrods the beach boys, napalm, white phodphorus .. , agent orange

ahh thats the American way !!! and the cash ... what a rush . There is no limit to the bloodlust of the American cash kings .

[cancanbiker]

opium war

[bsatom]

Your description omits that FACT that our ships were 11 miles offshore, not 60 like we said. Also it is a FACT that we were blowing up North Vietnamese roads and bridges etc. with those very ships, the ships they supposedly attacked without provocation in international waters. We were guilty and covered up the coverage, thus lying to the world about our actions. Historically, USA is a liar to it's population and the world. Just look at how long the omission of truth has continued...

[suthatvn]

dear my friends, recently I've found a good documentary film named "Hearts and Minds", directed by Peter David in 1974. It won Oscar in 1975 in documentary. let's watch it and have fun!

[JOSUE5401]

exelent video! well done!