How bad was the fighting in Vietnam?

How bad was the fighting in Vietnam?

More than two decades of violent conflict had inflicted a devastating toll on Vietnam’s population: After years of warfare, an estimated 2 million Vietnamese were killed, while 3 million were wounded and another 12 million became refugees.

What type of war would you say was fought in Vietnam?

civil war
The Vietnam War was described as a civil war within South Vietnam, although it became a proxy war between Cold War powers. As a result, the Vietnamese suffered the highest casualties in the conflict.

What would happen if US won Vietnam War?

So if the US had won, the Cold War would probably have ended a little sooner and the dawn of that unilateral superpower controlling things would have come quicker. In Southeast Asia, everything would be radically different – including a faster and more thorough confrontation between the USA and China.

Why was the Vietnam War a no win conflict for the United States?

There were a couple of reasons for this. First, the Americans were an invading force, and the Vietnamese were fighting on their own soil. Second, the Americans were not willing to make an all-out commitment to win. I was in the U.S. Air Force in Thailand in 1971.

Why was the Vietnam War so hard for the US to fight?

A reason why the Vietnam War was hard for the Americans to fight was because North Vietnam was absolutely determined not to give up on the war effort. The Americans and South Vietnamese armies were fighting a war of attrition, they were focusing on killing as many enemy soldiers as they possibly could.

How did the Viet Cong easily recruit soldiers?

As a result of this, the Viet Cong easily recruited soldiers by propaganda and focusing on small towns and villages. A reason why the Vietnam War was hard for the Americans to fight was because North Vietnam was absolutely determined not to give up on the war effort.

When did the Viet Cong start fighting in the Vietnam War?

By 1957, the Viet Cong and other opponents of Diem’s repressive regime began fighting back with attacks on government officials and other targets, and by 1959 they had begun engaging the South Vietnamese army in firefights.

What was the policy of attrition in the Vietnam War?

Westmoreland pursued a policy of attrition, aiming to kill as many enemy troops as possible rather than trying to secure territory. By 1966, large areas of South Vietnam had been designated as “free-fire zones,” from which all innocent civilians were supposed to have evacuated and only enemy remained.