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55. The Vietnam War

Early involvement, the years of escalation, Tet, the movement against the war at home, and the years of withdrawal.

55. The Vietnam War

These young soldiers were members of the U.S. 1st Air Cavalry. This picture was taken in 1965, during the first military engagements between U.S. and North Vie…

55a. Early Involvement

Ho Chi Minh's resistance to colonial powers in Indochina led to the formation of the Marxist liberation movement known as the Viet Minh. The United States prov…

55b. Years of Escalation: 1965-68

Along with Agent Orange, the substance known as napalm was used to clear forest growth as well as inflict heavy damages upon North Vietnamese forces. Essential…

55c. The Tet Offensive

The fighting that made up the Tet Offensive lasted for several days in some South Vietnamese cities. This map shows the route taken by North Vietnamese troops…

55d. The Antiwar Movement

Of all the lessons learned from Vietnam, one rings louder than all the rest — it is impossible to win a long, protracted war without popular support. When the…

55e. Years of Withdrawal

The unspeakable horror of the 1968 My Lai massacre was not revealed to the American public until investigative journalist Seymour Hersh published his findings…