Vietnam

Fifty years ago today, helicopters lifted the last large groups of Americans off the roof of the American Embassy in Saigon, Vietnam. Hundreds of Vietnamese workers and their families who had supported the US presence had been promised evacuation, but were left behind to suffer the consequences. America’s role in Vietnam began with support for the French colonial forces who … [Read more...] about 10 Ways to Explore the US Experience in Vietnam: Remembering the Fall of Saigon

Vietnamization involved the gradual unilateral withdrawal of US troops from Vietnam. The policy, initiated by President Eisenhower, was coupled with stepped-up training and equipping of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam. Ike’s intention was to give the South Vietnamese the maximum chance for survival after the departure of the Americans. At a minimum, it was to leave a … [Read more...] about V is for VIETNAMIZATION

A Little Background In early August 1964, what became known as the Gulf of Tonkin incident hit the news. At the time, most Americans were aware that there was a growing conflict in Vietnam, but they’d been told that the US presence was limited to a small number of military advisers. In the context of the Cold War, the public knew that the northern part of Vietnam -- the … [Read more...] about August 1964: The Gulf of Tonkin Incident

What is the legacy of the My Lai Massacre as we mark the 50th anniversary of that tragic event? I'm certainly not an expert on war crimes but recently I attended an all day conference on the slaughter at My Lai (Vietnam) that left me shaken. I knew about the massacre, of course, having lived through the 1960s and their aftermath. But there was much that I was unaware of, … [Read more...] about My Lai: What Do We Know?

The Vietnam Protest Movement began slowly, grounded in the Cold War scare itself. The protesters believed the war was wrong and they thought that the United States shouldn’t be involved. They were countered by those who supported the war and saw the protesters as unruly and disruptive.  It goes without saying that to understand the protest movement in the United States, one … [Read more...] about Vietnam War and Protest Movement Timeline