Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

Outline of the Vietnam War

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The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the Vietnam War:

Contents

Vietnam War – Cold War-era proxy war that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War (1946–54) and was fought between North Vietnam—supported by the Soviet Union, China and other communist allies—and the government of South Vietnam—supported by the United States, Philippines and other anti-communist allies. The Viet Cong (also known as the National Liberation Front, or NLF), a South Vietnamese communist common front aided by the North, fought a guerrilla war against anti-communist forces in the region. The People's Army of Vietnam, also known as the North Vietnamese Army (NVA), engaged in a more conventional war, at times committing large units to battle.

What was the Vietnam War?

The Vietnam War can be described as all of the following:

  • War
  • Cold War-era proxy war
  • Colonial war
  • Guerrilla war
  • Insurgency
  • Police action
  • Second of the Indochina Wars

    • General history of the Vietnam War

  • Gulf of Tonkin Incident
  • Terminology of the Vietnam War
  • Legality of the Vietnam War
  • Opposition to United States involvement in the Vietnam War
  • List of Congressional opponents of the Vietnam War
  • Protests against the Vietnam War
  • U.S. news media and the Vietnam War
  • Vietnam War myths
  • Weapons of the Vietnam War
  • Landmines in the Vietnam War
  • Forward air control during the Vietnam War
  • Aftermath of the Vietnam War
  • Vietnam War POW/MIA issue
  • Australians Missing in Action in the Vietnam War
  • List of Puerto Ricans missing in action in the Vietnam War
  • Vietnam War casualties
  • List of journalists killed and missing in the Vietnam War

    • North Vietnam and its allies

  • North Vietnam
  • People's Republic of China in the Vietnam War
  • Soviet Union in the Vietnam War

    • South Vietnam and its allies

  • South Vietnam
  • Military history of Australia during the Vietnam War
  • Canada and the Vietnam War
  • New Zealand in the Vietnam War
  • Republic of China in the Vietnam War (Taiwan)
  • South Korea in the Vietnam War
  • Republic of Korea Armed Forces statistics in the Vietnam War
  • Role of the United States in the Vietnam War
  • Formations of the United States Army during the Vietnam War

    • Years in the Vietnam War

  • 1940–46 in the Vietnam War
  • 1947–50 in the Vietnam War
  • 1954 in the Vietnam War
  • 1955 in the Vietnam War
  • 1956 in the Vietnam War
  • 1957 in the Vietnam War
  • 1958 in the Vietnam War
  • 1959 in the Vietnam War
  • 1960 in the Vietnam War
  • 1961 in the Vietnam War
  • 1962 in the Vietnam War
  • 1963 in the Vietnam War
  • 1964 in the Vietnam War
  • 1965 in the Vietnam War
  • 1966 in the Vietnam War
  • 1967 in the Vietnam War
  • 1968 in the Vietnam War
  • 1969 in the Vietnam War
  • 1970 in the Vietnam War
  • 1971 in the Vietnam War
  • 1972 in the Vietnam War
  • 1973 in the Vietnam War
  • 1974 in the Vietnam War
  • 1975 in the Vietnam War

    • Operations during the Vietnam War

    Listed by starting date:

  • Operation 34A – (1964)
  • Operation Starlite – August 18–24, 1965
  • Operation Hump – November 5, 1965
  • Operation Crimp – January 7, 1966
  • Operation Masher - January 24, 1966
  • Operation Birmingham – April 1966
  • Operation Crazy Horse -May 16, 1966
  • Operation Hastings – July 15-August 3, 1966
  • Operation Prairie – August 1966
  • Operation Thayer - September 13, 1966
  • Operation Dragon Eye (Yong Anh Plan)– November 9–27, 1966
  • Operation Deckhouse Five – January 6, 1967
  • Operation Cedar Falls – January 8, 1967
  • Operation Junction City – February 21, 1967
  • Operation Francis Marion – April 6–30, 1967
  • Operation Union – April 21 – May 16, 1967
  • Operations Malheur I and Malheur II – 11 May – July 1, 1967
  • Operation Baker – May 11, 1967
  • Phoenix Program – 1967–1972
  • Operation Speedy Express 1968 - 1969
  • Operation Scotland – See Battle of Khe Sanh
  • Operation Pegasus – August 8, 1968
  • Operation Dewey Canyon – January 22, 1969
  • Operation Apache Snow – May 10–20, 1969
  • Operation Chicago Peak – April 1970
  • Operation Texas Star – April – September, 1970
  • Operation Ivory Coast – November 21, 1970
  • Operation Jefferson Glenn – 1970–1971
  • Operation Lam Son 719 – February 8, 1971
  • Ho Chi Minh Campaign January 24 – April 30, 1975
  • Operation Frequent Wind – April, 1975

    • Battles of the Vietnam War

  • Battle of Ap Bac – January 2, 1963
  • Battle of Kien Long – April 11–15, 1964
  • Battle of Thanh Hóa – July 31, 1964
  • Battle of Binh Gia – December 28, 1964 – January 1, 1965
  • Battle of Dong Xoai – June 10, 1965
  • Battle near Minh Thanh – October 25–27, 1965
  • Battle of Ia Drang – November 14–16, 1965
  • Battle of LZ Albany – November 17, 1965
  • Battle of Cu Nghi – January 28–31, 1966
  • Battle of Kim Son Valley – February 16–28, 1966
  • Battle of A Shau – March 9–10, 1966
  • Battle of Xa Cam My – April 11–12, 1966
  • First Battle of Dong Ha – Late May – June, 1966
  • Battle on Minh Thanh Road – July 9, 1966
  • Battle of Đức Cơ – August 9, 1966
  • Battle of Long Tan – August 18, 1966
  • Viet Cong attack on Tan Son Nhut airbase – December 4, 1966
  • Battle of LZ Bird – December 27, 1966
  • Battle of Tra Binh Dong – February 14–15, 1967
  • Battle of Ap My An – February 17, 1967
  • Battle of Hills 881 and 861 – April 24 – May 9, 1967
  • Nine Days in May – May 18–28, 1967
  • Battle of Vinh Huy – May 30 – June 2, 1967
  • Battle of Con Thien – July 2–3, 1967
  • Battle of Dong Son – September 4, 1967
  • Battle of Ong Thanh – October 17, 1967
  • First Battle of Loc Ninh – October 29 – November, 1967
  • Battle of Dak To – November 3–22, 1967
  • Battle in the Mekong Delta – December 4, 1967
  • Battle of Tam Quan – December 6–20, 1967
  • Battle of Thom Tham Khe – December 27–28, 1967
  • Battle of Khe Sanh – January 21 – April 8, 1968
  • Tet Offensive – January 30 – February 25, 1968
  • Battle of Bien Hoa (1968) – January 24 – March 1, 1968
  • First Battle of Saigon – January 31, – February 3, 1968
  • Battle of Huế – January 31, – February 25, 1968
  • Battle of Kham Duc – May 10–12, 1968
  • Battle of Coral–Balmoral – May 12 – June 6, 1968
  • Tet 1969 – February 1969
  • Battle of Hamburger Hill – May 10–20, 1969
  • Battle of Binh Ba – June 6–8, 1969
  • Firebase Ripcord – March 12 – July 23, 1970
  • Cambodian Incursion – April 29 – July 22, 1970
  • Battle of Snoul – January 5 – May 30, 1971
  • Battle of Long Khanh – June 6–7, 1971
  • Easter Offensive – March 30 – October 22, 1972
  • First Battle of Quảng Trị – March 30 – May 1, 1972
  • Battle of Loc Ninh – April 4–7, 1972
  • Battle of An Loc – April 20 – July 20, 1972
  • Second Battle of Quảng Trị – June 28 – September 16, 1972
  • Battle of Phuoc Long – December 13, 1974 – January 6, 1975
  • Battle of Buon Me Thuot – March 10–12, 1975
  • Battle of Xuan Loc – April 9–20, 1975

    • Air campaigns of the Vietnam War

  • Operation Farm Gate
  • Operation Chopper (1962)
  • Operation Ranch Hand (1962–1971)
  • Operation Pierce Arrow (1964)
  • Operation Barrell Roll (1964–1972)
  • Operation Pony Express (1965–1970)
  • Operation Flaming Dart (1965)
  • Operation Rolling Thunder (1965–1968)
  • Operation Steel Tiger (1965–1968)
  • Operation Arc Light (1965–1973)
  • Operation Tiger Hound (1965–1968)
  • Operation Shed Light (1966–1972)
  • Operation Carolina Moon (1966)
  • Operation Wahiawa (1966)
  • Operation Bolo (1967)
  • Operation Popeye (1967–1972)
  • Operation Niagara (1968)
  • Operation Igloo White (1968–1973)
  • Operation Giant Lance (1969)
  • Operation Commando Hunt (1968–1972)
  • Operation Menu (1969–1970)
  • Operation Patio (1970)
  • Operation Freedom Deal (1970–1973)
  • Operation Linebacker (1972)
  • Operation Enhance Plus (1972)
  • Operation Linebacker II (1972)
  • Operation Homecoming (1973)
  • Operation Baby Lift (1975)
  • Operation Eagle Pull (1975)
  • Operation Frequent Wind (1975)

    • South Vietnam

  • National Order of Vietnam
  • Vietnam Military Merit Medal
  • Vietnam Distinguished Service Order
  • Vietnam Meritorious Service Medal
  • Vietnam Special Service Medal
  • Vietnam Gallantry Cross
  • Vietnam Air Gallantry Cross
  • Vietnam Navy Gallantry Cross
  • Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal
  • Vietnam Civil Actions Medal
  • Vietnam Staff Service Medal
  • Vietnam Technical Service Medal
  • Vietnam Wound Medal
  • Vietnam Campaign Medal
  • Presidential Unit Citation (Vietnam)
  • Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
  • Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation

    • North Vietnam

  • Golden Star Medal
  • Ho Chi Minh Order
  • Defeat American Aggression Badge
  • Vietnam Liberation Order
  • Resolution for Victory Order

    • United States

  • Medal of Honor gont
  • Distinguished Service Cross rare
  • Navy Cross uncommon
  • Air Force Cross uncommon
  • Silver Star uncommon
  • Distinguished Flying Cross uncommon
  • Air Medal frequent
  • Purple Heart frequent
  • Bronze Star frequent
  • Presidential Unit Citation rare
  • Vietnam Service Medal very common
  • National Defense Service Medal very common
  • Commendation Medal common

    • Anti-war publications in the US forces

  • "Fatigue Press" at Fort Hood,
  • "Last Harass" at Fort Gordon, Georgia
  • "Pawn's Pawn" at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri
  • "Ultimate Weapon" at Fort Dix, New Jersey
  • "Attitude Check" at Camp Pendleton, California
  • "Green Machine" at Fort Greely, Alaska
  • "Napalm" at Fort Campbell, Tennessee
  • "Arctic Arsenal" at Fort Greely, Alaska
  • "Black Voice" at Fort McClellan, Alabama
  • "Fragging Action" at Fort Dix
  • "Fort Polk Puke" at Fort Polk, Louisiana
  • "Custer's Last Stand" at Fort Riley, Kansas
  • "Whack!" from the Women's Army Corps School
  • "Where Are We?" at Fort Huachuca, Arizona
  • "Voice of the Lumpen" (affiliated with the Black Panther Party) in Frankfurt
  • "Can You Bear McNair?" at McNair Barracks, Berlin
  • "Seasick" at Subic Bay
  • "The Man Can't Win If You Grin" in Okinawa
  • "Korea Free Press"
  • "Semper Fi" in Japan
  • "Stars and Bars" in England
  • "Separated From Life" in England
  • "Duck Power" in San Diego
  • "Harass the Brass" at Canute Air Force Base, Illinois
  • "All Hands Abandon Ship", Newport, Rhode Island
  • "Now Hear This", Long Beach
  • "Potemkin" on the USS Forestall
  • "Star Spangled Bummer" at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio
  • "Fat Albert's Death Ship" in Charlestown
  • "Pig Boat Blues", USS Agerholm
  • "Special Weapons", Kirtland AFB, New Mexico
  • "I Will Fear No Evil", Kirtland AFB, New Mexico
  • "Blows Against the Empire", Kirtland AFB, New Mexico

    • source: "The American War" – see references below

    South Vietnamese

  • Bảo Đại
  • Dương Văn Minh
  • Madame Nhu
  • Ngô Đình Diệm
  • Ngô Đình Nhu
  • Nguyễn Cao Kỳ
  • Nguyễn Khánh
  • Nguyễn Văn Thiệu

    • American

  • Creighton W. Abrams
  • Dean Acheson
  • Spiro Agnew
  • Ellsworth Bunker
  • McGeorge Bundy
  • William Bundy
  • William Calley
  • Clark Clifford
  • William Colby
  • A. Peter Dewey
  • John Foster Dulles
  • Dwight D. Eisenhower
  • Daniel Ellsberg
  • J. William Fulbright
  • Barry Goldwater
  • David Hackworth
  • Alexander Haig
  • Paul D. Harkins
  • Seymour Hersh
  • Hubert Humphrey
  • Lyndon Johnson
  • John F. Kennedy
  • John Kerry
  • Henry Kissinger
  • Melvin Laird
  • Edward Lansdale
  • Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.
  • Mike Mansfield
  • Graham Martin
  • Robert McNamara
  • George McGovern
  • Richard Nixon
  • Pete Peterson
  • Dean Rusk
  • Maxwell D. Taylor
  • John Paul Vann
  • William Westmoreland

    • South Korean

  • Park Chung-hee
  • Chae Myung-shin

    • North Vietnamese

  • Ho Chi Minh
  • Lê Duẩn
  • Trần Văn Trà
  • Lê Đức Thọ
  • Phạm Văn Đồng
  • Võ Nguyên Giáp

    • Cambodian

  • Lon Nol
  • Pol Pot
  • Norodom Sihanouk
  • Sirik Matak
  • Sosthene Fernandez

    • Non-fiction

  • David H. Hackworth. 1989 About Face
  • A.J. Langguth. 2000. Our Vietnam: the War 1954–1975.
  • Mann, Robert. 2002. Grand Delusion, A: America's Descent Into Vietnam.
  • Windrow, Martin. 2005. The Last Valley: Dien Bien Phu and the French Defeat in Vietnam.
  • Bernard Fall. 1967. Hell in a Very Small Place: the Siege of Dien Bien Phu.
  • Harvey Pekar. 2003. American Splendor: Unsung Hero
  • Prados, John. 2000. The Blood Road: The Ho Chi Minh Trail and the Vietnam War.
  • Prados, John. 1999. Valley of Decision: The Siege of Khe Sanh.
  • Shultz, Robert H. Jr. 2000. The Secret War Against Hanoi: The Untold Story of Spies, Saboteurs, and Covert Warriors in North Vietnam.
  • Plaster, John L. 1998. SOG: The Secret Wars of America's Commandos in Vietnam.
  • Murphy, Edward F. 1995. Dak To: America's Sky Soldiers in South Vietnam's Central Highlands.
  • Nolan, Keith W. 1996. The Battle for Saigon: Tet 1968.
  • Nolan, Keith W. 1996. Sappers in the Wire: The Life and Death of Firebase Mary Ann.
  • Nolan, Keith W. 1992. Operation Buffalo: USMC Fight for the DMZ.
  • Nolan, Keith W. 2003. Ripcord : Screaming Eagles Under Siege, Vietnam 1970.
  • Robert S. McNamara. 1996. In Retrospect: The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam.
  • Larry Berman. 2002. No Peace, No Honor: Nixon, Kissinger, and Betrayal in Vietnam.
  • Bergerud, Eric M. 1994. Red Thunder, Tropic Lightning: The World of a Combat Division in Vietnam.
  • Bernard Edelman. 2002. Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam.
  • Darrel D. Whitcomb. 1999. The Rescue of Bat 21.
  • Oberdorfer, Don. 1971. Tet: the Story of a Battle and its Historic Aftermath.
  • LTG Harold G. Moore and Joseph L. Galloway. 1992. We Were Soldiers Once ... And Young.
  • Duiker, William J. 2002. Ho Chi Minh: A Life.
  • John Laurence. 2002. The Cat from Hue: A Vietnam War Story.
  • Emerson, Gloria. 1976. Winners and Losers: Battles, Retreats, Gains, Losses and Ruins from a Long War.
  • Philip Caputo. 1977. A Rumor of War.
  • Al Santoli. 1981. Everything We Had: an Oral History of the Vietnam War by 33 American Soldiers Who Fought It.
  • Robert C. Mason. 1983. Chickenhawk.
  • Michael Herr. 1977. Dispatches.
  • Joseph T. Ward. 1991. Dear Mom: a Sniper's Vietnam.
  • Hemphill, Robert. 1998. Platoon: Bravo Company.
  • Noam Chomsky. 1967. The Responsibility of Intellectuals.
  • Moore, Robin. 1965 The Green Berets (ISBN 0-312-98492-8)
  • Tim O'Brien. 1973. If I Die in a Combat Zone, Box Me Up and Send Me Home.
  • Frank W. Snepp III. 1977. Decent Interval: An Insider's Account of Saigon's Indecent End Told by the CIA's Chief Strategy Analyst in Vietnam
  • Strunk, John. 2015. "We Walked Across Their Graves" Vietnam 1967-The Que Son Valley

    • Fiction

  • Robert Olen Butler. 1992. A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain
  • Nelson Demille. 2002. Up Country.
  • Garth Ennis. 2003. The Punisher: Born
  • Daniel Ford. 1967. Incident at Muc Wa (filmed 1976 as Go Tell the Spartans).
  • Graham Greene. 1955. The Quiet American (filmed 1958, 2002).
  • Larry Heinemann. 1986. Paco's Story.
  • Gustav Hasford. 1979. The Short-Timers (filmed 1987 as Full Metal Jacket).
  • Duong Thu Huong. 2005. No Man's Land.
  • Phillip Jennings. 2005. Nam-a-Rama.
  • Denis Johnson. 2007. Tree of Smoke.
  • Karl Marlantes. 2010. Matterhorn.
  • William Pelfrey. 1984. The Big V.
  • Stephen King. 1999. Hearts in Atlantis. (filmed 2001 as "Hearts in Atlantis")
  • Walter Dean Myers. 1995. Fallen Angels
  • Bao Ninh. 1995. The Sorrow of War.
  • Tim O'Brien. 1978. Going After Cacciato.
  • Tim O'Brien. 1990. The Things They Carried.
  • Edward B. Robinson. 2006. The Godhead[1]
  • James H. Webb. 1978. Fields of Fire.
  • John M. Del Vecchio. 1982. The 13th Valley.
  • Wayne Care. 1989. Vietnam Spook Show.

    • Other

  • The musical Miss Saigon

    • References

    Outline of the Vietnam War Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA