The Viet Cong were South Vietnamese supporters of the communist National Liberation Front in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War (known in Vietnam as the American War). They were allied with North Vietnam and the troops of Ho Chi Minh, who sought to conquer the south and create a unified, communist state of Vietnam.
What was a goal of the VC when they attacked Saigon?
In the case of the 273rd VC Regiment’s attack at Loc Ninh, captured enemy documents later revealed that the purpose of that battle had been to give the Viet Cong experience in conventional attack formations. The Communist military leadership used the 1967 Christmas cease-fire to good advantage.
What was the main purpose of the Vietnam War?
The United States entered Vietnam with the principal purpose of preventing a communist takeover of the region. In that respect, it failed: the two Vietnams were united under a communist banner in July 1976. Neighbouring Laos and Cambodia similarly fell to communists.
Why was Viet Cong successful?
For destroying armored vehicles or bunkers, the Vietcong had highly effective rocket propelled grenades and recoilless rifles. Mortars were also available in large numbers and had the advantage of being very easy to transport. Many weapons, including booby traps and mines, were homemade in villages.
What led to the founding of the Viet Cong?
Origins. The origins of the Viet Cong begin with the Geneva Accords of 1954. Under the terms of the Accords, military personnel were ordered to return to their place of origin, either North or South Vietnam. … Whatever the reasons, by 1959 there were as many as 20 different communist cells scattered around South Vietnam.
Why was it so hard for the United States to win the war in Vietnam?
The Vietcong had an intricate knowledge of the terrain. They won the hearts and minds of the South Vietnamese people by living in their villages and helping them with their everyday lives. Their tunnel systems, booby-traps and jungle cover meant they were difficult to defeat and hard to find.
What did American soldiers call Vietnamese?
They were trained as conventional soldiers and as guerrillas. They were the North Vietnamese Army, the NVA, the People’s Army of Vietnam and they were the People’s Liberation Armed Forces of South Vietnam. Collectively the United States often called them the Viet Cong.
How did Vietnam win the war?
More than 3 million people (including over 58,000 Americans) were killed in the Vietnam War, and more than half of the dead were Vietnamese civilians. … Communist forces ended the war by seizing control of South Vietnam in 1975, and the country was unified as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam the following year.
What was the outcome of the war in Vietnam?
The final outcome of the Vietnam War was that North and South Vietnam were united under the Communist North in 1975 despite the best efforts of American servicemen who left the area following the Treaty of Paris in 1973.
What was the war in Vietnam over?
The Vietnam War pitted communist North Vietnam and the Viet Cong against South Vietnam and the United States. The war ended when U.S. forces withdrew in 1973 and Vietnam unified under Communist control two years later.
What does Viet Cong stand for?
These authors tell readers that “Viet Cong” — meaning “Vietnamese communist” — was a pejorative term invented by officers of the United States Information Agency.
Who was the leader of Viet Cong?
Ho Chi Minh was the key figure and held the main leadership of North Vietnam during both wars in the country. He remained a great source of inspiration for the Vietnamese who were fighting for a united Vietnam as in his wish after he officially stepped aside in 1965 and even after his death in 1969.
Is Vietnam still communist?
Government of Vietnam
The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a one-party state. A new state constitution was approved in April 1992, replacing the 1975 version. The central role of the Communist Party was reasserted in all organs of government, politics and society.
What did the Viet Cong believe in?
Viet Cong
| National Liberation Front of South Vietnam | |
|---|---|
| Active regions | Indochina, with a focus on South Vietnam |
| Ideology | Communism Marxism–Leninism Ho Chi Minh Thought Vietnamese nationalism Left-wing nationalism Anti-imperialism Anti-revisionism |
| Allies | North Vietnam Soviet Union China |
Why did the US get involved in Vietnam?
China had become communist in 1949 and communists were in control of North Vietnam. The USA was afraid that communism would spread to South Vietnam and then the rest of Asia. It decided to send money, supplies and military advisers to help the South Vietnamese Government.
Why was the Vietnam War important to American history?
It resulted in nearly 60,000 American deaths and an estimated 2 million Vietnamese deaths. It was the first war to come into American living rooms nightly, and the only conflict that ended in defeat for American arms. The war caused turmoil on the home front, as anti-war protests became a feature of American life.