why was there a war in vietnam/persian gulf?
604213
I don't know for sure about the Vietnam war other than South Vietnam wanted to be a democratic society and the north was communism and the US wanted to keep it from spreading, which is the same as what happened in Korea for the most part.  The reason for the Persian Gulf War was because Iraq invaded Kuwait saying that the country belonged to them and we came to Kuwaits defense.
42076
Basically, it was a failure (like today's war in Iraq) and many American soldiers' lives were lost.\n\nThe Vietnam War or Second Indochina War 1 was a conflict between the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRVN, or North Vietnam), allied with the National Liberation Front (NLF, or "Viet Cong") against the Republic of Vietnam (RVN, or South Vietnam), and its allies — notably the United States military in support of the South, with US combat troops involved from shortly after the Korean War until the official withdrawal in 1975.\n\nAfter France's attempted recolonization of Indochina was defeated in 1954 by the Viet Minh at the battle of Điện Biên Phủ, an agreement to temporarily partition the country in two with a de-militarized zone (DMZ) was reached at the Geneva Conference (1954). The "Vietnam War" ostensibly began as a civil war between feuding governments. Being Western-oriented and far less popular than Hồ Chí Minh's northern rebellion, the South Vietnam government fought largely to maintain its governing status within the partitioned entity, rather than to "unify the country" as was the goal of the North. Fighting began in 1957 and with U.S. and Soviet-Chinese involvement would steadily escalate and spill over into the neighboring Indochinese countries of Cambodia and Laos.\n\nThe Geneva partition was not a natural division of Vietnam and was not intended to create two separate countries. But the South government, with the support of the United States, blocked the Geneva scheduled elections for reunification. In the context of the Cold War, and with the recent Korean War as a precedent, the U.S. had feared that a reunified Vietnam would elect a Communist government under the popular Hồ Chí Minh. South Vietnam and its Western allies portrayed the conflict as based in a principled opposition to communism —to deter the expansion of Soviet-based control throughout Southeast Asia, and to set the tone for any likely future superpower conflicts. The North Vietnamese government and its Southern dissident allies (NLF) viewed the war as a struggle to reunite the country and to repel a foreign aggressor —a virtual continuation of the earlier war for independence against the French.\n\nAfter fifteen years of protracted fighting and massive civilian and military casualties, major direct U.S. involvement ended with the signing of the Paris Peace Accords in 1973. Fighting between Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) forces against the dominant combined People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and NLF forces would soon bring an end to the RVN and the war. With the Northern victory, the country was unified as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) with a communist-controlled government based in the new capital Hanoi.\n\nThis is just a brief summary. For more information on the Vietnam War, go to:\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War
622801
www.wikipedia.com!! helped me on a lot of history assignments... just type Gulf war... ull get the info in like 2 seconds(depends on ur net speed lol)
656522
The Vietnam War or Second Indochina War (also known colloquially as Vietnam or Nam as well as the American War in Vietnam) 1 was a conflict between the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRVN, or North Vietnam), allied with the Soviet Union and People's Republic of China, and the Republic of Vietnam (RVN, or South Vietnam), and its allies — notably Australia, Korea, and the United States. US combat troops were involved from 1965 until the official withdrawal in 1973. The war ended on April 30, 1975 with the military conquest of the South by the North.\n\nSummary\nThe Vietnam War began after a very large-scale division of Vietnam into two countries with a de-militarized zone (DMZ) between them. As Maurice Larkin notes, crumbling under the economic strain of the war and fearful of the tide of opinion (which had now turned decisively against further fighting for control in Indochina), the French, under Pierre Mendès-France, simply 'passed the parcel bomb' on to the Americans, slipping out of the back door, so to speak. The Vietnam War ostensibly began as a civil war between feuding governments. Being Western-oriented and perceived as less popular than Hồ Chí Minh's northern government, the South Vietnamese government fought largely to maintain its governing status within the partitioned entity, rather than to "unify the country" as was agreed to at the Geneva Conference. Fighting began in 1957 with the U.S. and Soviet-Chinese involvement, and would steadily escalate from there. The conflict spilled over into the neighboring countries of Cambodia and Laos. North Vietnam did not respect the independence or borders of either country.\n\nThe Geneva partition was not a natural division of Vietnam and was not intended to create two separate countries. But the South government, with the support of the United States, blocked the Geneva scheduled elections for unification. In the context of the Cold War, and with the recent Korean War as a precedent, the U.S. had feared that a unified Vietnam would result in a Communist government under Hồ Chí Minh, either freely or fraudulently.\n\nThe South Vietnamese government and its Western allies portrayed the conflict as based in a principled opposition to communism —to deter the expansion of Soviet-based control throughout Southeast Asia, and to set the tone for any likely future superpower conflicts. The North Vietnamese government and its Southern affiliated organization (NLF) viewed the war as a struggle to reunite the country and to repel a foreign aggressor —a virtual continuation of the earlier war for independence against the French. While North Vietnam used nationalist propaganda, its party doctrine denounced the very concept of nationalism and any form of unity other than rule by the party.\n\n\n\n\n\nFrance had gained control of Indochina in a series of colonial wars beginning in the 1840s and lasting until the 1880s. At the Treaty of Versailles negotiations in 1919, Hồ Chí Minh requested participation in order to arrange more freedom for the Indochinese colonies. His request was rejected, and Indochina's status as a colony of France remained unchanged. During World War II, Vichy France had collaborated with the occupying Imperial Japanese forces. Vietnam was under effective Imperial Japanese control, as well as de facto Japanese administrative control, although the Vichy French continued to serve as the official administrators until 1944. In that year, the Japanese overthrew the French and humiliated the colonial officials of the state in front of the Vietnamese population. The Japanese then began to encourage nationalist activity among the Vietnamese. Late in the war, Japan granted Vietnam nominal independence. After the Japanese surrender, Vietnamese nationalists expect to take control of the country and organize a socialist dictatorship. The Japanese army in Indochina attempted to assist the Viet Minh in their goal by keeping French soldier
252941
I don't think you have got your facts quite straight on Vietnam. However, we are in a basic no win situation in Iraq until the people agree to solve their own issues. AlQeda will continue to surface wherever the US has interests to blame us for all the worlds problems. Iraq has 2 basic issues now, internal civil unrest and AlQeda based terrorist activities. We will have little effect over controlling either of them without support by the government of Iraq.\nThe parrallels between Iraq and Vietnam are that we have no firm exit strategy. When we do leave, it will not be a graceful exit. Removing Sadam was necessary and the succeeding government will have its problems internally and with Iran.\nUnderestimating the needs and desires of the Iraqi people and not understanding the Muslim culture will continue to be problematic for our government.\nI spent 2 years in Vietnam, in combat and am having the same emotions now that I had then, when our efforts went for naught.
603622
The official end of the Vietnam War was April 30th, 1975 just before noon Saigon time when the South Vietnamese president abdicated to NVA troops at the presidential palace. \n\nThe beginning of the war is much more difficult to pin point because there were consistent conflicts in Vietnam since WWII when the Japanese invaded. American history books often consider the Gulf of Tonikan incident in 1964 as the official start of the war, but there is clear evidence that American military forces were involved in Vietnam as early as 1954.
1719
You just can't compare the Iraq war to the Vietnam war, those that say they are similar are ignorant. We went to Vietnam for little reason and in the Iraq war we had our reasons to attack. There were far more people killed in Vietnam then there have been in the Iraq war now and there will ever be. People want to be free in Iraq and that was not true in Vietnam.
290601
If there is a war between USA and Iran it will be because Iran is threatening Western Europe and Israel. If that happens, then Iran will be bombed to destroy its infrastructure the way Vietnam was bombed.  Any war with Iran will be a defensive war in response to what Iran has done just as the war in Iraq was due to Iraq's attack on Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Israel and other middle eastern countries.  The USA contrary to public opinion is not a war monger and does not get involved in war unless it is attacked itself, or its allies are attacked.  The US was asked by many oil producing countries to get involved in Iraq, but sadly was not allowed to admit that this is what happened.
962556
You might be surprised to learn that many of us that were in Vietnam in the early 60s thought that the conflict in Vietnam was a little deal, and that Vietnam would be used as a staging aria for war against Laos. At that time Laos was in far more danger of falling to the domino theory than was South Vietnam.
887016
The chief cause of the war was the failure of Vietnamese nationalists, in the form of the Viet Minh, to gain control of southern Vietnam both during and after their struggle for independence from France in the First Indochina War of 1946-1954.\n\nAllies of the Vietnamese communists included the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China. South Vietnam's main anti-communist allies were the United States, South Korea, Australia, Thailand, the Philippines, and New Zealand. The U.S. in particular, deployed large numbers of military personnel to South Vietnam. U.S. military advisors first became involved in Vietnam as early as 1950, when they began to assist French colonial forces. In 1956, these advisors assumed full responsibility for training the Army of the Republic of Vietnam or ARVN. Large numbers of American combat troops began to arrive in 1965 and the last left the country in 1973.
213033
The key difference is that there was no moral justification for our invasion of Vietnam.  We betrayed ourselves and not unlike Iraq entered into a war of choice based on false evidence. \nIn WWII, there actually was a REAL enemy who declared war on the United States from Asia and Europe .\nWW II was winnable, Vietnam was not. Both were costly, only one war was the US right to be involved in.  It was not Vietnam.
233609
Cute_Blondie seems to have a pretty thorough answer there.  My question is do you mean the Vietnam War that the US fought in or is there another war called the Vietnamese War?
791709
Iraq/Iran served as a proxy war between the US and USSR, as did Afghanistan.  The weapons and trasining provided to the Iraqis and Afghanistanis were free, we didn't sell anything.\n\nThese wars were the start of the events that led to the dissolution of the USSR.\n\nDespite liberal spin to the contrary, Reagan ran his White House, his Alzheimers did not manifest until he was out of office.
34728
Well, forst of all there is no comparison between Iraq and Vietnam.  One was essentially a Civil War and the other is a nation under seige by foreign terrorists.\n\nFighting in that region of the world will never end.  It has been happening for over 3,000 years, and will go on for aother 3,000 years.  It is going to take a change inmindset in order for it to stop.\n\nDo I think the current conflict will end?  Yes, when the people of Iraq take controll of their own nation, and are able to stop the terrorists that have infiltrated their country.\n\nOf course, it does not help when neighbors like Syria and Iran help those terrorists.
801687
It is a war, so there are common elements. But the situation is very different.\n\nVietnam was a proxy war between first, USA and USSR. USA won that one. Then it was between USA and China. Wisely enough, USA backed away. It ended in a draw. The Vietnamese people are better off without having a war going on.  \n\nIraq is a triple war, first USA and Saddam's regime. USA won. Then USA vs the Al-quada Insurgents. USA was about to win, but a civil war between the Sunnies an the Shites broke out. USA forces find them selves in the middle, without a strategy to win, lose, or draw.  I don't know what happens next.
327116
It wasn't all that different from Iraq.  The US decided that we wanted to prevent communist domination, in this case of S. Vietnam.  We said it was to help freedom and democracy, but it was really about a power struggle.  So like the freedom fighters we are, we stuck or noses in to prevent S. Vietnam from Northern invasion.  However, the North had their own supporters like Russia.  As the war lingered on and the draft was forcing young men to fight a war that wasn't directly threatening our national security, a lot of people disagreed...many innocent victims, us and them.  War heros returned to an unpopular welcoming.  The famous boxer Mohammed Ali refused to go and they took his title away from him.  The whole thing sucked.  Not too many guys really wanted to go and many moved to Canada, if their number was picked.  Hippies protested with peace signs while the smoked grass and dropped acid.  I missed a lot of this...a bit young, but I know other guys that were there.  It was no picnic.  One buddy of mine was so ready to fight.  He was #1 in boot camp, ready to storm the beach.  He got his wish, first off the boat, stepped on a mine, blew his face off, lost an eye, half a nose, half a mouth, a bunch of hair, and a little brains, while Nixon and Kissinger watched this whole thing go down the toilet.  It was a stalemate.  Rambo couldn't do it justice.  We finally bailed out.
834786
Vietnam-a complicated war. As a matter of fact, it wasn't called a war for years-it was a "police action" or "conflict". Not a lot of clear answers there.\n\nU.S. military advisors first became involved in Vietnam as early as 1950, when they began to assist French colonial forces. In 1956, these advisors assumed full responsibility for training the Army of the Republic of Vietnam or ARVN. Large numbers of American combat troops began to arrive in 1965 and the last left the country in 1973.\n\nPresidents involved were:\nHarry Truman 1945-1953\nDwight Eisenhower 1953-1961\nJohn Kennedy 1961-1963\nLyndon Johnson 1963-1969\nRichard Nixon 1969-1974\n\n American forces rose from 16,000 during 1964 to more than 553,000 by 1969. (Johnson). The irony here is we couldn't win that guerrilla war with 553,000  troops but thought 100,000 in Iraq would be plenty. Robert McNamara(then Secretary of defense) has since said he believed JFK would have ended the war has he not been assassinated in 1963.  I believe Democrats were a bit fooled by Johnson in that he fought strongly for great civil rights laws(he did do a lot there) back then but on the other hand escalated the war. It was easy for Democrats to believe he was a good man fighting the good fight. \n\n \n\nNixon had continuously campaigned under the slogan that he "had a plan to end the Vietnam War." (Peace With Honor)Unfortunately, no such plan existed and the American commitment would continue for another five years. The goal of the American military effort was now to buy time, gradually build up the strength of the South Vietnamese armed forces, and to re-equip them with modern weapons so that they could defend their nation on their own. This policy became the cornerstone of the so-called "Nixon Doctrine"\n\nSo Nixon finally pulled troops out but dragged his feet for years.Since he was elected largely because he promised to get us out of Vietnam, people were unhappy it took so long. I believe he finally did withdraw to get re-elected. He was re-elected for a 2nd term but resigned because of Watergate. (Watergate was unraveling during the campaign but most people didn't believe he was involved-thought instead it was a left-wing conspiracy). His Vice-President became President and pardoned Nixon soon after. \n\nIt was a tumultous time indeed. Robert Kennedy was assassinated in 1968 during his Primary run for President.\nThere was a lot of talk that he would certainly be President but \nRichard Nixon was instead. \n\nThere was a lot more to all of this and I'd encourage you to research more-a fascinating time, although very sad. History, politics and life seems interchangeable.