The Vietnam War. The Definitive Illustrated History

362 Pages·2017·123.79 MB·English

EVIETNAM
H
T
WAR
THE DEFINITIVE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY
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s m i t h s o n i a n
VIETNAM
E
H
T
WAR
THE DEFINITIVE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY
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CONTENTS
DK UK
30 French Defeat at Dien Bien Phu
Project Editor Miezan van Zyl
Viet Minh besiege French base. Military
Senior Art Editor Sharon Spencer
and political disaster for France as Dien
US Editors Karyn Gerhard, Margaret Parrish
Bien Phu falls.
Managing Editor Angeles Gavira Guerrero
Managing Art Editor Michael Duffy
32 ■ DIEN BIEN PHU
Jacket Design Development Manager Sophia MTT
Jacket Editor Claire Gell
34 The Geneva Accords
Jacket Designer Sean Ross
Pre-Production Producer Tony Phipps THE BACKGROUND Seeking peace in Korea and Indochina.
Division of Vietnam agreed by France
Producer Anna Vallarino
and Viet Minh.
Publisher Liz Wheeler BEFORE MARCH 1959
Art Director Karen Self
38 Vietnam Divided
Publishing Director Jonathan Metcalf
12 Introduction North Vietnam becomes hardline
DK DELHI communist state. America backs
Senior Editor Dharini Ganesh 14 Timeline Ngo Dinh Diem in South Vietnam.
Project Art Editor Vaibhav Rastogi Reaction of Ho Chi Minh.
Art Editors Sanjay Chauhan, Konica Juneja, 16 Indochina Colonized
Debjyoti Mukherjee, Upasana Sharma France takes control of Vietnam. 40 ■ NGO DINH DIEM
Assistant Editor Isha Sharma Creation of French Indochina.
Senior Editorial Manager Rohan Sinha French colonial rule. 42 Cambodia and Laos
Deputy Managing Art Editor Anjana Nair Norodom Sihanouk leads Cambodia
Jacket Designer Dhirendra Singh 18 Revolt and Resistance to independence. Civil war in
Managing Jackets Editor Saloni Singh Vietnamese opposition to French independent Laos.
Picture Researcher Aditya Katyal rule. Indochinese Communist Party
Manager Picture Research Taiyaba Khatoon founded. Viet Minh guerrilla
DTP Designers Jaypal Chauhan, movement. Japanese coup.
Syed Md Farhan
Senior DTP Designers Harish Aggarwal, Jagtar Singh 20 ■ HO CHI MINH
Pre-Production Manager Balwant Singh
Production Manager Pankaj Sharma 22 From Independence to War
Ho Chi Minh declares Vietnam
TOUCAN BOOKS
independent. French colonial rule
Managing Editor Ellen Dupont
restored by force.
Senior Editor Dorothy Stannard
AMERICA DRAWN
Senior Art Editor Thomas Keenes
24 Revolutionary Guerrilla Warfare
Editor Abigail Mitchell
Communist-led insurrections. Mao INTO VIETNAM
Additional Editing Cathy Meeus
Zedong’s victory in China. Influence
Editorial Assistants Michael Clark, Joseph Persad
on Vietnam.
Cartography Ed Merritt MAR 1959 – DEC 1964
Proofreader Marion Dent
26 The First Indochina War
Indexer Marie Lorimer
Viet Minh’s armed struggle against 46 Introduction
SMITHSONIAN CONSULTANTS the French. China’s support of
Dr. F. Robert van der Linden Curator of Air Transportation and Special Purpose Aircraft, National Air and Space Viet Minh. French military setbacks. 48 Timeline
Museum; Dr. Alex M. Spencer Curator of British Military Aviation and Flight Materiál, National Air and Space
Museum; Jennifer L. Jones, Chair, Armed Forces Division, National Museum of American History 28 The Cold War 50 Guerrilla War Resumes
America’s opposition to spread South Vietnam faces guerrilla
First American Edition, 2017 of communism. The Korean War. campaign. NLF founded. America
Published in the United States by DK Publishing Vietnam sucked into the Cold War. sends in military advisers and weapons
345 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014
Soviet influence. to support Diem.
Copyright © 2017 Dorling Kindersley Limited
DK, a Division of Penguin Random House, LLC
17 18 19 20 21 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 A FRENCH AIRCRAFT DOWNED AT DIEN BIEN PHU
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52 The Viet Cong 78 South Vietnam on the Brink 100 ■ A PILOT’S VIEW 124 The African American Experience
Roots and organization of the Guerrillas control wide areas of South African American service in the war.
guerrilla movement. Recruitment Vietnam. President Johnson reinforces 102 Search-and-Destroy Race relations in Vietnam. African
and training. America’s commitment. Build-up of US ground troops. Americans and the antiwar movement.
Strategy of attrition. Exploiting
54 ■ VIET CONG GEAR AND WEAPONRY 80 The Tonkin Gulf Incident firepower and mobility. 126 ■ AN AFRICAN AMERICAN SOLDIER
US covert operations against North
56 Creating the Ho Chi Minh Trail Vietnam. Naval clash in Gulf of Tonkin. 104 Battle of Ia Drang Valley 128 Airpower over South Vietnam
Construction of supply chain from Congress authorizes military action. Major encounter between American Multiple uses of US airpower. Close air
North Vietnam to guerrillas in the and North Vietnamese soldiers. First support of ground forces. Transport
South. Use of Laos and Cambodia. 82 ■ PRESIDENT LYNDON B. JOHNSON large-scale heliborne assault. and medical evacuation.
58 The Kennedy Administration 106 Air Mobility 132 ■ HELICOPTERS IN VIETNAM
Kennedy’s counterinsurgency strategy. Creation of the Air Cavalry.
The Domino Theory. Influence of Advantages and drawbacks of 134 Digging In
General Maxwell Taylor. heliborne operations. Viet Cong tunnel networks in
South Vietnam. Life underground.
60 ■ PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY 108 The Call to Service American efforts to penetrate and
Decision to rely on conscription. destroy tunnels.
62 American Intervention in Laos Social inequalities of the draft.
Laos becomes a focus of the Cold Effect of one-year rotation. 136 ■ TUNNEL RAT
War. American covert action against AMERICA GOES
the Pathet Lao. 110 Life on Base 138 War on the Ho Chi Minh Trail
TO WAR Creating US military infrastructure in US efforts to disrupt communist supply
64 The Green Berets South Vietnam. Support bases in routes. Resilience of trail workers.
Kennedy champions US Special Philippines and Thailand. Long-term effects.
JAN 1965–SEP 1967
Services. Expansion of the Green
Berets’ counterinsurgency role. 112 Recuperation and Entertainment 140 Combined Action Program
86 Introduction Provision of amenities and live US attempts to win hearts and minds
66 ■ THE GREEN BERETS IN VIETNAM entertainment. Rest and recreation in South Vietnam.
88 Timeline off base.
68 The Mountain People 142 The Naval War
Ethnic identity and culture of the 90 The Decision for War 114 ■ MEMENTOS AND MEMORABILIA US naval operations. Coastal
Montagnards. Their role in the war US bombing of the North begins. US bombardment. Interdiction of riverine
against the Viet Cong. Marines land at Da Nang. Shift from 116 ■ A PLACE TO PARTY supply routes. Role of carrier aircraft.
defensive to offensive operations.
70 Strategic Hamlets 118 America’s Allies 144 Operation Junction City
Failure of counterinsurgency in South 92 ■ GENERAL WILLIAM WESTMORELAND Johnson’s “More Flags” policy. Role Largest US military operation of the
Vietnam. Introduction of Strategic of soldiers from Australia, South war. Parachute assault by US Airborne.
Hamlets Program. 94 Bombing North Vietnam Korea, New Zealand, Philippines, Armored vehicles in action.
Operation Rolling Thunder. Strategic and Thailand.
72 The Buddhist Crisis objectives and rules of engagement. 146 Chemical Warfare
Mounting political opposition to North Vietnamese air defenses. 120 Battle of Long Tan Use of Agent Orange and other
President Diem. Buddhist protests. Outnumbered Australian infantry defoliants. Effects of napalm and
International concern at crackdown. 96 ■ AIRCRAFT defeat the Viet Cong. white phosphorus.
76 Diem Assassinated 98 Air-to-Air Combat 122 War in the Iron Triangle 150 The North Vietnamese Army
Military coup leads to death of Diem. North Vietnam’s MiGs versus US Operations Attleboro and Cedar Falls. The NVA as a fighting force.
South Vietnam’s government in chaos. fighters. Air-to-air missiles. Search-and- Destruction of the village of Ben Suc. Recruitment, training, and tactics.
Kennedy assassinated. rescue missions. Reaction in the US. Morale of NVA soldiers.
PLANNING US WAR STRATEGY A US HELICOPTER GUNNER
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152 ■ NVA KIT AND WEAPONRY 182 ■ TET OFFENSIVE 216 Protest and Elections 240 Medevac and Treatment
1968 US presidential election. Antiwar Evacuation of wounded troops
154 Vietnamese Women at War 184 ■ US GEAR AND WEAPONRY protests at the Democrat convention. from the battlefield. Improved
The multiple roles performed by Victory for Nixon. medical treatments.
women on both sides of the conflict. 186 The Media and the War
The hardships they endured. First televised war. Contentious 242 US Nurses
critical coverage of the US war effort Recruitment of American women
156 ■ A WOMAN IN THE NVA by media. for nursing service. Dangers and
mistreatment they faced.
158 The Challenges of Ground Combat 188 ■ SAIGON EXECUTION
American troops face an alien 244 ■ NURSING THE SERIOUSLY
environment. Fear and frustration. 190 The Battle for Hue WOUNDED
Psychological impact. NVA troops capture Hue in Tet
Offensive. US Marines retake the city. NIXON’S WAR 246 The My Lai Case
162 The War at Home Massacres of Vietnamese civilians. Prosecution of US officers for massacre
Growth of the antiwar movement of Vietnamese civilians.
JAN 1969– DEC 1971
in America. Context of 1960s’ 194 US Marines in Vietnam
protest. Demonstrations. Resistance Origins and training of elite US 248 Cambodia Drawn into the War
to the draft. fighting force. Main engagements 220 Introduction End of Cambodian neutrality.
in Vietnam War. Sihanouk overthrown in a coup.
222 Timeline Rise of Khmer Rouge guerrillas.
198 US Women at War
Range of roles performed by 224 The Nixon Administration 250 The Khmer Rouge
US women in Vietnam, such Nixon’s commitment to withdrawal of Origins of the Cambodian guerrilla
as intelligence, flight control, US troops. Pursuit of new relationship movement. Ideology of its leader
and engineering. with communist powers. Pol Pot.
200 The Siege of Khe Sanh 226 ■ PRESIDENT RICHARD M. NIXON 252 Cambodian incursion
THE TURNING POINT Attack on US Marines’ combat base. Attack on communist strongholds
Conditions during siege. Air support 228 Vietnamization in Cambodia by US and ARVN
of ground troops. Gradual transfer of combat operations forces. Cambodia further destabilized.
SEP 1967– DEC 1968
to the ARVN. US aims to help South Theater of war expands.
204 ■ THE SIEGE OF KHE SANH Vietnam achieve self-defense,
168 Introduction self-government, and self-development. 254 Political Storm
206 ■ ARTILLERY IN VIETNAM Antiwar demonstrations in US in wake
170 Timeline 230 ■ GENERAL CREIGHTON ABRAMS of Cambodia incursion. Confrontation
208 Opening Negotiations with prowar supporters. Student
172 Going for Victory Johnson initiates peace talks. 232 The ARVN protesters shot dead at Kent State.
Decision of North Vietnamese Discouraging start in Paris. Strengths and weaknesses of the
leadership and Viet Cong to launch Operation Rolling Thunder ends. South Vietnamese armed forces. 256 ■ HORROR AT KENT STATE
a general offensive. Problems of conscription, commitment,
210 The “Mini Tet” and leadership. 258 Prisoners of War
174 ■ GENERAL GIAP Renewed NVA offensives. Battles Fate of US and South Vietnamese
of Dai Do and Kham Duc. High 234 Withdrawal and Demoralization POWs in North Vietnam. Conditions
176 Prelude to the Tet Offensive US casualties. Staged withdrawal of American troops. in captivity. US Special Forces raid
Opening moves in NVA and Viet Cong Decline in morale and discipline in Son Tay camp.
general offensive. Attacks on US 212 CORDS and Pacification sections of US Army and Marines.
combat bases at Con Thien, Dak To, Sustained effort to win the allegiance Outbreaks of fragging. 262 ■ POW OBJECTS
and Khe Sanh. of Vietnamese villages.
238 Hamburger Hill 264 Lam Son 719
178 The Saigon Circle 214 The Phoenix Program Last major offensive operation by South Vietnamese invasion of Laos
Viet Cong and NVA attack across Controversial CIA-led campaign US ground troops. Affect of weather to attack the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
South Vietnam on Tet holiday. to identify and neutralize on air support. Reaction in US media Test of Vietnamization. Role of US
Major battle in and around Saigon. Viet Cong cadres. at scale of losses. air support.
US ANTIWAR PROTEST SEARCH-AND-DESTROY MISSION
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290 Mining Haiphong Harbor 312 ■ GENERAL THIEU 340 Aftermath in Indochina
US launches Operation Pocket Money. Problems of postwar reconstruction.
North Vietnamese ports are blocked 314 Prelude at Phuoc Long Vietnam invades Cambodia. Border
with mines laid by the US Navy. NVA attack and seize a provincial war between Vietnam and China.
capital. America fails to respond.
292 Linebacker I 342 Indochina into the 21st Century
Renewed American bombing 316 The Final Offensive Begins Evolution of politics and economy in
campaign against strategic targets NVA offensive starts at Buon Ma Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
EASTER OFFENSIVE in North Vietnam. Use of laser-guided Thuot. North and central South Development of “war tourism.”
bombs for the first time. Vietnam abandoned to communists.
TO US EXIT Da Nang falls. 344 American Homecoming
294 Progress of the Peace Talks Fate of Vietnam War veterans. Impact
Start-stop talks between Le Duc Tho 320 The Battle of Xuan Loc of the war on US foreign policy.
JAN 1972–JAN 1973
and Henry Kissinger. Final agreement ARVN stages last-ditch fight on road to Remembrance and commemoration.
remains elusive. Saigon. Xuan Loc falls and President
268 Introduction Thieu resigns. 346 ■ THE WAR IN AMERICAN POPULAR
296 ■ HENRY KISSINGER CULTURE
270 Timeline 322 Evacuation
298 The Christmas Bombing Americans and Vietnamese flee 350 Visiting Vietnam
272 Decision to Invade B-52 bombers strike targets in Hanoi Saigon. Evacuation by helicopter as Directory of war-related sites to visit in
North Vietnam prepares to invade and Haiphong. Resumption of Paris communist troops close in. Vietnam.
the South. Receipt of Chinese and peace talks.
Soviet tanks and artillery. Completion 324 The Fall of Saigon 352 Index
of Secret Road in triborder area. 300 The Peace Accord NVA tanks reach the presidential
Training of troops. Paris peace agreement ends palace in Saigon. South Vietnam 358 Acknowledgments
America’s war in Vietnam. Ceasefire surrenders. South Vietnamese hopes
274 American Strategy in 1972 without withdrawal of NVA troops of achieving a shared nationalism fail.
The Nixon administration ponders from the South. Departure of last
anticipated North Vietnamese invasion. US troops. 326 Khmer Rouge Victory in Cambodia
Pursuit of détente with China. Fall of Phnom Penh to communist
Preparing the US public. guerrillas. Forcible evacuation of
city’s population.
276 Easter Offensive: Quang Tri
NVA attacks across the DMZ. Quang 328 The Mayaguez Incident
Tri falls. ARVN rallies and mounts a Khmer Rouge capture an American
successful counteroffensive. merchant ship. US Marines stage a
rescue mission.
280 ■ NAPALM ATTACK
ENDGAME AND 330 Pathet Lao Takeover
282 Easter Offensive: Kontum Overthrow of monarchy in Laos.
NVA attacks in the Central Highlands. AFTERMATH Communist regime installed. Hmong
Effectiveness of US air support in people victimized.
repelling the offensive. ARVN
AFTER JANUARY 1973
launches counteroffensive. 332 The Fate of South Vietnam
Vietnam reunited as a communist
284 ■ ARMORED VEHICLES 306 Introduction state. Executions and re-education
camps. The “boat people” flee by sea.
286 Easter Offensive: An Loc 308 Timeline
NVA and Viet Cong forces strike 334 ■ BOAT PEOPLE
from Cambodia. Three-month siege 310 Breaking the Ceasefire
of An Loc. Attack blunted by B-52 Fighting continues in Vietnam. 336 Cambodia under Communism
bomb strikes. US Congress turns against providing Effects of Pol Pot and the Khmer
financial support for the war. Nixon Rouge regime. Mass deaths in the
288 ■ BESIEGED AT AN LOC resigns over Watergate. “Killing Fields.”
ARVN SOLDIERS DURING THE SIEGE OF AN LOC EVACUEES TAKE TO THE ROAD
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Foreword
At the end of World War II, the United States emerged as a political
and economic superpower in sole possession of nuclear weapons.
While America prospered and its influence spread around the
globe, it faced a daunting challenge. Despite suffering massive human and
economic losses, the Soviet Union also sought to use its newly found power
to extend its influence and to spread its contrasting tenets of communism
abroad in a direct challenge to the United States.

By the late 1940s, communism was firmly entrenched in eastern Europe.
In 1949, communist forces seized control of China while the Soviets
exploded their first atomic bomb, ending America’s nuclear monopoly.
Fearful of mutually assured nuclear annihilation, both east and west settled
into an uneasy Cold War. But that by no means meant an end to conflict.

Throughout the latter half of the 20th century the Cold War frequently
erupted into indirect military combat, through the use of proxies. While
the United States, communist China, and the Soviet Union parried to an
uneasy truce in Korea in the early 1950s, revolutionaries in Indochina
fought successfully for their independence from France. The peace was
short-lived as Vietnam was divided between the communist north and
the capitalist south. Tensions rose until open conflict once again broke
out in the early 1960s, this time with the United States entering the fray
to counter Soviet influence in the region.

America’s involvement increased just as long-brewing social revolution
erupted in the United States. As more advisers and then combat troops
were sent to support South Vietnam, many American citizens began to
openly question the nation’s involvement in a foreign war when so many
pressing social issues needed to take precedent. This tumultuous internal
conflict was openly expressed as protests, all set against the backdrop of an
increasingly unpopular war. Searing images of death and destruction filled
television screens during the evening news, further fanning unrest and
seismic social upheaval within America’s diverse society.

This book takes the reader on a carefully crafted journey through the
maze of events that became the war in Vietnam. Remarkably thorough,
and extraordinarily well-illustrated, this engaging book provides a well-
written analysis through an American lens but does not hesitate to tell
the story, no matter how difficult or painful. It is an excellent and highly
readable synopsis of a very complicated era and a very complicated war.
F. Robert van der Linden, Ph.D.
Curator of Aeronautics
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
A purple smoke flare marks the landing spot for an
incoming medevac helicopter after a battle in A Shau Valley.
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