Caterina Galafassi

Before the Second World War Vietnam was ruled by France and known asIndochina. The French rule was unchallenged.

When France was defeated by Germany during the war, the Japanese, Germanallies, took over the main resources of Vietnam.

A strong anti-Japanese resistance movement emerged under the leadership of HoChi Minh, the ”Viet-minh”.

When the war ended the Viet-minh controlled the north of Vietnam and weredetermined to seize control of the south.

The French came back wanting to rule Vietnam again, so in 1946 war broke outbetween France and the Viet-minh.

The Viet-minh kept quiet about wanting a communist government to get supportfrom USA and other countries.

When the communists took over China and began to help Ho Chi Minh, USAdecided to help France create a non-communist government in South Vietnam.

The war in Afghanistan began on October7 2001 when the US Armend Forceslaunched operation ¨Enduring Freedom¨,with the British Armed Forces and AfghanUnited Front in response to theSeptember 11 attacks on the North andSouth towers of the World Trade Centerand the Pentagon.

The goal was to dismatle Al-Qaeda (aSunni multi-national organisationfounded by Osama bin Laden), end its useof Afghanistan as a base for terroristoperations and to remove the Taliban(Sunni Islamic fundamentalist politicalmovement) regime from power.

The war in Afghanistan is different from that in Vietnam because the USA is fighting to defend their country from an attack. During the war in Vietnam the USA was involved because it wanted to contain communism but it didn´t affect their country directly. Vietnam never attacked the USA.

Taliban is similar to early Viet Cong. "in the early '60s, the NationalLiberation Front, or Viet Cong, did not have broad support. What it had wasfunding and organization and an ability to build support against whatbecame a foreign invader."

Richard NixonLyndon JohnsonKennedy

Ho Chi Minh (North) Ngo Dinh Diem (South)

George W Bush Barack Obama

Osama bin Laden (Al Qaeda) Hamid Karzai

(President of Afghanistan)

The Viet Cong used the method of guerrilla warfare, they wore ordinaryclothes and are difficult to identify. Their weapons were supplied by China and Russia. They also stayed near the American troops so that they couldn’tuse air backup without killing their own men.

Americans used bombs, artillery, helicopters, napalm and Agent Orange, killing many innocent civillians. Forced the peasants to leave Viet Congcontrolled areas and made them live in defended, loyal areas. American troops were sent on patrols and when they were attacked they weresupported by air and artillery which made soldiers realise they were beingused as bait. Search and destroy patrols went out looking for Vietcongfighters. The patrols were very visible and easy to ambush. This led to atrocities such as My Lai in 1968.

The guerilla tactics used by VietCong during the Vietnam war are also being used by the Talibanand Al Qaeda in the war in Afghanistan.

The americans also have thesame tactics but “Search and destroy” has changed for “Sweepand clear”.

After reports of American militaryabuses, such as the My LaiMassacre (1968), there was moresupport for ending the war inVietnam.

There were large politicaldemonstrations all over USA, thecountry was divided.

Americans wanted to know whypeace talks were failing and whatthey were fighting for.

At the beginning of the war most peoplewere in favour of sending troops to Afghanistan.

32% of Americans favoured incresing US troops in Afghanistan

40% favoured decreasing them

49% believed the USA should “mind its ownbussiness”

Unlike Vietnam, in Afghanistan soldierswere willing to fight for their country and a draft wasn’t necessary.

Later a poll done in 2009 showed

2 million vietnamese civillians killed

1.1 million north vietnamese troops killed

200.000 south vietnamese troops killed

58.000 US troops killed

Vietnam was left in ruins due to the chemical weapons and bombing campaigns.

Devastated natural environment and widespread health problems because of theUS army use of herbicides.

It inspired widespread distrust of the US government and made the military lesspopular

In July 1976 Vietnam was oficially unified as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

The aftermath of Afghanistanwill be very similar to that of Vietnam even though thecurrent death toll is not nearlyas high as the one in Vietnam.

It has inspired distrust in thegovernment and the military and will continue to do so.

Although the withdrawal of american troops was completedin December 2016, 8.400 troopshave been left in Afghanistanindefinitely due to Talibanresurgence attempt.

As a conclusion I believe both warsshare some similar aspects, such as public opinion and aftermath, but theyshouldn’t be seen as the same as theyhave fundamental diffenrences suchas the reasons why the USA isinvolved or the type of war it is.

https://prezi.com/qij1regcqbrx/vietnam-and-afghanistan/

http://afghanistan.blogs.cnn.com/2010/06/08/can-afghanistan-be-compared-to-the-vietnam-war/

https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2009/12/how-afghanistan-is-and-isn-t-another-vietnam/347395/

http://www.debate.org/opinions/is-the-war-in-afghanistan-similar-to-the-vietnam-war

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/vietnam/thewarinvietnamrev2.shtml

“Modern World History” by Ben Walsh