Vietnam War: 50th anniversary On April 30, 1975, the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon fell to Communist forces, ending a war that had raged on for nearly two decades, taking millions of lives and leaving thousands displaced Ho Chi Minh: North Vietnam’s communist leader sought reunification of country. Inspired and supported Viet Cong – communist guerilla movement in South President Lyndon B. Johnson: Escalated John F. Kennedy’s support for South Vietnamese army Vo Nguyen Giap: Commander of North Vietnamese Army, masterminded historic victory over French at Dien Bien Phu in 1954 U.S. tactics initially restrained by risk of war with Soviet Union and China – suppliers of North Vietnam’s large arsenal General William Westmoreland: Boosted troop count to avoid repeat of French loss KEY EVENTS (1954-75) 1954: French withdrawal ends First Indochina War. Vietnam split between communist north and pro-U.S. south 1957: Communist insurgency begins in South Vietnam against government of President Ngo Dinh Diem 1960: U.S. increases aid to Diem1963: Viet Cong guerrillas defeat units of South Vietnamese army. Diem overthrown and assassinated by dissident generals 1964: North Vietnamese torpedo boats attack U.S. destroyer – triggering U.S. bombing raids on North 1965: U.S. intensifies aerial bombing campaign. First 200,000 U.S. combat troops arrive in South Vietnam – rising to 540,000 by 1968 1968: North Vietnamese army and Viet Cong launch Tet Offensive on over 100 cities in South including Saigon and Hue. U.S. troops kill 500 civilians in My Lai massacre 1969: President Richard Nixon begins withdrawal of ground troops 1970: U.S. National Security advisor, Henry Kissinger, and Le Duc Tho, for Hanoi government, start talks in Paris1972: Nixon orders unrestricted bombing of North to force resumption of on-off talks Jan 27, 1973: Ceasefire signed – last U.S. combat troops withdrawn March 29 Apr 30, 1975: Saigon falls to North Vietnamese forces CASUALTIES (Approximate) North Vietnamese and Viet Cong South Vietnamese U.S. Allies Vietnamese civilians 1.1m 250,000 58,220 5,000 2 million Over 3 million people still suffer serious health issues associated with exposure to Agent Orange – chemical used by U.S. forces during conflict B52 Stratofortress USAF “carpet-bombs” vast areas with over 2.5m tonnes of bombs WAR THEATRE (1965-70) Communist supply route North Vietnamese air base U.S. air base U.S. corps HQ U.S. aircraft carrier B52s from Thailand B52s from Guam and Okinawa Demilitarized Zone NORTH VIETNAM SOUTH VIETNAM 150km 90 miles Kampong Saom Hanoi Haiphong Saigon Can Tho Da Nang Hue My Lai PleikuIa Drang Dien Bien Phu Phnom Penh HO CHI MINH TRAIL Series of jungle paths grows into 16,000km of roads – 3,100km hidden – and 500km of rivers SOUTH CHINA SEA Mekong River Gulf of Thailand Gulf of Tonkin CHINA CAMBODIA THAILAND LAOS U.S. decision to withdraw influenced by public opinion – galvanised by shocking images from front line Sources: British Encyclopedia, PBS, National Archives Pictures: Newscom, Getty Images, Nick Ut © GRAPHIC NEWS