1. Fallen Angels and the Vietnam War
For Miss Lawson’s
English II Classes

2. The War
The war started in 1946 when the Vietnamese fought France for control of Vietnam
They defeated them by 1954
The country was divided into Communist-ruled North Vietnam and non-Communist South Vietnam

3. The War Cont’d
From 1957 to 1965, the war was between the South Vietnamese army and the Viet Cong (Communist-trained South Vietnamese rebels).
In late 1964, the Viet Cong controlled 75% of South Vietnam.
In 1965, North Vietnamese regular soldiers and the Viet Cong tried to gain control over South Vietnam.

4. The War Cont’d
The U.S. aided the South Vietnamese but failed to stop the Viet Cong and the soldiers of North Vietnam.
Direct U.S. involvement was from
It was the longest was that the U.S. has been involved in and lasted from 1957 – 1975.

5. Of the 2.7 million Americans that served in the Vietnam war…
300,000 were wounded in action
75,000 were disabled
Of the casualties listed on The Wall, approximately 1,300 remain missing in action
58,129 were killed
The average age of U.S. soldiers was 19

6. On the Vietnamese side it is estimated…
1.1 million North Vietnamese and Viet Cong (Southern resistance soldiers) were killed
Over 2 million North and South Vietnamese citizens were killed

7. U.S. and the War Highly unpopular Most soldiers were drafted
Majority of soldiers were from lower or middle class families
Protests on college campuses
Soldiers returned home not in groups but usually as individuals
Soldiers were often called “Baby Killers”

8. U.S. and the War
First war to be broadcast on TV into people’s living rooms
Music of the time reflects controversy of the war
Style of fighting is known as “Guerrilla Warfare”
Jane Fonda – Hanoi Jane
U.S. trying to stop the spread of Communism

9. In the United States we refer to this conflict as the Vietnam War

10. In Vietnam, citizens refer to this conflict as the American War

11. THE COSTS OF WAR