Laura Ibáñez Pérez

Before World War Two,

Vietnam had been part of the

French Empire.

During the war, the country had

been overrun by the Japanese.

When the Japanese retreated,

after the end of the war, the

Allies gave back south Vietnam

to the French while the north

In October 1946, the French announced their intention of reclaiming the north.

The war started in November 1946, when the French bombarded the port of Haiphong and killed 6,000 people.

The French had got themselves into a difficult military position. Despite huge American help, the French could not cope with the Viet Minh's guerilla tactics. May 1954, the regiment surrendered which came as a terrible blow to the French people. The French pulled out of Vietnam in the same month.

In July 1954, it was decided to divide

the country in two at the 17th

parallel. Bao Dai was to lead the

south and Ho Chi Minh the north.

In March 1965, the first American

ground troops landed in South

Vietnam and by December 1965,

there were 150,000 stationed in the

country. The bombing of North

Vietnam had already started in

February 1965.

Bao Dai Ho Chi Minh

By May 1968, the North Vietnamese were willing to start talks that would

lead to a peace settlement. Talks started in Paris and very slow progress was

made over 5 years.

In 1969, the American president, Richard Nixon, agreed to reduce the

number of American troops in South Vietnam. In December 1970, there were

350,000 American troops in South Vietnam. By September 1972, there

were just 40,000.

Once the bulk of the American troops had pulled out, the North Vietnamese

changed their tactics by launching a full scale attack against the South

which all but wilted under the onslaught.

America's involvement in Vietnam ended in 1973.

By April 1975, Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam had fallen. It was

re-named Ho Chi Minh City and a united Vietnam came into being.