The North-South War
Until 1964, it was no longer just a battle with Vietcong as Hanoi began infiltrating regular North Vietnamese Army (NVA) units into the South. By early 1965, the Saigon government was in desperate straits. Desertions from the Army of Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) had reached 2,000 per month. The South was losing 500 men and a district capital each week. The South Vietnamese army's general staff even prepared a plan to move its headquarters from Saigon to the Vung Tau Peninsula which was easy to defend and a minute from ships that could spirit them out of the country. This was the point that USA committed its first combat troops.

The Enter of Americans
Since 1950, 35 US soldiers arrived in Vietnam as part of the US Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG), ostensibly to instruct the South Vietnam troops, receiving weapons and teach how to use them. These would be American soldiers on Vietnamese soil for the next 25 years. During the war between the North and the South of Vietnam, as the North began to increase support to the Vietcong, the Americans sent more military advisors and as the intensity of Vietcong attacks increased, US fighting forces quickly replaced. By December 1967, there were almost half a million American men in battlefield with the death number of 16,021.

The Battle
The American troops were not prepared for the type of warfare they encountered in the jungle of South East Asia. Heavy weaponry they had brought was less advantageous when confront the "hit and run" tactics of the communist guerillas. Their inability to clearly identify the enemy from the local population produced frustration for the Americans and became a serious problem. Many peasants were guerrillas who would act as farmers in the presence of Americans, but pick up weapons once the Americans left. Vietcong would strike at the Americans only when it was to their military advantage. As frustrations built up in fighting units, discipline and moral began to decline, use of drugs and alcohol increased, and leading to the further erosion of fighting capabilities.

The Turning Point
During the war, the losses of American were devastating and the US forces had long been wanting to engage the Vietcong in an open battle rather than a guerrilla war. The Tet Offensive, marks for a crucial turning point of the war, happened on the evening 31st January 1968 while the country were celebrating Chinese New Year, Vietcong, with 70,000 communists, launched a stunning offensive in over 100 cities and towns including Saigon. Its commando team took over the courtyard of the central Saigon US embassy building. Being long waiting for this opportunity, the US military forces immediately counterattacked with massive firepower, bombing, and shelling heavily resulting in huge devastation on the Vietcong with approximately 32,000 deaths, more than 10 times higher than Americans and South Vietnam's.

The End of the War
Meanwhile in USA, antiwar demonstrations had started in university campuses and were widespread throughout America. At this point Johnson decided not to stand for re-election and Richard Nixon was elected in the next election. The attempt to end the war was the meeting between Herry Kissinger, Nixon's chief negotiation, and Le Duc Tho, the North Vietnam counterpart in Paris. The Paris agreements were signed by USA, South Vietnam, North Vietnam and Vietcong on the 27th January 1973 followed by the total withdrawal of US combat forces. Apparently, this was the end of the war.

Fall of the South (1975)
Although all of the US military personnel were out of Vietnam, the guerrilla war still continued. In January 1975, the North Vietnam launched a massive conventional ground attack using tanks and heavy artillery supported by Soviet Union and China. Without American military support and advice, the South Vietnam president, Nguyen Van Thieu, was panicking. He then resigned and fled from the country turning the presidency to General Duong Van Minh who soon surrendered only a week after.

Peaceful and Opening up
After the surrender, there were several struggles followed the war: oppression, demands, political repression, economic disasters, compulsory agricultural collectivization, purges of intellectuals, including a decade-long war with Khmer Rouge in Cambodia territory. Until the United Nations peacekeeping forces were called in to monitor the peace agreement. Even though Khmer Rouge units continue to violate the terms of the peace plan, Vietnam is no longer involved in the conflict. As a result, Vietnam has enjoyed its first decade of peace since WWII.

Recently, the liberalization of foreign investment laws and the relaxation of visa regulations for tourists seem to be part of a general opening up of Vietnam to the world. Many countries have established diplomatic relations with Hanoi. Full diplomatic relations with USA have been restored by the visiting of the US president, Bill Clinton, marks for the fist US president to visit northern Vietnam. Throughout 2001 and into 2002, Vietnam pushed ahead with the implementation of its National Tourism Action Program, a government scheme in which key tourist sites were upgraded.

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