Why Were So Many Civilians Killed In The Vietnam War?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Civilian deaths

Who killed the most civilians in the Vietnam War?

In 1995 Vietnam released its official estimate of the number of people killed during the Vietnam War: as many as 2,000,000 civilians on both sides and some 1,100,000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong fighters. The U.S. military has estimated that between 200,000 and 250,000 South Vietnamese soldiers died.

What happened to civilians during the Vietnam War?

An estimated 4 million Vietnamese were killed or wounded on both sides of the conflict, including as many as 1.3 million civilians (people not involved in the military, including women and children) in South Vietnam. Much of the death and destruction resulted from bombing .

How many civilians died from napalm in Vietnam?

People’s Army of Vietnam /Viet Cong forces killed around 164,000 civilians in democide between 1954 and 1975 in South Vietnam, from a range of between 106,000 and 227,000, plus another 50,000 killed in North Vietnam. The Viet Cong killed hundreds of Montagnard civilians at the village during the Battle of Dak Son, 1967.

Did Americans kill Vietnamese civilians?

Mỹ Lai Massacre Thảm sát Mỹ Lai Date 16 March 1968 Target Mỹ Lai 4 and Mỹ Khe 4 hamlets Attack type Massacre

Who started the Vietnam War?

1. U.S. involvement in Vietnam began with Eisenhower . In the late 1950s, during the Eisenhower administration, Vietnam had split into North Vietnam, which was communist, and South Vietnam. Cold War anxieties dictated that if the North Vietnamese communists prevailed, the rest of Southeast Asia would fall like dominoes.

How many draftees died in Vietnam?

(66% of U.S. armed forces members were drafted during WWII). Draftees accounted for 30.4% ( 17,725 ) of combat deaths in Vietnam. Reservists killed: 5,977 National Guard: 6,140 served: 101 died. Total draftees (1965 – 73): 1,728,344.

Why did the US fail in Vietnam?

Failures for the USA

Failure of Operation Rolling Thunder: The bombing campaign failed because the bombs often fell into empty jungle , missing their Vietcong targets. ... Lack of support back home: As the war dragged on more and more Americans began to oppose the war in Vietnam.

Why did the US lose the war in Vietnam?

America “lost” South Vietnam because it was an artificial construct created in the wake of the French loss of Indochina . Because there never was an “organic” nation of South Vietnam, when the U.S. discontinued to invest military assets into that construct, it eventually ceased to exist.

Is Vietnam still communist?

Government of Vietnam

The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a one-party state. A new state constitution was approved in April 1992, replacing the 1975 version. The central role of the Communist Party was reasserted in all organs of government, politics and society.

Does the US still use napalm?

The MK-77 is the primary incendiary weapon currently in use by the United States military . Instead of the gasoline, polystyrene, and benzene mixture used in napalm bombs, the MK-77 uses kerosene-based fuel with a lower concentration of benzene. ... The official designation of Vietnam War-era napalm bombs was the Mark 47.

Is napalm banned?

The United Nations banned napalm usage against civilian targets in 1980 , but this has not stopped its use in many conflicts around the world. Although the use of traditional napalm has generally ceased, modern variants are deployed, allowing some countries to assert that they do not use “napalm.”

Does napalm burn underwater?

Napalm is basically thick oil or jelly mixed with fuel (petrol, gasoline). ... Versions of Napalm B containing white phosphorus will even burn underwater (if there is trapped oxygen in folds of cloth etc.) so jumping into rivers and lakes won’t help those unfortunate souls attacked with this vile weapon.

How many bullets were fired in Vietnam?

During World War II it was estimated that 45,000 rounds of small arms ammunition was fired to kill one enemy soldier. In Vietnam the American military establishment consumed an estimated 50,000 rounds of ammunition for every enemy killed.

Did the US win the Vietnam War?

In January 1973 , the United States and North Vietnam concluded a final peace agreement, ending open hostilities between the two nations. War between North and South Vietnam continued, however, until April 30, 1975, when DRV forces captured Saigon, renaming it Ho Chi Minh City (Ho himself died in 1969).

How many innocent Vietnamese died in the Vietnam War?

While the US suffered more than 58,000 dead in the war, an estimated two million Vietnamese civilians were killed, another 5.3 million injured and about 11 million, by US government figures, became refugees in their own country.

David Evans
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David Evans
David is a seasoned automotive enthusiast. He is a graduate of Mechanical Engineering and has a passion for all things related to cars and vehicles. With his extensive knowledge of cars and other vehicles, David is an authority in the industry.