Our series on Former Countries takes us to the Indochinese Peninsula, where North and South Vietnam coexisted for a period of 20 years.
World War II considerably affected Southeast Asia, and the French Indochinese possessions were under Japanese control for almost the entirety of the War. The desire of emancipation of the former French colonies led to a war that lasted from 1945 to 1954, after which Vietnam was split along the 16th Parallel. In the North, a USSR and China-backed communist regime, and in the South, a Western-backed authoritarian regime. Soon, the United States became the de facto protector of South Vietnam, and as efforts by North Vietnam and their communist allies in the South led to escalation, the USA became involved in an all out war that left 50,000 young American dead.
Eventually, the human cost of supporting the South Vietnamese regime proved too high for the USA, who removed their troops in 1973. Both Vietnams were subsequently reunited in 1976, under the leadership of the North.
More on North Vietnam and South Vietnam
North and South Vietnam
