Vietnam War


The Vietnam War was fought between North Vietnam, supported by the Soviet Union, and South Vietnam, supported by the United States. This was one of several conflicts that came to be known as proxy wars in which the two dominant Cold War-era powers could engage the other's influence while reducing the risk of nuclear confrontation. Large public outcry against the war was a large factor in the United States' withdrawal from Vietnam and the creation of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The following documents discuss influential battles, statements by the president, and antiwar movements.