9781422278987

A Long Legacy

generally known as North Vietnam, and the Republic of Vietnam, known as South Vietnam. The latter was supported by the USA and, at various times, by other allies, which supplied men and equipment in varying numbers and types. The Communist triumph led to South Vietnam’s absorption by North Vietnam into the creation of a single Communist state.

The USA and other South Vietnamese allies sent large numbers of troops to South Vietnam between the end of the First Indochina War in 1954 and 1973. U.S. military advisers made their first appearance in Vietnam during 1950 to aid the French forces seeking to secure colonial rule in this part of Indo- China. They took over the complete

task of training the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, generally abbreviated as the ARVN, during 1956. From this time forward there was a steady increase in the attempts of Communist elements, under the control of the North Vietnamese, to subvert the pro-Western government and administration of South Vietnam, and this led to a steady escalation of

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