Vietnam War

American  

noun

1. a conflict, starting in 1954 and ending in 1975, between South Vietnam (later aided by the U.S., South Korea, Australia, the Philippines, Thailand, and New Zealand) and the Vietcong and North Vietnam.

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Vietnam War Cultural  

1. A war in Southeast Asia, in which the United States fought in the 1960s and 1970s. The war was waged from 1954 to 1975 between communist North Vietnam and noncommunist South Vietnam, two parts of what was once the French colony of Indochina. Vietnamese communists attempted to take over the South, both by invasion from the North and by guerrilla warfare conducted within the South by the Viet Cong. Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy sent increasing numbers of American military advisers to South Vietnam in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Kennedy's successor, President Lyndon Johnson, increased American military support greatly, until half a million United States soldiers were in Vietnam. American goals in Vietnam proved difficult to achieve, and the communists'Tet offensive was a severe setback. Reports of atrocities committed by both sides in the war disturbed many Americans (see My Lai massacre). Eventually, President Richard Nixon decreased American troop strength and sent his secretary of state, Henry Kissinger, to negotiate a cease-fire with North Vietnam. American troops were withdrawn in 1973, and South Vietnam was completely taken over by communist forces in 1975.

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The involvement of the United States in the war was extremely controversial. Some supported it wholeheartedly; others opposed it in mass demonstrations and by refusing to serve in the American armed forces (see draft). Still others seemed to rely on the government to decide the best course of action (see silent majority).

A large memorial (see Vietnam Memorial) bearing the names of all members of the United States armed services who died in the Vietnam War is in Washington, D.C.

Etymology

Origin of Vietnam War

First recorded in 1960–65

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Compare meaning

How does vietnam-war compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Korean War vs. Vietnam War
• Korean vs. Vietnam War

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Vietnam War

I grew up in one of the most left-liberal corners of America, surrounded by educated adults who supported the civil rights movement, opposed the Vietnam War, hated Richard Nixon and loved Israel.

From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2026

But it also describes what happened in the U.S. in the 1960s, when protests over racism, the Vietnam War, and the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. sometimes escalated into riots.

From Slate ● Oct. 24, 2026

At one point, she appears pained by a television report on the Vietnam War, showing a self-immolating monk; her unhappiness about becoming a mother is also offered as a plausible explanation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

The show was born during a period of turbulence, with societal friction over the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, the LGBTQ+ community and more.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

She said it was so unfortunate the way the rest of the world was, how unpopular the Vietnam War was.

From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan

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