The Vietnam War:
Similar to the Korean War, the Vietnam War was another proxy war between the United States and the Soviet Union. At the time, Vietnam was divided in two. The North was communist - controlled, while the South was anti - communist and aligned itself with the Western Bloc. In the mid - 1950's, Northern Vietnamese forces conducted small - scale operations against the South. However, these operations were too small and dis - coordinated to be taken seriously by the Americans.
However, soon the fighting escalated; China and the Soviet Union began to aid the North. In an attempt to contain communist expansion, the Americans supported the South. American soldiers poured into the South; by 1969 there were more than 500,000 American soldiers in Vietnam. However, they were still unable to win the war. A draft was enforced in the United States; many American youth dodged the draft by immigrating (for example, to Canada). Canada itself did not militarily support the South.
In America, the growing casualties and the lack of military progress turned public opinion against the war. In the early 1969 Richard Nixon became president of the United States. He immediately began to pull troops out Vietnam. The Americans now planned to bomb North Vietnam into submission. In fact, the Americans used more bombs in the Vietnam war than the total amount of bombs used during the Second World War. However, this failed to defeat the North. A ceasefire was signed in 1973 and American troops began to withdraw en masse. North Vietnam conquered South Vietnam in 1975.
The Vietnam War was significant for Canada. A new wave of refugees immigrated to Canada, Canadian economy benefited from selling war supplies to America, and it was the first time that Canada refused America direct support in a major war. However, Canadian - U.S. relationships were also damaged by Canada's refusal to support America in the war.
However, soon the fighting escalated; China and the Soviet Union began to aid the North. In an attempt to contain communist expansion, the Americans supported the South. American soldiers poured into the South; by 1969 there were more than 500,000 American soldiers in Vietnam. However, they were still unable to win the war. A draft was enforced in the United States; many American youth dodged the draft by immigrating (for example, to Canada). Canada itself did not militarily support the South.
In America, the growing casualties and the lack of military progress turned public opinion against the war. In the early 1969 Richard Nixon became president of the United States. He immediately began to pull troops out Vietnam. The Americans now planned to bomb North Vietnam into submission. In fact, the Americans used more bombs in the Vietnam war than the total amount of bombs used during the Second World War. However, this failed to defeat the North. A ceasefire was signed in 1973 and American troops began to withdraw en masse. North Vietnam conquered South Vietnam in 1975.
The Vietnam War was significant for Canada. A new wave of refugees immigrated to Canada, Canadian economy benefited from selling war supplies to America, and it was the first time that Canada refused America direct support in a major war. However, Canadian - U.S. relationships were also damaged by Canada's refusal to support America in the war.