Vietnam Essay Intro: Quick Facts and Examples

Vietnam is such a beautiful country that’s rich in culture and history. But it was also the site of a tragic phase in our history. There’s a broad range of topics about the Vietnam War that you can focus on in your essay. And if you want to make a compelling essay, you’ll need to write an interesting introduction of Vietnam essay.

Writing a good essay introduction can be a challenging task. But we’re here to help you with some quick facts and sample topics about Vietnam and the war. We’ve also rounded up some great introduction examples you can refer to.

The Vietnamese flag on top of a flag pole
Photo by Sam Williams on Unsplash

Vietnam: Quick and Basic Facts

Before you can properly write an essay about Vietnam, you need to get to know some essential facts about it. You’ll want to conduct extensive research depending on your topic.

To help save you some time, here are some quick facts you need to know about this beautiful country, including the war.

Geography and Climate

Vietnam is a country in Southeastern Asia bordering the Gulf of Thailand, the Gulf Of Tonkin, and the South China Sea. Cambodia, China, and Laos are some of its neighboring countries. The geography of Vietnam primarily consists of hills and densely forested mountains in the northwest. Between May and October, monsoon rains dominate the climate in this region.

Government

The government system of Vietnam is communist. The president is the chief, while the prime minister is the head of the government. It has a mixed economy with limited private freedoms, but the government controls the economy. Among Vietnam’s members are:

  • The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).
  • Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
  • Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

The Vietnam War

The Vietnam War is considered one of the most memorable and long-standing conflicts ever witnessed involving the United States. It mainly resulted from the U.S. anti-communist foreign policy of 1960.

The military conflict was between communist North Vietnam and its allies against South Vietnam and other anti-communist countries. This included America, Australia, Britain, France, and New Zealand. The conflict was long, costly, and divisive. The Cold War between the Soviet Union and the U.S. also intensified the conflict.

All involved suffered from severe human costs during the long conflict. It wasn’t until 1995 that Vietnam released its official estimate of casualties in the war. They counted more than 2 million civilians on both sides and 1.1 million North Vietnamese and Viet Cong fighters. According to the U.S. military, between 200,000 and 250,000 South Vietnamese soldiers lost their lives in the war.

Sample Topics for Your Essay On The Vietnam War

If you haven’t been given a specific topic to write about in your essay, here are some sample topics you can use:

  • Causes of the war in Vietnam
  • U.S. role in the Vietnam War
  • Life in Vietnam after the war
  • Vietnam’s conflict: causes and effects
  • The role of the Gulf of Tonkin in Vietnam
  • What caused the U.S. to lose the Vietnam War?
  • Vietnam war crimes as the cause of conflict
  • Women’s role in Vietnam
  • Vietnam war technology and weapons
  • The Vietnam war and its influence on popular culture

Introduction of Vietnam Essay Examples

Example 1: Essay Intro About the Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was also called the Second Indochina War. North Vietnam and its allies of the Viet Cong, the Soviet Union, China, and other communist allies participated in this war. They fought against South Vietnam and their anti-communist allies, the United States, the Philippines, and others. The war lasted for almost 20 years, running from 1954 and finally ending in 1975. More than three million people were killed during the war. This included approximately 58,000 Americans, and more than half of those killed were Vietnamese civilians.

Example 2: The Role of Women in the War

Many women participated in the Vietnam War, although the exact number remains unknown. It is assumed to be in the range of 4,000 to 15,000, which is a huge range. Women were involved in different fields. They worked as military nurses, air traffic controllers, intelligence officers, clerks, and many other positions in the United States Army. Some worked for the United States Army, while others worked for Air Forces and the Marines. None of these women were drafted, but they all volunteered to go to the battlefields.

Example 3: Vietnam After the War

After the last United States combat troops withdrew, North Vietnamese Army (NVA) tanks and soldiers entered Saigon. As soon as the US-backed South Vietnamese government turned on its heels and fled, its leaders fled with American assistance. Vietnam finally became an independent nation after more than a century of foreign domination and 21 years of war and division. It was free from foreign control and interference.

Conclusion

When writing an essay about a historical event, it’s critical to do thorough research.

Keep your introduction professional and factual. Unlike other types of essays, your introduction of Vietnam essay needs to contain a lot of background information. It should give readers enough context on the topic. Refer to these examples to get started on your essay. Good luck!

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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