The Road to War (2:40)
Over 25 years, the Vietnam conflict escalated from an attempt to stop the spread of communism into a full-scale war.
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Related Videos (10)
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The Road to War
The Road to WarVideo Clip (2:40)
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Over 25 years, the Vietnam conflict escalated from an attempt to stop the spread of communism into a full-scale war.
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Tet Offensive Surprises Americans
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Take a closer look at the Tet Offensive during the Vietnam War.
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Gulf of Tonkin Incident Escalates War
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The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution jump started the Vietnam War. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was addressed by Lyndon B. Johnson as a joint resolution and was passed by the U.S. Congress on August 7, 1964.
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The Tet Offensive
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A calculated series of attacks take American and South Vietnamese forces by surprise, but the Viet Cong's offensive quickly spirals out of control.
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Vietnam War Tactics
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The guerilla warfare tactics of the North Vietnamese required U.S. military leaders to modify their combat strategy during the Vietnam War.
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History Rocks: Vietnam Soldier
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History Rocks shows us some great images of troops/soldiers while in the Vietnam War. Learn all there is to know about this battle and find out just how hard it was for the average American soldier in this era.
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Shot Down During Vietnam: A Fighter Pilot's Story
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In 1966, an American fighter pilot took off from the USS Enterprise near the coast of Vietnam, only to be shot down and captured by enemy forces.
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Shockwave: Forrestal Explosion
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A missile misfires on the USS Forrestal and hits the fighter planes on the flight deck of the super carrier.
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Arlo Guthrie Reflects on Vietnam Era
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Arlo Guthrie talks with Tom Brokaw about what he saw as a change of consciousness during the 1960s.
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Professional Soldiers in Vietnam
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Related Speeches & Audio (10)
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Robert F. Kennedy Questions South Vietnam Coup
Robert F. Kennedy Questions South Vietnam CoupAudio Clip (4:44)
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On October 29, 1963, in a recorded meeting with President John F. Kennedy and the National Security Council, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy voices his concern about supporting the impending South Vietnamese coup to overthrow Ngo Dinh Diem. Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Gen. Maxwell Taylor, and CIA Director John McCone echo RFK’s doubts.
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John F. Kennedy on Coup in South Vietnam
John F. Kennedy on Coup in South VietnamAudio Clip (6:06)
Audio Clip (6:06)
On October 29, 1963, President John F. Kennedy meets with the National Security Council to discuss whether to support the overthrow of South Vietnam's President Ngo Dinh Diem. During the secretly recorded conversation, Secretary of State Dean Rusk and the president craft a detailed plan involving Henry Cabot Lodge, ambassador to South Vietnam, Gen. Paul D. Harkins and the general of the South Vietnamese military, hoping to avoid setting off a civil war in the country.
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Nixon on Vietnam War
Nixon on Vietnam WarAudio Clip (3:34)
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On March 26, 1971, President Richard Nixon holds a meeting in the Oval Office with his National Security Council to discuss the war in Vietnam. The meeting is secretly recorded. Among the many topics he raises, Nixon recounts a prior conversation with House majority leader Hale Boggs on setting a date for the final withdrawal of U.S. forces.
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North Vietnam Disregards Ceasefire Agreement
North Vietnam Disregards Ceasefire AgreementAudio Clip (4:44)
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In an October 12, 1973, interview, Col. Le Gran, U.S. deputy director of intelligence, discusses the discovery that North Vietnam installed SA-2 missiles in the southern city of Khe Sanh shortly after a ceasefire agreement prohibiting military incursion in South Vietnam was signed on January 27 of that year.
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LBJ on Resumption of Air Strikes in North Vietnam
LBJ on Resumption of Air Strikes in North VietnamAudio Clip (1:16)
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In a broadcast from the White House on January 31, 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson informs the nation that U.S. airstrikes on Vietnam have resumed after a 37-day pause in bombing.
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Prospects for Peace in Vietnam
Prospects for Peace in VietnamAudio Clip (1:06)
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Despite North Vietnam's violation of the New Year ceasefire in 1967, Secretary of State Dean Rusk expresses hope for a peaceful resolution in Vietnam.
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Arthur Sylvester on the Gulf of Tonkin Incident
Arthur Sylvester on the Gulf of Tonkin IncidentAudio Clip (1:08)
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On August 4, 1964, Arthur Sylvester, assistant secretary of defense, makes a press statement about North Vietnam's attack on two U.S. destroyers that were on patrol in the Tonkin Gulf.
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Nixon Orders Invasion of Cambodia
Nixon Orders Invasion of CambodiaAudio Clip (1:02)
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On April 30, 1970, President Richard Nixon asks the American people to support his decision to send troops into Cambodia in response to North Vietnam’s invasion of the country.
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Adlai Stevenson on Vietnam War
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As permanent U.S. representative to the United Nations, Adlai Stevenson is interviewed in early 1965 about his view on the developing situation in Vietnam.
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McNamara Briefs President Johnson on Tonkin Gulf
McNamara Briefs President Johnson on Tonkin GulfAudio Clip (1:00)
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On August 4, 1964, as events in the Tonkin Gulf unfold, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara apprised President Lyndon B. Johnson of the situation in a series of phone calls. In the third secretly recorded phone call of the day, McNamara reports that two U.S. destroyers deployed in the Gulf east of Vietnam are under attack. While McNamara did not know it at the time, the information he relayed was later determined to be false.
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Throughout American history, a number of controversial generals have clashed with presidents and other officials.
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Communist Leaders
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During the 20th century, the worldwide spread of communism took many different forms under the direction of each country's leadership.
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