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No. Historians show that it was an attempt to stop the spread of Communism following the takeover of China by the Communist Party in 1949, the attempted military conquest of South Korea by Communist North Korea in 1950, and the defeat of the French colonial forces by the Communist-led Viet Minh in Indochina. There is a tradition of trying to blame all modern wars on the desire to control resources, but there is generally little data to support it and the ideas are spread by invoking elaborate conspiracy theories. Vietnam did not have oil resources during the war and has found and developed large oil resources only in recent years. Today it still has to import part of the petroleum it needs for its domestic use.
The slimy truth is "yes" the Vietnam War was fought over oil, just as Iraq and Afghanistan are about oil. I know because the company I worked for in the 1970s (subsequently bought by Halliburton) was then the largest seismic data collector on the planet. Studies by our marine crews indicated vast oil deposits in the waters off Vietnam potentially many times the size of Saudi Arabia's.
This is not public information, nor will it ever be unless Halliburton releases it, but I was present in board meetings during the Vietnam war where these findings were discussed. The phrase "oil is synonymous with national security," was the reply to my expressed concerns about the Vietnam "conflict." Vietnam subsequently became one of the top 50 oil exporters in the world. Last I checked, the oil derricks offshore Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, were Russian. According to Wikipedia, Vietnam is #29 worldwide in proven oil reserves.
The confrontation in May of this year (2015) between China and other states bordering the South China Sea prove they now know what the US knew in the 60-70s about the presence of oil there.
Oil has become not just an ecological nightmare, it is a national and global security risk. How many lives must be sacrificed on the alter of carbon before we wise up and switch to renewable energy.
Wiki User
∙ 8y ago
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoOnly as a strategic target during bombing missions over North Vietnam. Couldn't fight "oil" wars during the cold war; that would've involved the Soviets (USSR). Which is why the US (and the Soviets) never got directly involved with the numerous "Middle East Wars" of the 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s. The US and USSR equipped those combatants, but officially stayed out of them.
Vietnam was strictly a duel between the Reds & the Free World.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoThere was only one reason; to stop communist aggression.
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Lowest voting age in national elections?
During the Vietnam War, many Vietnam veterans criticized the U.S. government for forcing them to go to war at the age of eighteen but not allowing them to vote until age 21. As a result, the U.S. Constitution was amended in 1971, lowering the minimum voting age to 18.
Who won the war between the french and Vietnam?
The war between France and Vietminh(communist government army in North Vietnam) was ended by the victory of Vietminh which led by Ho Chi Minh. China and Soviet Union were also contributed on the Vietminh side to fight France. So they also had a factor in ended the war. France remained no more power in the Indochina after this war.
How can Civil War go in a sentence?
civil war can go in a sentence in many ways - I have some money from the civil war - my friend's great great grandfather fought in the civil war - the civil war was fought over rights for African Americans
What was America like during the Vietnam War?
Vietnam was a very different war from previous wars such as World War I and World War II. In both those wars Americans felt and knew that the war was necessary and the enemy needed to be defeated because they were determined to take control of the US and Europe. However, in Vietnam, many Americans were unsure if the war was really right.The most prominent of the groups that opposed the war were the 'hippies' who practiced counterculture in order to protest the war. There was a very good reason that this particular group should lead the protests; they were the group that would be required to go to Viet Nam at the peril of their lives. At that time, the draft was mandatory. For this age group, this meant that if you couldn't afford to go to college, or you could not maintain your grades, you would be called up.Americans were very suspect of the Government's motive for involving the US in this country. We were purportedly there to protect South Viet Nam from Communist take over, the "Red Menace". But many Americans were not convinced that it was worth so many lives to make this attempt. Another big influence in how Americans viewed the war was the fact that they were able to watch and see the war on TV. Something that was impossible during either of the World Wars and Korea. It gave any American with a TV a step into the real life of war and how very unglamorous it was.The legacy of this war is very sad; veterans of the war returning to the US were not given respect for their service to their country as the vets of the previous wars had been. They were even sometimes derided as betrayers of the antiwar movement, even though they had no choice in serving unless they were to break the law and become fugitives.So many of the returning veterans came back with severe emotional problems from what they had witnessed, drug dependency and mental illnesses. These vets found little help from the government which resulted in a large group of that generation never regaining the ability to take care of themselves. Far too many lived with homelessness and addictions for many decades after their return.
Why were northerners most eager to go to war in civil war?
they wanted to abolish slavery
When did the US go to war in Vietnam?
Guerrilla war in South Vietnam '55; conventional war with North Vietnam '64.
Did pres ford go to Vietnam?
He may have visited there but he was not a wartime president during the Vietnam war. It was over for the US before he gained the office of the presidency.
How did the Vietnam war turn into an American war?
The US took it over, when Johnson received the go ahead from the Tonkin Gulf Resolution.
Why did the Vietnam and the United States go in to war?
There was no "Vietnam" during the Vietnam War. Communist NORTH Vietnam was attacking non-communist SOUTH Vietnam, and the US was trying to drive the communists out of South Vietnam...trying to stop communist aggression. It's called the Vietnam War because it's a lot easier to say, and less confusing...than to say "South Vietnam War" or "North Vietnam War", so some people go so far as to say the war in Southeast Asia instead.
Why did you go to war at Vietnam?
To fight communism.
Vietnam war protester did what?
The NUMBER ONE reason for protesting the war was THEY DIDN'T WANT TO GO TO VIETNAM (THE DRAFT!).
How many people volunteered for the vietman war?
Over 7,500 US military women nurses volunteered to go to Vietnam.
Why did United States go to war with north Vietnam?
To prevent them from conquering South Vietnam.
Was it a good idea to enter the Vietnam war?
No- you did not get to choose, you had to go. If they said for you to go, you got to go but you had to be 18 or older. TRUST ME- I'M IN 6TH GRADE AND I JUST LEARNED ABOUT THE VIETNAM WAR!!
Did America want to go to Vietnam?
no country wants to go to war
What years did the Vietnam war go to and from?
'55 to '75.
What year did America go to war with Vietnam?
'55
