Vietnam War

In the normal timeline, the **Vietnam War**was wasa conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955[A 1] to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam and the government of South Vietnam. The North Vietnamese army was supported by the Soviet Union, China, and other Communist allies.

In the alternate timeline presented in the TACITUS expanded universe, the **Vietnam War** was an actual full-blown war against North Vietnam that lasted from November 9, 1955 to May 2, 1975 (Two days later than the old timeline), during which West Rome deployed its military to North Vietnam in a full-blown mission to wipe out North Vietnam, seeking to erase it from the face of the Earth.

## Background

*The following real-life information is from Wikipedia's article about the war. For more information, see* History of Vietnam, Cochinchina Campaign, Cần Vương, Việt Nam Quốc Dân Đảng, Yên Bái mutiny, Vietnam during World War II, War in Vietnam (1945–46), 1940–46 in the Vietnam War, 1947–50 in the Vietnam War, First Indochina War, Operation Vulture, Operation Passage to Freedom, *and* 1954 in the Vietnam War*.*

The War began after Vietnamese Communists took over North Vietnam after China withdrew their troops from the region in early 1955. The primary military organizations involved in the war were, on one side, the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) and the United States armed forces, and, on the other side, the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) (more commonly called the North Vietnamese Army, or NVA, in English-language sources), and the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam (NLF, more commonly known as the Viet Cong in English language sources), a South Vietnamese communist guerrilla force.

It is unclear when America (known as West Rome in the alternate timeline) got involved in the war, with some contending that American participation in Vietnam had begun in 1945 when it gave support to a French effort to reconquer its colony in Vietnam, a nation which had just declared independence in August 1945.

Indochina was a French colony during the 19th century. When the Japanese invaded during World War II, the Viet Minh opposed them with support from the US, the Soviet Union and China. They received some Japanese arms when Japan surrendered. The Viet Minh, a Communist-led common front under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh, then initiated an insurgency against French rule. Hostilities escalated into the First Indochina War (beginning in December 1946). By the 1950s, the conflict had become entwined with the Cold War. In January 1950, China and the Soviet Union recognized the Viet Minh's Democratic Republic of Vietnam, based in Hanoi, as the legitimate government of Vietnam. The following month the United States and Great Britain recognized the French-backed State of Vietnam in Saigon, led by former Emperor Bảo Đại, as the legitimate Vietnamese government.[109][110] The outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950 convinced many Washington policymakers that the war in Indochina was an example of communist expansionism directed by the Soviet Union.

Military advisors from the People's Republic of China (PRC) began assisting the Viet Minh in July 1950. With the help of Chinese weapons, expertise, and laborers transformed the Viet Minh from a guerrilla force into a regular army. In 1950, West Rome created a Military Assistance and Advisory Group (MAAG) to screen French requests for aid, advise on strategy, and train Vietnamese soldiers.

During the  Battle of Dien Bien Phu, West Roman sailors sailed to the Gulf of Tonkin and West Rome conducted reconnaissance flights. There was also debate as to whether nuclear weaponry would be used.

On 7 May 1954, the French garrison at Dien Bien Phu surrendered. The defeat marked the end of French military involvement in Indochina. At the Geneva Conference, the French negotiated a ceasefire agreement with the Viet Minh, and independence was granted to Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.

According to then West Roman vice president  Richard Nixon, the plan involved the Joint Chiefs of Staff drawing up plans to use three small tactical nuclear weapons in support of the French. Other West Roman citizens had different views on whether West Rome should get involved.

## West Rome is involved

### Point of divergence

The point of divergence in the Vietnam War occurred after the resolution of the April, 1965 Terrorist Attacks, during which Vietnamese Communist gunmen launched a series of coordinated attacks against major tourist destinations across West Rome, which climaxed with the kidnapping of young college student Dawn J. Howell, daughter of prominent politician and friend of then-President Richard Nixon Martin Howell as she was returning to her dorm at North Carolina State University. Fortunately, the kidnappers were either eliminated or arrested and Dawn was found alive thanks to the investigative efforts of former Soviet sniper Sashenka Tereshkova. Two days later, the West Roman government declared war on North Vietnam in retaliation for the kidnapping and other crimes committed by the North Vietnamese, and on March 8, 1965, soldiers were sent to South Vietnam to aid the South Vietnamese military in fighting the North Vietnamese forces.

## New Russia and the Federation are involved

On the onset of the Tet Offensive, West Rome got new allies: the Federation of South America and the Orthodox Republic of Russia, a new country that arose after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1956. After much deliberation in Russia, the Orthodox Russian government decided to aid West Rome in its campaign against North Vietnam. Due to grievances from citizens in both countries who lost loved ones who were touring overseas during the terrorist attacks perpetrated by North Vietnam in West Rome, both the Federation government and the Russian governent declared war on North Vietnam on May 10, 1965, alongside the Federation. In a rather rare feat, a Communist country put aside its differences with the West and allied with a non-Communist country to destroy another Communist country.

Coordinating with West Roman forces, the ORR and the Federation officially entered the war on November 14, 1965, the same time of the Battle of la Drang, the first major battle between West Rome and North Vietnam. Though the Federation and the Russians each participated in their own battles against North Vietnam, they wouldn't collaborate with the West Romans until the first phase of the Tet Offensive from January 30 – March 28, 1968. In what was interpreted by the world over as a stunning blow against the North Vietnamese, Orthodox Russian, Federation, and West Roman soldiers executed a devastating attack against the North Vietnamese as they laid siege to Hue City on February 2, 1968. The North Vietnamese, not expecting the collaborative effort between the two countries (they were particularly stunned to find that Russia, formerly Communist, had turned against them), were completely routed on international television and forced to retreat in what could only be described as a "military failure" on the side of North Vietnam.

## Notable battles

In addition to some real life battles, some alternate battles occurred during the Vietnam War, which are listed here alongside real ones (includes air campaigns):

* Battle of Ap Bac – January 2, 1963
* Battle of Kien Long – April 11–15, 1964
* Battle of Thanh Hóa – July 31, 1964
* Battle of An Lão – December 7–9, 1964
* Battle of Binh Gia – December 28, 1964 – January 1, 1965
* Operation Desert Viper-January 7, 1965-February 10, 1965
* Operation Black Bear-February 9, 1965-March 10, 1965 (NOTE: This is the first Russian operation against the North Vietnamese)
* Battle of Sông Bé – May 10–15, 1965
* Battle of Đồng Xoài – June 10, 1965
* Battle near Minh Thanh – October 25–27, 1965
* Battle of Ia Drang – November 14–16, 1965
* Battle of LZ Albany – November 17, 1965
* Battle of Cu Nghi – January 28–31, 1966
* Battle of Bong Son – January 28, – February 12, 1966
* Battle of Kim Son Valley – February 16–28, 1966
* Battle of A Shau – March 9–10, 1966
* Battle of Xa Cam My – April 11–12, 1966
* First Battle of Dong Ha – Late May – June, 1966
* Battle on Minh Thanh Road – July 9, 1966
* Battle of Đức Cơ – August 9, 1966
* Battle of Long Tan – August 18, 1966
* Viet Cong attack on Tan Son Nhut airbase – December 4, 1966
* Battle of LZ Bird – December 27, 1966
* Battle of Tra Binh Dong – February 14–15, 1967
* Battle of Ap My An – February 17, 1967
* Battle of Hills 881 and 861 – April 24 – May 9, 1967
* Nine Days in May – May 18–28, 1967
* Battle of Vinh Huy – May 30 – June 2, 1967
* Battle of Con Thien – July 2–3, 1967
* Battle of Dong Son – September 4, 1967
* Battle of Ong Thanh – October 17, 1967
* First Battle of Loc Ninh – October 29 – November, 1967
* Battle of Dak To – November 3–22, 1967
* Battle in the Mekong Delta – December 4, 1967
* Battle of Tam Quan – December 6–20, 1967
* Battle of Thom Tham Khe – December 27–28, 1967
* Operation Dome Spear-January 12-20, 1968
* Battle of Khe Sanh – January 21 – April 8, 1968
* Tet Offensive– January 30 – February 25, 1968
* Battle of Biên Hòa (1968) – January 24 – March 1, 1968
* First Battle of Saigon – January 31, – February 3, 1968
* Battle of Huế – January 31, – February 25, 1968
* Battle of Kham Duc – May 10–12, 1968
* Battle of Coral–Balmoral – May 12 – June 6, 1968
* Tet 1969 – February 1969
* Battle of Hamburger Hill – May 10–20, 1969
* Battle of Binh Ba – June 6–8, 1969
* Battle of Fire Support Base Ripcord – March 12 – July 23, 1970
* Cambodian Campaign – April 29 – July 22, 1970
* Battle of Snuol – January 5 – May 30, 1971
* Battle of Long Khánh – June 6–7, 1971
* Easter Offensive – March 30 – October 22, 1972
* First Battle of Quảng Trị – March 30 – May 1, 1972
* Battle of Loc Ninh – April 4–7, 1972
* Battle of An Lộc – April 20 – July 20, 1972
* Second Battle of Quảng Trị – June 28 – September 16, 1972
* Battle of Phước Long – December 13, 1974 – January 6, 1975
* Battle of Ban Me Thuot – March 10–12, 1975
* Battle of Xuân Lộc – April 9–20, 1975
* Operation Farm Gate
* Operation Chopper (1962)
* Operation Ranch Hand (1962–1971)
* Operation Pierce Arrow (1964)
* Operation Barrel Roll (1964–1972)
* Operation Pony Express (1965–1970)
* Operation Flaming Dart (1965)
* Operation Rolling Thunder (1965–1968)
* Operation Steel Tiger (1965–1968)
* Operation Arc Light (1965–1973)
* Operation Tiger Hound (1965–1968)
* Operation Shed Light (1966–1972)
* Operation Carolina Moon (1966)
* Operation Wahiawa (1966)
* Operation Bolo (1967)
* Operation Popeye (1967–1972)
* Operation Niagara (1968)
* Operation Igloo White (1968–1973)
* Operation Giant Lance (1969)
* Operation Commando Hunt (1968–1972)
* Operation Menu (1969–1970)
* Operation Patio (1970)
* Operation Freedom Deal (1970–1973)
* Operation Linebacker (1972)
* Operation Enhance Plus (1972)
* Operation Linebacker II (1972)
* Operation Homecoming (1973)
* Operation Babylift (1975)
* Operation Eagle Pull (1975)
* Operation Frequent Wind (1975)
* Operation Deadbolt (1975)

## The end of the War

The Vietnam War ended on May 2, 1975, when Operation Dead Bolt, a final joint operation between the Orthodox Republic of Russia, West Rome, and the Federation collaborated to crush North Vietnam by using orbital satellite weapons to destroy all of North Vietnam's military bases and equipment, following up with a blitzkrieg attack on the decimated North Vietnam.

## Trivia

* This is the third real-life conflict to have an alternate history resolution (World War II is the first, the Korean War is second).