View of two American soliders in the fore as, behind them, a UH-1D Tactical Transport helicopter takes off after unloading troops during Operation White Wing, near Bong Son, Vietnam, February 19, 1966. (Photo by PhotoQuest/Getty Images)
Nguyen Thi Hien, 19, head of the militia squad in Yen Vuc in Thanh Hoa Province, survived more than 800 airstrikes and was buried alive four times in B‑52 bomber attacks. 1966. Mai Nam/Patrick Chauvel Foundation
LIFE.com revisits one of the most searing photographs made during the long, divisive war in Vietnam: Larry Burrows' 'Reaching Out'
Fifty years ago, in March 1965, 3,500 U.S. Marines landed in South Vietnam, the first American combat troops on the ground in a conflict that had been building for decades.
War dominated 30 years of Vietnam's history last century. The struggle that began with communists fighting French colonial power in the 1940s did not end
14 Jun 1968, Khe Sanh, South Vietnam --- A helicopter arrives at a hill near Khe Sanh to pick up those soldiers killed and wounded when a US fighter plane accidentally fired upon a US position during the Vietnam War. --- Image by © Bettmann/CORBIS
The Vietnam Slide Project collects old slides of photographs taken by veterans themselves.
Learning about history is an important part of understanding the world around us, but it can be daunting to know where to begin. Wouldn’t it be great if someone else curated historical facts in bite sized pieces to give to you every day? Look no further than the History Defined Instagram account! This page shares facts, stories and videos, so followers can “learn weird things about history” every single day just by logging onto Instagram. We’ve gathered some of the most interesting posts from History Defined, so you can have some historical fun facts in your back pocket to share with others. Then if you’re still hungry for more history lessons, we’ve got another Bored Panda piece featuring a similar Instagram page for you to check out next right here
War dominated 30 years of Vietnam's history last century. The struggle that began with communists fighting French colonial power in the 1940s did not end
Two black men walk into a coffee shop, ask to use the restroom, and are denied. They sit down at a table, and within two minutes, the store manager calls ...
The Vietnam War (1954–75) was a conflict that pitted the communist government of North Vietnam and its allies in South Vietnam, the Viet Cong, against South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States. It was part of a larger regional conflict as well as a manifestation of the Cold War.
The Vietnam War was one that changed the landscape of North America, and the entire rest of the world with it. In 20 years, some of the most iconic moments in history took place, and we were lucky enough to encapsulate some of those transforming seconds in the form of photographs.
A look at American soldiers at war in Vietnam, during the 1960s and 70s.
A twin-rotor helicopter and three single-rotor helicopters appear to be stacked atop one another during a supply airlift for support forces in Vietnam, March 22, 1971. --- Image by © Bettmann/CORBIS
Carlos Hathcock was probably the sniper most feared by the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) because of his extraordinary ability. His legend is such that there is an award named after him; the Carlos Hathcock Award is given to the Marine who does the most to promote marksmanship. He led an…
When you look back at history there are moments that you can’t help but feel like you’ve lived. Big, sweeping, epic moments that are etched in stone.
catalog.archives.gov/id/17331456 Color Photographs of Signal Corps Activity, 1944 - 1981 Photograph of the Mobile Riverine Force 9/26/1967
The Vietnam War was one that changed the landscape of North America, and the entire rest of the world with it. In 20 years, some of the most iconic moments in history took place, and we were lucky enough to encapsulate some of those transforming seconds in the form of photographs.
A lot of the soldiers wrote graffiti on their helmets with inscriptions of their attitudes about where they were and why they were there. The military called it
The images show US riflemen charging toward Viet Cong positions while holding machine guns, wounded US Paratroopers and US Army helicopters providing support for ground troops
A student leans on his placard during an anti-Vietnam War demonstration at the US Embassy in London, England, 1969.
Do you get tired of the same old Vietnam war photos? Well don’t worry because we’ve got you covered with plenty of unseen pictures of what life was like for soldiers in Vietnam as well as their civilian counterparts in America.
Communist troops captured Saigon on April 30, 1975, ending one of the most bitter conflicts ever to involve the United States.
On June 7, 2015, I posted "Painting the Vietnam War, Part 1" as a very short and very general overview of the history of the Vietnam War. Today, let's talk about what it means for painting wargaming miniatures (or static models, for that matter). In the early phases of U.S. involvement, both the first advisor era (1959-1964) and the early phase of the war proper (1965-mid 1966), there was that very marked "we'll be home by Christmas" mentality that seems to characterize the early part of every war the U.S. has ever been involved in. So, in that petty officiousness that every peacetime army has trouble letting go of when war comes, this translated to a strong push to maintain proper "uniform", even in the field, as well as clean, uncluttered vehicles that were free of personal effects and excess weapons: By late 1966-1967, the idea that the war would be over soon, and the zeal that accompanied it, had faded somewhat, but there was still a fairly high degree of professional pride. Uniforms and vehicles looked a bit more "lived in" and began to show a more realistic grasp of tropical warfare. Non-political graffiti as a sign of comradery began to be tolerated by commanders and extra weapons begin to appear on vehicles more widely. There was less emphasis on keeping everything squeaky clean. This is also the point where white name tapes, polished metal rank insignia, and colorful unit shoulder patches disappeared off of uniforms, as they were providing convenient aiming points for the enemy. The large white stars started to be removed from vehicles for the same reason: 1968-1969 was a turning point. Tet proved that the war was nowhere near as "over" as all the Pentagon spin doctors had been claiming. The new President had already announced that U.S. troop levels would be reduced and more of the handling of the war would be given to the South Vietnamese. Graffiti that was decidedly political in nature began to appear. A creeping erosion of morale was rearing its head: Beginning in 1970 and running through the troop withdrawal in 1973, as well as the second advisor period 1974-1975, a level of slovenliness set in that would have been utterly unthinkable five years earlier, which was indicative of the plummeting discipline and morale levels. Frontline US troops and their vehicles began to resemble rolling gypsy camps and a full uniform was virtually unheard of: Being shirtless in 1965 (let alone openily nude), even in a rear area, would have landed you in the stockade. By 1970 and beyond, it was the norm (being shirtless, not nude). So, what does all this mean for actual painting? Through 1965, a majority of uniforms would be darker, as most troops hadn't been in-country very long. Regardless of which phase of the war you're modeling, REPs (Rear Echelon Pukes) will almost always have a darker shade of uniform, as they aren't doing this on a daily basis: and there is simply less wear and tear on their uniform. As the war progressed, any given frontline unit's uniforms would be progressively more faded, with a few FNGs (F*cking New Guys) mixed in and only they having darker shades. Units in the field should show dirt/mud from the knees down, and often on the seat of the pants, elbows, and chest (from frequently being face down on the ground). The wargamers' much beloved Mitchell helmet cover was renown for fading very very quickly in the tropical heat, sun, and rain, to the point that the pattern was often virtually invisible. Plain green helmet covers were also issued when Mitchell's were in short supply. Camouflage uniforms of any kind were unheard of among U.S. line troops and were the province of the Special Forces, SEALs, LRRPs, and South Vietnamese "elite" forces. The later the period that you're modeling, the more graffiti you should apply and the more political and/or sexually suggestive (by 1960s standards) it should get, both for uniforms and vehicles. Personal items and excess weapons should progressively festoon vehicles as the later phases of the war arrive. Any attempt to be in proper "uniform" should disappear. Old hands will have very faded-out clothing and the percentage of FNGs in fresh uniforms in a unit will increase as the war progresses. Mustaches, long hair, and even a few beards will begin to appear in 1970-1973. All this applies equally to the Australians and U.S. Navy Brown Water boat crews. For the ARVN, uniforms and equipment will begin to show obvious deterioration and a faded look in 1971-1972, which will get progressively worse as the U.S. stopped providing supplies in 1973-1975. A lot of gamers I know obsess over what green to use for U.S. uniforms. As you can see in all the above photos, any unit had a multitude of shades, depending on how long the wearer had been in Vietnam and in the field. Using a number of different shades of olive green will provide you with a realistic look. And don't forget to use a black or darker green wash to add prominent sweat stains down the center of the back and in large crescents under the arms. Having spent 18 mos in a tropical setting, I can tell you sweat is ever present and the areas of olive green uniforms that are wet appear a darker shade of green. I hope this provides some insight and help in your painting of minis for the Vietnam War. And as an aside, I highly recommend "A Dictionary Of Soldier Talk" (John Elting, et al - January 1984) as an excellent collection of Vietnam-era military phrases used by the average soldier. It's available very cheaply from Amazon, Bookfinder.com, etc. When I joined the Army in 1980, about 75% of everyone I had contact with had been to Vietnam, so this is all those phrases I heard a million times.
21 Sep 1967, Da Nang, South Vietnam --- Da Nang, South Vietnam: Marine Cpl. Michael Wynn, 20, of Columbus, Ohio, seems to be trying to get a message across with a takeoff of the hippie slogan "make war not love" written on his helmet here. Wynn is taking a breather during Operation Ballistic Charge. 9/21/67 --- Image by © Bettmann/CORBIS
The Vietnam War spawned many cultural references. Here is a glossary of terms, phrases, acronyms, slang, and more about the culture and battle.
Do you get tired of the same old Vietnam war photos? Well don’t worry because we’ve got you covered with plenty of unseen pictures of what life was like for soldiers in Vietnam as well as their civilian counterparts in America.
by acidcow.com
War dominated 30 years of Vietnam's history last century. The struggle that began with communists fighting French colonial power in the 1940s did not end
1968, Tan An, Delta, Vietnam --- An American 9th Division machine gunner swathed in bullet belts smokes a cigarette. --- Image by © Tim Page/CORBIS
Explore manhhai's 145207 photos on Flickr!
Here are 12 Vietnam War photos from the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center that you won't see in most textbooks and history papers.
