The Vietnam War was a long and expensive conflict that lasted for two decades (November 1, 1955- April 30, 1975), resulting in a significant loss of life and massive destruction, dividing society and affecting both Vietnam and the United States. It left a profound impact on both soldiers and civilians.
Newspaper and television crews intensely documented the war. Below are some photographs that captured the terror of war.
Soldiers Sleeping in Foxholes
On August 26, 1966, American soldiers are seen sleeping and resting in their foxholes between battles.
Air Force F-105 Bombing in Vietnam
On June 14, 1966, Air Force F-105 Thunderchief pilots, guided by radar, dropped bombs on a military target while flying through low clouds over the southern panhandle of North Vietnam in a B-66 aircraft.
Resident Seeking Safety
During an American bombing raid on July 5, 1967, a Hanoi resident can be seen seeking safety in an air-raid shelter.
Operation ‘Yellowstone’
During Operation ‘Yellowstone’ in the Vietnam, after a challenging day, a few members of Company A, 3rd Battalion, 22nd Infantry (Mechanized), 25th Infantry Division, are seen gathering around a guitar player and singing.
Operation ‘Yellowstone’, a part of Vietnam War, was an operation carried out in northeast Tây Ninh Province by the 1st and 3rd Brigades of the 25th Infantry Division, which lasted from December 8, 1967 to February 24, 1968.
M-48 tank
During a road sweep southwest of Phu Bai, Vietnam Marines can be seen riding on top of an M-48 tank, covering their ears and firing 90mm gun. (Photo: 1968)
The Battle of Hue
During the Battle of Hue, refugees can be seen crossing the Perfume River to safety. The Battle of Hue was a significant conflict during the Tet offensive of the Vietnam War, initiated by North Vietnam and the Viet Cong. It took place from January 31, 1968 to 2 March 1968. (Photo by Terry Fincher)
Aftermath of the Battle of Hue
This picture shows the aftermath of the Battle of Hue, highlighting the destruction and impact caused after American and South Vietnamese forces recaptured the Central Vietnamese city from the Viet Cong on March 15, 1968.
The Battle of Hue was among the longest and most brutal battles of the Vietnam War. It was also considered as one of the toughest and most intense urban battles ever fought.
American troops and supply helicopters
In this picture, American troops and supply helicopters can be seen on Hill Timothy, Vietnam. (Photo: April 1968/by Terry Fincher)
Comrade Carrying American wounded soldier
An American wounded soldier is carried by a comrade as they (soldiers) make their way down Hill Timothy in Vietnam in April 1968.
Marines Escaping From Gunfire
On April 18, 1968, at Khe Sanh, Marines are seen trying to escape from the enemy’s gunfire and running towards a helicopter to board it.
Injured Soldiers on Stretchers
In January 1968, during the Tet Offensive, three military policemen in Saigon were dead, and their bodies were seen on stretchers. A dead Viet Cong fighter is visible in the background.
Soldiers Carrying Comrade
In this photo taken in 1969, a wounded comrade is carried by soldiers through a swampy area.
Vietnamese Marines Trying to Catch U.S. Army Helicopter
In this picture, South Vietnamese Marines are seen running towards a U.S. Army helicopter to board it after a mission near Prey-Veng, Cambodia, during the Vietnam War in 1970. The photo was taken by Huynh Cong “Nick” Ut, a photographer for the Associated Press.
Terrified Kids Running
Two years later (1972), the photographer took another picture (a famous photo), of Phan Thi Kim Phuc, a young girl, along with other terrified kids running down Route 1 near Trang Bang after a napalm attack, aimed at suspected Viet Cong hideouts. This image showed the true horrors of the war that words cannot describe.
Soldiers Crossing Mekong River
During a military operation near Neak Luong, Cambodia, South Vietnamese Marines are seen crossing a shallow part of the Mekong River. (Photo: 1970/AP Photo/Nick Ut)
Vietnamese troops Going to Route 7
In this photo taken on December 24, 1970, South Vietnamese troops can be seen advancing along Route 7 in Cambodia towards the town of Kandol Chrum, which experienced intense fighting. (Photo: AP Photo/Nick Ut)
U.S. Air Force B-52
In October 1965, a U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress from the Strategic Air Command can be seen dropping 750-pound bombs on the coast of Vietnam.
A Viet Cong fighter
A Viet Cong fighter, who was captured in Van Tuong, was tied and blindfolded by Staff Sergeant R.E. Steffy. (Pic: August 1965).
Soldiers Waiting for Helicopter
After a battle in the jungle-covered hills in Long Khanh Province (1966), US soldiers Ruediger Richter (left) and Daniel E. Spencer are seen waiting for a helicopter to evacuate their fallen comrade.
The Parade of U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel James L. Hughes
On May 5, 1967, during the Vietnam War, two North Vietnamese soldiers paraded U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel James L. Hughes, who was compelled to eject from F-105 over North Vietnam, through the streets while he was barefoot and had a bandaged face.
Stick Formation Pulled By a Helicopter
During tests of the unique patrol insertion or extraction system, ten Marine Corps test jumpers in stick formation were pulled by a helicopter at the Naval Aerospace Recovery Facility in El Centro, California.
North Vietnamese soldiers lie in the street of Tan Son Nhut
After a battle with U.S. and South Vietnamese troops, the bodies of three North Vietnamese soldiers lie in the street of Tan Son Nhut.
US bombers targeted a petroleum storage in Hanoi
On June 29, 1966, US bombers targeted a petroleum storage facility in Hanoi, and a huge black smoke can be seen rising into the air.
Air Force Fairchild C-123 spraying defoliants
In 1966, during the Vietnam War, a US Air Force Fairchild C-123 Provider can be seen spraying defoliants on dense jungle growth.
U.S. Marines Clearing Viet Cong area
U.S. Marines step out of helicopter and find themselves in waist-height swampy fields. They are seen taking positions to clear out a Viet Cong area. The white smoke which is seen in the background is from a phosphorus rocket, which serves as a marker for the landing zone.
Operation Arizona
During Operation Arizona, Marines of Company E, 2nd Battalion 7th Marines, are seen carrying dead comrades to the helicopter. The operation that started on Marines of Company E, 2nd Battalion 7th Marines carried a dead comrade to a helicopter during Operation Arizona, in which four Marine battalions fought to clear the Viet Cong out of Quang Nam Province over eight days beginning June 14, 1967, lasted eight days, and it involved four Marine battalions fighting to remove the Viet Cong from Quang Nam Province.
Vietnamese Soldiers Lying on the Ground
A group of dead North Vietnamese soldiers lay on the ground as a Chinook helicopter flies overhead. (Photo: December 27, 1966)
Members of the 9th Infantry Division Surveying the soldiers and Weapons
After the assault on the II Field Forces complex at the Long Binh Post, which was the U.S. Army’s largest base in South Vietnam, members of the 9th Infantry Division (Mechanized) surveyed the dead Viet Cong soldiers and weapons.
Vietnamese soldiers lying in a ditch
Just outside Saigon, near the Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Viet Cong fighters were killed by gunships and South Vietnamese soldiers lying in a ditch in the French National Cemetery.
George R. Sanchez Firing an M72 Rocket Launcher
In an enemy location, Specialist George R. Sanchez from the 101st Airborne Division can be seen firing an M72 rocket launcher.
South Vietnamese Troops Going Through Muddy Ground
South Vietnamese troops make their way through the muddy ground of the delta region in South Vietnam to move forward against the Viet Cong. guerillas.
Battle of An Ninh
On September 18, 1965, during the battle of An Ninh, the bodies of U.S. paratroopers, who were part of the 1st Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division, were found near a command post. They were hit as soon as they landed, facing heavy gunfire from guerrillas. The dead and wounded were later transported to An Khe for evacuation. This battle was one of the first significant conflicts between the Viet Cong and U.S. forces.
Firefight on 30 January 1966
During a firefight on 30 January 1966, Medic Thomas Cole, with his one unbandaged eye, treats wounded Staff Sergeant Harrison Pell. Both men were part of the 1st Cavalry Division, which was fighting a battle at An Thi against the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese in the central highlands. This photograph was featured on Life magazine’s cover on February 11, 1966, and the photographer Henri Huet, who covered An Thi, received the Robert Capa Gold Medal from the Overseas Press Club.
Town Of Binh Gia
Sunlight shines through dense trees near the town of Binh Gia as South Vietnamese troops and U.S. advisers take a break after spending a tense night waiting for a Viet Cong ambush that never came. (Pic: January 1965)
US Marines Enter The Village Of My Son
On 25 April 1965, US Marines entered the village of My Son, near Da Nang, in search of Vietcong insurgents, while a Vietnamese woman was seen carrying a child to safety. Like in many situations, most of the men from the village disappeared, and those who remained were not willing to share information when questioned.
Navy Seal Team One Travel Along The Bassac River
During operations along the river south of Saigon, U.S. Navy Seal Team One members travel along the Bassac River in a SEAL Team Assault Boat (STAB).
A Marine Protects A Battery Pack
Marine Private First Class J.L. Collins protects a battery pack from getting wet as he moves through a muddy area during a search mission with “I” Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment.
A Group Of Soldiers Form A Band
This photograph, taken in 1969 by Gary C. Huested, who served as an artillery forward observer in the First Cavalry, shows a group of soldiers forming a band and putting on a show at their base camp in Cambodia.
A Group Of Soldiers Saluting An American Flag
In this picture, a group of soldiers salutes an American flag from the other side of a barbed wire fence. The family of the late U.S. Army veteran James Townsend, who served in Vietnam until 1969, shared this image with the Vietnam Slide Project.
Military Helicopter Flies Over Army Camp
A military helicopter flies over an Army camp. Because of the harsh terrain, helicopters were used for medical evacuation and bringing in supplies. In combat, aeroplanes were preferred over tanks. (pic: 1969)
US Soldier’s Vigil on the Enemy
US soldiers were anxious about the possible surprise attack by the Viet Cong, but they didn’t actually have many confrontations with the enemy. In 1968, only faced the enemy in 1 out of every 100 missions.
American Soldiers Celebrating Tết
In 1965, American soldiers were seen celebrating Tết, a Vietnamese New Year celebration, by sharing food at their base camp.
