The Vietnam Conflict The conflict that sparked the Vietnam War was a civil war between North and South Vietnam. Northern Vietnam aimed to unite Vietnam under a communist government, while southern Vietnam wanted the government more aligned with the western countries, such as the United States. While the Vietnamese started the war, it could not have exploded to such an extent or eventually ended without interference from other global powers. The Soviet Union and China poured money, artillery, and military personnel into Vietnam for the north, while the United States mirrored and topped their efforts in supporting southern Vietnam. Because of the great influence of these wealthy countries, they brought this conflict into the global arena. Foreign …show more content…
The intensification of the communist party in Vietnam by China worked to overall inflame the conflict. In addition to the influence of China, north Vietnam was also aided by the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union brought advanced weaponry into the war that the Vietnamese would not otherwise have access to. North Vietnam received advanced anti-aircraft missiles (Radchenko). These weapons caused much more destruction than Vietnam was capable of on its own, directly exhibiting the effect this foreign power had on the tides of the war. Through the actions of the Soviet Union and China, it is obvious that the conflict of the Vietnam War was intensified. In conclusion, this war was immensely affected by outside powers, specifically the United States, China, and the Soviet Union. The US escalated the Vietnam conflict by taking charge of south Vietnam and ultimately causing more unrest among the anti-communist party. China’s intense aid to the north caused many deaths among Chinese military members, as well as strengthening and intensifying the communist