Captured: Shot Down In Vietnam Introduction, Part One of Four

Vietnam’s written history extends back more than 2,000 years. China expanded south into the area known as Vietnam, beginning 1,000 years of Chinese rule. For the next 900 years, Vietnam was ruled by a succession of imperial dynasties.

Hồ Chí Minh, a charismatic communist and nationalist, grew tired of a century of oppressive French colonial rule. Following the end of World War II in 1945, he declared Vietnam’s independence on September 2 of that year and quoting passages from the American Declaration of Independence.

In May 1954, the French army, encamped at its heavily fortified base in Điện Biên Phủ near Vietnam’s border with Laos, suffered a humiliating defeat by Hồ Chí Minh’s forces. After its defeat, the French retreated from Vietnam. In their absence, the United States would become deeply involved in the next chapter of Vietnam’s history.

Southeast Asia’s Mekong River is one of the great rivers of the world. The river has played a major role in the history of Vietnam. The Việt Cộng – the military force of the communist National Liberation Front – had as many as 50,000 troops in this strategically important region. As early as 1965, the United States Navy began patrolling the river to keep the Việt Cộng from moving troops and equipment along the river, attacking allied troops, disrupting commerce, and harassing civilians.