The US got involved in the war in Vietnam because it feared that a communist government would come to power in Vietnam after the National Liberation Front formed a coalition with the Ho Chi Minh government in the north, against Ngo Dinh Diem's regime. US policyplanners feared a spread of communism to other countries in the area. This involvement in the Vietnam war affected life within the US itself because of widespread public dissent. Only university graduates were exempt from compulsory service in the army and this caused even more anger amongst the minorities and working-class families.

a) From 1965 to 1972, the US-Vietnam War continued and caused losses

to both US and Vietnam.The Vietnamese people suffered human and property 

losses, yet they never stopped their struggle for freedom. Here it is important to

mention the role played by the porters in getting freedom and unity of

Vietnam. The porters set out without fear on the Ho Chi Minh Trail

which was a great expansive network of roads and footpaths. The heroic

porters carried as much as 25 kg to 70 kg of weight on their backs or

bicycles. They did not fear that they might fall over in the deep valleys.

They bravely walked on the narrow, dangerous roads that marked the

treacherous routes. They also did not feel afraid of being shot down by

aircraft guns. They put all their fears aside and walked on to maintain

the supply line. This fact showed that the porters were heroic and

patriotic.

b) The Vietnamese women played an important role in the US-Vietnam

War. They were both warriors and workers. As warriors and soldiers, the

Vietnamese women constructed six air strips, they neutralised

thousands of bombs and went on to shoot down fifteen planes. There

were 1.5 million Vietnamese women in the regular army, the militia, the

local forces and professional teams. The women workers were also

engaged as porters, nurses and construction workers.