Talk:Vietnam War
OK, where do we go from here?
Oh Brave New World after the archiving, which has such wondrous things in it. Howard C. Berkowitz 21:01, 17 August 2009 (UTC)
- keep reading friend.
Green Box
The green box at the top of the article adds some necessary context to this article, but there is a chronological gaffe. The box says "First Indochina War covers closely the anticolonial war against France, with interruptions for the events of the Second World War." But the First Indochina War starts after World War II. So how is that an "interruption?" Please fix.
Regarding the remainder of the box, isn't it possible to discuss these related articles on the Related Articles page? I think that it would make more sense. Russell D. Jones 21:12, 17 August 2009 (UTC)
| This is a major second-level article for numerous articles about an extremely complex situation from 1962 to 1975. Vietnam wars covers the context of conflict between 1868 and 1999; there are separate articles on earlier history. There was anti-French activity, but the main First Indochina War came after the Second World War. This ends in 1975 with the fall of South Vietnam, but other wars continue in the Vietnam wars article. |
Headings
I'm going to recommend also that the heading "Regional activity before South Vietnamese independence" find a shorter title so that the TOC isn't so wide. Russell D. Jones 21:12, 17 August 2009 (UTC)
First Section
The last sentence in the first paragraph should wrap up the lede, to wit, it should explain why the topic ends in 1975 (i.e., south vietnamese surrender). I'd also like to drop the reference to the first century conflict with China; it's just too far removed in time to be relevant. It could probably be mentioned paranthetically: "... but to a long history of Chinese attempts to control the region (going back to the first century)." "This article focuses on ..." I'm not a fan of self-referentiality. The famous photograph of the helicopter on the roof during the evacuation in 1975, I've heard was not the U.S. embassy itself. The paragraph dealing with weather is really out of place here. It's interesting and important information, but it seems out of place here. Last, the first section should also mention that the Vietnamese call this the "American War." Russell D. Jones 21:31, 17 August 2009 (UTC)
- Yes, I too read the other day that the evacuation was from a neighboring building. Maybe in an obit of the guy who took the photo? I think that's the source.... Hayford Peirce 21:59, 17 August 2009 (UTC)
- We're all correct about the helicopters. Indeed, the most commonly used photograph is from a nearby CIA building, but there was also desperation at the Embassy and elsewhere.
- Let me think about China; some reference is important.
- I moved the weather to the beginning of large-scale combat. Howard C. Berkowitz 22:04, 17 August 2009 (UTC)
- Long time coming.... I've reworked this whole section into a lede and an "overview" section. Russell D. Jones 21:40, 19 October 2012 (UTC)