Trump says he could've won Vietnam War in a week
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump has made a controversial claim about the Vietnam War, saying he could have won it in a week. Addressing a rally ahead of the midterm elections, Trump slammed his predecessors for their handling of the conflict. "I could have won Vietnam in a week," he said, taking aim at their strategy and use of Agent Orange. "They dropped whatever the hell that crap is that hit the forest: Agent Orange!" he said.
Backlash
Critics slam Trump's comments as factually inaccurate
Trump's comments have drawn sharp criticism for their factual inaccuracies.
Critics pointed out that Ho Chi Minh City was then known as Saigon and was the capital of South Vietnam, a US ally in the war.
The enemy capital was Hanoi in North Vietnam, which the US targeted directly during the conflict through "Operation Rolling Thunder" from 1965 to 1968.
Misplaced assertions
Trump claimed he could've ended Afghanistan conflict in a week
In addition to his remarks on Vietnam, Trump also claimed he could have ended the Afghanistan conflict in a week.
This isn't the first time he has made such claims about Vietnam. About a year and a half ago, he had said he could have won the war in three to four months.
The Vietnam War was fought between 1955 and 1975, with US involvement starting under President Harry S Truman.
War history
US involvement under President Dwight D Eisenhower
The Vietnam conflict started with Vietnam's fight for independence from French colonial rule.
After France's defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954, the Geneva Accords temporarily divided Vietnam into communist North and anti-communist South.
The US backed South Vietnam under President Dwight D Eisenhower to stop communism from spreading.
Political instability in South Vietnam deepened with Ngo Dinh Diem's assassination in a military coup in November 1963.
Escalation
Escalation under President Lyndon B Johnson and anti-war sentiment
The war escalated under President Lyndon B Johnson, who used the Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964 to get congressional approval for military action.
In March 1965, US combat troops arrived in Vietnam, and extensive bombing campaigns against the North began.
The 1968 Tet Offensive by North Vietnamese forces revealed limits to American military progress and fueled anti-war sentiment back home.
War conclusion
End of US involvement and reunification of Vietnam
President Richard Nixon introduced Vietnamization in 1969, gradually withdrawing US troops while strengthening South Vietnam's military.
Despite peace negotiations being difficult, the Paris Peace Accords were signed in January 1973. American combat troops withdrew by March 1973.
North Vietnam launched a decisive offensive in March 1975, capturing Saigon on April 30 and defeating South Vietnam.
Vietnam was reunified under communist rule in July 1976.