The Cold War, a conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union, lasted from 1947-1991. The Vietnam War was one of the deadliest conflicts of the Cold War. This lesson will explore the reasons that the United States became involved in the Vietnam War. Locate Vietnam on the map below and compare its distance from the United States.

Watch the following video that describes the countries that have ruled Vietnam:

Vietnam's history includes the country being controlled by several colonial powers. Learn about the other countries' rule of Vietnam by clicking on the countries on the map below:

Click on each section of the timeline below to learn about the control of Vietnam.