Figure 1.--There is an enormous body of information on civilian casualties and suffering during the Second Vietnm WAr when America attempted to defend South Vietnam. Theimage here is a good example. The press caption read, "Stark terror is written on the face of a young South Vietnamese mother when Marines strafe Viet Cong positions near her village." (February 29, 1966) In sharp constrast to the imense coverage during the War, the American media largely ignored the brutal reprisals conducted by the Communists after their victory. Hanoi Jane Fonda who actively supported the Communist war effort, exempified the response. When asked about those killed and brutalized by the Communists, she declined to express any sypathy and blamed it all on the United States.

There will probably never be a precise accounting of the casualties resulting from the Vietnam War. This is normany seen as casualties during the era of American involvement (1965-73). This was not by any means when most people died during the era of fighting in Vietnam. By far the most deadly period was during World War II when the Japanese caused a deadly famine in the north (1941-45). The smallet number of casualties occurred during First Vietnam War when the French after World War II attempted to restablish control over Indochina (1946-53). After the Japanese famine, the next most deadly period was after the American withdrawl and the North Vietnamese. The Communists dealt sevely with their opponents. This is because adequate records are not available. Another factor is that casualty counting was highly politicized by all sides. The Communisist wanted to minimize their casualties and actions against civilians. The American military wanted to maximize the body count of Viet Cong and North Vietnamese soldies and minimize civilian casualties. The anti-War movement in America wanted ti maximize civilian casualties as a result of American action and ignore actions against civilians by the Communisys. In particular, the anti-War movement largely ignores the killing and other repressive measures taken by the North Vietnamese after their victory. Sorting through all of this is a a daunting undertaking. Added to this is the lingering impact of chemical defoliants and land minds. There is a fairly accurate accounting of the American casualties, over 58,000 soldiers. American allies also suffered losses (South Korea - about 4,500, Australia - 500, New Zealand - 30, Thailand - 350). The number of ARVN soldiers killed was probably about 1 million. The Vietnam Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs published an accounting of War casualties. The number of fighters killed between 1954-75 was 1.1 million. Many observers believe this this is a low estimate. The Vietnamese estimate that about 2 million civilians in the north and the south. This is a much more difficult figure to assess. Some estimates of civilian deaths run as high as 4 million. THee come from ideolically motivated sources, determined to paint as high abody count as possible. One knowledegeable observer estimated 3.2 million. [McNamara] In recent years casualty estimate from non-ideologically motivated sources have been substantially reduced. The most detailed demographic study yet compiled calculated 0.8-1.1 million war-related deaths for all of Vietnam. [Hirschman] Another 0.2-0.3 million Cambodians died in the war and les than 0.1 million Laotians. Not accouted in the official Vietnamese statistics and largely ignored by the American anti-War movement are the actions taken by the North Vietnamese after their military victory. There were executions, often by firing squad, torture, concentration camps and "reeducation". There is no precise accounting of the number of people killed by the Communists. Some believe it probably totaled about 1 million people. Those injured by the War of course ivolve even larger numbers. But here there are even more difficuties in estimating the numbers of people involved. And the Communist reaction in Cambodia was even more horrendous with a death toll reaching an estimated 1.7 million people.

Japanese Occupation (1940-45)

The Second Vietnamese War was not by any means when most people died during the era of fighting in Vietnam. By far the most deadly period was during World War II when the Japanese caused a deadly famine in the north (1941-45). French Indochina was pne of the mot importnt rice producing areas iof the world, the last place one would expect a famine. But rice production was not evenly spread out over the colony. Most of the rice was produved in the Mekong Delta area if the south. The heavily populated north, referrred to as Tonkin, was a defecit production area, dependent on shipments from the south. The Japanese upon seizing power enforced a policy of autarky. Each occupied area ws expected to produce their own food requirements. This policy and the seizure of boats for the war effot, meant that the north was cut off from food supplies from the south. And to make maters worse, in the midst of the familne which developed, Jpanese authoritie not only demanded that the French seize food fom Vietnamee villages, but conducted raid of their own to seize food. The Tonkin peasantry was devestated. The death toll has been estimated at 1-2 million people. No one really knows with any accuracy how many died. Recent research, however, suggests that the earlier estimates substantially underestimated the death toll. THe Tonkin FAmine is now considered one of worst disasters of World War II. [Collingham, pp. 240-42.] Only the American victory in the Pacific War prevented many more million Vietnamese from starving to death.

First Vietnmese War (1946-53)

The smallet number of casualties occurred during the First Vietnam War when the French after World War II attempted to restablish control over Indochina (1946-53). We do not at this time have esrimates of the death toll,

Second Vietnamese War (1965-73)

There will probably never be a precise accounting of the casualties resulting from the Vietnam War. This is normany seen as casualties during the era of hevy American involvement (1965-73). ome include the era when South Vietnam attempted fight it out alone. After the Japanese famine, the next most deadly period was after the American withdrawl and the North Vietnamese. The Communists dealt sevely with their opponents. This is because adequate records are not available. Another factor is that casualty counting was highly politicized by all sides. The Communisist wanted to minimize their casualties and actions against civilians. The American military wanted to maximize the body count of Viet Cong and North Vietnamese soldies and minimize civilian casualties. The anti-War movement in America wanted ti maximize civilian casualties as a result of American action and ignore actions against civilians by the Communisys. In particular, the anti-War movement largely ignores the killing and other repressive measures taken by the North Vietnamese after their victory. Sorting through all of this is a a daunting undertaking. Added to this is the lingering impact of chemical defoliants and land minds. There is a fairly accurate accounting of the American casualties, over 58,000 soldiers. American allies also suffered losses (South Korea - about 4,500, Australia - 500, New Zealand - 30, Thailand - 350). The number of ARVN soldiers killed was probably about 1 million. The Vietnam Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs published an accounting of War casualties. The number of fighters killed between 1954-75 was 1.1 million. Many observers believe this this is a low estimate. The Vietnamese estimate that about 2 million civilians in the north and the south. This is a much more difficult figure to assess. Some estimates of civilian deaths run as high as 4 million. THee come from ideolically motivated sources, determined to paint as high abody count as possible. One knowledegeable observer estimated 3.2 million. [McNamara] In recent years casualty estimate from non-ideologically motivated sources have been substantially reduced. The most detailed demographic study yet compiled calculated 0.8-1.1 million war-related deaths for all of Vietnam. [Hirschman] Another 0.2-0.3 million Cambodians died in the war and les than 0.1 million Laotians.

Communist Seizure of Power (1975- )

Not accouted in the official Vietnamese statistics and largely ignored by the American anti-War movement are the actions taken by the North Vietnamese after their military victory. The killing did not end with the North Vietnamese victory, but this seems to have been of little interest to those who before Ameeica leftViet Nam were so cooncerned about the Vietnamese people or at least pretended to be. There were executions, often by firing squad, torture, concentration camps and 'reeducation'. There is no precise accounting of the number of people killed by the Communists or the broken lives of those who survived. . Some believe it probably totaled about 1 million people. And besides thoe actually killed by the Communists was the tragedy of the Boat People. Those injured by the War of course involve even larger numbers. But here there are even more difficuties in estimating the numbers of people involved. Along with the summary executions, the victorious Communists set up Reducation Camps for those not immediately executed. Unlike the extensive press record of the Vietnam War, the North Vietnamese closed off press access to the country and visibility of what went on in the infamous Reducation Camps. The Any-War Movement expressed no interest. And the Communist reaction in Cambodia was even more horrendous -- with a death toll reaching an estimated 1.7 million people. It is now considered to be an act of genocude and one of the great crimes of the 20th century.

Sources

Collingham, Lizzie. The Taste of War: World WAr II and the Battle for Food (Penguin Books: New York, 1962), p. 634.

Created: 8:41 PM 4/17/2013
Last updated: 5:48 PM 7/10/2016