The Shadow Of Vietnam: Afghanistan And The Echoes Of A Divisive War

The Vietnam War and the War in Afghanistan are two of America's longest wars, with both conflicts resulting in defeat for the US. Both wars involved the US intervening in an ongoing civil war, fighting against an unmarked enemy, and attempting to transform local partners into American analogs. In both Vietnam and Afghanistan, the US negotiated peace settlements directly with their battlefield adversaries, leaving the US partner governments out of the process. The US government promised continued economic and military support to both Vietnam and Afghanistan even as they moved offshore. However, despite these similarities, it is important to recognise the differences between the two conflicts, including the diverse ethnic and belief systems present in Afghanistan, and the fact that the Vietnam War was fought during the Cold War and involved a proxy war between two superpowers.

Both wars ended with desperate evacuations from US embassies

The evacuation of the US embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, in August 2021, bore striking similarities to the evacuation of the US embassy in Saigon, Vietnam, in April 1975. Both evacuations were carried out under immense pressure as the Taliban and North Vietnamese armies respectively closed in on the cities.

In Kabul, the US embassy was evacuated as the Taliban entered the outskirts of the city. The US military took control of the Hamid Karzai International Airport, from which evacuation flights were departing. Sporadic gunfire was reported at the airport, causing fear among those desperate to flee. The evacuation was a "highly dynamic and very risky operation", according to US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

Similarly, in Saigon, the US embassy was evacuated as North Vietnamese troops shelled the city's Tan Son Nhut Air Base. The evacuation was carried out by helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft, with the latter departing from the air base and the former from the embassy roof. The evacuation was the largest helicopter evacuation in history, with over 7,000 people airlifted in less than 24 hours. The operation was codenamed "".

In both Kabul and Saigon, the evacuations were preceded by a sense of panic and urgency. In Kabul, thousands of Afghans rushed to the airport in the hope of securing a flight out of the country. In Saigon, South Vietnamese civilians scaled the walls of the US embassy, hoping to board evacuation helicopters.

The evacuations also involved the deployment of additional US troops. In Kabul, 3,000 troops were sent to the airport to assist with the evacuation, while in Saigon, 3,000 troops were sent to provide security for the operation.

Both evacuations were carried out under the cover of darkness, with the Kabul evacuation taking place at night and the Saigon evacuation commencing at dusk.

The US ambassadors in both cities played a key role in the evacuations. In Kabul, Ambassador Ross Wilson was among the last to leave the embassy, while in Saigon, Ambassador Graham Martin was evacuated by helicopter after giving the order for the operation to commence.

The evacuations also involved the destruction of sensitive documents and equipment. In Kabul, there were reports of fires at the US embassy, likely started to prevent sensitive materials from falling into Taliban hands. In Saigon, Ambassador Martin ordered the destruction of documents, US flags, and other items that could be used by the North Vietnamese for propaganda purposes.

In both cases, the evacuations signalled the end of a long and costly war. The fall of Saigon marked the end of the Vietnam War, while the evacuation of the Kabul embassy was the final act in America's longest war in Afghanistan.

Both wars involved fighting an unmarked enemy

The Vietnam War and the War in Afghanistan share a number of similarities, one of the most striking being that both wars involved fighting an unmarked enemy.

In Vietnam, the Việt Cộng did not wear uniforms and dressed as civilians, making it difficult for US and South Vietnamese troops to distinguish between enemies and allies. The nature of the war, fought without front lines, further complicated the situation. Civilians sympathetic to the South Vietnamese Army and US troops often shifted their loyalties based on their basic needs, and some Vietnamese workers who cooked and cleaned for the troops were spies for the Việt Cộng.

Similarly, in Afghanistan, the enemy was described as a “uniquely complex environment” by Gen. Stanley McChrystal. The war involved fighting against the Taliban, its allies, and militias, but was complicated by the presence of Taliban splinter groups and other radical religious groups such as al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. These groups had shifting allegiances, sometimes fighting for the Taliban, sometimes pursuing their own goals, and sometimes fighting against both the Taliban and the Afghan government. The Haqqani group, led by Jalaluddin Haqqani, and the group led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, another former anti-Soviet commander, were also part of the complex landscape of adversaries.

In both wars, the US found itself fighting against adversaries who did not conform to traditional notions of uniformed armies, making it challenging to identify and engage the enemy effectively.

Both wars involved fighting an enemy that could live underground

The Viet Cong in Vietnam and the Taliban in Afghanistan both made use of underground tunnel networks to their advantage. In both wars, the tunnel networks were used as a means of hiding from enemies, launching surprise attacks, and storing weapons and supplies.

In Vietnam, the Viet Cong dug tens of thousands of miles of tunnels, including an extensive network running underneath the Cu Chi district northwest of Saigon. The tunnels were used as routes to transport communications and supplies, house troops, set booby traps, and mount surprise attacks. The tunnels were dug by hand, without machinery, and often only a short distance at a time. They were small, measuring only two feet by three feet, and contained various traps such as trip wires connected to grenades, boxes of scorpions or venomous snakes, and punji stick traps.

The tunnels were difficult for American and South Vietnamese forces to navigate due to their small size and the presence of traps. The Army initially tried to destroy the tunnels with explosives and tear gas but these methods were ineffective. They then began sending in "tunnel rats"—small stature volunteers who would navigate the tunnels to detect traps and scout for enemy troops. Even then, the tunnel rats faced many dangers, including venomous creatures, booby traps, and ambushes.

In Afghanistan, the Taliban made use of natural cave systems in the mountains, as well as underground tunnel networks. One of the most notable tunnel systems was the last hideout of Al Qaeda in Tora Bora—a cave-and-tunnel complex. ISIS fighters in Afghanistan also made use of tunnel networks, which they used to move stealthily, strike quickly, and escape capture.

In both wars, the underground tunnel networks provided a strategic advantage to the enemy, allowing them to hide from enemies, launch surprise attacks, and store weapons and supplies.

Both wars were fought alongside untrusted local troops

In both the Vietnam War and the Afghanistan War, American forces were teamed up with local troops to help combat their common enemy. However, in both wars, the U.S. forces did not trust their allies.

In Vietnam, the U.S. recruited and fought alongside indigenous minority groups, such as the Montagnards, against the North Vietnamese forces. Despite broken promises from the U.S. government, many Montagnard veterans remain loyal to their former allies. They feel betrayed by the U.S., as the government's pledges of continued economic and military support quickly proved hollow.

Similarly, in Afghanistan, the U.S. intervened in the ongoing civil war and fought alongside the Northern Alliance and other anti-Taliban resistance forces. However, there was a sense of betrayal on both sides. The agreements signed by the U.S. did not require the Taliban to withdraw or disarm, and the Afghan government was seen as corrupt and incompetent. As in Vietnam, the U.S. promised continued support but ultimately failed to provide it.

In both wars, the local troops often appeared ill-prepared to combat their enemies effectively. In Vietnam, the South Vietnamese forces suffered significant losses, with 83 soldiers killed in a single battle, compared to only 18 losses on the Vietcong side. Similarly, in Afghanistan, despite efforts to train local forces, the Afghan military and police units often seemed unequipped to hold off the Taliban.

The lack of trust between U.S. forces and their local allies in both wars highlights a recurring challenge of counterinsurgency campaigns and the complexities of intervening in foreign civil wars.

Both wars ended in defeat for the US

The Vietnam War and the War in Afghanistan were two of the longest wars in American history, and both ended in defeat for the US.

The Vietnam War lasted from 1955 to 1975, while the War in Afghanistan lasted from 2001 to 2021. Both wars were fought against communist forces, and both ended with the US withdrawing its troops and the fall of the US-backed government.

In Vietnam, the US-backed South Vietnam fell to the communist North in 1975, two years after the US withdrew its troops. Similarly, in Afghanistan, the US-backed government collapsed in 2021, just weeks after the US completed its withdrawal.

The US suffered heavy casualties in both wars. In Vietnam, more than 58,000 Americans were killed, while in Afghanistan, around 2,400 American soldiers lost their lives.

The Vietnam War was a flashpoint of the Cold War, with the US seeking to contain the spread of communism. In Afghanistan, the US invaded following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which were carried out by Al-Qaeda, a group that operated from Afghanistan.

Both wars were also marked by failed strategies and miscalculations. In Vietnam, the US pursued a strategy of attrition, which failed to defeat the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces. In Afghanistan, the US-backed Afghan forces collapsed quickly, despite billions of dollars in military aid and two decades of US involvement.

The end of both wars also saw chaotic evacuations, with desperate civilians rushing to airports and embassies in an attempt to escape. The fall of Saigon in 1975 and the fall of Kabul in 2021 evoked similar images of people clinging to departing planes and helicopters.

The US withdrawal from Afghanistan, in particular, has been criticised for being poorly planned and executed, with the Taliban taking control of the country far quicker than anticipated.

While there are similarities between the two wars, there are also important differences. Vietnam was a larger and bloodier conflict, with nearly 60,000 American deaths compared to around 2,400 in Afghanistan. Vietnam also had a greater impact on American society and culture, with widespread protests and a strong anti-war movement.

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