In December 1972, waves of B-52s struck Hanoi for 11 consecutive days. 15 bombers were shot down. North Vietnam returned to the peace table within weeks. Here is what those 11 days actually looked like.

'The night Hanoi shook': What 3,000 B-52 sorties In 11 days did to Vietnam and to the war

By December 1972, the Vietnam War had dragged on for over a decade. Peace negotiations in Paris had stalled. North Vietnam was refusing to make concessions. President Richard Nixon ordered what would become the most concentrated strategic bombing campaign since the Allied raids over Germany and Japan in World War II: Operation Linebacker II. The weapon of choice was the B-52 Stratofortress, and the target was the heart of North Vietnam — Hanoi and the port city of Haiphong.&nbsp;The Scale Of The Assault&nbsp;Over 11 consecutive nights, from December 18 to December 29, 1972, the US Air Force flew 729 B-52 sorties over North Vietnam. The bombers dropped more than 15,000 tons of ordnance on 18 industrial targets and 14 military installations, including surface-to-air missile sites, railway yards, power plants, and communications facilities. Fighter-bombers added another 5,000 tons of bombs to the total. The campaign was not a gradual escalation — it was an overwhelming, concentrated assault designed to break North Vietnam's resistance at the negotiating table.&nbsp;1,240 Missiles Fired At Them&nbsp;North Vietnam's air defence network responded with everything it had. Over the 11 nights of Linebacker II, North Vietnamese forces fired approximately 1,240 surface-to-air missiles — primarily Soviet-supplied SA-2 Guideline missiles — at the incoming B-52 formations. The sky over Hanoi during these raids was described by surviving crew members as a wall of explosions, with SAM contrails, anti-aircraft fire, and debris filling the airspace. Despite heavy electronic countermeasures and fighter escorts, 15 B-52 bombers were shot down — a loss rate of just under two per cent, but each loss meant an entire crew of six was killed, captured, or listed as missing.&nbsp;The Human Cost&nbsp;Of the 92 B-52 crew members involved in aircraft losses during Linebacker II, 26 were recovered by rescue teams, 33 were captured and became prisoners of war, 25 were listed as missing in action, and eight were killed or later died of wounds. For the crews who survived, the experience of flying through what many described as the most intense air defence environment since World War II left a lasting mark. Several crews flew multiple missions over consecutive nights, knowing that the SAM threat was not diminishing — North Vietnam was receiving fresh missile supplies throughout the campaign.&nbsp;The Result&nbsp;Linebacker II achieved its strategic objective. The scale of destruction inflicted on North Vietnam's military and industrial infrastructure — combined with the sheer intensity of the bombing — brought Hanoi back to the negotiating table. The Paris Peace Accords were signed on January 27, 1973, just four weeks after the bombing ended. American prisoners of war began returning home in February. The campaign remains one of the most debated operations in American military history — praised by some as the use of force that finally ended the war, condemned by others for the civilian casualties and destruction it caused. What is not debated is the scale of what the B-52 crews endured: 11 nights, 729 sorties, 1,240 missiles, and 15 bombers lost over the skies of Hanoi.

In December 1972, 729 B-52 sorties dropped 15,000 tons of bombs on Hanoi while North Vietnam fired 1,240 SAMs at them. 15 B-52s were shot down. It ended the Vietnam War.

By December 1972, the Vietnam War had dragged on for over a decade. Peace negotiations in Paris had stalled. North Vietnam was refusing to make concessions. President Richard Nixon ordered what would become the most concentrated strategic bombing campaign since the Allied raids over Germany and Japan in World War II: Operation Linebacker II. The weapon of choice was the B-52 Stratofortress, and the target was the heart of North Vietnam — Hanoi and the port city of Haiphong. The Scale Of The Assault Over 11 consecutive nights, from December 18 to December 29, 1972, the US Air Force flew 729 B-52 sorties over North Vietnam. The bombers dropped more than 15,000 tons of ordnance on 18 industrial targets and 14 military installations, including surface-to-air missile sites, railway yards, power plants, and communications facilities. Fighter-bombers added another 5,000 tons of bombs to the total. The campaign was not a gradual escalation — it was an overwhelming, concentrated assault designed to break North Vietnam's resistance at the negotiating table. 1,240 Missiles Fired At Them North Vietnam's air defence network responded with everything it had. Over the 11 nights of Linebacker II, North Vietnamese forces fired approximately 1,240 surface-to-air missiles — primarily Soviet-supplied SA-2 Guideline missiles — at the incoming B-52 formations. The sky over Hanoi during these raids was described by surviving crew members as a wall of explosions, with SAM contrails, anti-aircraft fire, and debris filling the airspace. Despite heavy electronic countermeasures and fighter escorts, 15 B-52 bombers were shot down — a loss rate of just under two per cent, but each loss meant an entire crew of six was killed, captured, or listed as missing. The Human Cost Of the 92 B-52 crew members involved in aircraft losses during Linebacker II, 26 were recovered by rescue teams, 33 were captured and became prisoners of war, 25 were listed as missing in action, and eight were killed or later died of wounds. For the crews who survived, the experience of flying through what many described as the most intense air defence environment since World War II left a lasting mark. Several crews flew multiple missions over consecutive nights, knowing that the SAM threat was not diminishing — North Vietnam was receiving fresh missile supplies throughout the campaign. The Result Linebacker II achieved its strategic objective. The scale of destruction inflicted on North Vietnam's military and industrial infrastructure — combined with the sheer intensity of the bombing — brought Hanoi back to the negotiating table. The Paris Peace Accords were signed on January 27, 1973, just four weeks after the bombing ended. American prisoners of war began returning home in February. The campaign remains one of the most debated operations in American military history — praised by some as the use of force that finally ended the war, condemned by others for the civilian casualties and destruction it caused. What is not debated is the scale of what the B-52 crews endured: 11 nights, 729 sorties, 1,240 missiles, and 15 bombers lost over the skies of Hanoi.

In December 1972, the US Air Force sent wave after wave of B-52 bombers over Hanoi in what became the most intense strategic bombing campaign since World War II.&nbsp;

'11 nights, 729 sorties, 1,240 missiles fired': The B-52's most brutal mission was over Hanoi

On the night of December 18, 1972, a formation of B-52D Stratofortress bombers was approaching Hanoi as part of Operation Linebacker II, the massive, 11-night bombing campaign that would become the most intense strategic air assault since World War II. North Vietnamese air defences were firing surface-to-air missiles in enormous volumes. And somewhere in the darkness, a supersonic MiG-21 interceptor was moving into attack position behind a B-52D with the call sign Brown 3.&nbsp;The Kill That Made History&nbsp;Staff Sergeant Samuel Olin Turner was the tail gunner aboard Brown 3, B-52D serial number 56-676. His station was at the very rear of the aircraft, behind the bomb bay, behind the crew compartment, isolated in a small turret with a set of .50-calibre machine guns and a radar scope. Turner detected the approaching MiG-21 on his fire-control radar as it closed in from below and behind. When the fighter entered firing range, Turner opened up. His rounds struck the rear of the MiG, which exploded in a fireball. Turner was awarded the Silver Star for the engagement and became the first B-52 gunner in history to be officially credited with shooting down an enemy aircraft and the first American aerial gunner to score a kill since the Korean War.&nbsp;Six Days Later, It Happened Again&nbsp;On December 24, 1972, Christmas Eve, Airman First Class Albert E. Moore, a tail gunner aboard another B-52D during the same Linebacker II campaign, scored a second confirmed kill against a MiG-21 under similar circumstances. Moore's kill made him the second and final B-52 gunner to shoot down an enemy fighter. Between them, Turner and Moore hold a distinction that no one will ever share: they scored the last two aerial gunner kills in American military history.&nbsp;The End Of An Era&nbsp;For decades, bombers had carried defensive gun positions, turrets manned by gunners whose job was to fend off attacking fighters. It was a role that defined bomber combat from World War II through Korea and into Vietnam. But by the late 1970s and 1980s, the nature of air combat had changed. Fighters attacked with missiles from ranges far beyond what a machine gun could reach. Surface-to-air missiles, not enemy fighters, had become the primary threat to bombers. The US Air Force eventually removed the tail gun systems from its B-52H fleet entirely, replacing the gunner's station with electronic countermeasures equipment. The position of tail gunner, one of the most dangerous and iconic roles in military aviation, was eliminated for good.&nbsp;What Turner And Moore Represent&nbsp;Turner and Moore did not just score aerial victories. They closed a chapter of air warfare that had begun over the trenches of World War I, when gunners first fired at enemy aircraft from the back of biplanes. From open cockpit machine guns to powered turrets on B-17s and B-29s over Germany and Japan, to the final radar-guided bursts from the tail of a B-52 over Hanoi, the role of the bomber gunner spanned the entire history of aerial combat and ended on a Christmas Eve night over North Vietnam in 1972.

In December 1972, two Btail gunners shot down MiG-21s over Hanoi — the last aerial gunner kills in American history. The tail guns were later removed for good.

On the night of December 18, 1972, a formation of B-52D Stratofortress bombers was approaching Hanoi as part of Operation Linebacker II, the massive, 11-night bombing campaign that would become the most intense strategic air assault since World War II. North Vietnamese air defences were firing surface-to-air missiles in enormous volumes. And somewhere in the darkness, a supersonic MiG-21 interceptor was moving into attack position behind a B-52D with the call sign Brown 3. The Kill That Made History Staff Sergeant Samuel Olin Turner was the tail gunner aboard Brown 3, B-52D serial number 56-676. His station was at the very rear of the aircraft, behind the bomb bay, behind the crew compartment, isolated in a small turret with a set of .50-calibre machine guns and a radar scope. Turner detected the approaching MiG-21 on his fire-control radar as it closed in from below and behind. When the fighter entered firing range, Turner opened up. His rounds struck the rear of the MiG, which exploded in a fireball. Turner was awarded the Silver Star for the engagement and became the first B-52 gunner in history to be officially credited with shooting down an enemy aircraft and the first American aerial gunner to score a kill since the Korean War. Six Days Later, It Happened Again On December 24, 1972, Christmas Eve, Airman First Class Albert E. Moore, a tail gunner aboard another B-52D during the same Linebacker II campaign, scored a second confirmed kill against a MiG-21 under similar circumstances. Moore's kill made him the second and final B-52 gunner to shoot down an enemy fighter. Between them, Turner and Moore hold a distinction that no one will ever share: they scored the last two aerial gunner kills in American military history. The End Of An Era For decades, bombers had carried defensive gun positions, turrets manned by gunners whose job was to fend off attacking fighters. It was a role that defined bomber combat from World War II through Korea and into Vietnam. But by the late 1970s and 1980s, the nature of air combat had changed. Fighters attacked with missiles from ranges far beyond what a machine gun could reach. Surface-to-air missiles, not enemy fighters, had become the primary threat to bombers. The US Air Force eventually removed the tail gun systems from its B-52H fleet entirely, replacing the gunner's station with electronic countermeasures equipment. The position of tail gunner, one of the most dangerous and iconic roles in military aviation, was eliminated for good. What Turner And Moore Represent Turner and Moore did not just score aerial victories. They closed a chapter of air warfare that had begun over the trenches of World War I, when gunners first fired at enemy aircraft from the back of biplanes. From open cockpit machine guns to powered turrets on B-17s and B-29s over Germany and Japan, to the final radar-guided bursts from the tail of a B-52 over Hanoi, the role of the bomber gunner spanned the entire history of aerial combat and ended on a Christmas Eve night over North Vietnam in 1972.

On December 18, 1972, Staff Sergeant Samuel Turner became the first B-52 gunner to shoot down an enemy fighter, a supersonic MiG-21, over Hanoi. Six days later, Airman Albert Moore scored the second.&nbsp;

'B-52 vs MiG-21': How a bomber shot down a fighter jet?

William Calley, a former US Army officer and convicted mass murderer who was the face of My Lai massacre during Vietnam War, has died at the age of 80. He was considered the face of My Lai massacre, one of the most horrible&nbsp;episodes in America's futile invasion of Vietnam at the height of Cold War in the 1960s.

Calley died on Sunday (July 28) after leading a relatively obscure life since being released from house arrest in the 1970s. Here is the story of My Lai massacre, and the only man held accountable for it.

<h2>What was My Lai massacre?</h2>

My Lai massacre, which took place on&nbsp;16 March 1968, was one of the biggest killings carried out by the US Army during the Vietnam War. At least 504 people were killed in two places My Lai and My Khe in southern Vietnam, according to Vietnamese records while the US recorded 347 killings, only in My Lai. 
 
William Calley was the only American convicted in the massacre, which is considered a war crime.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/my-lai-massacre-photographer-laments-us-carnage-fifty-years-on-36082" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/my-lai-massacre-photographer-laments-us-carnage-fifty-years-on-36082&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiPq6G3_M2HAxVWR2wGHZgIHQ4QFnoECAAQAg&amp;usg=AOvVaw2tEE4fjH6fmK3fwZ6-m3EM&amp;arm=e" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/my-lai-massacre-photographer-laments-us-carnage-fifty-years-on-36082" target="_blank">My Lai massacre photographer laments US 'carnage' fifty years on</a>

During the massacre, scores of innocent civilians were shot down in the Son Tinh district and their homes burnt by the American forces.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Many of the My Lai massacre victims were women and children. It is estimated that out of the 504 killed, there were 282 women including 17 who were pregnant, 173 children including 53 infants and 60 elederly men.

<h2>Who was William Calley?</h2>

William Laws Calley Jr, the Florida native was the only American army officer convicted for the My Lai massacre.&nbsp;

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Born in Miami in 1943, Calley started his military career after basic combat training, and was soon deployed in Vietnam in 1967. He was considered an average officer who could not even read maps. He was involved in fights with fellow soldiers, as per records, including one with US Marines in which shots were fired.

<h2>The My Lai Murder trial of William Calley</h2>

The murders came to light after being concealed from the world for 13 months, when the GI Ron Ridenhour described it in his letters to&nbsp;the US president and the top army brass the atrocities committed by the US troops in Vietnam. After an investigation, Calley was put to trial. 
 
Initially during the trial, Calley claimed that the deaths in My Lai were a result of an air strike. Soon, with more testimonies against him, Calley was charged for murdering 109 South Vietnamese people, but was eventually convicted for only 22 murders.&nbsp;

Calley told the court that he had instructions to shoot everyone in the village, as they were all part of the rebel militia, Viet Cong.

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Calley was sentenced to life in prison for 22 counts of premeditated murder and assault with intent to commit murder. But his sentence was commuted twice, to 20 years first and then to 10 years. It was then commuted to three years of house arrest by then president Richard Nixon. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

William Calley, a former US Army officer and convicted mass murderer who was the face of My Lai massacre during Vietnam War, has died at the age of 80. He was considered the face of My Lai massacre, one of the most horrible episodes in America's futile invasion of Vietnam at the height of Cold War in the 1960s.

William Calley, a former US Army officer and convicted mass murderer who was the face of My Lai massacre during Vietnam War, has died at the age of 80. He was considered the face of My Lai massacre, one of the most horrible episodes in America's futile invasion of Vietnam at the height of Cold War in the 1960s. Calley died on Sunday (July 28) after leading a relatively obscure life since being released from house arrest in the 1970s. Here is the story of My Lai massacre, and the only man held accountable for it. What was My Lai massacre? My Lai massacre, which took place on 16 March 1968, was one of the biggest killings carried out by the US Army during the Vietnam War. At least 504 people were killed in two places My Lai and My Khe in southern Vietnam, according to Vietnamese records while the US recorded 347 killings, only in My Lai. William Calley was the only American convicted in the massacre, which is considered a war crime. Also read: My Lai massacre photographer laments US 'carnage' fifty years on During the massacre, scores of innocent civilians were shot down in the Son Tinh district and their homes burnt by the American forces. Many of the My Lai massacre victims were women and children. It is estimated that out of the 504 killed, there were 282 women including 17 who were pregnant, 173 children including 53 infants and 60 elederly men. Who was William Calley? William Laws Calley Jr, the Florida native was the only American army officer convicted for the My Lai massacre. Also read: Venezuelans clash with police following disputed election results Born in Miami in 1943, Calley started his military career after basic combat training, and was soon deployed in Vietnam in 1967. He was considered an average officer who could not even read maps. He was involved in fights with fellow soldiers, as per records, including one with US Marines in which shots were fired. The My Lai Murder trial of William Calley The murders came to light after being concealed from the world for 13 months, when the GI Ron Ridenhour described it in his letters to the US president and the top army brass the atrocities committed by the US troops in Vietnam. After an investigation, Calley was put to trial. Initially during the trial, Calley claimed that the deaths in My Lai were a result of an air strike. Soon, with more testimonies against him, Calley was charged for murdering 109 South Vietnamese people, but was eventually convicted for only 22 murders. Calley told the court that he had instructions to shoot everyone in the village, as they were all part of the rebel militia, Viet Cong. Also read: Teen arrested after stabbing incident in UK's Southport; two children killed Calley was sentenced to life in prison for 22 counts of premeditated murder and assault with intent to commit murder. But his sentence was commuted twice, to 20 years first and then to 10 years. It was then commuted to three years of house arrest by then president Richard Nixon. (With inputs from agencies)

Who was William Calley, the only US Army officer convicted of My Lai massacre during Vietnam War?

In a landmark judgement, a court in Seoul ruled on Tuesday that South Korea was&nbsp; responsible&nbsp;for the Vietnam War massacre. The court held the South Korean government accountable for the&nbsp;massacre committed by its soldiers and also ordered them to pay compensation.&nbsp;

The Vietnam War was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, which started in 1955 and ended with the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. Reports and records of the casualties of the Vietnam War vary widely, but it is said that around 2,000,000 civilians on both sides lost their lives.&nbsp;

South Korea sent its troops to support America, which had entered the Vietnam War in an attempt to prevent the spread of communism. In a report by The New York Times, it was mentioned that South Korea sent 320,000 troops to Vietnam. It was the largest foreign contingent fighting alongside American forces in the war.&nbsp;

Although, Seoul denies allegations,&nbsp;rumours have persisted that South Korean marines were accused of killing around 70 civilians during a raid on February 12, 1968.&nbsp;

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The case was brought to court in Seoul by a Vietnamese woman who survived the massacre. Nguyen Thi Thanh, who was injured in the raid and lost her family, including her mother, filed a lawsuit in 2020. Thanh, who is now 62 years old, sought compensation from the South Korean government.&nbsp;

Seoul's Central District Court has ruled that Thanh should be compensated with $23,800, plus interest, for the mass killings in the town of Phong Nhi in Vietnam's central Quang Nam province.&nbsp;

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In a landmark judgement, a court in Seoul ruled on Tuesday that South Korea was responsible for the Vietnam War massacre. The court held the South Korean government accountable for the massacre committed by its soldiers and also ordered them to pay compensation.

In a landmark judgement, a court in Seoul ruled on Tuesday that South Korea was responsible for the Vietnam War massacre. The court held the South Korean government accountable for the massacre committed by its soldiers and also ordered them to pay compensation. The Vietnam War was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, which started in 1955 and ended with the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. Reports and records of the casualties of the Vietnam War vary widely, but it is said that around 2,000,000 civilians on both sides lost their lives. South Korea sent its troops to support America, which had entered the Vietnam War in an attempt to prevent the spread of communism. In a report by The New York Times, it was mentioned that South Korea sent 320,000 troops to Vietnam. It was the largest foreign contingent fighting alongside American forces in the war. Although, Seoul denies allegations, rumours have persisted that South Korean marines were accused of killing around 70 civilians during a raid on February 12, 1968. WATCH | WION Pitstop: Ultraviolette F77 electric sports bike review × The case was brought to court in Seoul by a Vietnamese woman who survived the massacre. Nguyen Thi Thanh, who was injured in the raid and lost her family, including her mother, filed a lawsuit in 2020. Thanh, who is now 62 years old, sought compensation from the South Korean government. Seoul's Central District Court has ruled that Thanh should be compensated with $23,800, plus interest, for the mass killings in the town of Phong Nhi in Vietnam's central Quang Nam province. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Seoul court holds South Korea responsible for Vietnam War massacre, orders it to pay compensation

Kim Phuc Phan Thi, the Vietnamese woman whose photo as a girl burnt and screaming in pain became the symbol of Vietnamese war repercussions, had her final skin treatment 50 years after the iconic image was taken.

In 1972, an image of then nine-year-old Kim Phuc Phan Thi running down a road unclothed and screaming in agony after napalm was dropped by a South Vietnamese Skyraider attack aircraft, made waves around the world.

Nick Ut, the photographer who captured the image in June 1972, drove her away to find medical treatment.

The picture won a Pulitzer Prize for the Associated Press photographer. The incident also earned her the nickname "Napalm Girl".

She eventually recovered from her injuries and lived in Vietnam until 1992 before moving to Canada with her husband, where she still lives. But she continued to live with pain and limited movement.

This week, the 59-year-old woman had her 12th and final round of laser treatment on her torso at the Miami Dermatology and Laser Institute, NBC 6 South Florida reported.

Following the surgery, she also met the photographer, whom she credits with saving her life.

“Now 50 years later, I am no longer a victim of war, I am not the Napalm girl, now I am a friend, am a helper, I'm a grandmother and now I am a survivor calling out for peace," Phan Thi told CBS last month.

She said she wished everyone could “live with love, hope and forgiveness, and if everyone can learn to live like that we don’t need war at all”.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Kim Phuc Phan Thi, the Vietnamese woman whose photo as a girl burnt and screaming in pain became the symbol of Vietnamese war repercussions, had her final skin treatment 50 years after the iconic image was taken.

Kim Phuc Phan Thi, the Vietnamese woman whose photo as a girl burnt and screaming in pain became the symbol of Vietnamese war repercussions, had her final skin treatment 50 years after the iconic image was taken. In 1972, an image of then nine-year-old Kim Phuc Phan Thi running down a road unclothed and screaming in agony after napalm was dropped by a South Vietnamese Skyraider attack aircraft, made waves around the world. Nick Ut, the photographer who captured the image in June 1972, drove her away to find medical treatment. The picture won a Pulitzer Prize for the Associated Press photographer. The incident also earned her the nickname "Napalm Girl". She eventually recovered from her injuries and lived in Vietnam until 1992 before moving to Canada with her husband, where she still lives. But she continued to live with pain and limited movement. This week, the 59-year-old woman had her 12th and final round of laser treatment on her torso at the Miami Dermatology and Laser Institute, NBC 6 South Florida reported. Following the surgery, she also met the photographer, whom she credits with saving her life. “Now 50 years later, I am no longer a victim of war, I am not the Napalm girl, now I am a friend, am a helper, I'm a grandmother and now I am a survivor calling out for peace," Phan Thi told CBS last month. She said she wished everyone could “live with love, hope and forgiveness, and if everyone can learn to live like that we don’t need war at all”. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Vietnam war’s 'Napalm Girl' receives final burns treatment, 50 years after iconic image

August 11 in history: Race riots in Los Angeles, Osama Bin Laden forms Al-Qaeda and more

Eleven soldiers are dead and a frantic search is under way for 11 others after a huge landslide hit central Vietnam on Sunday, as the country battles its worst flooding in years.

Heavy rain has pounded the region for more than a week and at least 64 people have been killed in floods and landslides, according to Vietnam's disaster management authority, with concerns mounting that waters could rise further.

Rocks rained down on the barracks of a military station in Quang Tri province, with 22 soldiers believed to have been buried underneath thick mud, an official government website said.

"From 2am, there have been four to five landslides, exploding like bombs and it feels like the whole mountain is about to collapse," said local official Ha Ngoc Duong, according to the VnExpress news site.

Lieutenant General Phan Van Giang, the army's chief of general staff, warned there could be further landslides in the area and said rescuers needed to find a safer way to access the site.

Eleven bodies have been recovered so far, the government said.

It comes just days after 13 members of a rescue team were found dead after a failed attempt to save workers from a hydropower plant engulfed by a landslide.

The bodies of two employees at the plant have been found but 15 are still missing.

River levels in Quang Tri had reached their highest in two decades, state media said. The disaster management authority raised its risk alert warning to the second highest level on Sunday, warning of further flooding and landslides.

Vietnam is prone to natural disasters and regularly suffers more than a dozen storms each year, often bringing flooding and landslides.

More than 130 people were reported dead or missing in natural disasters around the country last year, the General Statistics Office said.

Cambodia has also been hit by heavy flooding and the death toll there jumped to 20 on Saturday, including six children, according to disaster management authorities.

Eleven soldiers are dead and a frantic search is under way for 11 others after a huge landslide hit central Vietnam on Sunday, as the country battles its worst flooding in years.

Eleven soldiers are dead and a frantic search is under way for 11 others after a huge landslide hit central Vietnam on Sunday, as the country battles its worst flooding in years. Heavy rain has pounded the region for more than a week and at least 64 people have been killed in floods and landslides, according to Vietnam's disaster management authority, with concerns mounting that waters could rise further. Rocks rained down on the barracks of a military station in Quang Tri province, with 22 soldiers believed to have been buried underneath thick mud, an official government website said. "From 2am, there have been four to five landslides, exploding like bombs and it feels like the whole mountain is about to collapse," said local official Ha Ngoc Duong, according to the VnExpress news site. Lieutenant General Phan Van Giang, the army's chief of general staff, warned there could be further landslides in the area and said rescuers needed to find a safer way to access the site. Eleven bodies have been recovered so far, the government said. It comes just days after 13 members of a rescue team were found dead after a failed attempt to save workers from a hydropower plant engulfed by a landslide. The bodies of two employees at the plant have been found but 15 are still missing. River levels in Quang Tri had reached their highest in two decades, state media said. The disaster management authority raised its risk alert warning to the second highest level on Sunday, warning of further flooding and landslides. Vietnam is prone to natural disasters and regularly suffers more than a dozen storms each year, often bringing flooding and landslides. More than 130 people were reported dead or missing in natural disasters around the country last year, the General Statistics Office said. Cambodia has also been hit by heavy flooding and the death toll there jumped to 20 on Saturday, including six children, according to disaster management authorities.

Eleven soldiers dead, 11 missing in Vietnam after second big landslide in days

It has been around four decades since 'the war in the jungle' ended in the favour of the Vietnamese, with American troops on the retreat. So many years on, it seems that the Americans are back in the jungle.

But this time, it's not fresh troops right out of boot camp, but the same soldiers who fought so many years ago. They're back as senior citizens armed, not with M16s, but with their pension funds.

<img alt="Vietnam" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="78ced9a9-1fd2-4b77-98e8-bcaa1fcfe3de" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%281%29_39.jpg" />

A man installs a Christmas decoration featuring Santa Claus in a pond outside the Phu My church in Hanoi on December 24, 2019. (AFP Photo)

Washington DC had decided to fight their ideological enemy which was embodied in the communist dictator - Ho Chi Minh, ruling in Hanoi. The socialist system in Vietnam back then encompassed everything that the capitalist system in America despised.

However, data shows that more and more American war veterans and pensioners are deciding to settle offshores, with the main reason being the cost of living. The socialist system in such countries ensures healthcare at minimal or reasonable costs, and their increasing standard of living suits the comfort that the pensioners would seek in America.

<img alt="Vietnam" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4c97c5a4-d853-4962-8a37-2c899aa9291b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%284%29_13.jpg" /> 
 
A resident poses with a flower installation ahead of the 2020 new year, in Hanoi on December 30, 2019. &nbsp;(AFP Photo)

With "high-quality healthcare, good roads, and modern conveniences", Vietnam was rated among the top-10 nations to retire abroad by an international magazine in its annual global retirement index.

The low cost of living also added to Vietnam's charm with friendly people and affordable luxuries. The survey found the country to be a great travel hub with several international flights connecting with the country. 
 
<img alt="Vietnam" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f985014c-7df1-4095-b093-951ae93a44b0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%283%29_26.jpg" />

A woman takes a selfie outside the late 19th-century St. Joseph's cathedral in the old quarters of Hanoi during Christmas eve on December 24, 2019. (AFP Photo)

There are 'humane' reasons as well which explain why so many pensioners are deciding to shift their lives abroad. While some come for the adventure and the fun element of living in another part of the world, others come for the emotional attachment they may have developed.

Many US war veterans felt a certain degree of emotional attachment to the land and the jungles in which they fought, which had a huge impact on their lives. This feeling was motivated by the benefits they would gain by simply settling down.

The many war veterans who have returned to Vietnam have settled down to live happy lives here. Some say that the people of Vietnam have accepted them, and pay more respect to the veterans than their American citizens ever did.

"Here I found, more or less, peace with myself. Sometimes I go to a place where we used to fight. What was chaos and destruction at the time, is now a hopeful place full of life" said on veteran, who now lives in Vietnam.

It has been around four decades since 'the war in the jungle' ended in the favour of the Vietnamese, with American troops on the retreat. So many years on, it seems that the Americans are back in the jungle.

It has been around four decades since 'the war in the jungle' ended in the favour of the Vietnamese, with American troops on the retreat. So many years on, it seems that the Americans are back in the jungle. But this time, it's not fresh troops right out of boot camp, but the same soldiers who fought so many years ago. They're back as senior citizens armed, not with M16s, but with their pension funds. A man installs a Christmas decoration featuring Santa Claus in a pond outside the Phu My church in Hanoi on December 24, 2019. (AFP Photo) Washington DC had decided to fight their ideological enemy which was embodied in the communist dictator - Ho Chi Minh, ruling in Hanoi. The socialist system in Vietnam back then encompassed everything that the capitalist system in America despised. However, data shows that more and more American war veterans and pensioners are deciding to settle offshores, with the main reason being the cost of living. The socialist system in such countries ensures healthcare at minimal or reasonable costs, and their increasing standard of living suits the comfort that the pensioners would seek in America. A resident poses with a flower installation ahead of the 2020 new year, in Hanoi on December 30, 2019. (AFP Photo) With "high-quality healthcare, good roads, and modern conveniences", Vietnam was rated among the top-10 nations to retire abroad by an international magazine in its annual global retirement index. The low cost of living also added to Vietnam's charm with friendly people and affordable luxuries. The survey found the country to be a great travel hub with several international flights connecting with the country. A woman takes a selfie outside the late 19th-century St. Joseph's cathedral in the old quarters of Hanoi during Christmas eve on December 24, 2019. (AFP Photo) There are 'humane' reasons as well which explain why so many pensioners are deciding to shift their lives abroad. While some come for the adventure and the fun element of living in another part of the world, others come for the emotional attachment they may have developed. Many US war veterans felt a certain degree of emotional attachment to the land and the jungles in which they fought, which had a huge impact on their lives. This feeling was motivated by the benefits they would gain by simply settling down. The many war veterans who have returned to Vietnam have settled down to live happy lives here. Some say that the people of Vietnam have accepted them, and pay more respect to the veterans than their American citizens ever did. "Here I found, more or less, peace with myself. Sometimes I go to a place where we used to fight. What was chaos and destruction at the time, is now a hopeful place full of life" said on veteran, who now lives in Vietnam.

Americans back in Vietnam — this time armed with pension funds

The Intrepid Museum In New York City Is A Military History Museum, It Showcases USS Intrepid Aircraft Carrier Used In WW-2 & Vietnam War.

Gravitas US edition: Inside the Intrepid Museum in New York

US President Donald Trump said Friday he was considering granting a posthumous pardon to late boxing great Muhammad Ali, who refused military service during the Vietnam War.

Ali, who died in 2016, was convicted of draft evasion in 1967 and sentenced to five years in prison, but the conviction was overturned on appeal by the US Supreme Court in 1971.

"I'm thinking about Muhammad Ali. I'm thinking about that seriously. And some others and some folks whose have sentences that aren't fair," Trump told reporters at the White House as he was leaving for a G7 summit in Canada.

Trump described Ali as "not very popular" at the time of his refusal to serve in the military during the Vietnam War.

But while controversial, Ali's resistance on grounds of conscience made him a hero of the US civil rights and anti-war movements during a highly polarized period in US history.

A charismatic champion who won his first world heavyweight title in 1964, Ali was banned from boxing for three years as a result of his conviction but went on to reclaim the championship in a stellar career that lived up to his boast of being "the Greatest."&nbsp

Muhammad Ali, who died in 2016, was convicted of draft evasion in 1967 and sentenced to five years in prison, but the conviction was overturned on appeal by the US Supreme Court in 1971

US President Donald Trump said Friday he was considering granting a posthumous pardon to late boxing great Muhammad Ali, who refused military service during the Vietnam War. Ali, who died in 2016, was convicted of draft evasion in 1967 and sentenced to five years in prison, but the conviction was overturned on appeal by the US Supreme Court in 1971. "I'm thinking about Muhammad Ali. I'm thinking about that seriously. And some others and some folks whose have sentences that aren't fair," Trump told reporters at the White House as he was leaving for a G7 summit in Canada. Trump described Ali as "not very popular" at the time of his refusal to serve in the military during the Vietnam War. But while controversial, Ali's resistance on grounds of conscience made him a hero of the US civil rights and anti-war movements during a highly polarized period in US history. A charismatic champion who won his first world heavyweight title in 1964, Ali was banned from boxing for three years as a result of his conviction but went on to reclaim the championship in a stellar career that lived up to his boast of being "the Greatest."

Trump mulling posthumous pardon for Muhammad Ali

In a post-war first, the United States is poised to send an aircraft carrier to Vietnam in March, officials of both sides said on Thursday, dramatic evidence of deepening military ties between them, more than four decades after the Vietnam War.

The announcement came during a two-day visit to Hanoi by US&nbsp;Defense Secretary Jim Mattis that had been expected to focus on shared concerns about China.

The proposed visit is set for March at the central port of Danang, Vietnam&#39;s defence ministry said in a statement. Such a visit by a US&nbsp;aircraft carrier could bring the most US&nbsp;forces to Vietnam since the conflict ended in 1975.

Mattis cheered the planned port visit during talks with Nguyen Phu Trong, the general secretary of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam.

&quot;Thank you for the increasing partnership, with our aircraft carrier coming into Danang here in March,&quot; Mattis said.

Captain Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, confirmed the carrier visit was discussed by Mattis and Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich, and Vietnam&#39;s defence ministry was seeking final approvals from national leaders.

&quot;We expect it will be approved,&quot; Davis said.

The arrival of a US aircraft carrier in Vietnam will be welcomed by an emerging network of countries that are nervously eyeing China&#39;s military rise, particularly its assertive stance and island-building activities in the South China Sea.

The busy waterway is a vital global trade route linking Northeast Asia with the Middle East and Europe.

In particular, the militaries of US, Japan, India and Australia are working more closely together as a &quot;quad&quot; of liberal democracies across what they now term the &quot;Indo-Pacific&quot; &ndash; moves driven by mistrust of China.

US&nbsp;Pacific Commander Admiral Harry Harris last week described China as a &quot;disruptive transitional force in the Indo-Pacific&quot; after meetings with Japanese and Indian military leaders in New Delhi.

India, Japan and Australia have all boosted military relations with Vietnam in recent years, with New Delhi providing advanced training for its emerging submarine forces and jet fighter pilots.&nbsp;

Backroom Diplomacy

Thursday&#39;s confirmation of the US&nbsp;aircraft carrier visit to Danang caps months of backroom military diplomacy between Hanoi and the Pentagon, diplomats said.

The prospect surfaced when US President Donald Trump met Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the White House last May, and talks continued when Vietnamese Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich met Mattis in Washington in August.

Vietnam&#39;s Deputy Defence Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh became the country&#39;s highest-ranking official to tour a US carrier when he led 11 Vietnamese officials to watch flight operations aboard the USS Carl Vinson off southern California last October, the US&nbsp;Navy said at the time.

Although no US&nbsp;aircraft carrier has been to Vietnam since the end of the war, other, smaller US&nbsp;warships have made high-level visits as ties improved in recent years.

That includes a 2016 visit by submarine tender USS Frank Cable and guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain to Cam Ranh Bay, which was a crucial logistics complex during the Vietnam War.

The planned carrier visit was &quot;highly significant&quot;, said Ian Storey, a South China Sea expert at the ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.

&quot;It is a potent symbol of the way the defence relationship has moved forward against the backdrop of China&#39;s rising power,&quot; Storey added.

Decades after the US&nbsp;war in Vietnam, ties between the United States and the Communist-ruled state are increasingly seen through shared concern over China&#39;s aggressive behaviour in the South China Sea, through which more than $3 trillion in cargo passes every year.

Vietnam has emerged as the most vocal opponent of China&#39;s territorial claims and has been buying US military hardware, such as an armed, Hamilton-class Coast Guard cutter.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

The ship, one US official said, was larger than anything Vietnam had in its navy.

&quot;(Vietnam) does have one of the region&#39;s fastest growing economies and so freedom of navigation and access in the South China Sea will be critical to them economically and of course in their security efforts,&quot; Mattis said before arrival on Wednesday.

US&nbsp;ties with Vietnam have developed significantly in the decades since they normalised ties in 1995. Still, there were vivid reminders of the history of conflict during Mattis&#39; visit.

That included a stop by Mattis on Tuesday to a US&nbsp;Defense Department office in Hanoi that seeks to recover the remains of US&nbsp;troops killed in the conflict.

About 1,293 US&nbsp;military personnel are still unaccounted for, a US&nbsp;official said.

In a post-war first, the United States is poised to send an aircraft carrier to Vietnam in March, officials of both sides said on Thursday, dramatic evidence of deepening military ties between them, more than four decades after the Vietnam War

In a post-war first, the United States is poised to send an aircraft carrier to Vietnam in March, officials of both sides said on Thursday, dramatic evidence of deepening military ties between them, more than four decades after the Vietnam War. The announcement came during a two-day visit to Hanoi by US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis that had been expected to focus on shared concerns about China. The proposed visit is set for March at the central port of Danang, Vietnam's defence ministry said in a statement. Such a visit by a US aircraft carrier could bring the most US forces to Vietnam since the conflict ended in 1975. Mattis cheered the planned port visit during talks with Nguyen Phu Trong, the general secretary of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam. "Thank you for the increasing partnership, with our aircraft carrier coming into Danang here in March," Mattis said. Captain Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, confirmed the carrier visit was discussed by Mattis and Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich, and Vietnam's defence ministry was seeking final approvals from national leaders. "We expect it will be approved," Davis said. The arrival of a US aircraft carrier in Vietnam will be welcomed by an emerging network of countries that are nervously eyeing China's military rise, particularly its assertive stance and island-building activities in the South China Sea. The busy waterway is a vital global trade route linking Northeast Asia with the Middle East and Europe. In particular, the militaries of US, Japan, India and Australia are working more closely together as a "quad" of liberal democracies across what they now term the "Indo-Pacific" – moves driven by mistrust of China. US Pacific Commander Admiral Harry Harris last week described China as a "disruptive transitional force in the Indo-Pacific" after meetings with Japanese and Indian military leaders in New Delhi. India, Japan and Australia have all boosted military relations with Vietnam in recent years, with New Delhi providing advanced training for its emerging submarine forces and jet fighter pilots. Backroom Diplomacy Thursday's confirmation of the US aircraft carrier visit to Danang caps months of backroom military diplomacy between Hanoi and the Pentagon, diplomats said. The prospect surfaced when US President Donald Trump met Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the White House last May, and talks continued when Vietnamese Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich met Mattis in Washington in August. Vietnam's Deputy Defence Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh became the country's highest-ranking official to tour a US carrier when he led 11 Vietnamese officials to watch flight operations aboard the USS Carl Vinson off southern California last October, the US Navy said at the time. Although no US aircraft carrier has been to Vietnam since the end of the war, other, smaller US warships have made high-level visits as ties improved in recent years. That includes a 2016 visit by submarine tender USS Frank Cable and guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain to Cam Ranh Bay, which was a crucial logistics complex during the Vietnam War. The planned carrier visit was "highly significant", said Ian Storey, a South China Sea expert at the ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore. "It is a potent symbol of the way the defence relationship has moved forward against the backdrop of China's rising power," Storey added. Decades after the US war in Vietnam, ties between the United States and the Communist-ruled state are increasingly seen through shared concern over China's aggressive behaviour in the South China Sea, through which more than $3 trillion in cargo passes every year. Vietnam has emerged as the most vocal opponent of China's territorial claims and has been buying US military hardware, such as an armed, Hamilton-class Coast Guard cutter. The ship, one US official said, was larger than anything Vietnam had in its navy. "(Vietnam) does have one of the region's fastest growing economies and so freedom of navigation and access in the South China Sea will be critical to them economically and of course in their security efforts," Mattis said before arrival on Wednesday. US ties with Vietnam have developed significantly in the decades since they normalised ties in 1995. Still, there were vivid reminders of the history of conflict during Mattis' visit. That included a stop by Mattis on Tuesday to a US Defense Department office in Hanoi that seeks to recover the remains of US troops killed in the conflict. About 1,293 US military personnel are still unaccounted for, a US official said.

US aircraft carrier to visit Vietnam in post-war first

The remains of the 33 Australian soldiers killed during the Vietnam War and buried in Malaysia and Singapore returned to rest in Australia today&nbsp;in one of the country&#39;s largest single repatriation operations.

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So now FTII students even have a problem with Tom Alter! He is no &#39;second rate actor&#39; nor a Modi bhakt. What is going on?
&mdash; Tavleen Singh (@tavleen_singh) <a href="https://twitter.com/tavleen_singh/status/738566820945240064">June 3, 2016</a></blockquote>
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The soldiers, who were buried overseas under an interment policy that was scrapped in 1966, were flown into a military airfield around 40 kms (24.85 miles) west of Sydney onboard two military transport jets.
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bthjkyHIdt0" width="100%"></iframe>

They were met by around 100 family members, veterans and dignitaries, including defence minister Marise Payne and governor-general Peter Cosgrove--&nbsp;a Vietnam veteran who now represents Australia&#39;s head of state, Britain&#39;s Queen Elizabeth.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
So now FTII students even have a problem with Tom Alter! He is no &#39;second rate actor&#39; nor a Modi bhakt. What is going on?
&mdash; Tavleen Singh (@tavleen_singh) <a href="https://twitter.com/tavleen_singh/status/738566820945240064">June 3, 2016</a></blockquote>
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A priest, accompanied by a Scottish piper, led the flag-draped coffins in a sombre procession from the lowered tail-section of the two C-17 transport planes and into a nearby hanger, where family members held a private ceremony.

The Australian government had last year announced that it would fund a repatriation programme for the fallen soldiers, following pressure from families and a public petition that drew more than 40,000 signatures.

For family members and veterans in attendance, it was a bittersweet moment of more than 50 years in the making.

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<h5>&quot;When I saw the smoke of the nose wheel of the second aircraft I thought, they&#39;re at home,&quot; - Vietnam veteran Lieutenant Colonel Ian Henderson</h5>
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<div class="share-blockquote"><a at="" class="twitter popup" home="" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=&quot;When I saw the smoke of the nose wheel of the second aircraft I thought, they" re="">&nbsp;</a></div>
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told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

&quot;The Army went to great lengths to discover those who had been missing in action, at great lengths to find their bodies a couple of years ago. This is right that this ought to happen and bring them back as they have.&quot;

<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/Aston%20Villa-20160603110230.jpg" /> 
 
More than 60,000 Australians served in Vietnam between 1962 and 1972. Over 500 Australians were killed during the war between the Soviet-backed Communist government of North Vietnam and South Vietnam&#39;s US-backed regime, which ceased to exist after the fall of Saigon in 1975.

After the private ceremony the coffins were loaded onto 10 hearses, which drove slowly under police escort down roads lined with men and women&nbsp;who had come out to pay their respects. 
 
&nbsp;
 <iframe src="https://cdn.knightlab.com/libs/timeline3/latest/embed/index.html?source=1xuY4upIooEeszZ_lCmeNx24eSFWe0rHe9ZdqH2xqVNk&amp;font=Default&amp;lang=en&amp;initial_zoom=2&amp;height=650" width="100%" height="650" frameborder="0"></iframe>

The individual remains will be buried privately by their families.

The soldiers were met by around 100 family members, veterans and dignitaries, including the defence minister and governor general of Australia

The remains of the 33 Australian soldiers killed during the Vietnam War and buried in Malaysia and Singapore returned to rest in Australia today in one of the country's largest single repatriation operations. So now FTII students even have a problem with Tom Alter! He is no 'second rate actor' nor a Modi bhakt. What is going on? — Tavleen Singh (@tavleen_singh) June 3, 2016 The soldiers, who were buried overseas under an interment policy that was scrapped in 1966, were flown into a military airfield around 40 kms (24.85 miles) west of Sydney onboard two military transport jets. They were met by around 100 family members, veterans and dignitaries, including defence minister Marise Payne and governor-general Peter Cosgrove-- a Vietnam veteran who now represents Australia's head of state, Britain's Queen Elizabeth. So now FTII students even have a problem with Tom Alter! He is no 'second rate actor' nor a Modi bhakt. What is going on? — Tavleen Singh (@tavleen_singh) June 3, 2016 A priest, accompanied by a Scottish piper, led the flag-draped coffins in a sombre procession from the lowered tail-section of the two C-17 transport planes and into a nearby hanger, where family members held a private ceremony. The Australian government had last year announced that it would fund a repatriation programme for the fallen soldiers, following pressure from families and a public petition that drew more than 40,000 signatures. For family members and veterans in attendance, it was a bittersweet moment of more than 50 years in the making. "When I saw the smoke of the nose wheel of the second aircraft I thought, they're at home," - Vietnam veteran Lieutenant Colonel Ian Henderson told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. "The Army went to great lengths to discover those who had been missing in action, at great lengths to find their bodies a couple of years ago. This is right that this ought to happen and bring them back as they have." More than 60,000 Australians served in Vietnam between 1962 and 1972. Over 500 Australians were killed during the war between the Soviet-backed Communist government of North Vietnam and South Vietnam's US-backed regime, which ceased to exist after the fall of Saigon in 1975. After the private ceremony the coffins were loaded onto 10 hearses, which drove slowly under police escort down roads lined with men and women who had come out to pay their respects. The individual remains will be buried privately by their families.

Australian soldiers killed in Vietnam War come home after five decades

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