Proxy wars in Korea and Vietnam were largely driven by the Cold War rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union. In Korea, the division of the country into North and South following World War II led to a conflict between communist and non-communist forces. The Korean War lasted from 1950 to 1953 and resulted in significant loss of life and destruction. Similarly, in Vietnam, the North Vietnamese communist forces, supported by the Soviet Union and China, fought against the South Vietnamese government, backed by the United States. The Vietnam War, which lasted from 1955 to 1975, also had devastating consequences for the people of Vietnam, as well as for American soldiers and for the region as a whole.
