World War II vs. Vietnam WarThe United States has faced many conflicts throughout its history. World War II and the Vietnam War were two of the many wars in which the United States participated. World War II began from September 1, 1939 to 1945, when 1.5 million German soldiers invaded Poland. Germany's superior air power and technologically advanced armored and motorized divisions overwhelmed the Polish forces ("World War II, United States History in Context" 1). “On September 20, Poland was invaded by the German Blitzkreig (lightning war)” (World War II, US History in Context 1). The United States did not officially enter the war until December 7, 1941, when the Japanese bombed the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The next day, Congress declared war on Japan (“World War II…” 1). The Vietnam War was a continuation of the Indochina War of 1946-1954. The United States first became involved in Vietnam in 1957 and lasted until the spring of 1975. The Vietnam War began as a battle against the U.S.-backed Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) and the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam), according to The Dictionary of American History. The United States supported South Vietnam's anticommunism (Cosma 1). This led the United States and France to join forces to defeat Vietnamese communist leader Ho Chi Minh (Buzzanco 1). Although both conflicts involved the United States, the Vietnam War and World War II can be compared and contrasted by their political, military, economic, and international factors. World War II and the Vietnam War are very different when it comes to their political factors. . For example, during World War II, two presidents actively contributed to the war's goals. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was in the middle of paper...... 2014. “Vietnam War. » Gale Encyclopedia of US Economic History. Ed. Thomas Carson and Mary Bonk. Detroit: Gale, 1999. United States History in Context. April 29, 2014. “Vietnam War.” International Encyclopedia of Social Sciences. Ed. William A. Darity, Jr. 2nd ed. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2008. 617. World History in Context. Web. April 30, 2014. “Women in World War II.” » Women in America, CT: Primary Source Media, 1999. American Journey in Context. “World War II.” Gale Encyclopedia of United States Economic History. Ed Thomas Carson and Mary Bonk: Gale, 1999. United States History in Context, April 29, 2014. Violence in America. Ed. Ronald Gottesman and Richard Maxwell Brown. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1999. United States History in Context. Internet. April 30. 2014.