The French Indochina War ended in 1954, when the French realized they would never be able to completely defeat the communist forces. Vietnam was divided into North Vietnam, which was communist-run, and South Vietnam, which was a pro-western republic. The DMZ was the strip of land between the two, attempting to create a buffer between the two hostile states. It didn't last long. By 1956, communists in South Vietnam were attempting to overthrow the government with the North's help. The Americans started pouring resources – and eventually troops – into the area. The bloody and devastating Vietnam War