The document discusses the Vietnam War between 1959-1975 when the US supported South Vietnam against North Vietnam and communist guerrilla forces. It notes that North Vietnam's leader, Ho Chi Minh, employed guerrilla tactics learned from Mao Zedong, including blending in with civilians and avoiding direct confrontation. Despite over 1 million deaths, the communist forces persisted due to their intimate knowledge of the terrain and people, eventually defeating the US-backed South Vietnam.