Second Indochina War

AD – MPE: 0.8

ND – MPE: 0.8

The Wikipedia-article called “Vietnam War casualties” cites estimates for the Second Indochina War from 1955 to 1975, which range from 1 to 3 million Vietnamese war deaths, plus 0.3 to 0.4 million Cambodian and Laotian war deaths. The high number of 3 million is the result of the most scientific and rigorous study. One million is certainly far too low. Plausible estimates for Vietnamese civilians killed range from 0.7 to 2 million. US-support for dictatorial regimes in South Vietnam was crucially important throughout the war. So I blame the United States for 10 to 20 percent of the civilians killed by South Vietnam. The US also supported dictatorial rule in Laos and Cambodia.

Plausible estimates for the number of people killed by advanced democracies in Indochina range from 0.5 to 1.1 million, including up to 60,000 people killed after the war by unexploded bombs dropped by the US and an unknown number of people killed by Agent Orange. The most plausible estimate is 0.8 million. Plausible estimates for the number of people killed by nondemocracies range from 0.5 to 1.2 million. The most plausible estimate is 0.8 million.