Apart from the more obvious belligerents ~ the United States, and North and South Vietnam ~ several countries participated in the Vietnam war. France was the former colonial power in Vietnam and participated in the war's early stages before withdrawing.
After the war heated up, South Korea provided the largest contingent of foreign troops, totalling over 300,000 from 1963 until the end of the war. Australia was the next largest contributor of troops on the South Vietnamese side, providing around 60,000 in total over the entire course of the war. New Zealand was another of the South's allies, furnishing around 4,000 troops to the war effort in all.
On the Communist side, the Soviet Union provided pilots who were involved in training the North Vietnamese. Some are said to have flown combat missions too. China provided a large number of troops to serve in North Vietnam, fulfilling basic functions that freed up North Vietnamese troops for service elsewhere.
After the war heated up, South Korea provided the largest contingent of foreign troops, totalling over 300,000 from 1963 until the end of the war. Australia was the next largest contributor of troops on the South Vietnamese side, providing around 60,000 in total over the entire course of the war. New Zealand was another of the South's allies, furnishing around 4,000 troops to the war effort in all.
On the Communist side, the Soviet Union provided pilots who were involved in training the North Vietnamese. Some are said to have flown combat missions too. China provided a large number of troops to serve in North Vietnam, fulfilling basic functions that freed up North Vietnamese troops for service elsewhere.
