The Vietnam War lasted from November 1, 1955 to April 30, 1975. Between 1946 and 1954 the Vietnamese struggled to gain independence from the French . When the war between the Vietnamese and the French ended, Vietnam was divided between North and South. North Vietnam had a communist government, while the South had a Democratic government. The United States joined the Vietnam War on the side of the South Vietnamese. 20 years later, the North Vietnam successfully won the war, with the United States leaving a day before the end.