4.8   Vietnam War · Part 2

their resistance without bowing to the US. The American troops also used bacteriological weapons. Incendiary bombs such as napalm and Agent Orange (to defoliate the forest cover) were used. Vast areas of Vietnam were devastated and hundreds of thousands of people killed. The American forces too suffered heavy casualties. American Bombing of North Vietnam Early in , the war took a decisive turn. The armies of North Vietnam and of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam swept across the country routing the American supported troops of South Vietnam. By April , all the American troops had withdrawn and the capital of South Vietnam, Saigon, was liberated. North and South Vietnam were formally united as one country in . The city of Saigon was renamed as Ho Chi-Minh City after the great leader of the Vietnamese people. Ho Chin Minh City (Saigon) The World After World War II private agreements that restricted market competition. A common agricultural policy (CAP) and a common external trade policy were evolved. European Common market was a remarkable success. (d) Single European Act (SEA) The Single European Act came into force on July , . It significantly expanded the EEC’s scope giving the meetings of the EPC a legal basis. It also called for more intensive coordination of foreign policy among member countries. According to the SEA, each member was given multiple votes, depending on the country’s population. Approval of legislation required roughly two-thirds of the votes of all members. (e) European Union (EU) The Maastricht (Netherlands) Treaty signed on February , , created the European Union. The monetary policy and a common currency (euro) to replace national currencies managed by common monetary institutions were subsequently planned and implemented. Today the European Union has member states, and functions from its headquarters at Brussels, Belgium.