Modern History

Conflict in Indochina 1954–1979

AATTV	Australian Army Training Team Vietnam.
AK-47	The Soviet- or Chinese-made assault rifle used by the NVA and Vietcong; not as accurate as the M-16, but much more reliable. Also known as a Kalishnikov after its inventor.
APC	Armoured Personnel Carrier.
ARVN	Army of the Republic of Vietnam (South).
ASEAN	Association of South East Asian Nations.
ATF	Australian Task Force.
CIA	Central Intelligence Agency; main US spy organisation in the war. Its role has not as yet been completely clarified.
COSVN	Central Office for South Vietnam (communist coordinating body).
DMZ	Demilitarised Zone; a narrow strip of land along the 17th Parallel that was the border between North and South Vietnam from 1954 to 1975.
DRV	Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North).
ICP	Indochinese Communist Party.
MACV	Said as 'MacV'; Military Assistance Command: Vietnam [US military coordinating body].
M-16	Standard US infantry weapon; relied on firing a large number of small calibre bullets; not as reliable as the AK-47 as it had to be kept very clean.
NLF	National Liberation Front (Vietcong).
NVA	Army of North Vietnam; also known as PAVN: People's Army of Vietnam.
OSS	Office of Strategic Services; forerunner of the CIA.
PRP	People's Revolutionary Party; South Vietnamese Communist Party.
RPG	Rocket propelled grenade.
RVN	Republic of Vietnam (South).
SEATO	Southeast Asia Treaty Organisation.
SRV	Socialist Republic of Vietnam; united Vietnam after 1975.