Abbreviations – Vietnam War

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North Vietnam and Southern Rebels (NLF)  VERSUS  South Vietnam (government) and the United States

DRV Democratic Republic of (North) Vietnam, established in Sept. 1945GVN Government of (South) Vietnam – officially the Republic of Vietnam (RVN), established October 1955
NVANorth Vietnamese ArmyARVN Army of the Republic of (South) Vietnam
NLF National Liberation Front, established in December 1959 (southern rebels or guerrillas)CIA Central Intelligence Agency (U.S.)
PRGProvisional Revolutionary Government, political arm of the NLF, established June 1969MACV Military Assistance Command in Vietnam (U.S.), established in February 1962

Abbreviations for U.S. antiwar organizations (Sec. IV)

AFSC American Friends Service Committee
AMP Another Mother for Peace
CALCAVClergy and Laity Concerned about Vietnam (later changed to CALC)
CCCOCentral Committee for Conscientious Objectors
CORECongress on Racial Equality
FCNLFriends Committee on National Legislation
FORFellowship of Reconciliation
MobeNational Mobilization Committee
SANENational Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy
SCLCSouthern Christian Leadership Conference
SDSStudents for a Democratic Society
SNCCStudent Nonviolent Coordination Committee
SWPSocialist Workers Party
VVAWVietnam Veterans Against War
WILPFWomen’s International League for Peace and Freedom
WRLWar Resisters League
WSPWomen Strike for Peace

General abbreviations

APAssociated Press (photos)
ARVNArmy of South Vietnam
CIACentral Intelligence agency (U.S.)
C.O.Conscientious objector
FBIFederal Bureau of Investigation (U.S.)
GIGeneral Infantry (U.S.)
GVNGovernment of (South) Vietnam, also known as the Republic of Vietnam (RVN)
MACVMilitary Assistance Command, Vietnam (U.S.)
MIAMissing in Action
NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization
NLFNational Liberation Front in South Vietnam (rebels or guerrillas)
NVANorth Vietnamese Army, including the People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and the Peoples Liberation Armed Forces (PLAF)
NSCNational Security Agency (U.S.)
POWPrisoner of War
PRGProvisional Revolution Government (NLF political representation)
ROTCReserve Officers Training Corps (U.S.)
UNUnited Nations
UPIUnited Press International (photos)
VCViet Cong (label for NLF and NVA forces)