North Vietnam and Southern Rebels (NLF) VERSUS South Vietnam (government) and the United States
| DRV | Democratic Republic of (North) Vietnam, established in Sept. 1945 | GVN | Government of (South) Vietnam – officially the Republic of Vietnam (RVN), established October 1955 |
| NVA | North Vietnamese Army | ARVN | 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.) |
| PRG | Provisional Revolutionary Government, political arm of the NLF, established June 1969 | MACV | 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 |
| CALCAV | Clergy and Laity Concerned about Vietnam (later changed to CALC) |
| CCCO | Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors |
| CORE | Congress on Racial Equality |
| FCNL | Friends Committee on National Legislation |
| FOR | Fellowship of Reconciliation |
| Mobe | National Mobilization Committee |
| SANE | National Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy |
| SCLC | Southern Christian Leadership Conference |
| SDS | Students for a Democratic Society |
| SNCC | Student Nonviolent Coordination Committee |
| SWP | Socialist Workers Party |
| VVAW | Vietnam Veterans Against War |
| WILPF | Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom |
| WRL | War Resisters League |
| WSP | Women Strike for Peace |
General abbreviations
| AP | Associated Press (photos) |
| ARVN | Army of South Vietnam |
| CIA | Central Intelligence agency (U.S.) |
| C.O. | Conscientious objector |
| FBI | Federal Bureau of Investigation (U.S.) |
| GI | General Infantry (U.S.) |
| GVN | Government of (South) Vietnam, also known as the Republic of Vietnam (RVN) |
| MACV | Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (U.S.) |
| MIA | Missing in Action |
| NATO | North Atlantic Treaty Organization |
| NLF | National Liberation Front in South Vietnam (rebels or guerrillas) |
| NVA | North Vietnamese Army, including the People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and the Peoples Liberation Armed Forces (PLAF) |
| NSC | National Security Agency (U.S.) |
| POW | Prisoner of War |
| PRG | Provisional Revolution Government (NLF political representation) |
| ROTC | Reserve Officers Training Corps (U.S.) |
| UN | United Nations |
| UPI | United Press International (photos) |
| VC | Viet Cong (label for NLF and NVA forces) |