What was the name of the communist-led rebellion in South Vietnam?

The communist-led rebellion in South Vietnam was known as the Viet Cong. The term referred broadly to the communist-led armed movement and political network that opposed the US-backed government of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War.

The movement was formally organized through the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam, founded in December 1960. Its forces included guerrilla units, regular troops, local political cadres, and supporters who operated in villages and rural areas. The Viet Cong sought to overthrow the South Vietnamese government and unify Vietnam under communist rule.

The Viet Cong is often confused with the North Vietnamese Army, but the terms were not identical. The Viet Cong operated primarily in the South, while the North Vietnamese Army was the regular military force of North Vietnam. Hanoi supplied, directed, and increasingly reinforced the southern communist movement, especially as the war intensified.

The Viet Cong played a major role in the 1968 Tet Offensive, attacking cities and towns throughout South Vietnam. Although the offensive caused heavy losses for the movement, it damaged American public confidence in claims that victory was close. After the 1975 communist victory, the organization was eventually absorbed into Vietnam's unified political structure.