A proxy war is “a war between two adversaries who support opposing sides in a conflict by providing money, weapons and military advisors, avoiding direct combat operations against each other (Magstadt, Thomas).” Two examples of proxy wars are the Vietnam Civil War and the War in Afghanistan. The Vietnam Civil War began in 1959 and continued until 1975. The United States sought to aid French colonial forces and prevent communist threats. During this time, more American soldiers entered Vietnam and joined South Vietnam to become a powerful force that no one could reckon with. The Viet Cong was supported by the native Vietnamese population and was part of the forces of the Soviet Union. South Vietnam lost and its Saigon government fell and was taken over by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. During the war in Afghanistan, “the Soviet Union launched a military invasion and the United States supported the freedom fighters (the mukahideen) (Magstadt, Thomas). Another great example of proxy warfare is the Salvadoran civil war. The Salvadoran civil war began in 1980 and lasted until 1992. El Salvador is a country located near Honduras in Central America. Before the Salvadoran War, El Salvador struggled with violence and poverty. This was due to overpopulation and class struggles within society. Poor economic conditions are the reason why this coalition of leftists and communists chose to go against the military regime.