It started in 1954 (the same year the Algerian War for Independence from France began) and ended in 1975. It went on longer in Vietnam until the North Vietnamese took over South Vietnam and made the entire country communist governed.he arrival of combat troops is considered by some the start of the war, although American military advisers had been in Vietnam for over 10 years. Here is more input and answers from others: ---. 1  For the US, the start date would have to be around July of 1961.