> It was always a war of independence, first from France and then from the US.

The Vietnam War is largely considered to be 1955-1975. The French were out by 1954, and American troops in any number were there from 1965 to 1973.

> 20 years of fighting primarily western troops with a fig leaf of local rule.

5x to 7x as many South Vietnamese troops died compared to Americans, who had combat troops there for less than half of those 20 years.