3.3 The Nature Of Te Conflict 1964-68 Flashcards
Describe the Vietcong guerrila tactics?
Any man, women or child could be part of the VC
-hard for US troops to tell enemies from allies
- tunnel networks
- propoganda and talks in villages
- light weapons
- simple ambushes
Describe the VC tunnels?
Used tunnels to move around shelter during the war
- 100 miles of tunnels on several levels that connected many villages around Saigon and allowed VC to move more easily
- tunnels contained hospitals
- US used tunnel rats to try and destroy them
When was operation rolling thunder?
March 1965
Why did Johnson do ‘operation rolling thunder’?
Wanted North to negociate wothout having to send in troops
What was operation rolling thunder?
Bombing campaign over north Vietnam
- targeted Ho Chi Minh trail
- industry
As well as dropping bombs in operation thunder what e,s did the US airforce drop?
Pineapple bombs: canisters that explode and shoot pellets everywhere(like bullets)
Napalm: -slow burning petrol mixture, sticks to skin and can burn through bone
What was the limitations of operation rolling thunder?
- didn’t bomb border with China
- didn’t targer haiphong-port where supplies from USSR arrived
Rolling thunder is stopped for a short time in? Because?
Christmas 1965 and Jan 1966 as US offered negociating terms with North Vietnamese
-they turn it down and bombing continues until the end of 1968
The damage of operation rolling thunder on: Ho Chi Minh trial?
Caused significant damage to roads and bridges but the trail was constantly repaired
The damage of operation rolling thunder on: industry
Damaged industry but most war supplies were made in China and the USSR
Whar were the negatives of using pineapple bombs and napalm in North Vietnam
Made North Vietnemess more determined to oppose UsA-thousands being killed is bad for public opinion in USA and world wide
Why were troops eventually brought in to Vietnam
Operation rolling thunder brought more US aircraft bases in Vietnam which was easy targets for the Vietnamese
General wesrmorland(in charge of US operations in Vietnam) asked for ground troops to protect the bases
How did Johnson get more troops
Draft-opposition in the USA
US troops in Vietnam in 1964?
20,000
US troops in Vietnam in 1965?
180,000
US troops in Vietnam in 1966
380,00
US troops in Vietnam in 1967?
480,000
US troops in Vietnam in 1968?
530,00
What was the main US counter to the Vietcong?
Search and destroy
What was search and destroy?
- small units of US soldiers seach jungle for VC bases, then call helicopers to bomb them
- no full scale battles due to hit and run by Vac
What was the problem with search and destroy
VC just moved back into an area when US were done
-US bombing and spraying harmed ordinary villagers ‘lose hearts and minds’
What happened in cedar falls 1967?
Failed search and destroy mission
Village is burnt by 30,000 ARVN, becomes a fire free zone but can be bombed at any time
Villagers fail to underantand, warnings dropped in leaflets were no use as they couldn’t read
Why did Kennedy approve of chemical warfair?
-kill jungle plants and crops in farmland around villages to make VC bases easier to find
What is operation Ranch hand?
Chemical warfair operation from 1964-1970
- 300 acres sprayed in 4 mins(herbicides were 50% stronger than those used in USA)
- over 3,000 villages sprayed
