Airpower through Cold War II ws19

Question 1

State the significance of the August 1964 Gulf of Tonkin Resolution.

Answer 1

Radically altered war in Southeast Asia; committed United States to fight for S. Vietnam
Empowered President Johnson “to take all necessary steps…
to repel armed attack against US forces”
including force, to assist S. Vietnam and any member of SEATO”

Question 2

Identify the “graduated response” strategy the United States adopted in Vietnam between 1965 and 1968.

Answer 2

Bombing worked to the advantage of north Vietnam, gave the north time to recover \
“Graduated Response” is an ineffective way to employ airpower

Question 3

Rolling thunder - Objectives

Answer 3

Interdict flow of supplies from the North
Force the North to stop supporting Vietcong and quit the war
Raise South Vietnamese morale
Graduated increases in bombing intensity worked to advantage of N. Vietnamese
Gave them time to recover from damage
Enabled them to establish world’s most intense antiaircraft defense system
Provided them will to fight on and a sense they could survive

Question 4

Linebacker I

Answer 4

Easter Offensive (Mar 1972) made it apparent the North was not willing to negotiate
Objectives of Linebacker I
Initially: Close air support effort to aid retreating South Vietnamese forces
Later: Changed to interdiction campaign against North Vietnam
Unlike Rolling Thunder, a systematic campaign with little civilian control

Linebacker I was the most successful US bombing campaign of the war
Had more impact on the North in 9 months than Rolling Thunder did in 4 years
Successful largely because Easter Offensive was a conventional, mechanized attack
Peace Talks resumed in July 1972
Nixon restricted Linebacker I attacks to below the 20th parallel

Question 5

Linebacker II

Answer 5

Peace Talks stalled again in Dec 1972
Nixon ordered Linebacker II to run concurrently with Linebacker I
Purpose of Linebacker II—Force the North Vietnamese to negotiate and sign peace treaty
Ran from 18 Dec to 30 Dec 1972; referred to as “The Christmas Campaign”
Very intense and logistically complex
Specific targets in Hanoi and Haiphong
B-52s used for first time over Hanoi
By end of Linebacker II, N. Vietnam was defenseless 1,200 SAMs were fired 80% of the North’s electrical systems and 25% of their POL facilities were destroyed

Question 6

Bombing campaigns

Answer 6

It was hoped the fear of future, heavier bombings would cause the North to come to its senses and quit the war.

Question 7

Outline the uses and effectiveness of the B-52 in the Vietnam War.

Answer 7

B-52: Nuclear bomber modified to carry conventional weapons—was best known interdiction aircraft
Arc Light: Name for B-52 interdiction missions
B-52 Arc Light aircraft were occasionally used for close air support

Question 8

5.State the lessons learned from Rolling Thunder.

Answer 8

Clear that Rolling Thunder did not work!
Impacts
South’s morale improved as the North suffered under bombing
North used frequent halts and restrictions to repair damage and resupply forces in South
Criticism grew at home and internationally
Johnson ended Rolling Thunder prior to 1968 elections
Rolling Thunder campaign, America’s longest, was a failure