COMMUNIST TACTICS DURING THE VIENTAM WAR Flashcards
What type of warfare did the Communists (i.e. the Viet Minh and Viet Cong) use during the war?
Guerrilla warfare
Why did the Communists use guerrilla warfare?
Ho Chi Minh believed it was the only way to defeat the much superior forces of America and the SVA.
What evidence is there that the US and SVA were superior to the Viet Cong?
In November 1965 in the La Dreng Valley, US forces killed 2,000 Viet Cong soldiers, and only lost 300 troops.
Identify give Viet Cong tactics used during the Vietnam War?
- Ambushes (“hanging onto Ameican belts”)
- Booby traps
- Underground tunnels
- Ho Chi Minh trail
- Winning over the Vietnamese people
What evidence is there that the ambushes were effective?
Ambushes caused 51% of all US casualties during the war.
Ambushes led to close quarter fighting between the US and Viet Cong. This meant that US air power could not be used because of the danger of killing their own troops.
It undermined the morale of US soldiers, who lived in fear of ambushes.
Name two booby traps used by the Viet Cong.
The Bouncing Betty land mine.
Pits filled with sharpened bamboo staves.
What evidence is there that booby traps were effective?
They were cheap and easy to make, and disrupted US “search and destroy” patrols.
Booby traps caused 11% of all US casualties during the war.
It undermined the morale of US soldiers, who lived in fear of booby traps.
How big was the underground tunnel network used by the Viet Cong?
Around 240km
What evidence is there that the underground tunnels were effective?
It made Viet Cong soldiers / bases very difficult to locate.
It avoided the worst effects of US air power.
What was the Ho Chi Minh trail?
A route from North Vietnam to the South to provide supplies to Viet Cong fighters.
How many people worked on the Ho Chi Minh trail to keep the supply line open and running?
40,000
Why was the Ho Chi Minh trail effective?
The Viet Cong depended on supplies from North Vietnam to fight the war against America and the SVA.
How did many Viet Cong fighters treat the Vietnamese population?
They were expected to be courteous (polite) and respectful. Many Viet Cong fighters were disciplined and often helped the Vietnamese people, such as in farming and education. This helped them to win support from the South Vietnamese people.
What other reasons explain why the Vietnamese people supported the Viet Cong?
President Diem was unpopular and corrupt. Therefore, many Vietnamese people turned their support toward the Viet Cong because they wanted a change in government.
What evidence is there that the Viet Cong used violence and terror?
Many were forced into supporting the Viet Cong. The Viet Cong killed peasants who opposed them or cooperated with their enemies. They targeted the police, tax collectors, teachers and other employees of the South Vietnamese government.
