Guerilla Tactics Flashcards
What was the aim of guerilla warfare?
To avoid pitched battle
Why did the Vietcong want to avoid conventional warfare?
The US army was bigger and more advanced
Who were the VC?
Communist men and women who fought for South Vietnam
National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam
What was the Vietcong code of conduct?
Be polite
Be fair
Return what is borrowed
Don’t damage crops
Don’t flirt
Why was the local’s support necessary for the Vietcong?
Guerilla warfare relied on being able to hide
What specific tactics were employed by the Vietcong?
Hit and run ambushes
Booby traps/mines
How did the Vietcong remain safe from air attacks?
They stayed in underground tunnels containing all they needed to survive
How were the Americans unable to infiltrate the underground tunnels?
Many weren’t as slight as the Vietcong
Tunnels were laced with booby traps and dead ends
What was a punji stick?
A hidden stake made of wood or bamboo which would often have been dipped in excrement
How did the Vietcong get their supplies?
N. Vietnamese and neighbouring countries sent them down the 600 mile long Ho Chi Minh trail
What was the Ho Chi Minh trail?
600 miles long
Complex route through water, forests, roads and paths
Thousands worked to keep the trail open
How many deaths were booby traps responsible for?
11% of US deaths
