Pages 18-19 of Asia A5 booklet (Different ways the USA and the Communist fought the war) Flashcards
In early 1965, how many troops did the VC and NVA have?
170,000 soldiers.
Who were the VC and NVA heavily supplied by?
USSR and China.
What happened in November 1965?
In November 1965, The VC and the USA met for the first time in the La Dreng Valley.
How many people died in the La Dreng Valley battle?`
2,000 VC troops and only 300 American troops.
What did the La Dreng Valley battle force the VC to do?
It forced the VC to start using Guerrilla tactics.
Why was Ho Chi Minh not scared of going to war with the USA?
He had studied the Chinese using Guerrilla tactics, and had used them to beat the French and the Japanese.
What are the 4 principles of guerrilla warfare?
- retreat when the enemy attacks
- raid while the enemy camps
- attack when the enemy tires.
- pursue when the enemy retreats.`
What were the VC and NVA scared of?
They were scared of US airpower. So they developed close quarter fighting. This meant that US airpower couldn’t be used as they feared hitting their own troops. (Hanging on to American belts).
When was the Tet offensive?
The VC launched the Tet Offensive on 30th January 1968.
What was the Tet Offensive?
A VC attack on over 100 cities and military targets.
Why did the VC attack towns and cities in the Tet Offensive?
So that the USA couldn’t use air support in case they hit civilians.
Where did the USA air support destroy during the Tet Offensive?
They destroyed the ancient city of Hue. This made many South Vietnamese hate the USA.
What did the VC do to gain support from civilains?
They helped peasants in the fields during busy times of the year.
When was the VC ruthless?
- They killed peasants who helped the enemy.
- They led a campaign of terror against the police, tax collectors, teachers and other employees of the S. Vietnamese government.
Between 1966 and 1971, how many civilians did the VC kill?
27,000 civilians.
What 5 reasons are there for why the VC was a good army?
- Fighting for a reason.
- No uniform was worn, so invisible.
- Travelled light with small food rations.
- Used AK47s which were reliable and accurate. Worked well in the wet.
- Had machetes to cut through the jungle and make bamboo-spike booby traps.
What % of US casualties were caused by small arms fire?
51% of US casualties
What % of US casualties were due to booby traps?
11%
How long were the VC tunnel networks?
240km
Where did the USA constantly bomb?
The supply trail from N. Vietnam. But 40,000 Vietnamese worked to keep it open and supplied the VC with food, clothing and weapons.