Reasons For The US defeat

Question 1

What were the weaknesses of the USA?

Answer 1

• At the beginning of the war, the USA underestimated the Vietcong and the NVA.
• The US generals never found a really effective way to deal with guerrilla warfare. They put too much faith in technology, especially bombing. This did not work well against a guerrilla army.
• Many of the US troops were young, inexperienced and did not want to fight anyway - they had been conscription. They did not have the motivation of the Vietcong and NVA.
• The US soldiers couldn’t cope with the hardships of the Vietnamese climate or terrain. They were often frightened and could not tell who was an enemy. Sometimes they even killed their own officers in ‘fragging’ incidents (throwing fragmentation grenades into their tents while they were asleep).
• Though the ARVN soldiers could fight well, their officers were often corrupt, incompetent and cowardly. They were not much help to the USA.
• The Americans never win the support of the Vietnamese people. They did not understand the country or its history and the people would not help them.
• The South Vietnamese government was brutal and corrupt, which gave the Vietnamese people even less reason to support the USA.
• Many Americans did not support the war, especially after the impact of the Tet Offensive, The My Lai Massacre and the Kent State shootings. Gradually more and more people stopped supporting the government.

Question 2

What were the strengths of the NVA and Vietcong?

Answer 2

• They used guerrilla tactics very successfully.
• They refused to give in to US bombing - it may even have made them more determined to win.
• They were given vital supplies and equipment by the USSR and China.
  The Communists received a lot of support from the people in the South, especially the peasants.
• The North Vietnamese government was prepared to accept very heavy casualties. They were fighting to protect their homeland. Also, because it was not a democracy, the government did not need to worry about what the public thought (unlike President Johnson).