US And VC tactics

Question 1

Vc- hit and run/ambushes

Answer 1

Took enemy by suprise, very difficult to counter

Question 2

Vc- sabotaged roads/bridges

Answer 2

Weakens enemy infrastucture and terrorises them, slows movement

Question 3

Vc-stayed close to US troops

Answer 3

US planes wouldn’t risk bombing, paranoia

Question 4

Vc-tunnel network

Answer 4

Difficult to find, easy to ambush from and escape by, staying out of sight

Question 5

Vc-Dressed like ordinary people

Answer 5

Got support from the people, US didn’t know who they were, can be used to ambush

Question 6

Vc-Propaganda used effecfively

Answer 6

Gave talks, gained suppor of people (hearts and minds), villianises USA (defoliants, strategic hamlets, killing children)

Question 7

Vc-Simple ambush traps

Answer 7

Psycological impact on soldiers, avoids contact with enemy, easy to make

Question 8

Vc- light weapons and equipment

Answer 8

More mobile, quieter, easier to ambush, use bikes easily

Question 9

VC tunnels

Answer 9

Used by Vietminh during war with French. VC built more complex tunnels in the Chu Chi area just 25 miles from Saigon. Contained 100 miles of tunnels on several levels connecting villages and housing hospitals, weapon/fuel stores and living space. US troops usually bigger than VC amd couldn’t fit in them

Question 10

US and the VC’s tunnels

Answer 10

“Tunnel rats” were US troops small enough to fit into the tunnels went down to fight VC or collapse tunnels. Eventually they resorted to just bulldozing them.
They were so hard to find that a US division accidentally built a base on top of an entrance and werd attacked without any sign of break in.

Question 11

Features of operation rolling thunder

Answer 11

Bombing campaign over North Vietnam. Began slowly and didn’t target Hanoi or the port of Haiphong.
Targeted HCM trail and industry.
Used Napalm which burng skin and pineapple bombs.

Question 12

Effect of operation rolling thunder

Answer 12

Continued until 1968. Caused a lot of damage to the trail and industry.
BUT
Didn’t destroy the trail, North used tunnels for protection, thousands of civillians killed which damaged public opinion at home and made the North more determined.

Question 13

Features of search and destroy

Answer 13

US soldiers search jungle for VC camps, helicopters then bomb or spray chemiclas
Some success in tracking down and killing VC

Question 14

Effect of search and destroy

Answer 14

VC often moved backnin after these missions
US bombing created refugees and chemical spraying harmed ordinary villagers and turned them against the US

Question 15

Features Operation Cedar falls

Answer 15

30,000 US and ARVN troops on search and destroy mision- focused on the iron triangle where the VC were strongest
These areas became free fire zones that could be bombed at any time

Question 16

Effects of operation cedar falls

Answer 16

Many villagers didn’t understand and returned to their homes in the free fire zones causing big civillian casualties, making the US more unpopular

Question 17

Features of operation ranch hand/chemical warfare

Answer 17

Herbicides named after the colour of the container (agent orange and agent blue) to kill plants and make VC bases easy to find

Question 18

Effect of operation ranch hand/chemical warfare

Answer 18

Over 3000 villages sprayed, often with people still in them.
Poisoned water supplies and soil caused serious health problems at the time and for decades to come
Public outrage led to it ending in October 1971

Question 19

Why were US tactics uneffective?

Answer 19

-didn’t do enough damage to VC
-effects on Vietnemese people- they began to hate the US
-their policies created criticism at home. People saw what happened to civilians