US And Vietcong Tactics (Nature Of Conflict) Flashcards
What did Kennedy use in the war against the North?
Chemical weapons.
What chemical weapons did Kennedy use against the North Vietnamese?
Herbicides. These were used to kill both jungle plants and crops in the farmland near villages.
Why were herbicides used?
To make VC bases easier to find and kill crops so VC couldn’t get food.
What was the defoliation programme called?
Operation Ranch Hand.
Where did most chemicals be sprayed?
Ho Chi Minh Trail.
How did using chemicals affect US support?
The chemicals harmed ordinary villagers and their homes when bombed. This didn’t help US gain support from villagers.
What was the main US counter-insurgency tactic against VC?
‘Search and Destroy’ missions.
How did operation Rolling Thunder affect Ho Chi Minh Trail?
Bombing caused significant damage to roads and bridges on the trail.
What did the VC/North do after bombing of Ho Hi Minh trail?
Thousand of VC/North Vietnamese constantly repaired trail. More supplies went along trail than ever. Tunnels developed to protect soldiers and supplies.
What was Rolling Thunder?
A bombing campaign over North Vietnam. The military wanted immediate bombing all over North Vietnam, but Kennedy ignored. He started slow and targeted certain areas.
What did Rolling Thunder target?
The Ho Chi Minh trail, to stop supplies being taken South.
Industry in North Vietnam.
What did the planes in Rolling Thunder drop other than bombs?
Napalm: slow-burning petrol mixture that, sticks to skin and burn through to bone. Pineapple bombs: canister explodes and shoots pellets everywhere, like bullets.
Why did the Vietcong fight using guerrilla tactics?
VC were well less armed than ARVN but turned into an advantage. They fought a guerrilla war putting ARVN at a disadvantage.
Why did guerrilla warfare help VC?
The VC were now hidden in plain sight, anyone could be a member of VC.
How where the VC tunnels built?
Just outside of Saigon, the VC built almost 100 miles of tunnels, on several levels. Connecting to villages.
What did the tunnels contain?
Hospitals, weapon and fuel areas and living space.
What tactics did US use against VC tunnels?
Tunnel rats- troops who were small enough and went down to fight VC/collapse tunnels.
What were search and destroy missions?
Small units of US soldiers search jungle for VC bases.Then calling for chemicals/bombs to be placed.
Why were ‘search and destroy’ missions not significant?
Even though they killed many more VC and took weapons, the VC weren’t counting bodies/weapons. On US left area the VC would soon move in.
What was Tet Offensive?
Series of attacks from VC/North Vietnam on 26 cities and US bases in South Vietnam.
When did the Tet Offensive attacks occur?
Began on Tet Lunar New Year. In 1968 the event was on 30th January. Many ARVN were off duty as usually there is a ceasefire.
What did VC/North fo to catch US/ARVN off guard?
Attacked areas in South Vietnam to lure troops from cities/bases.
What was attacked in Tet Offensive?
In Saigon, North Vietnamese troops and VC got into US embassy, Presidential Palace, ARVN headquarters, radio station and airport
What was US publics reaction to Tet Offensive?
Sight of VC in US embassy was a huge shock as they were told US were winning the war.
What was the scale of Tet Offensive?
Were on huge scale: 84,000 communist troops took part.
What happened after Tet Offensive?
US and ARVN troops managed to recapture most cities and bases quickly.
How did the Tet Offensive affect North Vietnam?
Expected a South Vietnamese revolution, but didn’t happen. They suffered very heavy losses- VC were almost wiped out.
What were the results of the Tet Offensive?
Could be argued communists failed, but gained huge propaganda victory. Despite US victory on ground, the American public saw Tet as a humiliating defeat.
