Vietnam War Flashcards
What were the VC tactics?
- They used AK47s, perfect for jungle war fare
- Ambush was a key tactic
- They had no uniform, so they could blend in with villagers
- Supplied by Ho Chi Minh trail
- Guerilla tactics ~ aim was to wear down enemy (attrition) and wreck their morale
- They had no know base or headquarters
- Attacked and then disappeared into the jungles or into the villages and tunnels
- Worked in small groups with limited weapons
- Stayed close to the Americans so that they couldn’t use air or artillery backup without killing their own men. Known as -‘hanging onto the belts’
Describe how bombing was an US tactic and was ultimately in effective.
- Operation Rolling thunder - involved bombing raids on military and industrial targets in North Vietnam ~ bombed Ho Chi Minh trail
- More bombs dropped in the whole of WW2 against Germany and Japan
- Ineffective because it didn’t defeat communists only slowed them down
- Communsists shot down 14,000 US and South Vietnamese aircraft
- On average it cost $400,000 to kill one VC fighter
Describe how chemicals weapons were a US tactic
- Agent Orange ~ used by USA it was a highly toxic weed killer. Aim was to destroy forest where VC hid. 82 million lites of Agent orange during the war
- Napalm ~ also used to destroy Vietnam jungle. It also burned through skin to the bone and there were many civilian casualties from the use of chemical weapons
- 5.4 million acres of forest were destroyed
Describe how Search and Destroy was a US tactic
- They descended on a village and destroyed any VC soldiers they found
- US troops often walked into traps
- Innocent villages were mistaken for VC bases
- Civilian casualties were extremely high. For every VC weapon found,there were 6 deaths. Many of whom were innocent civilians
- These tactics made the US and South Vietnamese forces very unpopular with the peasants. It made them support VC
When was the Tet offensive?
Jan 31 1968
What happened in the Tet offensive?
- Viet Cong fighters attacked over 100 cities and other military targets
- Around 4500 VC tied down a US and South Vietnamese forces in Saigon for two days
- It was live on TV and broadcasted all over the world
- Attacked airport, South Korean embassy, American HQ
- Tet offensive was a disaster for the communist
- VC lost 10,000 experienced fighters and were badly weakened
What was the main trigger for withdrawing from Vietnam?
The Tet offensive.
How many soldiers were: taken prisoner, wounded, severely disabled, MIA and men killed?
766 taken prisoner, 304,000 wounded, 75,000 severely disabled, 2338 MIA and 58,000 deaths
What were the 3 strategies used to end the war in Vietnam?
Peace negotiations with North Vietnam
Bombing
Vietnamization
Asked China and USSR to persuade Vietnam to pull out
Who was the national security advisor?
Henry Kissinger
What date did operation rolling thunder commence?
7th February 1965
Why did they introduce search and destroy?
Became obvious that bombing couldn’t defeat a Guerilla army, General Westmoreland developed a policy of search and destroy
