Why did the USA fail?

• political:

  • South Vietnamese government was unpopular with local people and corrupt - many of government and officials had worked for French
  • Vietnamese wanted united, independent country - USA was seen as imposing foreign nation
  • anti-war opposition in media, public, and government
• geographical:

  • USA had lack of understanding of climate, plants and animals, or landscape
• military:

  • strength of VC guerrilla tactics
  • commitment of VC and North Vietnamese troops
  • poor ARVN training
  • failure of US tactics - limited war, winning support, counter-insurgency
  • draft meant soldiers were young and inexperienced
  • low morale, fragging, drug abuse
• cultural:

  • US and South Vietnamese gov. had little understanding n agriculture and life of locals
  • Did not understand that villagers did not want to leave were family and ancestors were buried
  • Most Americans could not speak or understand the language - used interpreters which decreased trust from villagers
  • US-backed South Vietnamese gov. was mainly Catholic and alienated large Buddhist population
• economic:

  • aid to North Vietnam from USSR and China
  • large cost of war for USA was unpopular and funding was cut by Congress