vietnam

• north Vietnam -

  • ruled by ho chi minh
  • communist
  • supported by china
  • national liberation front (NLF)
  • geurrilla warfair tactics
  • known as the viet-cong
• south vietnam

  • ruled by Diem
  • supported by USA and non-communist
  • diem - corrupt, supported by rich landowners, unpopular
  • he refused to hold elections
  • ARVN - the south vietnamese army: easily defeated by the vietcong
• reasons for involvement: specific events

  • the USA wanted the south to win against the north (to contain communism) they knew Diem was failing - so they replaced him with a new military government
  • august 1964: gulf of tonkin incident. the USA claimed that north vietnam had attacked one of their ships.
  • febuary 1965: the vietcong did attack bases in vietnam
  • president johnson declaired war on north vietnam in retaliation
• reasons for involvement: containment

  • china had fallen to communism in 1949, & america had fought in korea in 1950-53 to contain the spread of communism
• reasons for involvement: domino theory

  • americans believed that, if south vietnam fell then so would laos, cambodia & thailand - and then Burma & india would follow
• reasons for involvement: AVRNs weaknesses

  • it was obvious south vietnam would be taken by communism without help
• reasons for involvement: the US was attacked

  • the north vietnamese had attacked USS maddox in august 1964, then killed us soldiers in febuary 1965
• vietcong tactics

  • Guerrilla tactics: Engaging in ambushes, booby traps, and landmines while blending with civilians, making it difficult for the U.S. to identify the enemy.
  • External support: Receiving weapons from China and Russia, with the Ho Chi Minh Trail serving as a crucial supply route through Laos and Cambodia.
  • "Hanging onto the belts": Employing a strategy of staying close to U.S. forces to prevent effective use of air and artillery support without risking friendly casualties.
• american tactics

  • High-tech attacks: Use of B52 bombers, artillery, helicopters, and chemicals like Agent Orange caused civilian casualties without defeating Vietcong guerrillas.
  • Forced relocations: Compelling peasants to live in fortified hamlets backfired, fostering widespread opposition.
  • Ineffective patrols: Visible search and destroy missions were easily ambushed, proving ineffective against the elusive Vietcong.
• why did america lose? americans -

  • the americans hi-tech tactics continually killed the wrong people and demoralised the troops
  • the US was trying to supply a war 8,000 miles from America.
  • The South Vietnamese regime was weak, brutal and corrupt
  • their short (one-year) tour of service meant that american troops were always inexperienced
  • the morale of americans soldiers was rock bottom - they took drugs, shot their officer ('fragging') and deserted
  • the war became very unpopular in the US, loosing public support
• why did america lose? vietcong

  • the vietcongs geurrilla tactics were appropriate to the nature of the confict
  • the vietcong were supplied with weapons by china & russia
  • the south vietnamese peasants were supported and sheltered by the vietcong. resisted the japanese during the second world war
  • the vietcong had been continously at war since the french took over
  • the vietcong were frantically determined to drive out the americans, whatever the cost
  • the north vietnamese were motivated, fighting to unite their country
• why did the war arrouse so much opposition in america?

  1. 58,000 Americans - average age 19 - were killed.
  2. It was hard for Americans to believe that they were defending America by fighting in a war 8,000 miles away.
  3. Media coverage (esp. television) brought all the failures and horrors of the war into US homes.
  4. Atrocities such as the massacre at My Lai made the Americans look bad.
  5. The war was very expensive.
  6. The war was opposed particularly by Black Americans because young black men were twice as likely to be killed
• vietnam war was successful for the USA

  • US troops did help prevent the Vietcong and the North Vietnamese Army taking over Vietnam for many years.
  • Communism did not spread to Burma, India etc.
  • Improved relations with China.
• vietnam war was not successful for the USA

  • American policy had also helped drive Cambodia and Laos into the hands of the communists.  
  • The US tactics of search and destroy missions and their use of firepower, alienated many ordinary Vietnamese who became more pro-Vietcong. 
  • US forces were humiliated by “inferior” guerrilla tactics.
  • The whole of Vietnam fell to communism.