Guerilla tactics

• Would attack when they outnumbered the enemy
• Attack in small units, named 'cells'
• Had intricate and extensive, deep underground tunnel systems for protection 


  They contained storage of food and water

  Hospitals

  Sleeping quarters

  Kitchens

  Chambers for meetings

  Traps for troops to be caught
• Punji traps

  Sharpened bamboo spears, hidden underground to be fallen on by troops to pierce their skin and smeared on by animal excrement infect wounds
• Bouncing betties

  Mines that when triggered launched and detonated 1m above ground, they were designed to injure not kill, to detonate at waist length
• The vietcong would disguise as villagers

  Wouldn't wear uniform
• Traveled lightly- For quick movement 


  Only carry rice rations, relied on villagers for supplies
• Surprise attacks and ambushes which were crucial to psychologically hindering US troops
• Recruitment 


  Recruited anyone, villagers/peasants
• Poison snakes 


  Often used inside traps
• Treetops and Jungle

  Crucial to hiding the vietcong, they used their knowledge of land to fight against the Americans
• Spike boards 


  Triggering one, caused the other side of the board to fly up, stabbing the soldier with many spikes impaling them
• Side-closing traps

  When triggered, the sides were covered in spikes and would close in to completely impale the enemy
• Venus fly trap 


  When falling into them, you were immediately spiked from all sides surrounding
• Bear trap 


  A soldiers foot would fall in and be met by spikes, greatly damaging soldiers limbs
• Tiger traps 


  Triggered by a wire, a big board of spikes would fall ontop of the soldier from above
• Mace traps


  A huge, spiked wooden log/ball which swung into victims
• Hornet traps 


  The use of hornets
• Guerilla warfare

  Psychologically hindered the American troops, and caused so much fear and terror that would lower performance and have army focused on hospitality