USA responses to Vietcong tactics

• what was a GI

  general infantry man
• what were typical features of US soldiers fighting against Vietcong in Vietnam

  -by end of war average age of GI was 19

  -Many soldiers forced to fight as part of draft

  -Gis uniforms often rotten in Vietnams hot damp climate

  -carried smoke grenades to let US helicopters know where they were

  -Carried MI6 rifles which often jammed near water unlike Vietcong's AK-47s

  -Didn't travel light
• What methods did USA use to combat Vietcong tactics?

  -search and destroy

  -bombing campaigns

  -chemical warfare

  -helicopters

  -war of attrition
• search and destroy tactic

  -GIs searched villages in south Vietnam for Vietcong

  -burnt and destroyed whole villages if they suspected Vietcong there

  -raids known as Zippo as lighters used to start fires

  -removed any Vietcong bases they discovered
• how was search and destroy tactic a failure?

  -Young inexperienced GIs could not tell difference between Vietcong and innocents and killed many civilians

  -As US troops searched for enemy they were taken by surprise and attacked
• operation rolling thunder tactic?

  -Johnson wanted to bomb Vietcong into submission

  -Cost US 4 billion

  -Killed 90000

  -targeted Ho Chi MInh trail and towns in south Vietnam and Vietcong bases in Laos and Cambodia
• why did operation rolling thunder fail?

  -supplies continued to get to Vietcong by tunnel system and trail

  -China and USSR still sent military supplies to NV
• chemical weapon tactic


  used chemical weapons to destroy huge areas of forest
• agent orange


  a toxic leaf-killing chemical sprayed by U.S. planes in Vietnam to expose Vietcong hideouts
• napalm


  Highly flammable chemical dropped from US planes in firebombing attacks during the Vietnam War.
• Agent Blue


  US-created arsenic based compound used to prevent maturation of rice crops in Vietnam
• cons of chemical warfare

  inhumane

  caused people to develop cancer and birth defects

  napalm burned through victims skin, muscle and bone
• attrition


  -a wearing down over time

  -killing as many Vietnamese soldiers as possible
• helicopter tactic


  -supported ground troops in search and destroy missions

  -used to evacuation wounded soldiers
• what were the successes of USA tactics?

  -little success

  -did some damage to Ho Chi MInh trail but trail so extensive it made little difference
• what were the failures of tactics?

  -captured very few Vietcong

  -many innocent people killed

  -use of chemical warfare condemned around world as inhumane