reasons for US failures in vietnam

• what caused US failure in Vietnam?

  -US at a disadvantage culturally, politically and militarily

  -US gov and public lacked understanding of motivation and adaptability to succeed in Vietnam
• what were the main reasons USA failed in Vietnam?

  -tactics and resolve of Vietnam

  -cultural weaknesses of USA in Vietnam

  -Political and public opposition to war

  -Military weaknesses of US forces
• why did the cultural weaknesses lead to USA failing in Vietnam?

  -Most Americans had no idea what country was like and didn't understand why villagers were unwilling to leave land where ancestors buried

  -led to feelings of hatred from locals

  -Americans didnt realise most Vietnamese villagers couldn't so the leaflets they dropped before bombing raids didn't work

  -millions of innocent civilians killed in conflict

  -hard to gain support from locals because they didn't speak same languages
• why did political and public opposition lead to US failure?

  -US public questioned morals and legitimacy of war

  -anti war protests put Nixon under huge pressure to withdraw

  -US public horrified by media coverage of movement

  -US couldn't fight a war the people didn't want

  -political figures and US public rejected USA fighting a war with a corrupt regime
• why did weaknesses in USAs military lead to failure in Vietnam?

  -US alienated locals and caused resentment

  -soldiers lacked training in how to combat guerrilla tactics and average age of GIS 19

  -discipline of US soldiers was very low

  -many soldiers would desert posts and use drugs

  -tactics often killed innocent civilians and sometimes own troops

  -low morale in US forces

  -Racial inequalities in US army led to low morale and opposition in US
• how many US soldiers were addicted to heroin?

  30 percent
• how did strengths of Vietcong lead to US failure?

  Vietcong troops were fighting for their country. had a clear motive to achieve victory and fought with fierce determination. The US troops were fighting 12,000km from home for a cause they increasingly cared less about.

  -The North Vietnamese and Vietcong troops were used to jungle conditions. -They used guerrilla tactics

  -The Vietnamese had a history of fighting foreign invaders

  -They knew the landscape, culture and language of the south, and so could easily navigate their way around undetected. They could also garner the support of the locals.

  -Vietcong far more experienced than many US soldiers