Tactics used during Vietnam

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Tactics used during Vietnam
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Vietnamese Tactics

• The North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong knew they
  could not beat the technologically superior Army
  of the United States.
• The Vietnamese had to use other tactics to try
  and beat the US.

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Guerrilla Tactics

• The Vietnamese had became very skilled in the art
  of Guerrilla warfare.
• WW2 Japan
• 1950s French Colonial Forces
• Both of these forces were technologically
  advanced and in theory should have easily
  defeated the weaker Vietnamese forces.

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Vietcong

• South Vietnamese Communist part of the National
  Liberation Front (NLF)
• Located near Cambodian border
• Depended on the Ho Chi Minh trail for ammunition,
  arms and special equipment.

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• Main force Vietcong units were uniformed,
  full-time soldiers, and were used to launch large
  scale offensives over a wide area. Regional
  forces were also full-time, but operated only
  within their own districts. When necessary, small
  regional units would unite for large scale
  attacks. If enemy pressure became too great, they
  would break down into smaller units and scatter.

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Local Vietcong

• Mostly Teenagers
• Less confident
• Many idealistic
• Others forced or shamed into joining
• Basic military training with Weapons and
  explosives

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Vietnamese Weaponry

• Chinese version of the Soviet AK-47.
• Light and Medium Machine guns supplied by the
  Soviets and Chinese.
• Less often Heavy Machine guns were used to defend
  against US Helicopters.
• RPGs (Rocket Propelled Grenades)
• Mortars

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• Local forces used booby traps and mines
• Punji Traps sharp spikes hidden in pits
• Contaminated to increase the risk of infection

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• Avoid Pitch Battles
• Hit and Run battles
• Tunnel system to safeguard bases against American
  Spotter Planes.
• Located largely in forests and swamps

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Tunnel system

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Advantages of the Tunnel System

• Hide from Air and Ground sweeps

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• Provide excellent refuge and defensive positions
• Ability to disappear
• Difficult for US to estimate enemy numbers in the
  region

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Other Vietcong advantages

• Familiar with the terrain of jungles and swamps
• Found protection across the border with Laos and
  Cambodia
• Local population support

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US TACTICS
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Operation Rolling Thunder

• EXTENSIVE daily bombing campaign of North Vietnam
• Air strikes were strictly forbidden within 30
  miles of Hanoi, along the Chinese border at the
  start of the campaign.
• Launched from bases in Thailand.
• Plan was to destroy the North Vietnamese Economy

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America shows its technological Muscle
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B-52 bombers

• Could fly at heights that could not be seen or
  heard
• 8 million tons of bombs dropped between 65 and
  73.
• 300 tons for every man, woman and child in Vietnam

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Napalm

• Mixture of Petrol and chemical thickener
• Sticky gel to attach to the skin
• Burns for a long time
• Will burn through skin, muscle and bone producing
  5th degree burns
• Most victims died from the ordeal
• Burns at 5000 f or 2777C

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Anti-Personnel Bombs

• Designed to maim rather than kill.
• Bombs would explode and spew out thousands of
  pellets and needles on the land below.

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Agent Orange and Blue

• Spraying chemicals on NLF hiding places and crops
• Destroyed trees but also caused chromosomal
  damage on people

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Helicopters as Cavalry

• Would transport platoons in and out of the jungle
  quickly
• Used as air ambulances as well.
• Provided air cover to Platoons on the ground and
  spotters

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Search and Destroy

• Missions using US and SV troops transported via
  helicopters
• Descend on villages and kill any VCs found

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Problems with search and destroy

• Inadequate intelligence
• Inexperienced troops often hit by booby traps
• Civilian casualties high
• Tactics made the US very unpopular with
  villagers.
• Killings, rape etc

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