Battle Of Alp Ba

Question 1

What happened?

Answer 1

• A small battle between South Vietnamese Army (ARVN) and Vietcong fighters.
• U.S. advisors and helicopters supported ARVN.
• ARVN had:
• 1,500 troops
• Armoured vehicles
• Artillery
• Helicopters
• Vietcong had only about 300 fighters, lightly armed.

Question 2

Outcome:?

Answer 2

• Vietcong victory — they held their ground and inflicted heavy losses on the ARVN.
• Vietcong shot down 5 U.S. helicopters and killed or wounded nearly 200 ARVN troops.
• Only 3 Vietcong captured, despite the ARVN’s superior numbers and weapons.

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Question 3

Aim of the battle?

Answer 3

• ARVN (with U.S. help) aimed to surprise and defeat the Vietcong by attacking their base in Ap Bac.

Question 4

Significance?

Answer 4

Exposed weaknesses of the ARVN:
• Poor leadership
• Reluctance to fight (some units refused to advance)
• Poor coordination despite American support
2. Embarrassment for the USA:
• First major battle showing that U.S. military aid was not enough.
• U.S. public and government began to question the ARVN’s ability to win.
3. Boosted Vietcong morale:
• Showed they could beat better-equipped forces.
• Strengthened support from peasants.