Vietnam 3

Question 1

What tactics did the Vietcong use?

Answer 1

Vietcong mainly used guerrilla tactics to fight the war in south. This was because:
Strength of US resources and equipment. The north Vietnamese army and Vietcong were no match for the US and ARVN in open warfare
Support from peasants in SV
Essential supplies from the North coming to the south via the Ho Chi Minh trail
Their knowledge and understanding of the jungles of SV

Question 2

What were the guerrilla tactics?

Answer 2

Ho Chi Minh had studied the guerrilla tactics used by Mao in 1940s in his successful struggle against the Chinese nationalist party. Tactics very useful
Retreat when the enemy attacks
Raid when the enemy camps
Attack when the enemy tires
Pursue when the enemy retreats
Such tactics were dependent on the support of the local peasantry, who would be expected to hide the Vietcong. The Vietcong fighters expected to be courteous and respectful to the villagers. They did help the peasants.
Vietcong could be ruthless when necessary. Prepared to kill peasants who opposed them or co-operated with their enemies. They also killed police, tax collectors, teachers and other employees of gov of SV. Between 1966 and 1971, Vietcong killed an estimate 27,000

Question 3

How effective were guerrilla tactics?

Answer 3

The aim of the guerrilla warfare tactics was to wear down enemy soilders and destroy morale. Very effective US soilders lived in constant fear of being ambushed and booby traps 11% of deaths were caused by boob traps.
Vietcong impossible to identify they did not wear uniforms no base camp or headquarters. They worked in small groups hard to distinguish from the peasants in the villages they attacked and disappeared into the jungle.

Question 4

How did the Vietcong use tunnels to help them?

Answer 4

Vietcong feared US bombing raids. The communist forces dug deep tunnels and used them as air raid shelters. The tunnels around Saigon ran for 320km. The tunnels were self contained and booby trapped and provided not only refuge from the bombing but also a safe haven for guerrilla fighters they were a death trap for the US and ARVN forces.
Extensive tunnel system been used since French Indo-China war. When US arrived extended rapidly Vietcong had dormitories workshops hospitals kitchens facilities

Some tunnel systems ran for hundreds of miles. Tunnels were narrow suited the small Vietnamese soilders but not US.

Question 4

What methods did the US use during the war?

Answer 4

Air power enabling them to destroy enemy supply lines and to equip their own forces in a mobile war.
Their superiority in artillery and equipment they realised that in most pitched battles superior US resources would prove decisive
Killing large number of enemy US commander General Westmoreland, convinced that a high enemy body count bring victory

Question 4

What was Operation rolling thunder?

Answer 4

On 7 Fb 1965, US launched operation rolling thunder involved the widespread bombing raids on military and industrial targets in NV. It was the beginning of an air offensive that was to last until 1968 Gradually targets were extended to include cities in North and South Vietnam. Original intention was for an eight week bombing offensive lasted for 3 years. USA dropped a lot of bombs more than allies faced in WW2

Question 5

How did the US use Chemical weapons?

Answer 5

USA could not force the Vietcong into battle therefore used chemical weapons to destroy jungle that hid the enemy and their food supplies. Use of ‘Agent orange’ toxic weed killer use to destroy jungle known as defoliant. US used to destroy jungle known as defoliant. US use 82 million litres of agent orange to destroy forest

Napalm was another chemical weapon widely used by the US. it was a type of bomb that exploded and showered the surrondings victims burning petroleum jelly. Napalm stick to kin and burns chemical weapons did not flush out the Vietcong made peasants support more

Question 6

What tactics did the US use on the ground?

Answer 6

In 1964 - 65 the US adopted a defensive stratergy on the ground using their first combat troops to defend their air bases. These troops patrolled up to a maximum of 80km around bases to ensure no VK

President Johnson hoped there was such a stratergy would make use of US troops in Vietnam more acceptable to the US public fewer casualties. US forces determined to force the NV army into a pitched battle where US superiority in equipment would be decisive.

Question 7

What was the La Drang Valley battle?

Answer 7

US fought first battle against NVA forces in La Drang Valley. NVA lost 1800 men US lost 240. It was not a total victor for US

NVA retreated into neutral Cambodia and the US forces could not follow
Body count seemed to favour US, US were convinced that the NV would not be able to survive communist so committed to their causes that they would accept these losses.

Question 8

How did the US use search and destroy?

Answer 8

Westmoreland established secure and heavily defended US bases in the south of the country near the coast. From here US and ARVN forces launched ‘Search and destroy’ tactics using helicopters. Descend on a village suspected of assisting the VK forces ad destroy it. It was not very successful

Inexperienced US troops often walked into raps and incorrect information often meant innocent villages were destroyed
US and ARVN very unpopular with many SV peasants who were then more likely to support the VK
Civilian causalities were often very high, with most having little or no connection with the VK

Question 9

What was the Gulf of Tonkin resolution?

Answer 9

August 1964- Gulf of Tonkin incident spurred congress to pass Gulf of Tonkin Resolution allowed president to take measures including armed forces against any aggressor in the conflict.

Question 10

How did the Soviet Politburo react to American intervention?

Answer 10

November 1964 - The Soviet politburo increased support to NV sending aircraft military and ammunition food medical supplies. China sent several engineering troop to NV to assist in building critical defence infrastructure.

Question 11

What was Operation flaming dart?

Answer 11

February 1965 - President Johnson ordered bombing of target NV in operation flaming dart in retaliation for a VK raid at the US base in the city of Pleiku and nearby helicopter base at camp Holloway Americans were killed many injured

Question 12

How did President Johnson respond to events in Vietnam?

Answer 12

July 1965: President Johnson called for 50,000 more ground troops to Vietnam increasing draft to 35,000 each month

Question 13

What was Operation Starlite?

Answer 13

August 1965: Operation Starlite: 5,500 U.S marines attacked the Viet Cong in the 1st major ground offensive by the US forces in Vietnam. Operation weakened VK

Question 14

Who was Norman Morrison?

Answer 14

A pacifist Quaker from Baltimore, set himself on fire in front of the pentagon to protest the Vietnam war as well as his daughter.

Question 15

What were the Key dates 1966-67?

Answer 15

1966: US troop numbers in Vietnam rose to 400,000

June 1966: US aircraft targeted Hanoi and Haiphong in raids that were among the first such attacks on cities in NV

February 1967: US aircraft bombed Haiphong Habor and NV airfields

April 1967: Huge Vietnam war protests in the capital Washington, D.C New York and San Francisco

Question 16

What was the battle of Dak To?

Answer 16

U.S and South Vietnamese forces resisted an offensive by communist forces in the central highlands. US forces suffered 1,800 causalities

Question 17

Who was General Westmoreland and what was his role in Vietnam war?

Answer 17

Beginning in 1965 Westmoreland sent large numbers of soilders on search and destroy operations his stratergy aimed to inflict heavy loses on NV and Viet Cong forces suing superior firepower resulted in a costly stalemate he wanted to win territory.

Westmoreland’s ‘war of attrition’ overlooked the enemy’s skill for guerrilla warfare and underestimated them. Westmoreland generally failed to see NV war effort for a passionate nationalistic struggle and view the Vietcong as puppets of China.

Question 18

What was the Tet offensive?

Answer 18

January 31 1968 VK launched a massive attack on over 00 cities and towns in the south during the new year launched for many reasons
Vietcong knew this was a publically holiday and half ARVN were on leave
They were aware that the was was unpopular in the US. Public opinion would not welcome a US defeat in SV so this might force them out of the conflict.
Vietcong hoped that their offensive would inspire mass support from the people of SV

Question 19

What were the features of the Tet offensive?

Answer 19

Vietcong made rapid advances into major towns and cities and other military targets. Most dramatic event was when a 15 man suicide squad of VL guerrillas fought their way into the US embassy in Saigon. They held up for 5 hours until it was recaptured. Whole event live on US television. In Saigon 4,500 VK fighters kept a much larger US and ARVN forces occupied for 2 days.

VK also captured Northen city of Hue. They held it for 25 days before recaptured by the US and ARVN forces. However while in the HUE VK executed anyone collaborating with USA 3,000 killed.

Question 20

What were the effects of Tet offensive?

Answer 20

Proved an important turning point in the conflict as it showed that the VK could strike at the heart of the US held territory especially the capture of US embassy in Saigon. It brought a further loss of US military morale.

Question 21

What was the My Lai Massacre?

Answer 21

March 16 1968 At U.S massacre at My Lai, more than 500 civilians are murdered by U.S force. Massacre happenes amid a campaign of U.S. SEARCH AND DESTROY OPERATIONS INTENDED TO FIND ENEMY TERRITORIES

Question 22

What was the Siege of Khe Sanh?

Answer 22

Siege of Khe Sanh happened from 21 January to 9 July 168 in north-western region of SV When US Khe Sanh combat base came under attack from NV PAVN lasted 5 months. PAVN’s heavy artillery, mortar and rocket attacked countered by massive US aerial bombardment campaign called Operation Niagara. Over 100,000 tons of bombs were dropped by US aircraft more than 158,000 artillery rounds fired in defence of the base. By March, operation Pegasus was launched to relieve the base and siege was lifted base than evacuated and destroyed

Question 23

What was battle of Hue?

Answer 23

Jan 31 to Feb 25 1968 single largest battle in the Tet offensive. In the Ancient imperial capital of Vietnam very important objective.
End of Jan around 10,000 VK Guerrilla’s and NVA regular had taken up positions around the city. In early hours poured into the city by daybreak captured the citadel controlled large parts. US rushed reinforcements to Hue and by end of the day US marines reached south bank before falling on heavy fire taking refuge in US headquarters.
By 10 Feb southern part of city been regained not until late Feb that Citadel was Captured may VK and NVA troops had slipped away.

Question 24

What was the significance of the battle of Hue?

Answer 24

Battle consisted of conventional warfare in an unconventional warfare. Military defeat for US propaganda victory for VC.