Jungle Warfare The United States sends troops to fight in Vietnam, but the war quickly turns into a...

Jungle WarfareJungle Warfare

The United States sends troops to fight in Vietnam, but The United States sends troops to fight in Vietnam, but the war quickly turns into a stalemate.the war quickly turns into a stalemate.

Corresponds to 22.2 Corresponds to 22.2

US PoliticsUS PoliticsSend troops Send troops

Strong Support for ContainmentStrong Support for Containment

Support From:Support From:– Secretary of Defense Secretary of Defense Robert McNamaraRobert McNamara– Secretary of State Secretary of State Dean RuskDean Rusk– CongressCongress– PublicPublic

War of AttritionWar of Attrition

Attrition used to destroy Vietcong moraleAttrition used to destroy Vietcong moraleVietcong get supplies from:Vietcong get supplies from:– ChinaChina– USSRUSSR– Remains defiantRemains defiant

US sees war as military struggleUS sees war as military struggleVietcong as battle for survivalVietcong as battle for survivalGeography prevents conventional tacticsGeography prevents conventional tactics

Troop Buildup AcceleratesTroop Buildup Accelerates

Gen. William Westmoreland commanderGen. William Westmoreland commander

Thinks Thinks Army of the Republic of Vietnam Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN)(ARVN) ineffective ineffective

Requests increaseRequests increase– 500,000 US troops500,000 US troops

An Elusive EnemyAn Elusive Enemy

Structured ForcesStructured Forces– Regular Regular North North

Vietnamese Vietnamese forcesforces with with southern commanderssouthern commanders

– Full time guerilla’sFull time guerilla’s operating provinciallyoperating provincially

– Part-time guerrillasPart-time guerrillas for for village defensevillage defense

An Elusive EnemyAn Elusive EnemyTerrain laced with booby traps, land minesTerrain laced with booby traps, land minesVietcong use Vietcong use – Hit-and-runHit-and-run– Ambush tacticsAmbush tactics– Move among civiliansMove among civilians– TunnelsTunnels

Tunnels Tunnels – Help withstand air strikesHelp withstand air strikes– Launch attacksLaunch attacks– Connect villagesConnect villages

TunnelsTunnels

Elaborate tunnel networksElaborate tunnel networks held max. held max. 10,000 people10,000 people

Some tunnels were 60 feet deepSome tunnels were 60 feet deep

One Vietcong base had 155 MI of tunnelsOne Vietcong base had 155 MI of tunnels

People lived, got married, gave birth & People lived, got married, gave birth & went to school in tunnel systemswent to school in tunnel systems

Some came out at night to tend cropsSome came out at night to tend crops

Jungle WarfareJungle WarfareVC put metal debris on roads to reduce the VC put metal debris on roads to reduce the effectiveness of mine detectorseffectiveness of mine detectors

VC had 2-stage booby trapsVC had 2-stage booby traps– Initial trapInitial trap– Secondary trap kill those helping woundedSecondary trap kill those helping wounded

Spikes rubbed w/ feces create infectionSpikes rubbed w/ feces create infection

Soldiers wanted souvenirsSoldiers wanted souvenirs – VC left – VC left attractive booby trapsattractive booby traps

Booby TrapsBooby Traps

Rocks and twigs Rocks and twigs mark booby mark booby trapped areastrapped areas

CasualtiesCasualties

28% of US deaths attributed to mines28% of US deaths attributed to mines

First Marine Division stated:First Marine Division stated:– "57% of all casualties were from mines and "57% of all casualties were from mines and

booby-traps with a trend toward more injuries booby-traps with a trend toward more injuries sustained by those men newly arrived in sustained by those men newly arrived in country." country."

US CountermeasuresUS Countermeasures

US to stop rural Vietcong supportUS to stop rural Vietcong support

Weapons expose tunnels butWeapons expose tunnels but– Wound civilians, destroy villagesWound civilians, destroy villages– NapalmNapalm: gasoline-based bomb sets fire to jungle: gasoline-based bomb sets fire to jungle– Agent OrangeAgent Orange: leaf-killing, toxic chemical: leaf-killing, toxic chemical

Search & destroy missions Search & destroy missions – Destroy propertyDestroy property– Angers villagersAngers villagers

US CountermeasuresUS Countermeasures

VIP – Volunteer VIP – Volunteer Informant ProgramInformant ProgramSandbagging vehicle Sandbagging vehicle floorsfloorsDon’t pick up souvenirsDon’t pick up souvenirsStrategic HamletsStrategic HamletsVillagers go to cities & Villagers go to cities & campscamps1967 3 million refugees1967 3 million refugees

Sinking MoraleSinking Morale

US troop morale dropsUS troop morale drops– Guerrilla warfareGuerrilla warfare– Jungle conditionsJungle conditions

Soldiers turn to alcohol, drugs, FRAGGINGSoldiers turn to alcohol, drugs, FRAGGING

US soldiersUS soldiers believe in halting communism believe in halting communism – Fight courageouslyFight courageously– Take pride in fulfilling their dutyTake pride in fulfilling their duty

What a Wonderful World