1. Fighting in Vietnam

2. A War of Attrition Not fought on traditional battlefields
U.S. military not equipped/well trained to fight in jungle terrain
NLF (Viet Cong) and People’s Army of Vietnam (North Vietnamese army) knew these lands inside and out
Military leaders on both sides settled into a war of attrition
Small battles to deplete your enemy’s resources, weaken their morale

3. American Military Strategies
Massive bombing campaigns
Operation Rolling Thunder
Over 4.6 million tons were dropped into North Vietnam, especially among the Ho Chi Minh Trail
Massive supply line the communists used to transport resources and troops
The NLF and North Vietnamese were too resilient for the bombing raids to be effective
Literally rebuilt sections of the trail overnight

4. American Military Strategy
On the ground, U.S. troops conducted search-and-destroy missions
Helicopters were first widely used in Vietnam, used LZs to quickly transport troops into and out of these remote locations
Soldiers burned to the ground many villages suspected of housing communist sympathizers
Often times did not distinguish between innocent villagers

5. American Military Strategies
Soldiers would burn these villages to the ground, left many villagers displaced and resentful towards American troops
Instances of extreme violence against villagers, including rape
Would also solicit food out of fear and protection
March 16, 1968: My Lai Massacre
Mass killing of between unarmed civilians in South Vietnam
The brutal killing of innocent men, and gang-rape and mutilation of women, children was the low-point of the American presence in Vietnam

6. American Military Strategies
The military went to great lengths to cover up My Lai
When news broke, it shocked Americans and further fueled protests against the war and distrust in the government’s handling of the Vietnam
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Search and destroy missions also resulted in brutal executions, often without proper evidence or trial
Is this the type of government/justice system America is trying to establish in Vietnam?

7. American Military Strategies
Defoliants and herbicides were used to clear out the jungle terrain to expose Viet Cong hiding spots, strong holds
Agent Orange was extremely effective in clearing out the jungle brush, but also highly toxic and cancerous
In the years and decades after Vietnam, huge numbers of Veterans died from various cancers caused by these herbicides
Also greatly affected the locals- cancers, birth defects

8. American Military Strategies
Napalm is an explosive liquid in gelatin form
Usually a mixture of gasoline
Also used to clear out the jungle brush and bomb suspected Viet Cong strong holds
Hard to accurately hit targets (nature of gelatin), or some times the military would hit the wrong target
Misinformation, flight equipment error, etc.

9. Vietnamese Military Strategy
The North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong and had a different goal in mind- weaken American resolve through guerilla warfare
Hit and run tactics, surprise ambushes
The U.S. had better training and equipment, but the NVA and VC were able to pose significant challenges:
Greater knowledge of the landscape
No distinct uniforms marking their status
Explosives, booby traps, mines, suicide bombings
RPGs and machine guns imported from the Soviet Union, China
Repurposed explosives dropped from U.S. planes for their own use

10. Vietnamese Military Strategy
The Vietnamese’s superior knowledge of their own landscape allowed them to build a massive, intricate system of underground tunnels
Provided travel and transportation of troops and resources
Sleeping quarters
Fully equipped hospitals and living quarters
Allowed for secret ambushes, attacks and U.S. caravans and platoons
“Tunnel Rats” were used to root out any Viet Cong

11. Vietnamese Military Strategy
The Viet Cong and NVA carried out the Tet Offensive days after attacking a U.S. military base that was home to 6,000 marines
The NVA and VC carried out the attack using the Ho Chi Minh Trail
U.S. forces were able to repel the attack, but then and over the course of the war, many were taken as prisoners of war (POWs)
Often pilots who were shot down

12. Vietnamese Military Strategy
Conditions in most prisoner camps were exceedingly harsh
Beatings and unthinkable tortures were commonplace, kept in solitary confinement for years
Used to get vital military information from the U.S. prisoners
Also forced POWs in front of the camera, detailing crimes of American forces against the Vietnamese
590 American POWs were eventually released from Vietnam, over 2000 are still classified as missing in action