1. The Conditions of the Vietnam War

2. Advantages of Vietcong
Lacked high-powered weaponry, so used hit-and-run and ambush tactics
Used knowledge of terrain to their advantage
Laced the terrain with various booby traps and land mines
Use to the sweltering head, jungles, leeches

5. Vietcong Advantages
Vietcong moved secretly in and out of general population
Very hard for US to discern friend from foe
Vietcong created elaborate tunnels so they could launch surprise attacks and then disappear quickly

8. US Strategies War of Attrition Battle for “HEARTS AND MIND”
introduced body count
felt as number of Vietcong deaths rose, enemy surrender would be inevitable
Battle for “HEARTS AND MIND”
Win the people of South Vietnam over so the communist guerilla’s have no place to hide
Not Successful

9. Napalm Attack

10. US Strategies War of Attrition Battle for “HEARTS AND MIND”
introduced body count
felt as number of Vietcong deaths rose, enemy surrender would be inevitable
Battle for “HEARTS AND MIND”
Win the people of South Vietnam over so the communist guerilla’s have no place to hide
Not Successful
Napalm – gasoline based bomb that set fire to the jungle

11. Agent Orange

12. US Strategies War of Attrition Battle for “HEARTS AND MIND”
introduced body count
felt as number of Vietcong deaths rose, enemy surrender would be inevitable
Battle for “HEARTS AND MIND”
Win the people of South Vietnam over so the communist guerilla’s have no place to hide
Not Successful
Napalm – gasoline based bomb that set fire to the jungle
Agent Orange – leaf killing toxic chemical that devastated the landscape
both left villages and surrounding area in ruins

13. Sinking US Morale Frustrated by guerilla warfare
Brutal jungle conditions
Failure to make headway against enemy
Many soldiers turned to alcohol/marijuana/drugs
Morale worsened as they were fighting while government was negotiating for peace
POWs experienced years of torture and confinement