Final Exam - Modern Military History - Matthew Siler

8/2/2019 Final Exam - Modern Military History - Matthew Siler

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Matthew Siler

Modern Military History Dr. Farrar

Final Exam Due August 12 th, 2011

Part I Short Essays

1) Who are the Taliban?

The Taliban are a Muslim fundamentalist group that formed during the Soviet occupation of

Afghanistan that lasted from 1979 to 1989.1 These groups that originated during this period were

coined with the term mujahideen, meaning holy warriors.2 The Taliban received money from

many different countries in order to fund their guerilla war against the Soviets including the United

States, Pakistan, China, Iran, and Saudi Arabia.3 These forces of men that comprised the Taliban

were not yet unified as a whole, however, until 1994.4 Until this time, members of this radical

Islamic group were only organized on a local level. Members of the Taliban have essentially been

bred to hate any country that involves themselves in the business of Afghanistan, and especially

the United States. The Taliban despise not just America but any members of NATO that are

involved with the campaign as well as anyone who does not follow suit with their fanatical

religious beliefs.

After the Soviet Union began removing their troops from Afghanistan, maintaining their

puppet government in Kabul became increasingly difficult as the mujahideen were able to retake

the Afghan capital in 1992.5 Despite the guerrilla fighters instilling their own president to rule

them, Burhanuddin Rabbani6 Afghanistan was encompassed by chaos as the mujahideen fought

against one another in a struggle for power. Rabbanis voice was one of irrelevance as the true

1 Hayes, Laura, and Borgna Brunner. "Taliban Timeline." Infoplease. http://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban-

time.html (accessed August 6, 2011).2 Hayes, Laura, Borgna Brunner, and Beth Rowen. "The Taliban." Infoplease.

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.html (accessed August 6, 2011).3 Hayes and Brunner, http://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban-time.html4 Hayes, Brunner, and Rowen, http://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.html5 Hayes and Brunner, http://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban-time.html6 Hayes, Brunner, and Rowen, http://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.html


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power rested with the mujahideen warlords as anarchy ran rampant. No true leader emerged

among the factions until 1994 when Pakistan officials hired a group ofTaliban from Kandahar to

provide security for a convoy that was intended to open up a trade route into Central Asia. The

Taliban was tremendously successful as they kept the convoy safe by battling off would-be

conquerors from rival mujahideen factions. This event made it clear that the Taliban was a force

to be reckoned with and they went on to take control of Afghanistan by capturing Kabul in 1996,

led by Mullah Muhammad Omar.7 Omar instituted strict enforcement of Islamic law amongst the

people, which to an American would seem like an extremely restricted lifestyle. The victory by

Mullah Omar was primarily funded by Pakistan, who figured that the Taliban could be effective in

stabilizing Afghanistan.

Mullah Omar banned any activities or games that he deemed a waste of time and

counterproductive to following the Holy laws. Western ideas were denounced and common

luxuries such as the internet, television, and music became outlawed. Typical public events

included executions and beatings while women are treated as second-rate citizens, as is deemed fit

by the laws of Islam. The brutal standards for Muslim women are supposedly to protect their

honor, but are in fact extremely cruel. The slightest indiscretion by a female could result in

punishment as severe as death; decapitated fingers were commonplace. The Taliban are religion

based, and are well-versed (or claim to be well-versed) in the teachings of Islam. Many of the

Taliban leaders received their religious education in refugee camps after escaping the Soviet

invasion. Despite being devout Muslims, the Talibans primary sources of income happened to be

opium and electronics, before claiming to have cut down drastically on the production of former of

7 Hayes and Brunner, http://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban-time.html


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the two, labeling it as un-Islamic. Despite this label, and the claims of the Taliban, opium and

heroin production increased with the emergence of the Taliban, not the other way around.8

Despite the severity of the Islamic law that was being implemented by the Taliban, citizens of

Afghanistan seemed to actually be generally relieved at the idea of one entity coming to power and

booting out the corrupt warlords. However, just because the complaints of the people were, for the

moment, tempered, did not mean that the Taliban were running a legit operation. Beginning as

early as 19949, the Taliban had been harboring the anti-American terrorist Osama Bin Laden (now

deceased) and his organization, the al-Qaeda. Bin Laden is connected to multiple anti-American

bombings and in 1999 the United Nations demanded that the Taliban hand him over for

prosecution. Bin Laden was wanted in connection to the bombings of the United States embassies

in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998.10 The Talibans refusal of the UNs demand combined with their

reckless destruction of religious statues that were around 2,000 years old11 because they were

deemed anti-Islamic, as Muslims do not worship idols, spurred international disdain leading up

to the infamous World Trade Center attacks in New York City on September 11th, 2001. The

United States and allied coalition forces acted quickly to invade Afghanistan, pushing the Taliban

into retreat across the borders of Pakistan; both Mullah Omar and Osama Bin Laden escaped into

the mountains.

Following the invasion of coalition forces and the United States into Afghanistan, members of

the Taliban were dispersed throughout the territory around the Afghan/Pakistani border. While

Afghanistan sought to reconstruct their government and push their nation towards improvement,

8 Johns, Dave. "Afghanistan - The Other War." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service.

http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/afghanistan604/who.html (accessed August 6, 2011).9 Hayes, Brunner, and Rowen, http://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.html10 Johns, http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/afghanistan604/who.html11 Hayes, Brunner, and Rowen, http://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.html
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.html


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the Taliban were regrouping slowly but surely, aided by Pakistans complicity. Attacks by the

Taliban once again became more frequent as Afghan citizens and United States soldiers alike were

targets. Thousands of coalition and United States soldiers were put on the ground in Afghanistan

as the fighting re-intensified following the resurgence of the Taliban. Even today, the Taliban

does not seem to be concerned with the long-term stabilization of Afghanistan and instead are

intent to bring their fanatical beliefs to fruition in the form of death and chaos. In May of 2011,

Osama Bin Laden was killed by United States forces during Operation Neptune Spear, a maneuver

executed by highly-trained Navy SEALs. Most people in America seem to be pleased by Bin

Ladens demise, but it does not make the threat of terrorism diminish whatsoever, and it in fact

could even make the danger more pertinent.

2) Who is David Petraeus?

During the modern era, not many American military officers have become recognizable

household names in comparison to those of prior wars such as World War IIand the Civil War.

Born in Cornwall, New York, in 195212, American Four-Star General Dave Petraeus has become

an exception to this concept. Though not nearly as popular as past American commanders such as

Gen. Robert E. Lee (the Civil War) or Gen. George S. Patton (World War II), Gen. Petraeus has,

over recent years, become the face of the United States Army. Gen. Petraeus career in the Army

extends all the way from his beginning at the United States Military Academy at West Point,

where he graduated in 197413, to the present-day in which he has recently been named the new

Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), for which he is set to take his post in early

September, 2011. Gen. Petraeus led forces in both the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns as well as

12 Porter, Keith. "General David Petraeus." About.com - US Foreign Policy.

http://usforeignpolicy.about.com/od/defense/p/dpetraeus.htm (accessed August 7, 2011).13 "Biography: David H. Petraeus" The Department of Defense.

http://www.defense.gov/bios/biographydetail.aspx?biographyid=166 (accessed August 7, 2011).
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.html


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commanding the two American airborne divisions that were made famous in World War II, the

101st Airborne Division and the 82nd Airborne Division. Though he acquired most of his praise and

merit by commanding American troops, Gen. Petraeus was also a tremendous scholar as he earned

a masters degree and a PhD from Princeton Universitys Woodrow Wilson School of

Government14 and graduated top of his class from the United States Army Command and General

Staff College in 1983.15

David Petraeus career was focused around light infantry as he held positions of leadership not

only in the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions, in which he commanded a battalion and a brigade,

respectively, but in other airborne, mechanized, and light infantry units throughout not only the

United States but in Europe and the Middle East as well.16 Petraeus toughness does not come

without reason, as he was shot in the chest during a live-fire training exercise at Fort Campbell

(Lexington, Kentucky) in 1991 while commanding a battalion in the 101 st Airborne Division.17

That wasnt the only scary moment for Gen. Petraeus; he also broke his pelvis after a his parachute

malfunctioned during a training exercise, leaving him to fend for himself while falling sixty feet

down to the ground.18

The earlier part of Petraeus life in the Army was centered around both teaching and learning.

About a year after graduating from West Point and into the infantry in May of 1974, he was sent to

Italy as a Platoon Leader in the 509th Airborne Battalion Combat Team in Vicenza, Italy, where he

14 Erickson, Amanda. "David Petraeus - CIA director." WhoRunsGov.com from The Washington Post - Profiles of

Government Decision-Makers. http://www.whorunsgov.com/Profiles/Gen._David_Petraeus?loadTab=0 (accessed

August 7, 2011).15 Goldenberg, Suzanne. "Can the general deliver?" The Age. http://www.theage.com.au/news/in-depth/can-

the-general-deliver/2007/09/07/1188783491450.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1 (accessed August 8,

2011).16 Department of Defense, http://www.defense.gov/bios/biographydetail.aspx?biographyid=16617 Kiely, Kathy. "Petraeus: Scholar's Intellect, Warrior's Intensity." USATODAY.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-09-09-petraeus_N.htm (accessed August 8, 2011).18 Erickson, http://www.whorunsgov.com/Profiles/Gen._David_Petraeus?loadTab=1


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remained stationed for about four years.19 By the time he was to return from Italy, Petraeus had

been promoted twice, taking him from his post-West Point rank of Second Lieutenant up to the

rank of Captain.20 After returning to the United States, Petraeus was stationed at Fort Stewart in

Georgia for several years before deciding to help advance his career by going back to school to

further his education and expand his knowledge. Shortly after leaving Princeton with a PhD and a

Masters Degree in 1985, Petraeus received another promotion, reaching the rank of Major. 21 True

to his scholarly nature, Petraeus spent a few years as an instructor at West Point before moving on

to serve as aide and executive office to the Chief of Staff in Washington, D.C., before beginning

his stint with the 101

st

Airborne Division at Fort Campbell in 1991.

22

Petraeus was heavily

committed to his responsibility of providing proper training for his men while at Fort Campbell, in

Lexington, Kentucky.

Petraeus initial assignments were peace-based missions as opposed to combat maneuvers. In

1995, Petraeus was named the Chief Operations Officer of the United Nations Operation Uphold

Democracy in Haiti, followed by a stint at Fort Bragg in North Carolina as a Commander in the

82nd Airborne Division.23 His hard work did not go unnoticed, and his strong track record in the

field and in the classroom, as well as his previous experience aiding the higher-ups of the Army,

landed him back in Washington as an executive assistant.24 Petraeus reputation amongst his

superiors was spreading like wildfire, and when American President George W. Bush opted to

invade Iraq in 2003 he wanted Petraeus, who had been promoted to the rank of major general on

19 Gericke, Bradley T. David Petraeus: a Biography. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Greenwood, 2011.20 Gericke, David Petraeus: a Biography, xx21 Gericke, David Petraeus: a Biography, xxvii22 Gericke, David Petraeus: a Biography, xviii23 Gericke, David Petraeus: a Biography, xviii24 Gericke, David Petraeus: a Biography, xviii


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January 1st of the same year, to lead his 101st Airborne Division into the chaotic nation. 25 The

campaign in Iraq made the name David Petraeus become more and more recognizable amongst

Americans, desperate for a recognizable name and face to turn to. Petraeus and the men of the

101st were held in high regards during their tour in Iraq as they seemed to help the people of

northern Iraq tremendously by providing them with protection from the torturous attacks between

rival Iraqi factions, in which civilians frequently became expendable to the violent militants.

Perhaps what Petraeus is most known for and most commonly related to is the Surge of Iraq

that was ordered by Pres. Bush, at the behest of Petraeus. The plan, implemented in 2007 (the

same year in which he was promoted to General

26

), came shortly after Gen. Petraeus was named

Commander of the Multi-National Force in Iraq27, replacing Gen. George Casey. The Surge was

to send an additional reinforcement of American troops (five additional brigades 28) to Iraq

following the execution of Sadaam Hussein in order to help provide protection for Iraqi citizens

while they were assisted in setting up their own governments and new, better ways of life than they

had in the past under Husseins influence.

One of David Petraeus most significant contributions to the American Military was his literal

re-writing of the Counterinsurgency Manuel, bringing about a new wave of ideas to a book that

needed vast quantities of updating. In 2010, Gen. Petraeus assumed command of all United States

Forces in Afghanistan, under orders from now-President Barack Obama. A year later, in the

summer of 2011, Gen. Petraeus was unanimously voted in as the new Director of the Central

25 Gericke, David Petraeus: a Biography, xviii26 Gericke, David Petraeus: a Biography, xviii27 Gericke, David Petraeus: a Biography, xviii28 Righter, Rosemary. "How General Petraeus Led Iraq Out of its Darkest Moment." The Times.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/rosemary_righter/article4776113.ece (accessed August

10, 2011).


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Intelligence Agency. Gen. Petraeus will always be one of the first names to come to American

minds when thinking American warfare in the beginning of the 21st Century. Though he also has

plenty of critics, Gen. Petraeus is a selfless leader who cares deeply about doing the right thing.

3) Explain how combat in Vietnam was different from combat in previous wars.

Aside from the Civil War, no war or military campaign had as great an effect on the

American home-front as the Vietnam War. With no official declaration of war being issued to

commemorate a formal date to use as a marker for the beginning of the war, there are several dates

that are used by people throughout the world depending on which event an individual decides

properly signifies the opening of the War. For this work the date 1955 will be used, the year in

which American President Dwight Eisenhower decided to pledge aid to South Vietnam against the

Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV), which consisted of Vietnamese from all over the nation

that favored a unified Vietnam.29 Many members of the DRV were communist, and Pres.

Eisenhower was not planning on backing down to any allies of the Communist Soviet Union,

whom was at severe odds with the United States since the Cold Warbegan due to post-World War

IItensions. The Vietnam Warwill always be (rightfully) viewed in a negative light in the United

States; it is indeed a black spot on the resume of American military advisors, and especially

General William Westmoreland, who headed advisors in Vietnam. Casualties throughout

Americas longest war were horrific for both sides, rendering 58,000 American soldiers killed in

action to go along with an astounding 2 million dead Vietnamese.30 The Vietnam Warwas vastly

29 Brigham, Robert. "Battlefield: Vietnam." PBS. http://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/history/index.html

(accessed August 10, 2011).30 Mintz, S. "The Vietnam War." Digital History. http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/subtitles.cfm?

titleID=71 (accessed August 10, 2011).


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different in numerous ways than the popular Allied Victory ofWorld War II, and one of the

Americans military advisors biggest blunders was treating the warfare in Vietnam as if it were the

same as the style of warfare that was featured in the defeat of Adolf Hitler and the Axis Powers.

After the Communist Norths ousting of the French in 1954 at theBattle of Dien Bien

Phu31, the United States government wanted to plug the spread of communism and eliminate the

chances of a domino-effect in Southeast Asia. The American brass knew that if they were to

succeed in implementing a successful anti-communist government in South Vietnam, someone had

to be a leader on the behalf of its own people. Though not the fairest or the wisest of presidents,

and certainly no model of integrity, Ngo Dinh Diem seemed to be the best of a bad bunch from the

American point of view, and aid was sent to both he and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam

(ARVN) in the form of training and equipment. The initial stance of the United States involved

gradual participation in Vietnam without the deployment of more than a handful of troops, with the

intent of training the ARVN in the mold and style of the United States troops. South Korean

Special Forces made formidable soldiers, but the average trooper in the ARVN was not on par with

that of the deadly Viet Cong (an American-made term for the NLF). This is not all the fault of the

ARVN, however, as the Americans were training them in the mold of an army that was ill-

equipped and ill-prepared for the jungle warfare that was to follow.

Ngo Dinh Diems actions as president in South Vietnam did nothing to help the United

States avoid intervening with soldiers. They also did nothing to convince DRV President Ho Chi

Minh or the Viet Cong that a unified Vietnam would be achievable without the use of militaristic

force. Diem upheld strict policies against Southern Vietnamese who harbored NLF members,

including beatings, razing of houses, slaughtering of livestock, and plundering of rice (which is as

31 Brigham, http://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/history/index.html


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valuable as gold to a Vietnamese civilian).32 When the North Vietnamese expected a new election

to occur in 1956, as planned, Diem sent orders to have those who are not loyal to him arrested and

placed in prison camps.33 His official targets were communists and socialists, but qualifying for

either one of these two categories was simply a matter of refusing to conform to Diems ideals.

Diem had already alienated the majority of the nation by keeping Frances anti-Buddhist laws

intact while displaying a blatant pro-Catholic trend with his selections for positions of office;

several Buddhist monks burned themselves alive in protest of Diem (this process is referred to as

self-immolation).34 Eventually, in 1963, American President John F. Kennedy, succeeding

Eisenhower, could no longer stand to allow Diem to continue his reign that was so self-destructive

to their own cause. Pres. Kennedy decided to allow Diem to be overthrown and executed by his

own people.35 Ironically, Pres. Kennedy was assassinated in the same year in Dallas, Texas and

would be replaced by Lyndon B. Johnson.

Following in the footsteps of peasant-pleasing Chinese leader Mao Zedong36, the Viet Cong

looked for strong support from native Vietnamese in the South, seeking them out to take up arms

and fight for them. In order to gain this support, the Viet Cong educated the villagers about the

corruption of their land owners and made promises of prosperity in return for their allegiances.

Many landowners were stripped of land and executed, while their former tenants subsequently

prospered. Viet Cong were ordered to treat the villagers as equals and respect their lives and

property, perhaps even helping out with the chores in their village in order to win their support.37

32 Simkin, John. "Guerrilla Warfare." Spartacus Educational.

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/VNguerrilla.htm (accessed August 10, 2011).33 Simkin, http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/VNguerrilla.htm34 Simkin, http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/VNguerrilla.htm35 Simkin, John. "Ngo Dinh Diem: Biography." Spartacus Educational.

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/VNngo.htm (accessed August 11, 2011).36 Simkin, http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/VNguerrilla.htm37 Simkin, http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/VNguerrilla.htm


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American soldiers and ARVN were painted as villains who were invading to steal their land back,

giving villagers a reason to fight. With every Southern village the NLF visited and turned to their

side, the stronger and more deadly the Viet Cong became to their enemies. These villagers were

not very formidable soldiers; they lacked the confidence that made the Viet Cong such a fearsome

adversary and were usually not much older than children. However, the element of surprise would

turn them into a weapon worth fearing, after all.

Allied forces compounded their problems in 1962 by implementing the Strategic Hamlet

Program, further alienating the allies from the native Vietnamese by essentially shepherding them

into new towns controlled by ARVN forces. 38 The intent was keep the NLF from continuing to

recruit the villagers, but the plan was doomed for failure from the start as this operation only fueled

further additions to the ranks of the Viet Cong, as well as a stronger sense of resentment towards

the allied soldiers. If a villager was deciding whether to support the DRV or the anti-Communists,

their selection now became much easier. Those villagers that were under NLF influence were

required to contribute to preparing an intricate network of caves and tunnels (three feet of digging

was required for each villager, daily39) which would prove to be a vital element of the fierce

resistance against the American and ARVN alliance. American soldiers were not trained to defend

against an enemy of the likes of the Viet Cong. These caves allowed for easy movement of NLF

troops, without detection, throughout most of Southern Vietnam, and they were perhaps their most

formidable advantage over the confused American men; Viet Cong squads popped up seemingly

out of nowhere to bring havoc upon unprepared foes. It is tempting to say that warfare must have

evolved over time into the style implemented by the Viet Cong in the Vietnam War, but in fact the

foundation of their guerrilla tactics can be traced all the way back to the ancient teachings of Sun

38 Simkin, John. "National Liberation Front." Spartacus Educational.

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/VNnlf.htm (accessed August 11, 2011).39 Brigham,http://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.html
http://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.html


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Tzu (and further), the great Chinese expert on military strategy whose famous book, The Art of

War, is an essential member of any military officers personal library. Sun Tzu advocated

strategies with the intent of maximizing enemy casualties while limited your own, and for an army

as out-manned and out-gunned as the Viet Cong, these concepts were quite useful. As Sun Tzu

would advise, the Viet Cong struck their enemies where they were weak, and only engaged in full-

scale battle when they held a decisive advantage.

Following the assassinations of Pres. Diem and Pres. Kennedy and into 1964, Gen.

Westmoreland and Pres. Johnson sought to regain control of the unstable government in the South.

On August 2nd, the U.S.S. Maddox was attacked by the DRV in the Gulf of Tonkin of the coast of

Northeast Vietnam. This gave Pres. Johnson all the evidence he needed to convince Congress to

pass the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution on August 7th, giving him the power to use military force in

Southeast Asia.40 In March of 1965, Pres. Johnson sent the first soldiers intended to see battle over

to Vietnam. By the end of the year, there were over 200,000 U.S. troops in Vietnam prepared to

enter combat.41 Also early in March, Pres. Johnson launched Operation Rolling Thunder,

constantly bombing Northern Vietnam in hopes of causing permanent damage to the DRVs

economy. What the Americans failed to realize, however, was that the DRV were fighting a war

of independence and they were not going to crumble so easily; mere bombing raids would not

absolve the Northerners will to fight for a unified Vietnam.

While the DRV and the Viet Cong were gaining nationalistic support throughout the

Vietnamese population, the American homestead was displaying a very different set of emotions.

The American propaganda machine was at its peak during the Vietnam Waras anti-war sentiments

rose throughout the nation. Unlike the United States entrance into World War IIsucceeding the

40 Brigham, http://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/timeline/index.html41 "Vietnam Timeline." Illinois University. www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htm (accessed August

11, 2011).
http://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.html


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Japanese bombing at Pearl Harbor, there was no brutal attack on America that brought the

population together in support of the decision to pick up arms. The Civil Rights Movementalso

happened to be a prominent part of American growth at the same time that the Vietnam Warwas

waging. The Viet Cong were by no means ignorant to the situation back in the United States, and

(brilliantly) decided to adopt a strategy of protracted war in order to make the United States too

weary to continue a war in which they had nothing clear to gain. This strategy consisted of using

guerrilla tactics to try and cause enough damage to make their enemy, the United States, feel as if

continuing to fight would be a hopeless waste of American blood.

NLF soldiers and recruited villagers created traps capable of killing enemy men and made

vast use of mines. Though the villages were not immensely well equipped, American bombs that

failed to go off made rewarding prizes for the Viet Cong once the dud-explosives had been

refurbished.42 A strategy of protracted war hopes to essentially bleed the enemy dry, sucking them

of life both literally and metaphorically. The complex system of tunnels that the Viet Cong relied

upon caused tremendous confusion for the American soldiers, and casualty rates were high. No

longer were the strategies ofWorld War IIrelevant to the warfare at hand. American forces

depended heavily on air-strikes to drop explosives and napalm upon Viet Cong targets, as well as

chemical weapons such as Agent Orange to disintegrate the plant-life that helped keep the feisty

insurgents both hidden and fed. Within the tunnels were kitchens, first-aid centers for the sick and

wounded, bunks for sleep, and entrances and exits located innumerably across the terrain, allowing

for random attacks on unprepared American and the ARVN. Allied soldiers brave enough to

pursue Viet Cong into the tunnels faced booby traps and land mines for their troubles. Maintaining

a safe headquarters was of top priority to the Viet Cong; these bases also acted as training ground

42 Brigham,http://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.html
http://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.html


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and logistics centers.43 Between the intricate Viet Cong tunnel system and the inability to

determine the difference between a friendly or hostile Vietnamese villager, the warfare facing

these young American men was more horrifying then anything they could ever imagine.

On the American home-front, the media was bringing the brutal realities of the Warinto

the homes of citizens via television and newspaper. Without enough volunteers to fight in a

protracted war without any personal meaning, the United States opted to use a draft in order to fill

enough G.I.s boots to go to war. The draft sparked enormous outrage nation-wide. By 1968, anti-

war protests and riots were in full bloom in the United States and added to the troublesome spot

that Pres. Johnson found himself in.44 The leaders of the Viet Cong and the DRV were well aware

of the trouble brewing in the United States. In 1968 Viet Cong and DRV leaders decided that it

was an optimal time to launch theirTet Offensive with hopes of breaking the American psyche

enough to bring an end to the war, and successfully unify their country. Guerrilla assaults were

launched by the DRV and Viet Cong units on nearly every base or garrison controlled by the

Americans and their South Korean allies. The American and ARVN soldiers fought valiantly in

response to the unexpected Tet Offensive, decimating the Viet Congs ability to mobilize and

continue assaulting the Americans.45 Despite the Tet Offensive being a decisive victory for the

United States and their allies, the American homeland did not see it quite the same way and all

over the nation public opinion condemned their participation in the War. After Richard Nixon was

elected as President in 1969 on the campaign promise of ending the war46, American troops slowly

began exiting Vietnam and heading for home. Though American involvement ceased by 1973, the

DRV went on to take the capital of the helpless South, Saigon, in 1975. It would take quite some

43 Brigham, http://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.html44 Vietnam Timeline,http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htm45 Simkin, http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/VNtet.htm46 Vietnam Timeline,http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htm
http://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.htmlhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htm


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time for the American psyche to get over the shock of such a terrifying debacle, and many soldiers

returning from war would not recover from the mental scars they received within the jungles of

Vietnam.

The ferocious style of warfare that took place during the fighting between the Americans,

plus their anti-communist allies of the South, and the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, along with

their wilderness-savvy, insurgent Viet Cong troops, was quite unlike anything that the United

States had ever experienced, both in the wilderness of a battlefield and at home. The United States

relied too heavily upon their superior numbers and unsurpassed technological and industrial

innovations and did not grasp the fact that the Vietnamese leaders on the receiving end of allied

gunfire were in fact brilliantly outsmarting the American advisors in Washington; neither Pres.

Johnson, Pres. Nixon, or Gen. Westmoreland successfully handled their decisions regarding the

Vietnam War. Prior strategy of war had to be thrown out the window in order to combat the

guerrilla assaults conducted by the DRV and the Viet Cong. Approaching villages became a

dangerous scenario for allied troops as the Vietnamese villagers all had the potential to become

life-threateningly violent. The tunnel system utilized by the North brought an unfamiliar addition

of terror to the already hellish experience that is war, while the American medias coverage of the

hostilities led to public outrage in the United States. The American people had tremendous

difficulty understanding why their loved ones were dying on the other side of the Earth in a war

that did not directly concern them. No war-inciting tragedy occurred to spark their interest such as

the bombing of Pearl Harbor prior to the United States direct participation in World War II, nor

was there the same sense of danger that was felt in the events preceding theKorean War. The

incident at the Gulf of Tonkin is even reputed by some historians.
http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htmhttp://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htm


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Warfare changed on the offensive for the United States, too, as B-52 bombers were

introduced on bombing raids and helicopters were used to provide covering fire against enemy

infantry units on the ground. Napalm and Agent Zero were used to strike possible Viet Cong

targets and Americans began training in a new type of warfare. The death toll on each side was

staggering, though despite the United States being defeated, they caused far more casualties than

they took. The soldiers of the United States took a heavy blow to the tune of 58,000 dead and

about 300,000 wounded while the Viet Cong was decimated leading to over 700,000 dead

Vietnamese fighting for unification.47 Anti-Communist Southerners likewise faced staggering

levels of casualties with over 250,000 killed and more than 500,000 wounded.

48

Part II Long Essay

1) What do you think the future holds for American involvement in Iraq?

The American campaign in Iraq began with Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, an invasion

into Iraq by the United States, and ordered by President George W. Bush, with the goal of

spreading democracy to a nation stuck under the regime of uncooperative dictator Saddam

Hussein. The United States claimed several other reasons of motivation for their decision to

launch an invasion. Sadaam Husseins alleged uncooperative behavior regarding the United

Nations inspection of Husseins facilities in search of weapons of mass destruction is an issue that

the United States took exception to. The way that fanatical Muslims in the Middle East treat their

women breaks just about every code of morality that the American repertoire has to offer, striking

a nerve with the American brass. Current President Barack Obama is currently trying to keep

pace with his plans of having all American troops removed from Iraq by the end of the year 2011,

47 Allison, William Thomas, Jeffrey Grey, and Janet G. Valentine.American Military History: A Survey from

Colonial Times to the Present. (Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007), 319.48 Allison,American Military History: A Survey from Colonial Times to the Present, 319
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but delays involving disagreements regarding governmental organization of the Iraqis (that the

United States are slowly but surely leaving behind) has prevented Pres. Obamas timeframe from

staying completely on target.49

Though both Iraq and the United States have now agreed to a full withdrawal of American

forces, question marks surround the future of Iraqi affairs, especially their military and police

forces.50 If Iraq is going to hold its own without the aid of U.S. soldiers, they have to be trained

and educated well enough to proficiently be able to keep law and order, and if necessary, provide a

formidable military presence in response to exterior threats. If American forces completely

abandon the Iraqi reconstruction now, its possible that the Sunni, Shiia, and Kurdish factions

could resort once more to war, forcing the newly implanted Iraqi government into irrelevance and

quite possibly squandering the American efforts to spread democracy since Operation Iraqi

Freedom took off eight years ago. Violence continues in Iraq despite the presence of the United

States; as of now, Iraq needs American protection. Iraqi leaders are worried about their survival

without the United States muscle there to support them; as of August 3rd, 2011, the Iraqi

government has decided to open up talks with the United States about keeping some American

forces in Iraq to help defend them from outside assaults while they solidify their government.51

Saddam Husseins reign in Iraq was highlighted by intimidation and violence. Husseins

removal from power (as well as the banishment of the Baath party from participation in the new

American-influenced government) following the successful American takeover of the Iraqi capital,

Baghdad, on April 9th, 200352 did not put an end to these aforementioned characteristics of

49 Healy, Jack, and Michael S. Schmidt. "Iraqi Delay Hinders U.S. Plans for Troop Withdrawal. The New York

Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/16/world/middleeast/16iraq.html (accessed August 11, 2011).50 Healy and Schmidt, http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/16/world/middleeast/16iraq.html51 Schmidt, Michael S. "Iraq to Open Talks with U.S. on Troop Presence Past 2011." The New York Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/04/world/middleeast/04iraq.html (accessed August 11, 2011).52 Allison,American Military History: A Survey from Colonial Times to the Present, 349


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corruption, leaving the door open for continued chaos throughout the nation with no formidable

regime in power other than foreign presence of the United States. After successfully invading, the

United States decided that disbanding the Iraqi military as a whole would be a practical step

towards efficiently reconfiguring the nation and government that Saddam Hussein left behind.

This proved to be an ill-fated maneuver by the Americans as they suddenly put tens of thousands

of trained Iraqi soldiers out of jobs and in need of an income in order to feed their families; they

then became very susceptible to joining the American enemy.53

In order for the American democratization of Iraq to succeed, the United States will have to

leave forces in Iraq for a couple more years until its military is strong enough to provide security

against not only domestic disputes but against foreign threats from other nations as well. Though

the United States has already devoted significant time and resources to the mission in Iraq, which

began with President George Bushs decision to invade in 2003, it would not make sense to

withdraw all American troops only to hope that the new Iraqi military is formidable enough to

abstain from relinquishing control to hostile insurgent Sunni, Shiia, or Kurdish Muslims. Muslim

insurgents continue to make Iraq a dangerous country; suicide bombings and other terroristic

assaults orchestrated by fanatics have taken a frightening toll on both Iraqi and American lives.

All too frequently the media is reporting violent atrocities perpetrated by merciless Islamic

guerrillas; atrocities committed within Iraqs borders.

If the Iraq desires to rise above their dependence on the United States and be respected

internationally as a country capable of comfortable independence, their military and government

will have to learn how to be self-sufficient. Not only does this mean providing themselves with a

stable economy, but it also means having the knowledge to deal with a multitude of critical

53 Allison,American Military History: A Survey from Colonial Times to the Present, 352


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situations that could arise. The United States needs to be absolutely positive that Iraqi leaders have

the knowledge necessary to take the correct steps in reacting to any of the innumerous complexities

that are certain to arise in such a chaotic nation. The United States has the resources to continue to

provide elite training for the reconstructed Iraqi forces, and eight years into the campaign it would

be wise to see the job through. The new Iraqi army is improving but still has significant strides it

must take before confidently taking the reins from the forces of the United States; an adequate Air

Force is absolutely imperative to consistent defense, and the Iraqi Air Force is still in the toddler

stages of its post-2003 reconstruction. An Iraqi senior security official has stated: We need

training, heavy artillery training to defend our borders, and we dont have an air force.

54

For these

reasons, I believe that the United States is, unfortunately, a few years of continued Iraqi occupation

away from being able to comfortably leave them in a stable and self-sufficient state.

54 Gutman, Roy. "Many Iraqis Hope U.S. Troops Stay and Teach." The Wichita Eagle.

http://www.kansas.com/2011/07/28/1951247/many-iraqis-hope-us-troops-stay.html (accessed August 12,

2011).


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Work Cited

- Black, Jeremy. Introduction to Global Military History: 1750 to the Present Day. London:Routledge, 2005.

- Allison, William Thomas, Jeffrey Grey, and Janet G. Valentine.American Military History: ASurvey from Colonial Times to the Present. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007.

The Taliban

- Hayes, Laura, Borgna Brunner, and Beth Rowen. "The Taliban." Infoplease.http://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.html (accessed August 6, 2011).

- Johns, Dave. "Afghanistan - The Other War." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service.http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/afghanistan604/who.html (accessed August 6, 2011).

- Hayes, Laura, and Borgna Brunner. "Taliban Timeline." Infoplease.http://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban-time.html (accessed August 6, 2011).

David Petraeus

- "Graduate Alum Profile - David H. Petraeus." Woodrow Wilson School of Public andInternational Affairs. http://wws.princeton.edu/qzalumni/testimonials/petraeus/ (accessed August

7, 2011).

- "Biography: David H. Petraeus " The Department of Defense.http://www.defense.gov/bios/biographydetail.aspx?biographyid=166 (accessed August 7, 2011).

- "Petraeus, David H. - Bio." C-SPAN Video Library. http://www.c-spanvideo.org/davidpetraeus(accessed August 7, 2011).

- Porter, Keith. "General David Petraeus." About.com - US Foreign Policy.http://usforeignpolicy.about.com/od/defense/p/dpetraeus.htm (accessed August 7, 2011).

- Erickson, Amanda. "David Petraeus - CIA director." WhoRunsGov.com from The WashingtonPost - Profiles of Government Decision-Makers.

http://www.whorunsgov.com/Profiles/Gen._David_Petraeus?loadTab=0 (accessed August 7,

2011).

- Goldenberg, Suzanne. "Can the general deliver?" The Age. http://www.theage.com.au/news/in-depth/can-the-general-deliver/2007/09/07/1188783491450.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

(accessed August 8, 2011).

- Kiely, Kathy. "Petraeus: Scholar's Intellect, Warrior's Intensity." USATODAY.http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-09-09-petraeus_N.htm (accessed August 8,

2011).

- Inskeep, Steve. "Lasting Ties Mark Gen. Petraeus' Career." National Public Radio.http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7193883 (accessed August 8, 2011).


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- Righter, Rosemary. "How General Petraeus Led Iraq Out of its Darkest Moment." The Times.http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/rosemary_righter/article4776113.ece


- Gericke, Bradley T.David Petraeus: a Biography. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Greenwood, 2011.

- Wyler, Grace. "General Petraeus: Bringing Myth Back To the Military." Business Insider.http://www.businessinsider.com/how-general-david-petraeus-brought-myth-back-to-the-military-

2011-5 (accessed August 10, 2011).

The Vietnam War

- Mintz, S. "The Vietnam War." Digital History.

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/subtitles.cfm?titleID=71 (accessed August 10, 2011).

- "Vietnam War." History. http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war (accessed August 10, 2011).

- Brigham, Robert. "Battlefield: Vietnam." PBS.

http://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/history/index.html (accessed August 10, 2011).

- Simkin, John. "Vietnam War Overview." Spartacus Educational.http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/VietnamWar.htm (accessed August 10, 2011).

- Simkin, John. "Guerrilla Warfare." Spartacus Educational.

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/VNguerrilla.htm (accessed August 10, 2011).

- Simkin, John. "National Liberation Front." Spartacus Educational.

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/VNnlf.htm (accessed August 11, 2011).

- Simkin, John. "Ngo Dinh Diem: Biography." Spartacus Educational.

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/VNngo.htm (accessed August 11, 2011).

- Simkin, John. "Operation Rolling Thunder." Spartacus Educational.

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/VNrollingthunder.htm (accessed August 11, 2011).

- "Vietnam Timeline." Illinois University. www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/timeline.htm


- Simkin, John. "Ho Chi Minh Trail." Spartacus Educational.

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/VNhotrial.htm (accessed August 11, 2011).

Americas Future in Iraq

- Healy, Jack, and Michael S. Schmidt. "Iraqi Delay Hinders U.S. Plans for Troop Withdrawal.

The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/16/world/middleeast/16iraq.html


- Schmidt, Michael S. "Iraq to Open Talks With U.S. on Troop Presence Past 2011." The New York

Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/04/world/middleeast/04iraq.html (accessed August 11,2011).

- Gutman, Roy. "Many Iraqis Hope U.S. Troops Stay and Teach." The Wichita Eagle.

http://www.kansas.com/2011/07/28/1951247/many-iraqis-hope-us-troops-stay.html (accessed

August 12, 2011).

Documents

Final Exam - Modern Military History - Matthew Siler