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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