American Military American Military Strategies in VietnamStrategies in Vietnam

Sending in the TroopsSending in the Troops

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Pleiku and Operation Flaming DartPleiku and Operation Flaming Dart The The Viet Cong attack on Pleiku airbaseViet Cong attack on Pleiku airbase

occurred on the night of February 6, 1965. occurred on the night of February 6, 1965.

The attack left The attack left eight Americans deadeight Americans dead and 128 woundedand 128 wounded

it prompted the United States to launch it prompted the United States to launch Operation Flaming DartOperation Flaming Dart against North against North Vietnam in retaliation. Vietnam in retaliation.

The Pleiku attack was used by the Johnson The Pleiku attack was used by the Johnson Administration as Administration as justification for justification for committing combat troopscommitting combat troops to South to South Vietnam Vietnam

Seek and DestroySeek and Destroy Under President Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1968), US intervention Under President Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1968), US intervention

mushroomed both militarily and politically. mushroomed both militarily and politically.

General William C. Westmoreland,General William C. Westmoreland, was commander of all U.S. was commander of all U.S. Military Operations in VietnamMilitary Operations in Vietnam

The General Strategy was:The General Strategy was:

1.1. American ground divisionsAmerican ground divisions would seek out and destroy North would seek out and destroy North Vietnamese and Viet Cong Vietnamese and Viet Cong

2.2. Launch air strikesLaunch air strikes against the North targeting transportation, oil against the North targeting transportation, oil storage, and the nation's few industries storage, and the nation's few industries

In theory, Westmoreland's strategy of In theory, Westmoreland's strategy of search and destroysearch and destroy would force the Communists to expend supplies make the would force the Communists to expend supplies make the logistics in North Vietnam all the more vulnerable to bombing. logistics in North Vietnam all the more vulnerable to bombing.

Troop DeploymentTroop Deployment Total US Military Personnel in VietnamTotal US Military Personnel in Vietnam Date Total PersonnelDate Total Personnel 1960 1960 900 900 1961 1961 3,200 3,200 1962 1962 11,500 11,500 1963 1963 16,300 16,300 1964 1964 23,300 23,300 1965 1965 184,300 184,300 1966 1966 425,300 425,300 1967 1967 485,600 485,600 19681968 536,100 536,100 19691969 474,400 474,400 19701970 335,800 335,800 1971 1971 250,900 250,900

Wartime in VietnamWartime in Vietnam The Vietnam conflict had many The Vietnam conflict had many

facesfaces

1.1. insurrection by insurrection by indigenous indigenous guerrilla forcesguerrilla forces

2.2. an invasion by the an invasion by the regular army regular army of a neighboring regimeof a neighboring regime

3.3. It was a war of It was a war of snipers and snipers and ambushesambushes, booby traps and , booby traps and pitched battles pitched battles

Wartime in VietnamWartime in Vietnam5.5. It was It was fighting small bandsfighting small bands of of

unrecognizable Vietcongunrecognizable Vietcong

6.6. It was large It was large full scale military operationsfull scale military operations against the North Vietnamese Army (NVA)against the North Vietnamese Army (NVA)

7.7. The fighting locale ranged from the The fighting locale ranged from the densely densely inhabited rice basketinhabited rice basket of the Mekong Delta of the Mekong Delta to the remote, to the remote, jungled mountainsjungled mountains of the of the Central Highlands Central Highlands

Changes in US Military StrategyChanges in US Military Strategy Because of these factors, the US military was forced Because of these factors, the US military was forced

to to change its traditional military deployment change its traditional military deployment strategystrategy

1.1. Front lines common in previous wars were replaced Front lines common in previous wars were replaced by by perimeter defensesperimeter defenses

2.2. The The helicopter became a prime moverhelicopter became a prime mover for artillery for artillery

3.3. Artillery units occupied Artillery units occupied fire support basesfire support bases and could and could fire 360 degrees fire 360 degrees

4.4. American tactics in Vietnam relied on American tactics in Vietnam relied on overwhelming overwhelming firepower firepower

The New Strategy Challenge The New Strategy Challenge Very few major engagements were fought Very few major engagements were fought without without

artillery supportartillery support

air support and artillery air support and artillery reduced friendly casualtiesreduced friendly casualties while overcoming the enemy’s advantage in numbers while overcoming the enemy’s advantage in numbers

Although American firepower created Although American firepower created staggering staggering enemy casualtiesenemy casualties and limited his ability to mass and limited his ability to mass maneuver forcesmaneuver forces, preparatory fires , preparatory fires seldom seldom neutralized the NVA positions neutralized the NVA positions

The dense jungle and the steep slope of hills The dense jungle and the steep slope of hills concentrated US firepowerconcentrated US firepower, as did the enemy's weIl-, as did the enemy's weIl-prepared defenses. prepared defenses.

Rolling Thunder Rolling Thunder In 1965, In 1965, Rolling ThunderRolling Thunder was the operation of US air was the operation of US air

strikes were ordered against North Vietnamstrikes were ordered against North Vietnam

But US forces were not permitted to attack some But US forces were not permitted to attack some targets for fear of targets for fear of Chinese retaliationChinese retaliation

Spring 1965, Spring 1965, 50,000 Chinese troops50,000 Chinese troops served in North served in North Vietnam Vietnam

Johnson limited ROLLING THUNDER to southern North Johnson limited ROLLING THUNDER to southern North Vietnam in 1968Vietnam in 1968

Having turned to air power, the Johnson administration Having turned to air power, the Johnson administration chose to apply it in a chose to apply it in a gradually escalating fashion gradually escalating fashion