US & VIETNAMESE TACTICS IN THE VIETNAM WAR (1) The plan for today…. quick review of key points so...

US & VIETNAMESE TACTICS

IN THE VIETNAM WAR (1)

The plan for today….

quick review of key points so far & why the US got involved

video & discussion on the “Gulf of Tonkin incident”

review of homework (20th Century Battlefields video)

analyse US military tactics in Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh – leader of North Vietnam (a Communist, bit first and foremost a

Nationalist)

Lyndon Johnson (LBJ) – US President 1963-1968

Why did the US get involved in Vietnam? Discuss as many

reasons as you can remember & any additional reasons that

you can think of…

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…bonus: can you make a link to the outcome of the

CMC?

Video

Vietnam War – The Gulf of

Tonkin incident

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd6zKqGcaOM

What really happened on 2 Aug 1964?1 US destroyer & 1 US plane very slightly damaged – 0

casualties

3 N. Vietnamese torpedo boats damaged – 4 killed, 6 injured

• Why did this minor event lead to the US declaring war in 1965?

• Does it matter that the “incident” itself was minor?

• What conclusions can you draw from the US belief that they were also attacked on 4 Aug 1964?

• A cock-up or a conspiracy? 2:001:591:581:571:561:551:541:531:521:511:501:491:481:471:461:451:441:431:421:411:401:391:381:371:361:351:341:331:321:311:301:291:281:271:261:251:241:231:221:211:201:191:181:171:161:151:141:131:121:111:101:091:081:071:061:051:041:031:021:011:000:590:580:570:560:550:540:530:520:510:500:490:480:470:460:450:440:430:420:410:400:390:380:370:360:350:340:330:320:310:300:290:280:270:260:250:240:230:220:210:200:190:180:170:160:150:140:130:120:110:100:090:080:070:060:050:040:030:020:01End

1. The National Liberation Front – or Viet Cong (VC) – were Communist guerrilla fighters in South Vietnam allied to the Viet

Minh (Ho’s Government in North Vietnam).

2. Ho Chi Minh trail = Used by Viet Minh to get provisions and support to Viet Cong in South Vietnam. Went though jungles of

Laos & Cambodia.

3. Intense bombing of Ho Chi Minh trail; Napalm; Agent Orange; caused huge destruction & death; turned thousands of South

Vietnamese peasants against the US.

4. Viet Cong wore no uniform – could blend in; US had to carry all their kit; US don’t know language / terrain; US not used to guerrilla

fighting – nothing like WW2!

5. VC often had local knowledge & support; travelled much lighter than US marines etc.

6. Khe Sanh = a US fort near N.V. / S.V. border; first big “battle” of the war; President Johnson was determined to hold firm…

7. But the attack on Khe Sanh was really a diversion… the aim was to draw attention away from a series of planned Viet Cong

attacks across South Vietnam

8. 200 miles of tunnels near Saigon (S. V. capital city) alone! Included store rooms, hospital facilities, dorms etc. – enabled VC to

keep 1000s of fighters underground ahead of Tet Offensive.

9. Tet Offensive = a major turning point• coordinated VC assault (in 1968) on major cities all across S. V.

• Attack on US Embassy = and attack on US psyche/pride• Aim of Tet = provoke mass revolt across S. V. against US…

• Rising fails… but Tet does huge damage to US confidence & support for the war back home

Use pages 358-359 in Walsh to spidergram and take note on US tactics in Vietnam…

US tactics in Vietnam 1965-1972

BombingChemica

l weapons

Search &

destroy

Vietnam War tactics (US)

Vietnam War tactics (Vietnam)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvXPupBVPBw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cqRPFsHlfI

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