Vietcong Tactics Research

Tunnels * Evidence/Details * “These lead from the village out into the jungle. They also contain underground caverns where we can hide if the US troops arrive. It is also where we store our equipment – medical supplies, and weapons. The tunnels are usually too small for the American soldiers…We often kill or wound the whole American patrol without being seen.” * “Searching tunnels and killing or capturing any Vietcong hiding beneath the ground became a major part of the war” * “The conventional warfare techniques weren't effective in the tunnel war. A new way was found in training physically small volunteers into tunnels specialists. Only using a handgun, knife, flashlight and wire (for guidance) they trained themselves in tunnel-exploration and tunnel-warfare.”

* Evaluation
At first, the Americans were not effectively counteracting the tunnels, as the bombs dropped onto them failed to significantly damage them and the large majority of the troops could not fit into the tunnel entrances. In response to this the US selected a few soldiers, who were able to fit, to enter the tunnels and check if they were in use. These men were often just armed with a handgun and a torch; they were commonly referred to as ‘Tunnel Rats’

* Analysis
Although not as effective, at directly affecting the American soldiers, as the ingenious booby traps were. The tunnels did allow the Vietcong to continue using their ‘Guerilla Tactics’ effectively, and intern “keep the Americans guessing” as to where and when they would be next hit. The tunnels were thought to make up any disadvantages the VC had with weapons against the Americans and although they did not cause physical harm to the soldiers, as the booby traps did, they were almost as effective at advancing the VC further ahead, to altogether win the war.

Booby Traps * Evidence/Details
The Vietcong used booby traps in order to injure the American soldiers, which would intern bring down more than one man, as the injured man would have to be carried to safety. The widely used booby traps were cheap to make, from items such as sharpened bamboo sticks. In addition to that, the VC made their explosives from the un-detonated bombs dropped by the Americans B-52 bombers. * “Booby traps were designed to maim or kill American soldiers.” “Soldiers out on patrol didn’t only have an enemy ambush to worry about. Eleven percent of deaths were caused by booby traps. These were cheap and easy to make, and very effective. Sharpened bamboo stakes, hidden in shallow pits under sticks and leaves could easily pierce the sole of a boot.” * “What the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese Army lacked in the way of firepower they made up for in ingenuity. Concealed devices used to inflict casualties; booby traps were an integral component of the war used by Viet Cong and the People's Army of Vietnam.” * “The use of booby traps also had a long-lasting psychological impact on Marines and soldiers. The fear of booby traps was so great that units in the field were under stress the whole time. This created severe mental fatigue on both the commanders at platoon level and the individual soldiers.”

* Evaluation
These traps made a very large and significant impact on the American troops, the traps didn’t just cause the obvious damage to the injured troop, but also made a large physiological impact on the entire platoon as they were afraid to make steps. The Americans couldn’t effectively combat the traps as they were in random areas and were undetectable as they were camouflaged.

* Analysis
The booby traps were most definitely more efficient and effective at both physically and mentally harming the soldiers. They were largely more cost effective compared to the amount of money the Americans were using to fuel their high tech weaponry war. This was because many of the booby traps either used the nature that had around them or the equipment left by the enemy.

Conventional Warfare * Evidence/Details * “The war that was fought in South Vietnam was unlike any other experienced by American forces up to that time. The war in South Vietnam became a “war with no front” where guerrilla fighters could not be distinguished from the local populace who might, in fact, have been guerrilla fighters..” * “The Vietcong wore no uniforms. So it was impossible for the Americans to tell the difference between a Vietcong soldier and a harmless peasant. Innocent civilians were killed because US troops thought they were Vietcong.” * “Unlike conventional wars, the Vietnam War was a turning point in the history of modern conventional warfare. A guerilla war, fought on difficult terrain with no defined front lines, consisting of hit-and-run attacks with guerillas striking at government outposts and retreating into the jungle.”

* Evaluation
The fact that the Vietnam War wasn’t a conventional affected the American soldiers a great deal as it was unlike any other they had fought. One of the biggest changes was the fact that the opposition didn’t wear a uniform, which lead to the death of many innocent civilians. This gave further bad publicity towards the Americans, back in the US leading to further opposition towards the US’ involvement.

* Analysis
The fact that this was an unconventional did, in the long run, help the Vietnamese to win the war. This was because it was unexpected for the Americans and they didn’t know how to react to their use of different warfare tactics and the fact there was no uniform to distinguish the VCs. All these factors together show that this tactic was in some way more effective and better than tunnels and booby traps, because it links to other factors such as the bad publicity the US got.

Ho Chi Minh Trail * Evidence/Details * “The Ho Chi Minh Trail developed into the essential means for infiltration of supplies and personnel into the South Vietnam Landscape.” * “This network of wilderness routes carried communist equipment, supplies, and troops to fight in South Vietnam. The trail started near Hanoi, but was chiefly outside both Vietnams. Many branches led into the South. Long sections passed through jungles that sheltered the trail from allied bombing attacks.” * Evaluation
The Ho Chi Minh Trial was effective, because of it’s location it prevented the Americans from attacking it, as it went through countries that were not involved in the was. But in an attempt the Americans dropped defoliants like ‘Agent Orange’ to try and strip the jungle camouflage, but in doing this the American got more negative attention from the media as the chemicals were affecting the innocent.

* Analysis
This tactic was very similar to the tunnels as it was almost unaffected by the Americans but didn’t physically or directly affect the soldiers. I believe that this factor is only slightly better than the tunnels as it’s main advantage was the fact it almost completely prevented the Americans from attacking while they were in other countries as they couldn’t afford to start more conflict.

Hit and Run Tactics * Evidence/Details
The Vietcong (VC) used guerilla tactics, otherwise known as guerilla warfare. Theses tactics included a strategic and ingenious way of attacking the enemy, referred to as ‘Hit and Run’ this tactic was a contrast with the American’s ‘Search and Destroy’. But in order to effectively use this tactic the VC needed the support from the locals, which they had and the Americans did not because of the brutal acts seen by the Vietnamese from American soldiers, most of the locals were VC supporters. * “Such tactics had been used against the Japanese during the Second World War and the French in the years that followed.” * “Retreat when the enemy attacks, raid when the enemy camps, attack when the enemy tires, and pursue when the enemy retreats.”

* Evaluation
This tactic didn’t directly affect the Americans as much as booby traps did, they did depend on the other tactics such as the tunnels as they used them to hide after attack. This tactic also further physiologically affected the US troops, as they were afraid of a surprise ambush. This is very similar to the effect of the booby traps.

* Analysis
This tactic, in my opinion was not quite as important or as affective as booby traps. Although both of these tactics did have the same affect on the soldiers, hurting them both physically and psychologically. In addition to this,

* Bibliography * SHP, History, Year 9 By Dale Banham and Ian Luff * The Vietnam War By Katie Daynes * http://www.warchapter.com/Vietnam_war_Tunnels.html * Hodder 20th Century History, Vietnam 1939-75 By Neil Demarco * http://vietnam-warfare.tripod.com/vietnamwarfare/id3.html * http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/war_vietnam.htm * The Twentieth Century World By J. F. Aylett * http://www.vietnam-war.0catch.com/vietnam_war_nature.htm * http://academic.mu.edu/meissnerd/hochitrail.htm * Eyewitness Books, Vietnam War * Vietnam 1960-1975, GCSE History for Edexcel By Steve Waugh and John Wright