Why did the United States Withdraw From the Vietnam War?
Why did the United States Withdraw From the Vietnam War? The United States withdrew from the Vietnam War for several reasons. The Army had to fight in unfamiliar territory, was lacking in moral, were not prepared for the conditions, could not shut down the Ho Chi Minh Trail, and were untrained to respond to guerilla warfare. This combination of disadvantages and the loss of public support led to the United States withdrawing from Vietnam. The United States Army was forced to fight in a new land that had different weather and geography than the U.S., and put the army at a disadvantage from the beginning of the war. Vietnam is a very hot, tropical country, as it is fairly close to the equator. It has jungles over most of the land, bit also has a cool mountainous region. The monsoon in Vietnam can last for several months, which adds to the misery of the troops. During this time, diseases flourished which are not normally contracted in the U.S. Some of these were ringworm, dysentery, trench foot, and trench mouth.
Clothing also did not last very long. "Clothing rotted and tore apart if worn for more than three or four days." In a less harsh climate, this would not have been a problem. The mountains were a hard place to fight. The army had a hard time hauling all their gear and weapons, which made each mission take longer. The climate was different than in the valleys, so different equipment was needed. The most difficult places to fight were the jungles. The jungles were hot, humid, and generally uncomfortable due to the volume of bugs and snakes, which seemed to bite the soldiers whenever they could. The dense jungles were a good place for the Viet Minh to hide. "Soldiers faced an enemy who was sometimes hidden, sometimes within arm?s length." The U.S. soldiers found it hard to see the Viet Minh, who blended in to the jungle, and moved stealthily, but the Viet Minh could see the soldiers in their bulky outfits.
The U.S. soldiers were not properly equipped for
Clothing also did not last very long. "Clothing rotted and tore apart if worn for more than three or four days." In a less harsh climate, this would not have been a problem. The mountains were a hard place to fight. The army had a hard time hauling all their gear and weapons, which made each mission take longer. The climate was different than in the valleys, so different equipment was needed. The most difficult places to fight were the jungles. The jungles were hot, humid, and generally uncomfortable due to the volume of bugs and snakes, which seemed to bite the soldiers whenever they could. The dense jungles were a good place for the Viet Minh to hide. "Soldiers faced an enemy who was sometimes hidden, sometimes within arm?s length." The U.S. soldiers found it hard to see the Viet Minh, who blended in to the jungle, and moved stealthily, but the Viet Minh could see the soldiers in their bulky outfits.
The U.S. soldiers were not properly equipped for