Topic > The Failure of the United States in Vietnam

Although the failure of the United States in Vietnam may have been partly due to the intelligent strategies of the North Vietnamese armies and the guerrilla tactics they employed to counter those of the technology employed in times distant most advanced American army. The Vietnamese military used their home country's foreign territory against the United States with its inhospitable climate, demanding densely forested terrain. These guerrilla tactics Although the Americans had superior technology and weaponry, it was the superiority of the Communists' tactics and strategies that won them the war. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The Ho Chi Minh Trail, which runs parallel to South Vietnam through Laos and Cambodia, was the lifeline of the Viet Cong-NVA alliance. It was a complex system of roads, jungle paths, transit shelters and air raid shelters. The Ho Chi Minh Trail was the vital supply line that facilitated the movement of soldiers, weapons, food, aid, and many other resources from North Vietnam to the Allies in the South. Despite continued American attempts to sever this crucial link through bombing and defoliations, the Ho Chi Minh trail remained strong and effective. The Viet Cong had also built a vast and complex network of underground tunnels that stretched for hundreds of kilometers and connected entire neighborhoods. The tunnels were used as warehouses for Viet Cong and North Vietnamese supplies, including food, weapons, explosives, etc. They also contained workshops, kitchens, dormitories and a series of deadly booby traps for unwanted intruders. Booby traps were widely used by the Viet Cong and posed a constant threat to U.S. and Southern forces. Hidden land mines, grenades, artillery shells, sharpened bamboo, deadly snakes and wire were all effectively used to destroy enemy forces. The Viet Cong and NVA assaults were conducted mostly at night, making it even more difficult for the opposition to capture or even locate them. In response to the nature of the war, the United States and the ARVN developed some tactics that they believed would overcome the difficulties of counter-guerrilla warfare. Due to the difficulty of the war, the United States adopted the "search and destroy" combat strategy. The self-explanatory term essentially implied searching for enemy bases and annihilating their forces. Large units of U.S. and ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam) combat soldiers entered the country's villages and difficult terrain to find Viet Cong troops and supplies. This strategy exposed soldiers to booby traps or ambushes. Many villages suspected of being under Viet Cong influence were completely destroyed and its inhabitants killed, which in turn created bitter resentment towards the Americans. Helicopters were used extensively by the United States for various reasons, including "search and destroy" missions. Due to the lack of roads and the versatility of helicopters, they were used to move infantry units, evacuate and treat casualties, transport artillery and ammunition, and launch missiles and other attacks. The helicopter played a significant role in the US effort, but although the Viet Cong and NVA were ill-equipped in terms of aircraft, they possessed highly effective air defense. Modern and effective anti-aircraft guns and surface-to-air missiles supplied by the Soviet ally caused considerable damage to US aircraft. In early 1968, however, Cmdr.