Ayman Zaldl 11C2

Bistoiy Contiolleu Assessment-

vietnam
What was the most significant factoi
behinu vietcong militaiy success.
1here were many facLors whlch allowed Lhe vleLcong mlllLary success Lo Lake place durlng Lhe
vleLnam War from 19031973 l am golng Lo dlscuss how Lhe Amerlcan fallures was whaL cerLlfled
success for Lhe vleLcong and how Lhe facLors of Lhe commlLmenL of Lhe vleLcong wlnnlng Lhe hearLs
and mlnds of Lhe people and how Lhe medla coverage of Lhe 1eL Cffenslve all played a greaL role for
vleLcong success
1here were plenLy of Amerlcan fallures whlch had a longLerm lmpacL on Lhe uSA and caused Lhem
Lo lose Lhe war lL was dlfflculL for Lhe Amerlcan's Lo dlsLlngulsh Lhe vleLcong army from Lhe oLhers
because Lhe norLh vleLnamese Army dld noL wear unlform 1hls made lL compllcaLed for Lhe uS
army as Lhey dldn'L know who Lo alm aL and klll So Lhe vleLcong were able Lo use Lhls as an
advanLage by belng able Lo klll uS soldlers before Lhey were kllled Lhemselves as Lhe uS army was
unsure who Lo flre aL 1hls caused Lhousands of uS soldlers' dead whlch made lL dlfflculL for Lhem Lo
overpower Lhe vleLcong
Also Lhe uS soldlers dld noL have any real flghLlng experlence as Lhey were conscrlpLed lmmedlaLely
wlLh no Lralnlng Amerlca became passlonaLe abouL wlnnlng Lhe war and suppresslng Lhe spread of
communlsm leadlng Lo deaLhs of many uS soldlers as Lhelr plans were noL LhoughL Lhrough because
Lhey LhoughL Lhey could wln Lhls war easlly 'We should declare war on norLh vleLnamWe could
pave Lhe whole counLry and puL parklng sLrlps on lL and sLlll be home by ChrlsLmas' ls a quoLe LhaL
8onald 8eagan ln 1963 1he quoLe shows Lhe over confldence LhaL Lhe Amerlcan's had lf l lefL Lhe
war ln vleLnam and leL Lhe CommunlsLs Lake over SouLh vleLnam Lhen l would be seen as a coward
and my naLlon would be seen as an appeaser and we would boLh flnd lL lmposslble Lo accompllsh
anyLhlng for anybody anywhere on Lhe enLlre globe resldenL Lyndon 8 !ohnson 1964 1hls
quoLe also shows Lhe buoyancy Lhe Amerlcans held and how Lhey were so deLermlned Lo prevenL
Lhe growLh of communlsm LhroughouL vleLnam 1he egoLlsm LhaL Amerlca had was anoLher reason
for why Lhe norLh vleLnamese were successful ?ou have a row of domlnoes seL up you knock over
Lhe flrsL one and whaL wlll happen Lo Lhe lasL one ls LhaL lL wlll go over very qulckly" uwlghL u
Llsenhower 1934 1he uS also had a domlno Lheory whlch assured Lhem LhaL communlsm would
grow lf Lhey dldn'L Lake acLlon
8ecause of Lhe lack of experlence Lhe soldlers panlcked when Lhey were ln a [ungle of vleLnam as
Lhey dldn'L know Lhe land plan of 1hey were ln fear aL all Llmes when Lhey were flghLlng and had Lo
be on alerL aL all Llmes Lo save Lhelr own llves because Lhey dldn'L know who would aLLack Lhem
Seelng LhaL Lhe uS mlllLary were llvlng ln consLanL LrepldaLlon lL led Lo smoklng of oplum whlch soon
became alarmlngly lncreaslng 1he armed forces were aLLempLlng Lo cope wlLh Lhe drug problem by
comblnlng mlllLary dlsclpllne wlLh amnesLy Anyone found uslng or possesslng drugs was expelled
from Lhe servlce buL drug users who volunLarlly soughL help mlghL be offered amnesLy and brlef
LreaLmenL 1hls pollcy had llLLle lmpacL slnce heroln use had lncreased dramaLlcally over Lhe former
Ayman Zaldl 11C2

year and a half 1he unlLed SLaLes was Lrylng Lo negoLlaLe seLLlemenL of Lhe war and so mlllLary
forces ln vleLnam were belng rapldly reduced AbouL 1000 men were belng senL back Lo Lhe unlLed
SLaLes each day Lo go back Lo Lhelr clvlllan llfe 8ecause Lhe uS army were loslng armed forces every
day Lhe vleLcong were successful because of Lhe lack of opposlLlon Lhey had 1909 Shanghal Cplum
Commlsslon sald LhaL among Lhe personnel of our Army and navy ln Lhe hlllpplnes Lhere ls noL
Lhe sllghLesL evldence LhaL Lhe use of oplum or lLs derlvaLlves has been lnLroduced 1he
Amerlcans were Lrylng hard Lo hlde from Lhe medla LhaL Lhelr soldlers had been uslng drugs heavlly
for apparenL reasons for noL looklng weak
Slnce Lhe uS soldlers were llvlng ln dread Lhe Amerlcan's were overbomblng as Lhey dldn'L know
whaL Lo expecL Lhey kepL on bomblng Lo sLay on Lhe safe slde and wlpe ouL any aLLackers 1he over
bomblng was largely expenslve as Lhe bombs durlng Lhe Llme of Lhe vleLnam War were new and
hlghly prlced 1he Amerlcan's had no LacLlcs whlch was a greaL fallure and conLrlbuLed malnly Lo Lhe
loss 1he vleLcong were a well Lralned army who wlLh experlence on Lhelr own [ungle whlch Lhe
Amerlcan's dld noL have Lhe knowledge of nor Lhe LacLlcs and Lralnlng Slnce Lhe uS dld noL know
much abouL Lhe land LhaL Lhey were combaLlng on ln vleLnam Lhey dld noL know how Lo Lackle Lhe
supply llne of Lhe Po Chl Mln 1rall 1he Po Chl Mlnh 1rall was a mulLlfaceLed Lunnels of dlfferenL
[ungle paLhs LhaL allowlng Lhe communlsL Lroops Lo Lravel from norLh vleLnam Lo areas close Lo
Salgon lL supplled Lhe norLh vleLnamese Army wlLh weapons and supplles As well as Lhe condlLlons
of Lhe land Lhe uS weren'L use Lo deallng wlLh Lhe weaLher condlLlons ln Lhe Asla 1he heavy raln
and fog were also condlLlons LhaL Lhe Amerlcan army were noL able Lo handle when Lhey were
flghLlng whereas Lhe vleLcong dld
1he norLh vleLnamese Army were an lrregular force of peasanLs and farmers 1hey wore no
unlforms dressed ln Lhe same Lype of cloLhlng as Lhe local peasanLs because Lhey llked Lo blend lnLo
Lhe surroundlngs because Lhey llved Lhere 1he vleLcong were organlzed lnLo Lhree levels regular
forces operaLlng under Lhe command of Lhe souLhern communlsL leadershlp full Llme guerrlllas
organlzed lnLo companles servlng under provlnclal leadershlp and flnally a parL Llme selfdefence
mlllLla composed of unlLs organlzed lnLo squads and plaLoons used prlmarlly for vlllage defence 1he
vleLcong was an organlsed and conLrolled army and Lhelr plans were well LhoughL Lhrough Cn Lhe
oLher hand Lhe Amerlcan army was shambollc and unquallfled for Lhe combaL whlch was why Lhe
vleLcong were successful
1he norLh vleLnamese Army was also well commlLLed as Lhey were sLrongmlnded Lo wln Lhe
combaL agalnsL Lhe Amerlcans LveryLhlng depends on Lhe Amerlcans lf Lhey wanL Lo make war for
20 years Lhen we shall make war for 20 years lf Lhey wanL Lo make peace we shall make peace and
lnvlLe Lhem Lo Lea afLerwards norLh vleLnamese leader Po Chl Mlnh uecember 1966 1hls quoLe
shows LhaL Lhe vleLcong were noL wllllng Lo glve up easlly 1hey wanLed peace as much as everyone
else buL Lhey would sLlll rlsk everyLhlng lf Lhey had Lo [usL Lo conLlnue ln Lhe war 1he wlllpower LhaL
Lhe vleLcong carrled gave Lhem success as lL drove Lhem forward ?ou can klll Len of my men for
every one l klll of yours buL even aL Lhose odds you wlll lose and l wlll wln"Po Chl Mlnh Lo Lhe
lrench laLe 1940s 1he quoLe shows Lhe prlme mlnlsLer of vleLnam was perslsLenL ln achlevlng
vlcLory
1he vleLcong were successful because of Lhelr Po Chl Mln 1rall as Lhe Amerlcans could noL sLop Lhe
supplles and men golng Lhrough Lhe Lrall wlLh heavy bomblng because lL was deep underground
1hls was how Lhe Amerlcan over bombed Lhlnklng Lhey would be able Lo desLroy Lhe Lrall Also Lhe
Amerlcans Lrled Lo geL lnLo Lhe Lrall buL lL was Loo small for Lhem Lo flL so Lhey weren'L able Lo
Ayman Zaldl 11C2

desLroy lL or Lake Lhelr supplles 1he vleLcong had bullL Lhe Po Chl Mln 1rall for Lhose norLh
vleLnamese who were ln[ured or lll so LhaL Lhey could be medlcally LreaLed Slnce Lhe vleLcong were
cooperaLe wlLh each oLher and well prepared for all slLuaLlons Lhey were able Lo defeaL Lhe uS
army

AnoLher reason why Lhe vleLcong were successful was because Lhe norLh vleLnamese were able Lo
convlnce Lhe SouLh vleLnamese Lo [oln Lhe vleLcong Many SouLh vleLnamese supporLed Lhe
vleLcong already buL Lhls was because Lhey had relaLlons ln Lhe vleLcong or because Lhey were
forced Lo 1he vleLcong LreaLed Lhe SouLh vleLnamese wlLh respecL as Lhey helped ouL ln paddy
flelds So Lhe SouLh vleLnamese were LreaLed well by Lhe vleLcong and so Lhey began Lo supporL
Lhem 1hls way Lhe vleLcong had a supply of food weapons supporL and places Lo hlde now LhaL
Lhe norLh vleLnamese had supporL from mosL of Lhe SouLh vleLnamese lL was dlfflculL for Amerlca
Lo Lake acLlon as Lhe SouLh vleLnamese no longer supporLed Lhem lL was clear Lhen LhaL uSA was
only combaLlng Lo averL Lhe lncrease of Marxlsm
1he flnal reason for why Lhe vleLcong were able Lo brlng success ln Lhe war was because of Lhe
medla coverage of Lhe 1eL Cffenslve 1he uS army had won every seLplece baLLle and so Lhey were
convlnced LhaL Lhey were wlnnlng because of Lhe medla and Lhe body counL 1he 1eL fesLlval was
belng celebraLed by Lhe SouLh vleLnamese whlch was a perfecL opporLunlLy for Lhe vleLcong Lo
aLLack AfLer Lhe 1eL offenslve ended Lhe norLh vleLnamese agreed Lo Lake parL ln peace Lalks 1he
war coverage ln Lhe press and on Lelevlslon had glven Lhe lmpresslon Lo Lhe people LhaL Lhe vlcLory
was ln slghL Lhe Amerlcans had [umped Lo concluslons 8y Lhe mld1960s Lelevlslon was consldered
Lo be Lhe mosL lmporLanL source of news for Lhe Amerlcan publlc and Lhe mosL powerful lnfluence
on publlc oplnlon lLself 1hls was because Lelevlslon was a new Lype of Lechnology 8y 1967 90
percenL of Lhe evenlng news was devoLed Lo Lhe war and roughly 30 mllllon people waLched
Lelevlslon news each nlghL 1he war had sLrong supporL from Lhe medla Lhe publlc and Congress
1he mlllLary also conLlnuously reporLed LhaL Lhe uS was maklng good progress Powever supporL
for Lhe war began Lo decrease as no mlllLary censorshlp was esLabllshed [ournallsLs could follow Lhe
mlllLary lnLo combaL and reporL Lhelr observaLlons wlLhouL formal censorshlp As [ournallsLs saw
more grlsly combaL Lhey presenLed Lhe publlc wlLh more graphlc lmages lor Lhe flrsL Llme soldlers
were lnLervlewed and Lhey expressed Lhelr frusLraLlon wlLh Lhe progress of Lhe war 1he ma[or
Lurnlng polnL ln Lelevlslons coverage of Lhe war occurred durlng Lhe 1eL Cffenslve ln laLe !anuary
1968 8uL Lelevlslon porLrayed Lhe aLLack as a bruLal defeaL for Lhe uS Lhe medla noL Lhe mlllLary
conflrmed Lhe growlng awareness LhaL Lhe uS was unable Lo wln Lhe war 1he percenL of Lelevlslon
sLorles ln whlch [ournallsLs edlLed news [umped from 39 percenL before 1eL Lo 20 percenL ln Lhe Lwo
monLhs afLer 1o say LhaL we are closer Lo vlcLory Loday ls Lo belleve ln Lhe face of Lhe evldence
Lhe opLlmlsLs who have been wrong ln Lhe pasL 1o say LhaL we are mlred ln a bloody sLalemaLe
seems Lhe only reallsLlc yeL unsaLlsfacLory concluslon WalLer CronklLe AL Lhls sLage Lhe world
reallsed Lhe lles LhaL Lhe uS army had been Lelllng Lhe medla as Lhey saw LhaL Lhey were noL wlnnlng
Lhe war 1hls made Lhe uS unpopular because people no longer LrusLed Lhem and so Lhey losL
slgnlflcanL supporL 1hls ls one of Lhe reasons why Lhe vleLcong were successful ln Lhe vleLnam War
Cverall l Lhlnk LhaL Lhe Amerlcan fallures were why Lhe vleLcong were successful ln Lhls war 1hls ls
because Lhe uS army made many mlsLakes whlch Lhey could have overcome lf Lhey were prepared
for Lhe war As Lhe uS army dld wln mosL of Lhe combaL baLLles Lhey could have won Lhe vleLnam
War lf Lhey dldn'L make Lhose mlsLakes Salgon was an addlcLed clLy and we were Lhe drug Lhe
Ayman Zaldl 11C2

corrupLlon of chlldren Lhe muLllaLlon of young men Lhe prosLlLuLlon of women Lhe humlllaLlon of
Lhe old Lhe dlvlslon of Lhe famlly Lhe dlvlslon of Lhe counLrylL had all been done ln our name
1he lrench clLy had represenLed Lhe oplum sLage of Lhe addlcLlon WlLh Lhe Amerlcans had
begun Lhe heroln phase" !ames lenLon 19831hls quoLe shows LhaL evenLually Lhe Amerlcans
were ashamed Lo acknowledge LhaL Lhelr counLry was belng desLroyed because of Lhls
Amerlca has made no reparaLlon Lo Lhe vleLnamese noLhlng We are Lhe rlchesL people ln Lhe
world and Lhey are among Lhe pooresL We savaged Lhem Lhough Lhey had never hurL us and we
cannoL flnd lL ln our hearLs our honor Lo glve Lhem helpbecause Lhe governmenL of vleLnam ls
CommunlsL And perhaps because Lhey won"MarLha Cellhorn 1986 1hls quoLe shows LhaL ln Lhe
end of Lhe vleLnam War Amerlcans had been exposed for whaL Lhey had done
8eferences
hLLp//wwwllbraryvanderbllLedu/cenLral/8rush/AmerlcandrugusevleLnamhLm#_edn1
hLLp//wwwLhlnkypedlacom/quesLlon/46111/
hLLp//wwwvleLnamplxcom/popvchLm
hLLp//wwwhlsLoryneLcom/norLhvleLnamesearmys1972easLerLldeoffenslvehLm
hLLp//wwwwarblrdforumcom/medlahLm
hLLp//wwwhlsLorylearnlngslLecouk/vleLnamhLm
hLLp//wwwalrpowermaxwellafmll/alrchronlcles/aurevlew/1978/novdec/blshophLml
hLLp//wwwquoLesandsaylngscom/qvleLnamhLm
hLLp//wwwshmoopcom/vleLnamwar/quoLeshLml