Vietnam War Tactics Analysis

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Q. Evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies and tactics used by the opposing sides during the Second Indochina War It is clear that from the various strategies and tactics used during the Second World War, that the communist North were far more effective than those of the US and ARVN forces. The communist North was predominantly fighting for nationhood and independence, and thus sustained a remarkably high morale throughout the war. Both the NVA and the VC utilised effective strategies and tactics, especially the decision to combine guerrilla warfare with more conventional strategies. On the other hand, the US and ARVN forces were less effective in using strategies and tactics as they were not accustomed to the terrain, and their conventional…show more content…
Guerrilla warfare is unconventional warfare and combat where small groups use mobile tactics to combat a larger, less mobile conventional army. The Viet Cong had extensive knowledge of the geography of Vietnam and were highly experienced in Guerrilla warfare. Guerrilla strategies often included political campaigns, in which the North would provide a message of unification and independence to the people of Vietnam. The Communists were fighting for nationhood, thus morale was remarkably high throughout the War. The VC strategy of attrition was extremely effective as time was never an issue for the North. Also, money was never an issue as they were being funded by the Chinese and Russians. Thus, the war of attrition was a successful strategy and in fact had predominant negative impacts upon the US soldiers. The NVA’s use of conventional military force during the 1968 Tet Offensive, while technically a military failure, was a huge political success as it changed both the US President and the US Foreign Policy. In addition, the 1972 Easter Offensive, which was a massive invasion by the NVA into South Vietnam using tanks and infantry, was hugely effective and successful. The invasion involved over 120, 000 NVA invading into the South and was only pushed back due to US air strikes and artillery. Therefore, the strategies of Guerrilla warfare and…show more content…
Ho Chi Minh and General Giap understood that they could not defeat the US through the use of conventional military tactics but could defeat them through an unconventional Peoples war. The Vietcong tactics were largely successful and effective, as they had extensive knowledge of the geography, topography and climate of Vietnam. Their tactics had also been hardened during the French war, making them more comfortable and experienced in their fighting. Furthermore, they avoided direct and open confrontation with the US forces in which they would be invariably outgunned. They operated mainly at night, which allowed them to have an advantage over the US soldiers who were unable to swiftly move about the unfamiliar terrain of Vietnam. The use of booby traps in particular were highly effective as they were almost completely undetectable and would effectively impact upon two US soldiers, as one solider would have to assist the wounded. However, in the aftermath of the 1968 Tet Offensive, most of the Viet Cong were wiped out and North Vietnam became dependant on the conventional tactics of the NVA in order to take over South Vietnam. Thus, during the Second Indochina war, the tactics harnessed by the VC and NVA proved to be highly effective as well as successful. [What were the tactics that the NVA
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