Problems faced by the USA in Vietnam
What age were 60% of soldiers killed?
17-21
What percentage of officer deaths were caused by own troops?
3%
How many incidents of desertion were there? what did the USA do to prevent this?
500 000- The USA introduced the policy of giving troops a 1-year contract
what were the 3 main problems faced by the USA?
Low morale and inexperience, Vietnam's neighbours, 'Hearts and Minds'
What were the USA never officially able to do?
enter the states
What were the Viet Cong able to do?
retreat to neighboring countries to reinforce their losses and get new equipment
When did this issue come to an end?
The My Lai massacre (1968)
What were the majority of soldiers?
People with poor immigrant backgrounds because they couldn't afford the draft like the well educated
What was their evidence of?
Tension between soldiers and officers- 'frogging' (Killing officers)
What did politics mean?
The USA couldn't send their forces into NV or neighbouring countries
What did the large number of civilian casualties lead to?
The Vietnamese supporting the VC
What did the soldiers know little about?
Their reasons for fighting- they didn't care for democracy/communism and wanted to go home
What was the USA's problem?
Their tactics were bases on mass killing
What happened after 1967?
Things got worse-many troops were young and hadn't fought before
What did Lyndon B Johnson speak about?
the importance of winning 'hearts and minds' in Vietnam
What did the VC use these states for?
to supply forces along the Ho Chi Minh trail
True or false- The neighbours were sympathetic towards the Viet Cong
true
What were US troops like in the early stages of war?
volunteers who had fought before-morale was good