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Jungle Warfare

Jungle Warfare. The United States sends troops to fight in Vietnam, but the war quickly turns into a stalemate. Corresponds to 22.2 . US Politics. Send troops Strong Support for Containment Support From: Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara Secretary of State Dean Rusk Congress Public.

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Jungle Warfare

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  1. Jungle Warfare The United States sends troops to fight in Vietnam, but the war quickly turns into a stalemate. Corresponds to 22.2

  2. US Politics • Send troops • Strong Support for Containment • Support From: • Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara • Secretary of State Dean Rusk • Congress • Public

  3. War of Attrition • Attrition used to destroy Vietcong morale • Vietcong get supplies from: • China • USSR • Remains defiant • US sees war as military struggle • Vietcong as battle for survival • Geography prevents conventional tactics

  4. Troop Buildup Accelerates • Gen. William Westmoreland commander • Thinks Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) ineffective • Requests increase • 500,000 US troops

  5. An Elusive Enemy • Structured Forces • Regular North Vietnamese forces with southern commanders • Full time guerilla’s operating provincially • Part-time guerrillas for village defense

  6. An Elusive Enemy • Terrain laced with booby traps, land mines • Vietcong use • Hit-and-run • Ambush tactics • Move among civilians • Tunnels • Tunnels • Help withstand air strikes • Launch attacks • Connect villages

  7. Tunnels • Elaborate tunnel networks held max. 10,000 people • Some tunnels were 60 feet deep • One Vietcong base had 155 MI of tunnels • People lived, got married, gave birth & went to school in tunnel systems • Some came out at night to tend crops

  8. Jungle Warfare • VC put metal debris on roads to reduce the effectiveness of mine detectors • VC had 2-stage booby traps • Initial trap • Secondary trap kill those helping wounded • Spikes rubbed w/ feces create infection • Soldiers wanted souvenirs – VC left attractive booby traps

  9. Booby Traps • Rocks and twigs mark booby trapped areas

  10. Casualties • 28% of US deaths attributed to mines • First Marine Division stated: • "57% of all casualties were from mines and booby-traps with a trend toward more injuries sustained by those men newly arrived in country."

  11. US Countermeasures • US to stop rural Vietcong support • Weapons expose tunnels but • Wound civilians, destroy villages • Napalm: gasoline-based bomb sets fire to jungle • Agent Orange: leaf-killing, toxic chemical • Search & destroy missions • Destroy property • Angers villagers

  12. US Countermeasures • VIP – Volunteer Informant Program • Sandbagging vehicle floors • Don’t pick up souvenirs • Strategic Hamlets • Villagers go to cities & camps • 1967 3 million refugees

  13. Sinking Morale • US troop morale drops • Guerrilla warfare • Jungle conditions • Soldiers turn to alcohol, drugs, FRAGGING • US soldiers believe in halting communism • Fight courageously • Take pride in fulfilling their duty • What a Wonderful World

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