The second Indochina war

The second Indochina war

1. Causes

   • Gulf of Tonkin Incident-- turning point; proxy war to open conflict
     • USS Maddox attacked by three Vietnamese torpedo boats
     • US planes sank one boat and damaged the other two
   • Congress supported escalation of conflict
     • Passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
     • authorised LBJ to increase US involvement

2. Three key areas of focus

   • Airpower
     • Used to destroy Vietcong supply routes
     • Used to implement chemical warfare
   • Equipment
     • Wanted to force Vietcong into pitched battles where superior artillery would prove decisive
   • Enemy body count
     • Westmoreland was convinced that a high body count would bring victory

3. La Drang (November 1965)

   • First major battle between US and NVA soldiers
   • NVA lost 1800 whilst US lost 240
   • NVA fled into Cambodia
   • Westmoreland claimed that 1:8 kill ratio was acceptable

4. Search and destroy

   • Destroyed villages that were suspected of helping Vietcong
     • Zippo raids
     • Made USA and ARVN unpopular; villages more likely to support Vietcong
   • CIA reported less than 1% of 2 mill missions resulted in contact with the enemy

5. Operation Rolling Thunder (7 February 1965)

   • Bombing raids
     • Military and industrial targets in N. Vietnam
     • Extended to include S. Vietnam
   • Plan: secure position of Americans in S. by decreasing infiltration from N. and demoralising Hanoi
     • USAF dropped more bombs on Vietnam than all the bombs dropped during WWII
     • Increased support for Vietcong
   • Types of bombs
     • Cluster bombs
     • 82 mill litres of Agent Orange used
     • Napalm

6. The Jungle War (1965-68)

   • 11% of US deaths were caused by booby traps
   • Vietcong were impossible to identify
   • Tunnels around Saigon ran for 320km
     • Used as air raid shelters, meeting places and hospitals