Search And Defoliation In Vietnam
How effective were the us tactics of search and destroy and defoliation in the Vietnam war?
During the Vietnam War, the tactic of Search and destroy was overall - an ineffective tactic to use. Though the tactic of search and destroy did manage to achieve some minor successes, the overall outcome achieved the complete opposite of the US government’s goal which was merely to prevent the spread of communism. The reason search and destroy was used was because of many things. The major cause for the use of this tactic, is that the US army’s bombing campaign did not succeed in triumphing over the Guerilla Attacks. In addition the domino theory caused the public citizens of America to become scared due to the theory that if Vietnam was to become powered by communism, countries like Cambodia and Indonesia would all follow in Vietnams lead, therefore overpowering America. The tactic of search and destroy also appealed to the Americans as being an effective to use, as it had a powerful psychological impact on the Vietnamese, as the Guerilla …show more content…
tactics had on the Americans. This led General Westmoreland into developing the tactic of search and destroy.
The tactic of search and destroy involved the US and the ARVN flying taking off and landing near villages via the use of the chopper, they would then descend into the villages with the intention of destroying any suspected Viet Cong forces that they could find, or were informed about.
However, by using the chopper as a way of travelling to and from villages, this resulted as an effective and ineffective form of travel. Using the chopper was an effective part of search and destroy, because it allowed the American soldiers to be able to get to the villages in a short period of time. However, using the chopper was ineffective, because the very sound of the chopper approaching the villages resulted in instantly notifying the civilians and villagers of the American soldiers whereabouts, which meant that the Vietnamese could easily find somewhere to hide, which made finding Vietnamese to interrogate and kill harder for the
Americans.
In addition the tactic of search and destroy was ineffective, because the Americas had very little experience and training. This resulted in many US troops falling into traps, therefore ending up with several injured and dead combatants, therefore. Moreover, the Americans were, as a result, pushed into using methods such as violence and intimidation to get information of those who were suspected of hiding the Viet Cong or supplies, they continued to do this despite no evidence of collaboration. Furthermore, they would also provoke the civilians into talking, by burning down houses and destroying crops and livestock. For every Viet Cong weapon capture, resulted in a body count of six civilians (Source A). This was ineffective, because by using intimidation and violence, the Americans as a result, ended up alienating the civilians and villagers, causing them to have rising hatred of the US and ARVN. As a result, this meant that those of the Vietnamese who were not previously in favor of communism, were pushed into doing the opposite and supporting communism, turning out to be the exact thing that the Americans were trying to prevent from happening.
Likewise, General Westmorland was convinced that search and destroy was and overall effective tactic to use. However, this was one of the first wars to be covered by the media and shown to the public audience of America. Because search and destroy happened to be filmed and view by the citizens of America, not only were the Vietnamese already alienated by the US, but the majority of the US were starting to become alienated too. This resulted in a lack of support from the US, as they were being subjected to (for the first time in history), of the violent and detrimental effects that the US troops tactics were having on the Vietnamese.
Defoliants were chemicals used by the US, they were dropped by overflying planes over Vietnam. Defoliants were used to destroy plants and spot Vietnamese.
During the Vietnam War, the tactic of Search and destroy was overall - an ineffective tactic to use. Though the tactic of search and destroy did manage to achieve some minor successes, the overall outcome achieved the complete opposite of the US government’s goal which was merely to prevent the spread of communism. The reason search and destroy was used was because of many things. The major cause for the use of this tactic, is that the US army’s bombing campaign did not succeed in triumphing over the Guerilla Attacks. In addition the domino theory caused the public citizens of America to become scared due to the theory that if Vietnam was to become powered by communism, countries like Cambodia and Indonesia would all follow in Vietnams lead, therefore overpowering America. The tactic of search and destroy also appealed to the Americans as being an effective to use, as it had a powerful psychological impact on the Vietnamese, as the Guerilla …show more content…
tactics had on the Americans. This led General Westmoreland into developing the tactic of search and destroy.
The tactic of search and destroy involved the US and the ARVN flying taking off and landing near villages via the use of the chopper, they would then descend into the villages with the intention of destroying any suspected Viet Cong forces that they could find, or were informed about.
However, by using the chopper as a way of travelling to and from villages, this resulted as an effective and ineffective form of travel. Using the chopper was an effective part of search and destroy, because it allowed the American soldiers to be able to get to the villages in a short period of time. However, using the chopper was ineffective, because the very sound of the chopper approaching the villages resulted in instantly notifying the civilians and villagers of the American soldiers whereabouts, which meant that the Vietnamese could easily find somewhere to hide, which made finding Vietnamese to interrogate and kill harder for the
Americans.
In addition the tactic of search and destroy was ineffective, because the Americas had very little experience and training. This resulted in many US troops falling into traps, therefore ending up with several injured and dead combatants, therefore. Moreover, the Americans were, as a result, pushed into using methods such as violence and intimidation to get information of those who were suspected of hiding the Viet Cong or supplies, they continued to do this despite no evidence of collaboration. Furthermore, they would also provoke the civilians into talking, by burning down houses and destroying crops and livestock. For every Viet Cong weapon capture, resulted in a body count of six civilians (Source A). This was ineffective, because by using intimidation and violence, the Americans as a result, ended up alienating the civilians and villagers, causing them to have rising hatred of the US and ARVN. As a result, this meant that those of the Vietnamese who were not previously in favor of communism, were pushed into doing the opposite and supporting communism, turning out to be the exact thing that the Americans were trying to prevent from happening.
Likewise, General Westmorland was convinced that search and destroy was and overall effective tactic to use. However, this was one of the first wars to be covered by the media and shown to the public audience of America. Because search and destroy happened to be filmed and view by the citizens of America, not only were the Vietnamese already alienated by the US, but the majority of the US were starting to become alienated too. This resulted in a lack of support from the US, as they were being subjected to (for the first time in history), of the violent and detrimental effects that the US troops tactics were having on the Vietnamese.
Defoliants were chemicals used by the US, they were dropped by overflying planes over Vietnam. Defoliants were used to destroy plants and spot Vietnamese.