Second Indochina War Research Paper
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To what extent were the anti-war movements in the United States responsible for communist victory in the Second Indochina War?!
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The United States anti-war movements had a significant impact on the communist victory in the
Second Indochina War, however it was the commitment to Ho Chi Minh’s cause in addition to successful strategies and tactics that ultimately led to a North Vietnamese victory. Protests carried out on the American home front saw the demoralisation of both troops and country men, whilst political tension soared when war intervention increased, although, many of these demonstrations had little impact. An underestimated commitment to war from the North Vietnamese saw national unity and dedication …show more content…
Karnow states that “The Seemingly straightforward conflict soon deteriorated into a protracted, exhausting, indecisive war of attrition that increasingly appeared to be futile”.9 Giap’s army developed a tolerance for this dragged out war and took on the approach of slowly draining the US moral. By studying and learning the strategies and tactics of the opposition Giap was able to predict landing spots and offensive movements, which allowed large scale ambushes and attacks that had US military confused. The NVA also used the well cut out Ho Chi Minh trail which kept supplies and communication effective between the north and the south making planned attacks effective and having the advantage of being able to know the enemy position at all times. The US lack of success against guerrilla warfare came because of their attitude towards it, Rottman says that “Guerrilla warfare were of only secondary concern to America’s vast …show more content…
Maclear outlines the uselessness of this US tactic “The unprecedented bombing which was supposed to resolve the war within six
8
Cawthorne, N Vietnam: A war list and won (2007) Arcturus Publishing Ltd, London pg31
9
Karnow, S Vietnam: A History, (1983), 1st edition, New York: Viking Press, pg453
10
Rottman, G. The US Army in the Vietnam War 1965-73. (2013) Oxford: Osprey Publishing Ltd. pg256
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months had lasted seven times as long, and only produced awesome statistics”.11The success and failures of these strategies and tactics employed by both sides were the primary reason to the communist victory in Vietnam. !
!
In a war of attrition with a variety of factors affecting the outcome, it is hard to determine the most significant reason for victory. However, due to the over extending commitment of North Vietnamese troops and the standout superiority in strategies and tactics we can clearly identify this as the most significant reason for communist victory in the Second Indochina War.!
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Word Count: 1195!
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1 of 5
To what extent were the anti-war movements in the United States responsible for communist victory in the Second Indochina War?!
!
The United States anti-war movements had a significant impact on the communist victory in the
Second Indochina War, however it was the commitment to Ho Chi Minh’s cause in addition to successful strategies and tactics that ultimately led to a North Vietnamese victory. Protests carried out on the American home front saw the demoralisation of both troops and country men, whilst political tension soared when war intervention increased, although, many of these demonstrations had little impact. An underestimated commitment to war from the North Vietnamese saw national unity and dedication …show more content…
Karnow states that “The Seemingly straightforward conflict soon deteriorated into a protracted, exhausting, indecisive war of attrition that increasingly appeared to be futile”.9 Giap’s army developed a tolerance for this dragged out war and took on the approach of slowly draining the US moral. By studying and learning the strategies and tactics of the opposition Giap was able to predict landing spots and offensive movements, which allowed large scale ambushes and attacks that had US military confused. The NVA also used the well cut out Ho Chi Minh trail which kept supplies and communication effective between the north and the south making planned attacks effective and having the advantage of being able to know the enemy position at all times. The US lack of success against guerrilla warfare came because of their attitude towards it, Rottman says that “Guerrilla warfare were of only secondary concern to America’s vast …show more content…
Maclear outlines the uselessness of this US tactic “The unprecedented bombing which was supposed to resolve the war within six
8
Cawthorne, N Vietnam: A war list and won (2007) Arcturus Publishing Ltd, London pg31
9
Karnow, S Vietnam: A History, (1983), 1st edition, New York: Viking Press, pg453
10
Rottman, G. The US Army in the Vietnam War 1965-73. (2013) Oxford: Osprey Publishing Ltd. pg256
11239!
4 of 5
months had lasted seven times as long, and only produced awesome statistics”.11The success and failures of these strategies and tactics employed by both sides were the primary reason to the communist victory in Vietnam. !
!
In a war of attrition with a variety of factors affecting the outcome, it is hard to determine the most significant reason for victory. However, due to the over extending commitment of North Vietnamese troops and the standout superiority in strategies and tactics we can clearly identify this as the most significant reason for communist victory in the Second Indochina War.!
!
Word Count: 1195!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!