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  • Essay / Strategies Used by the United States and Guerrilla Forces During the Vietnam War

    During the Vietnam War, guerrilla forces used tactics and strategies like guerrilla warfare that were used to slow down the forces enemies. On the other hand, the United States used a wide variety of strategies and tactics, such as aerial bombardment, with the bombing campaigns called Rolling Thunder and Operation Commando Hunt. The United States has also resorted to unconventional tactics such as chemical warfare and the hearts and minds campaign. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay During the Vietnam War, the Viet Cong used guerrilla warfare like booby traps, Cu Chi tunnels, and Ho Chi trails Minh. These strategies were implemented because the Viet Cong had fewer soldiers, so direct conflict would be a disadvantage. Thus, guerrilla warfare was effective in slowly demoralizing and exhausting South Vietnamese and American soldiers without face-to-face conflict. Traps were used because they injured and killed many soldiers without putting the guerrilla forces at risk. As the American soldiers were in unfamiliar terrain, the Viet Cong took the opportunity to ambush the soldiers when they were unaware or let down their guard. This was used because it could take out more soldiers without losing as many on their side. Additionally, elaborate underground tunnels like Cu Chi and trails like Ho Chi Minh were created to help transport weapons, food, equipment, and soldiers without getting caught. Therefore, the Viet Cong resorted to guerrilla warfare during the Vietnam War to avoid direct conflict. On the other hand, the United States used conventional strategies and tactics during the Vietnam War, such as aerial bombing. Bombing campaigns like Rolling Thunder and Operation Commando Hunt would be planned in areas that would actually harm their production of war materials. The bombing campaigns put military pressure on North Vietnam and caused it to surrender and support the government of South Vietnam. As the United States had difficulty telling the difference between the Viet Cong and normal civilians, the bombing campaigns were effective and indiscriminately injured everyone in their path. Although it was effective in injuring and killing soldiers on the ground, it also injured civilians. Therefore, the United States used conventional tactics like aerial bombardments to harm ground troops and civilians. The United States also resorted to unconventional tactics like chemical warfare like Agent Orange and NAPALM and psychological warfare like the Heart and Mind Campaign. Agent Orange was a herbicide used by the United States with aircraft that sprayed parts of Vietnam. It was implemented because it defoliated the forest cover, thereby destroying the Viet Cong's ability to take advantage of the dense jungle. NAPALM was used by the United States by planes dropping this substance from the sky because it indiscriminately harmed anyone, as it burned the skin and clung to it. The Hearts and Minds Campaign was used by the United States during the Vietnam War to try to gain support from the Vietnamese people. Although he failed, his goal was to support the Vietnamese people by providing village security, expanding access to services like electricity, and launching a propaganda campaign portraying the Vietcong as..