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  • Essay / Guerrilla Warfare - The Nature of War in Vietnam

    Through the experience and impact of the Vietnam War, it clearly shows that "major wars are not without major consequences", as evidenced by the aftermath such as the takeover of the country by communism, the displacement of people (loss of loved ones, building bombed), and use of Agent Orange (a tactic used by the United States that releases a herbicide called dioxin). Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get Original EssayGuerrilla warfare was a tactic used during the Vietnam War by the Vietminh army eventually named the Vietcong. Guerrilla warfare was used by small groups of armed soldiers against a very large army with superior strength and firepower. In Vietnam, the veteran also fought against powerful forces such as the United States. Guerrilla warfare flourished for the Vietcong because of the large numbers of Vietnamese fighting the United States. Instead of using trenches, the Vietcong dug a system of underground tunnels called Cu Chi. During the Vietnam War, the Cu Chi Tunnel was used by the Viet Cong as a hideout and headquarters. It was over 120 miles long and 30 feet deep because they had an advantage over the United States because they knew the territory and surroundings much more. The Vietcong had a large presence as they used the tunnels to avoid air attacks, house troops, transport supplies, and send messages. After attacking above, they would simply disappear underground, knowing that the United States would be unable to locate them. There were side effects of living in the underground tunnels such as flooding, disease, poor ventilation, and various insects and snakes. To reveal the hidden tunnels, American soldiers they called “tunnel rats” were trained to search for all Viet Cong soldiers. The Vietcong laid land mines around the area to surprise the American soldier, this caused a lot of long term effects on both sides, including numerous amputations of legs and other body parts and explosions caused by bombs and buried mines caused approximately 105,000 civilian casualties between 1975 and 2007. The figures I have for non-fatal "casualties" for the American soldier are (rounded to the nearest ten thousand) approximately 300 000, of which approximately (150,000) did not require hospitalization. Agent Orange's mission was to release dioxin which is a herbicide intended to defoliate all plants and crops. This had a huge effect on Vietnamese citizens and veterans due to their exposure to the herbicide which caused short term effects such as exposure to dioxin can cause skin darkening, skin problems liver and a serious acne-like skin disease called chloracne. Additionally, dioxin is linked to type 2 diabetes, immune system dysfunction, nerve disorders, muscle dysfunction, hormonal disruptions, and heart disease. The long-term effects of dioxin were prostate cancer, bladder cancer, fertility and possibly diabetes. High exposure levels over a short period of time can lead to chloracne. It is a serious skin disease characterized by acne-like scratches mainly on the face and upper body. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Overall, the Vietnam War is a great example of guerrilla warfare. The origin..