Viet Cong Tactics Equipment Viet Cong • Lightweight Hat - Offers protection against rain in the monsoon season and is cool in hot weather. • Small bag of rice - Lightweight and just enough to carry the next day’s meal. Can be topped up with donations from villagers every day. • No Uniform - This made it impossible for the Americans to identify their enemy • AK47 Rifle - Supplied by communist Russia. Very simple reliable and accurate. • Machete - A versatile tool – used to cut food and supplied from the jungle, could also be used to make booby traps. USA • Steel Helmet - Offers some protection but gets really hot. • Water Bottles - Carrying lots of water helps stop dehydration in the hot climate but is VERY heavy. • Grenades - Smoke and ‘frag’ grenades were carried but could go off accidentally. Also more weight to carry. • Uniform - Camouflaged but makes it easy to work out who is a soldier. Also heavy when wet with rain or humidity. • Backpack - Contains everything a soldier might need but is VERY heavy and slows them down. • M16 Rifle - Supposedly the most advanced rifle in the world. But jams when it gets muddy or wet • Boots - Waterproof with strong reinforced soles to protect against booby traps. • • • • • • • • •
Ho Chi Minh He emerged in the 1930s giving local people hope against French rule. Organised the Viet Minh to actively resist the Japanese invasion in WW2. Believed in Vietnamese independence and Communism. An inspirational speaker and thinker – he was one of the main reasons why Vietnam had gained independence from France in 1954. Millions of Vietnamese idolised him and were willing to follow his ideas. The Viet Minh were a communist resistance movement, formed during the Second World War to fight the Japanese. They were comprised by many ordinary men and women and had strict rules to abide by. Following their success in the Indochinese war against France and adherence to their rules, the Viet Minh came to be seen as heroic freedom fighters keen to help their fellow Vietnamese. The Viet Minh became known as the Viet Cong during the conflict with the US; the US saw them as a peasant army, unorganised and weak.
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Guerrilla warfare is the opposite of traditional forms of conflict. It is known as ‘unconventional warfare’, because: Guerrilla fighters are often politically driven or indoctrinated. This adds to their dedication and determination to repel invaders. Guerrilla fighters are usually native to a country and are defending against perceived invaders. They also welcome fighters regardless of age or sex. The aim is to use the countryside to avoid a pitched battle with the enemy. The Vietnamese couldn’t hope to defeat the US in this way. They hoped for a long, drawn out war, which would wear down the Americans and ruin their morale. Support from villagers was key to their success as they could hide the Vietcong as well as provide food and shelter. This would allow them to disappear and eventually take control of areas where the Americans were stronger – the towns and cities in South Vietnam. The Vietcong mainly recruited from villagers in the South. They lived and worked in communities and followed a code of conduct – winning local support. This was vital for success and allowed them to persuade others to join. Kidnapping of murdering unpopular officials in the South Vietnam government also increased their appeal.
Code of Conduct • Be polite. • Be fair. • Return anything Borrowed • Do not damage crops • Do not flirt with women
Principles of Warfare 1. Retreat when the enemy raids. 2. Attack when the enemy camps 3. Attack when the enemy tires. 4. Pursue when the enemy retreats.