Vietnam

1
Vietnam a French Colony

• France, after ruling Vietnam for over 100 years
  was defeated by Gen. Vo Nguyen Giap at battle of
  Dien Bien Phu-forced to leave Vietnam.
• France Vietnam signed Geneva Peace Accords of
  1954-split Vietnam along 17th parallel.
• The North led by Ho Chi Minh and the South led by
  Ngo Dinh Diem
• Stated that in 1956 Vietnam would hold elections
  to reunify country.
• The US had other ideas.
• US supported creation of counter-revolutionary
  group in S. Vietnam.

2
Guerrilla Warfare

• It is a weapon that a nation inferior in arms
  and military equipment, may employ against a more
  powerful aggressor nation. Mao Tse-tung

3
Facts About GW

• Started in rural areas because it was full of
  poor workers with no finances
• Will not work with out the support of the people.
  
• Mostly started by a middle class leader who has
  support from lower class.

4

• Pros of GW in Vietnam
• Easy to slip into a village look like civilians
• More cooperation from other Vietnamese
• Easy supply system
• Territory and topography already known
• Used rainy season as cover
• Easy to attain civilian help in ambushes and
  information

• Cons of GW in Vietnam
• Un-organization easily occurs
• Renegade or untrained troops confuse strategy
• High rates of civilian casualties
• Can ruin economic development
• It is a long drawn out process low morale
• Can kill own civilians with unremembered booby
  traps and mines

5

• When guerrillas engage a stronger enemy, they
  with draw when he advances harass him when he
  stops strike him when he is weary pursue him
  when he withdraws. In guerrilla strategy, the
  enemys rear, flanks, and other vulnerable spots
  are his vital points, and there he must be
  harassed, attacked, dispersed, exhausted and
  annihilated.
• Mao Tse-tung

6
Ho Chi Minh -first a nationalist then a communist

• Ho sought assistance from Pres. Wilson after WW I
• Ho assisted downed American pilots during WW II
  in the fight against Japan
• He believed to attack only when you are sure of
  winning
• nibble at the enemy, harass him in such a way
  that he can neither eat nor sleep in peace
• to wear him out physically and mentally,
• Guerilla warriors need to not only focus on war,
  but politics and economics

7
Viet-Cong GW Tactics
8
The Ho Chi Minh Trail

• Extended from N Vietnam to S Vietnam
• Est. 1959 and used by N. Vietnamese troops for a
  major military supply route
• Started south of Hanoi, traversed Laos and
  Cambodia on its way to S. Vietnam
• more than a month's march to travel
• underground support facilities, incl. Hospitals,
  weapons caches
• main route for invasion of S. Vietnam in 1975

9
The Underground Tunnels

• built in the time of the French
• joined village to village and often passed
  beneath American bases
• not only fortifications for Viet Cong guerillas,
  but also center of community life
• several stories deep and housed up to 10,000
  people, supplies and weapons
• connected isolated pockets of Viet Cong territory
  enabled the guerrillas to mount surprise attacks
  and vanish without trace

10
Anti-Personnel Weapons

• Punji sticks were sharpened sticks of bamboo
  concealed and designed to pierce the enemys
  feet many times they were contaminated to cause
  disease
• Bamboo maces swung down onto soldiers who
  triggered tripwires also used crossbows
• Land mines were a favorite of guerilla forces and
  they were taken from the U.S.S.R., the French,
  and even U.S. troops

11
The War America Lost
American forces are not able to defeat the North
Vietnamese 1973 US pulls out 1975 North
Vietnamese invade and capture Saigon.
12

• Vietnam had to rebuild a land destroyed by war.
• Recovery was slow due to US boycott of Vietnam
• 1990s Vietnam introduced free market reforms and
  diplomatic relations with the US normalized

13
Tragedy in Cambodia

• During the Vietnam War fighting spilled over into
  neighboring Cambodia
• After Americans left, communist guerrillas known
  as the Khmer Rouge overthrew the government.
• Led by Pol Pot they slaughtered millions in what
  was known as the Killing Fields
• 1979 Vietnam invaded and Pol Pots forces
  retreated. 1993 UN supervised free elections and
  a new government started to rebuild
• Pol Pot died in hiding before facing trial for
  Crimes against Humanity

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