Guerrilla warfare
鈥榁iet Cong鈥 was a nickname given to supporters of North Vietnam within South Vietnam. They were fewer in number than the US Army and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), and they relied on A type of warfare that involves frequent attacks on larger enemy forces. tactics to survive. Their main aim was to set up camps and A place where ammunition, food and other war materials are hidden. so that when troops from the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) arrived, they could provide support.
The Viet Cong also tried to gain support from the local people who lived near to their camps. For example, they provided labour in the fields or paid tax to the village, so that the villagers would feel positive about the Viet Cong and protect them.
Camps and facilities
The Viet Cong camouflaged their camps and placed vital facilities, such as hospitals and command rooms, underground. Lookouts were stationed around each camp so that it could be quickly evacuated if enemy soldiers were spotted. They would also try to tempt US troops away from a camp by drawing them into a fight, so that it remained safe or could be evacuated.
Another method to protect the camps was the use of A device that uses homemade or improvised methods for wounding or killing a target. Booby traps were responsible for around 20 per cent of the injuries that US troops suffered.
Offensive tactics
The Viet Cong tried to avoid fighting the US troops directly. They also aimed to steer clear of US search and destroy missions. However, they did launch attacks if they had the advantage. For example:
- They led ambushes against US patrols using small teams of well-hidden Viet Cong.
- They prepared traps, where they would tempt US troops into a pre-prepared position and attack them.
- They organised night-time hit-and-run attacks on fixed targets, such as camps and bases.
Effects of the Viet Cong鈥檚 tactics
The US forces experienced an increasing number of casualties. The number reached a high point in 1968, when 14,589 troops were killed. This had a major impact on the morale of the troops. Many of them were not volunteers, but instead had been The process where men were selected for compulsory military service. into the war, and many of them were only 18 years old.
The tactics used by the Viet Cong, who hid among the South Vietnamese villagers, meant that the US troops could not easily identify their enemy. A lack of sucessful progress in the conflict was one of the factors which contributed to discipline problems among US troops. Discipline problems within the US armed forces included:
| Problem | Definition | Reason |
| Fragging | An attack on a superior officer | Officers sometimes pushed their troops to the limits |
| Drug abuse | Use of illegal drugs, particularly cannabis | Drugs were seen as a way to escape the anxieties and horrors of fighting in Vietnam |
| Desertion | Huge numbers of soldiers ran away from the army | Drafted soldiers were mostly young men, and many of them struggled with the conditions in Vietnam |
| Problem | Fragging |
|---|---|
| Definition | An attack on a superior officer |
| Reason | Officers sometimes pushed their troops to the limits |
| Problem | Drug abuse |
|---|---|
| Definition | Use of illegal drugs, particularly cannabis |
| Reason | Drugs were seen as a way to escape the anxieties and horrors of fighting in Vietnam |
| Problem | Desertion |
|---|---|
| Definition | Huge numbers of soldiers ran away from the army |
| Reason | Drafted soldiers were mostly young men, and many of them struggled with the conditions in Vietnam |
Mistreatment and violence, from some of these poorly disciplined troops, contributed to the US forces failure to win the 鈥榟earts and minds鈥 of the South Vietnamese population and drove many people to support the Viet Cong.