The U.S. struggles against the Communist in Vietnam

Step 2: Using pages 356-61 in the Vietnam War Reading, make notes in columns 2 (US Army) and 4 (Viet Cong) to record how far each side had each quality.Stage 2: Thinking it throughStep 3: in each row of column 3, draw some scales to show which way the balance falls for this quality. Did the USA or the Viet Cong have the advantage?Now think about the overall picture - how the strengths and weaknesses work together.


1a) Were the armies finely balanced or was the balance strongly weighted to one side or the other?
The armies were finely balanced. As the Viet COng had effective tactics and support from the population, the allies and Soth Vietnamese had more people and technology.
1b) Which quality was most important in determining who won the war? Was one feature so important that being ahead in that area meant that other advantages or disadvantages did not matter?

In determining who won the war effective tactics was the most important quality. The South Vietnamese and its allies outnumbered the Viet Cong greatly, but the Viet Cong had suchgood tatcics that they were able to defend themselves. All of the options matter in the end but not nearly as much as effective tactics.

Stage 3: Explaining your conclusionsThe failure of the U.S. army to beat the Communist in Vietnam was the result of its own weaknesses and Viet Cong strengths.





2. Now write up your answer. Use this structure:


a. The U.S. weaknesses were:
They did not know how to react from the guerilla tactics, and they were not supported by their own country.

b. At the same time, the Communist strengths were:
Effective tactics, underground systems/ booby traps, support from civilians

c. The U.S. forces did have some successes. For example the
La Dreng Valley, Tet Offensive

d. However, there were some major failures as well. Examples of these were:
killing many innocent civilians, no support from civilians, often walked into traps

e. The Viet Cong had some major successes, such as:
underground tunneles, fought enemies off even though they were largely outnumbered

f. However, they also suffered defeats, for example:
Tet Offensive, La Dreng Valley,

g. If I had to identify one major American weakness, it would be not getting support from their country because this really effected the war. Many Americans were against the ar and had learned that AMerican soldiers were killig innocent Vietnamese civilaians and were upset by this. If they had the support from their country then more people would have joined and backed up the war instead of being anti-war.


h. The key Viet Cong strength was guerilla war tactics because the Americans were thrown off by these tactics. they had not been familiar with these tactics and often fell into booby traps and had to fight hard even though they outnumbered the Americans. There tactics also made the Americans look bad in their homelands which was a Viet Cong advantage.

the U.S. Enters the Vietnam War

In your Cold War file folder in your Google Docs account, read pages 353 to 355 of Vietnam War.

The answers are due on Friday prior to class.
1. Many neutral observers in Vietnam were critical of US policy. Explain why.
Becuase observers were against the French and they thought the French and them were similar.
2. Explain how US politicians would have defended their policies.
they would have said that they want Vietnam to be independent and not cause the domino effect in Asia.
3. The following events are not listed in correct date order. Place them in the correct chronological order. (Write the year inside the parenthesis, i.e. (1965). Then note the reason for each U.S. action, and how it brought the U.S. into deeper involvement in Vietnam.The reasons you can choose from are: No direct involvement; financial support; political involvement; military involvement. Also, note what events triggered the increased involvement.

( 1963) Assassination of JFK - Johnson becomes president---no direct involvement
( 1955) Formation of South Vietnam ----no direct involvement
( 1964) Gulf of Tonkin Incident----no direct involvement
( 1962) Number of 'advisers' reaches over 11,5000----political involvement
( 1962) JFK sends military advisers---military involvement
( 1965) U.S. Marines land at Da Nang------military involvement
( 1954) U.S. stops elections in Vietnam----political involvement
( 1963) U.S. supports South Vietnam government after army overthrow Diem----political involvement
( 1964) Viet Cong attacks on U.S. and South Vietnam bases---military involvement
(1960 ) Viet Cong formed ----no direct involvement
4. Choose two events that you think were critical in getting the U.S. involved in a war in Vietnam. Explainyour choice.
I think that the U.S. stopping elections in Vietnam was the starting point becuase the Vietnamese felt controlled and wanted to have a freedom of speech. they had been controlled by the french before so it was worse being controleld again. The vietnamese got mad making the u.s. have to deal with it and get involved becuase they started the problem. The formation of the Viet COng also made it so the Americans had to get involved because the Viet Cong group supported commusism and the U.s. was really against communism and had to stop the group before they made Vietnam communism and the domino effect would start over Asia with communism.