Tactics of the USA

part of the In a Nutshell series on Adrian’s Study Club

This is an Additional Resource that has no quality control and is not being actively maintained.

• Three main tactics
  • Operation Rolling Thunder
    • Aerial bombardment campaign
    • Very expensive
    • Launched raids and bombs
  • Search and Destroy
    • Killed a lot of innocent civilians
  • Chemical weapons
    • Agent Orange
      • Weed killer that destroyed jungles
      • Originally used by the British during the Malayan Emergency
      • Agent Orange was a series of heavy-duty chemicals used in Vietnam, used during Operation Ranch Hand
      • Agent Orange was an herbicide
      • 20 million gallons were dispatched over Vietnam
      • Agent Orange also contain TTCD with toxins
      • Over 2.5 million US soldiers were exposed to Agent Orange, and also many Vietnamese was
    • Napalm
      • Burned people and children especially
      • Many civilians and soldiers were impacted
      • It was used heavily in Vietnam
      • 388000 US tons were dropped on Vietnam

**Comment on the success of the American tactics, using evidence and your own knowledge. **

American tactics in Vietnam were largely deadly and high-impact, however, they did not achieve any progress or success. Largely, the successes made through strong air defence in Operation Rolling Thunder and chemical weapons usage was subsequently set back by the Viet Cong’s guerilla warfare. Chemical weapons such as Agent Orange and Napalm ended up hurting innocent civilians and children most, and even American veterans when they returned home.

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