Why did the US bomb the Ho Chi Minh Trail?
Dubbed the “Ho Chi Minh Trail,” the American military reasoned that if it could be sufficiently damaged, the enemy would be unable to sustain itself. Three million tons of explosives would be dropped on the Laos portion of the trail alone. But as often as the Trail was bombed, it was repaired.
What happened to veitnam?
The Vietnam War pitted communist North Vietnam and the Viet Cong against South Vietnam and the United States. The war ended when U.S. forces withdrew in 1973 and Vietnam unified under Communist control two years later.
Why was it so difficult to destroy the Ho Chi Minh Trail?
Mu Gia and other strategic spots along the Ho Chi Minh trail became a struggle between American attempts to shut down the supply route and Vietnamese ones to keep them going. Defending the route was a core of committed laborers, who protected the trail by making it physically hard to bomb.
How did the US try to destroy the Ho Chi Minh Trail?
Between 1964 and the end of 1967, US aircraft flew about 185,000 sorties against the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The Air Force flew about 80 percent of these. Of the 132 aircraft shot down in the Laotian panhandle in those years, 107 belonged to the Air Force.
Did Ho Chi Minh fight against the Japanese?
Ho Chi Minh seized his opportunity. Within a few months he contacted U.S. forces and began to collaborate with the Office of Strategic Services (OSS; a U.S. undercover operation) against the Japanese. Further, his Viet Minh guerrillas fought against the Japanese in the mountains of South China.
Which president escalated the Vietnam War?
President Lyndon B. Johnson
In early August 1964, two U.S. destroyers stationed in the Gulf of Tonkin in Vietnam radioed that they had been fired upon by North Vietnamese forces. In response to these reported incidents, President Lyndon B. Johnson requested permission from the U.S. Congress to increase the U.S. military presence in Indochina.
Was Ho Chi Minh a US ally?
Some will be shocked to find out that the United States and Ho Chi Minh, our nemesis for much of the Vietnam War, were once allies.
Was Ho Chi Minh a hero?
There is perhaps no greater hero to Vietnam than Ho Chi Minh. He is remembered primarily for his lifelong battle against great odds to build an independent and unified Vietnam. Saigon, the former capital of South Vietnam, was renamed Ho Chi Minh City in his memory after its capture by North Vietnamese forces in 1975.
Why did President Kennedy send troops to Vietnam?
Kennedy was concerned at the advances being made by the communist Viet Cong, but did not want to become involved in a land war in Vietnam. He hoped that the military aid would be sufficient to strengthen the Saigon government and its armed forces against the Viet Cong.
What really started the Vietnam War?
Gulf of Tonkin Incident. The Gulf of Tonkin Incident, also known as the U.S.S. Maddox incident, marked the formal entry of the United States into the Vietnam War. “In the summer of 1964 the Johnson administration was laying secret plans for an expansion of U.S. military involvement in Vietnam.
What did the 1/9 Cavalry do in Vietnam?
After establishing a patrol base, it staked out ambushes to catch North Vietnamese units fleeing to safety. That night the North Vietnamese ferociously hit the 1/9 Cavalry. Aerial artillery and a dogged defense turned back many enemy attacks.
Did Westmoreland consider the use of nuclear weapons in Vietnam?
At one point in 1968, Westmoreland considered the use of nuclear weapons in Vietnam in a contingency plan codenamed Fracture Jaw, which was abandoned when it became known to the White House.
What is the ISBN number for the Vietnam War 15?
The Illustrated history of the Vietnam War 15. Bantam Books. ISBN 9780553345490. OCLC 1036801376. Foster, Randy E. M. (10 Jan 2007).
How long did the Vietnam War last?
Vietnam War. The war is considered a Cold War -era proxy war from some US perspectives. It lasted some 19 years with direct U.S. involvement ending in 1973 following the Paris Peace Accords, and included the Laotian Civil War and the Cambodian Civil War, resulting in all three countries becoming communist states in 1975.