Why was Vietnam so hard to fight
Vietnam War soldiers endured many hardships and faced many problems. Combatants on both sides faced physical challenges posed by the climate, terrain and wildlife of the country. They also struggled with logistical problems and the complex political situation in Vietnam.
How many US soldiers went to Vietnam
2,709,918 Americans served in Vietnam, this number represents 9.7% of their generation. 3,403,100 (Including 514,300 offshore) personnel served in the broader Southeast Asia Theater (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, flight crews based in Thailand, and sailors in adjacent South China Sea waters).
How did soldiers sleep in Vietnam War
Jim Holcombe, U.S. Army, 1969-1970 recalls, “It [the monsoon season] changed the way we operated. During the dry season, when we encamped at night, you just threw down your poncho and slept on the ground. During monsoon season, you'd fashion a hammock, or you'd buy one, and you'd sleep in a hammock up off the ground. …
How did the soldiers feel about the Vietnam War
Many soldiers joined the antiwar movement by producing underground newspapers and holding strategic meetings in coffeehouses. Letters from soldiers abroad often described confusion and guilt about their military service. Other soldiers expressed feelings of betrayal by their own country.
Why were soldiers hated in Vietnam
Many Vietnam veterans claim that most people treated them with indifference and seemed uncomfortable listening to their stories from battle. Some people, however, saw returning soldiers as dangerous, violent symbols of an increasingly futile and terrible war—much like the individual Wowwk encountered.
Was Vietnam a failed war
Despite the decades of resolve, billions and billions of dollars, nearly 60,000 American lives and many more injuries, the United States failed to achieve its objectives. One factor that influenced the failure of the United States in Vietnam was lack of public support.
What was the deadliest job in Vietnam
Overall, the U.S. military used nearly 12,000 helicopters in Vietnam, of which more than 5,000 were destroyed. To be a helicopter pilot or crew member was among the most dangerous jobs in the war.
What was the bloodiest day in Vietnam
The deadliest day of the Vietnam War for the U.S. was 31 January at the start of the Tet Offensive when 246 Americans were killed in action.
Why was the Vietnam War particularly brutal for American soldiers
But the nature of the war in Vietnam—the lack of clear objectives and identifiable enemies, the youth and inexperience of the soldiers, the tactics of the enemy, and the difficult terrain—made this war particularly difficult for American soldiers.
What did Vietnam do to American soldiers
Although North Vietnam was a signatory of the Third Geneva Convention of 1949, which demanded "decent and humane treatment" of prisoners of war, severe torture methods were employed, such as waterboarding, strappado (known as "the ropes" to POWs), irons, beatings, and prolonged solitary confinement.
Why was Vietnam so traumatic
Unlike veterans who fought in previous conflicts, the Vietnam veterans were never welcomed home, so many of them suffered from significant social isolation. Jim's PTSD was a result of his military experience in conflict and social isolation which created a vicious circle.
How awful was the Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a disaster from its bad beginning until its tragic end. It killed four million Vietnamese and over 58,000 Americans. Millions more, Vietnamese and Americans, were wounded by shell or shock and the war came close to ripping our country asunder.
Who is Vietnam’s closest ally
Vietnam has forged comprehensive strategic partnerships — the highest diplomatic designation — with China, India, Russia, and, most recently, South Korea. Many of Vietnam's strategic partners are U.S. allies, such as Japan, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
Why was the Vietnam War horrible
The Vietnam War was a disaster from its bad beginning until its tragic end. It killed four million Vietnamese and over 58,000 Americans. Millions more, Vietnamese and Americans, were wounded by shell or shock and the war came close to ripping our country asunder.
Could the US have won Vietnam
America did not experience a “lost victory” in Vietnam; in fact, victory was likely out of reach from the beginning. There is a broad consensus among professional historians that the Vietnam War was effectively unwinnable.
Have the Vietnamese ever lost a war
More importantly, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam fought a border war with the People's Republic of China in early 1979 and while both sides claimed victory, it was Vietnam that lost territory—more than the U.S. lost in 1973. In other words, it is hard to put Vietnam in the undefeated category.
Who did the Viet Cong fear most
South Korean troops
Tough, battle-hardened South Korean troops were justly feared by Vietcong and North Vietnamese regulars alike during the Vietnam War.
What is the number 1 killer in Vietnam
strokes
Cardiovascular disease (CVD), which includes strokes and ischemic heart disease, is responsible for 31% of deaths in Vietnam. Cancers of the lung and liver follow closely behind. Strokes cause the most deaths in the Vietnamese population with 200,000 new cases each year; half of them are fatal.
Where was the worst fighting in Vietnam
The heaviest action took place near Dak To, in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum. The presence of the PAVN 1st Division prompted a 22-day battle there and had some of the most intense close-quarters fighting of the entire conflict.
How bad was Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a disaster from its bad beginning until its tragic end. It killed four million Vietnamese and over 58,000 Americans. Millions more, Vietnamese and Americans, were wounded by shell or shock and the war came close to ripping our country asunder.
How cruel was the Vietnam War
According to John Kerry's testimony, Vietnamese civilians were often subjected to shocking violence. Soldiers raped, mutilated, shot at, and brutally murdered civilians. Troops also intentionally destroyed Vietnamese villages, well beyond the destruction typically wrought by war.
Why does Vietnam like the US
Unlike with China, we have no territorial disputes with the US. Many Vietnamese people also appreciate the fact that working conditions in US companies that invest here are often better than in Asian companies that invest in Vietnam.
What were the worst Vietnam tortures
Torture was Common
Many felt guilt about giving any answers at all, but submitted as little as possible while preserving their lives. North Vietnamese torture was exceptionally cruel–prison guards bound POWs' arms and legs with tight ropes and then dislocated them, and left men in iron foot stocks for days or weeks.
Why was PTSD so bad in Vietnam
Many mental health professionals in Psychiatry attribute the high incidence of PTSD in Vietnam-era veterans to a lack of “decompression” time.
What country is Vietnam rival
Thailand and Vietnam were major historical rivals in Mainland Southeast Asia and still have an intense rivalry with each other.
