Vietnam War Final Prep 312130

7/28/2019 Vietnam War Final Prep 312130

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THE VIETNAM WAR

Brief historical background of events/causesleading to the conflict

General description of overall campaign briefly

touching upon the land and naval aspects of theconflict

Conduct of air operations during the campaign

Brief analysis of campaign

Explain essential Characteristics of Air Power inthe campaign

Highlight the Principles of War applied

Lessons drawn

Scope

1


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Everything in war is very simple, but

the simplest thing is difficult. The

difficulties accumulate and end by

producing a kind of friction that is

inconceivable unless one has experiencedthe war

CARL VON CLAUSEWITZ

3Vietnam War


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Friction is the only concept that

more or less corresponds to thefactors that distinguish real war from

war on paper

4Vietnam War

CARL VON CLAUSEWITZ


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9/1269

TrumanEisenhower Kennedy

NixonJohnson


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Lessons

Conclusion

Political Overview

Historical Background of Events Causes Leading to the Conflict

SEQUENCE

WC JAFRI

GC MANGALARI

SL AMIR

Air Campaigns during the conflict WC EHSAN

Analysis of the conflict

WC JAFRI

12Vietnam War


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GEO

GRAPH

Y

LOCATION


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GEOSTRATEGIC

SIGNIFICANCE

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Tonkin Region

Annam Region

Cochin-China

Red River

Mekong River

TOPOGRAPHICREGIONS

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(Kampuchea)

1887

French Indochina

HISTORICALPERSPECTIVE

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1941


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Japanese faced strong resistance from

Viet Minh - a Vietnamese Communist

Revolutionary Organization


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Lead by a nationalistHo Chi Minh


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Lead by a nationalistHo Chi Minh

Ho Chi Minh was assisted by Americans

during WW- II against JapaneseAfter Japanese defeat in WW-II, French

tried to re-establish their colony


21Vietnam War


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Americans supported the French

1946 - Guerrilla war by Viet Minh

War of Vietnams independence known

as the First Indochina War

1949 - Communism in place in China

1954 US bore 80% cost of French War


22Vietnam War


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1954 French were defeated at the

Battle of Dien Bien Phu

1954 Geneva peace negotiations:

France declared withdrawal

Vietnam divided along 17th Parallel in Northand South Vietnam


23Vietnam War


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CommunistNorth Vietnam

Non Communist

South Vietnam

DMZ 17th Parallel


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French withdrawal from Indochinaprovoked direct American involvement

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1954Americans replaced King Bao Dai ofSouth Vietnam with president Ngo DinhDiem

King Bao Dai Ngo Dinh Diem

BACKGROUNDOF CONFLICT

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1960Uprising of Viet Cong revolutionariessupported by Viet Minh from the North


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1954South Vietnamese king replaced

1960 Viet Cong established in South

1961 President Kennedy took over

US troops increase from 760 to 3,205

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1961 Fact Finding Report suggested

introduction of 8000 American combat

troops into VietnamUS troops number15000 in Vietnam

Use ofnapalms approved

Limited defoliation approved

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Diem refused to hold elections

1963 Diem assassinated by Americans

Soon President Kennedy assassinated

1963 Lyndon Johnson became the 36th

president of US

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Choice between:

Increased US involvement in war

Seeing the Communists to win

JCSC recommended aerial bombing

Study by Policy Planning Council

predicted that action would imprison US

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Report was ignored

Bombing policy was evolved

The conflict escalated further

Ho Chi Minh responded with effective

ground infiltration

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POLITICAL OVERVIEW OF CONFLICT

GP CAPT MANGALARI


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Indochina the key area of South East Asia is under

immediate threat, if this fell, Burma and Thailand

would soon follow and balance of South East Asia

would then be in grave hazard


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Unification of North and South Vietnam

Tire & defeat the American sponsor South Vietnam


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US FORCES STRENGTH

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1964 23,0001965 181,0001966 385,0001967 486,000

1968 536,0001969 474,0001970 335,800

1971 190,8001972 27,000March 1973 - American withdrawal

NORTH VIETNAM FORCES


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39Vietnam War

Year NVA VIETCONG RUSSIA

1965 1, 80,700 5,800 3,000

1968 2, 61,000 79,400 3,000

1973 2, 25,000 1,00,000 3,000

NORTH VIETNAM FORCESSTRENGTH

NORTH VIETNAM FORCES


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NORTH VIETNAM FORCESSTRENGTH

NVA (North Vietnam Army)

Infiltrated in groups

Organized into regiments32nd, 33rd and 66th

Regiments


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North Vietnam regarded as agents of global

communism

Inconsistent strategiesNo President wants to lose a country to

communism


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Consistent strategy

Guerrilla warfare


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US employed defensive operations from 1954-

1964

offensive operations in later stages of war North Vietnam employed guerrilla warfare to

bleed US army


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Aug 1964

Gulf of TonkinUSS Maddox

USS Turner Joy

THE BEGINNING

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Americans were successfully deceived

1964 Gulf of Tonkin Resolution:

US Congress authorised PresidentJohnson for use of military force

US troops number reached 23,300

THE BEGINNING

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HanoiHaiphong

USS Ticonderoga

USS Constellation

Saigon

Aug 1964

Gulf of Tonkin

THE BEGINNING

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THE BEGINNING

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THE BEGINNING

This second Indochinese conflict

is commonly known as

the Vietnam War

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United States+

South Vietnamvs

Viet Cong+

North Vietnam

THE BEGINNING

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Anti-war movement

THE BEGINNING

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1stever resignation of a US President Nixon,as a result of the Watergate Scandal

9 August, 1974

THE BEGINNING

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THE BEGINNING

1973Treaty of Paris:Ceasefire was reached

Vietnam to be reunited

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1973Treaty of Paris:Ceasefire was reached

Vietnam to be reunited

Bloodshed continued1975Fall of Saigonto North Vietnam

Vietnam reunified under the Communist

Rule

THE BEGINNING

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54Vietnam War


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1964 to 1968Phase I

TheEscalation

1968 to 1971Phase IITerrorBombing

1971 to 1973Phase III

Withdrawal

C

A

MP

A

IG

N

PHASES

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THE CAMPAIGNS

Operation Flaming DartOperation Rolling ThunderOperation BoloOperation Arc Light

Khe Sanh Siege & Operation NiagraTet Offensive & Counter-offensiveOperation MenuEastertide Offensive & Counter-offensiveOperation Freedom TrainOperation LinebackerOperation Linebacker-II

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HanoiHaiphong

Saigon

Ho Chi Minh

Trail

Sihanouk Trail

THE CAMPAIGNS

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HanoiHaiphong

Saigon

Guerrilla Warfare

THE STRATEGY

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All warfare is based on deception


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All warfare is based on deception.Hence, when able to attack, wemust seem unable; when using our

forces, we must seem inactive;when we are near, we must makethe enemy believe we are far away;

when far away, we must make himbelieve we are near. Hold out baitsto entice the enemy. Feign disorder,

and crush him

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SUN TZU


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Ground battle supported by airforce and navy

Use of chemical and biologicalwarfare

THE STRATEGY

CA

M

PA

I

G

N

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C

A

MP

A

IG

N

C & B WARFARE

Defoliants used:Agent Blue

Agent White

Agent Orange

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NAPALM BOMBS

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HanoiHaiphong

Saigon

Yankee

Dixie

THE STRATEGY

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S G


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Air War over North Vietnam consisted:

Short duration retaliatory strikes

Pre-emptive operations

Sustained and decisive campaigns

Combat operations confined mainly overcentral Annam and the southern Tonkin

areas for fear of direct intervention byChinese orSoviets

C

A

MP

A

IG

N

THE STRATEGY

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LAND/NAVAL OPERATIONS


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1966 Operation Attleboro

1967 Operation Cedar Falls

1967 Operation Junction City

1967 Battle of La Drang Valley

1969 Operation Lincoln

1969 Battle of Dak To

1964Gulf of Tonkin Incident (Naval)

LAND/NAVAL OPERATIONS

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AIR CAMPAIGNS

WG CDR EHSAN

FLAMING DART


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HanoiHaiphong

Saigon

Aug 1964

Viet Cong Attack

Dec 1964

Flaming Dart

FLAMING DART

Yankee

Dixie

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ROLLING THUNDER


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HanoiHaiphong

Saigon

Mar 65 Oct 68

Rolling Thunder

Yankee

Dixie

ROLLING THUNDER

USAF

USAF

USAF Hawaii

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ROLLING THUNDER


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Gradual escalation

US troops number1,84,000 by 1965

Targets closer to DMZ gradually shifting

Northwards towards Hanoi

Interdiction of all Lines of Comm

Destruction of Rail / Road links to China

Strikes on all port facilitiesStrikes on Ammunition dumps

Strikes on Supply dumps

ROLLING THUNDER

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ROLLING THUNDER


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ROLLING THUNDER

3 years long operation was a failure

Political leadership overcautious

USAF tactical freedom seizedUncoordinated and random target

dictation from Pentagon

Bombing at certain places denied forfear of killing Soviet technicians

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ROLLING THUNDER

North Vietnamese air defences becamequite formidable

Employment ofMiG-21s from 5 air bases

US aircraft losses to SAMs rose from 171in 1965 to 280 in 1966

USAF fighter-bomber sorties304,000

Munitions dropped643,000 tons

USAF aircraft lost922

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O O O O


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HanoiHaiphong

Saigon

Jan 67

Operation Bolo Swift OCA campaign

07 X Mig-21s shot

Yankee

Dixie

OPERATION BOLO

73Vietnam War

OPERATION ARC LIGHT


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June 1965 August 1973B-52 bombers operated from Pacific

Supported by KC-135s air tankers

stationed in Okinawa Japan Later B-52s operated from Thailand

without refuelling

Mid aircollision of two B-52sBombing accuracy less than expected

B-52 raids a new type ofartillery

OPERATION ARC LIGHT

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OPERATION NIAGRA


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HanoiHaiphong

Saigon

Jan 68Khe Sanh

Jan 68

Niagra

OPERATION NIAGRA

Yankee

Dixie

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Tet OFFENSIVE


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HanoiHaiphong

Saigon

Jan 68

Tet Offensive

Tet OFFENSIVE

Yankee

Dixie

36 provincial capitals05 major cities23 airfieldsNumerous diplomaticcenters in the South

16,000 sorties by B-52108 B-52s used1000 sorties by Marines

Use of 280 Tpt aircraft& helicopters

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OPERATION MENU


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1969

MenuHanoi

Haiphong

Saigon

OPERATION MENU

Yankee

Dixie

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OPERATION MENU


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1969 President Nixon in office

Secret bombing in Cambodia & Laos

Bombing missions mostly at night 14 month operation

Resulted in Khmer Rouge rebellion

Quarter Laos population refugees

4,00,000 Lao killed by 1971

OPERATION MENU

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EASTERTIDE


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HanoiHaiphong

Saigon

Mar 1972Eastertide

EASTERTIDE

Yankee

Dixie

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Neutralized The OffensiveInflicting 100,000 Casualties

FREEDOM TRAIN

LINEBACKER


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HanoiHaiphong

Saigon

Apr 1972

Freedom Train

Linebacker

FREEDOM TRAIN

Yankee

Dixie

LINEBACKER

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LINEBACKER


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First time in more than three years,

bombing raids were cleared to strike

almost all ofNorth VietnamSmart bombs were first ever used

10th May, 1972 nine MiGs shot down

Linebacker forced Hanoi towards the

negotiations table

LINEBACKER

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LINEBACKER II


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HanoiHaiphong

Saigon

Dec 1972

Linebacker-II

LINEBACKER II

Yankee

Dixie

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This is your chance to use militarypower effectively to win this war and ifyou dont, I will consider you personallyresponsible

83Vietnam War

LINEBACKER II


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Planned to disrupt economic, military

and political life of North Vietnam

PGMs were used for the fist time everMore than 175 KC-135s refuelled the

B-52s between Guam and their targets in

North Vietnam, a distance of more than2,600 miles

LINEBACKER II

84Vietnam War

LINEBACKER II


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Hanoi sued for peace and accepted

the proposals in Paris Peace Treatyon 23rd January, 1973

LINEBACKER II

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ANALYSIS OF CONFLICT

SQN LDR M AAMIR

FACTFILE


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Vetnam War twice long as WW-II

1.4 million ground attack sorties and 6.2

million tons munitions by USAFDeath toll:

58,000 US military men

1.1 million Communists

2,54,000 South Vietnamese

A

N

AL

Y

SI

S

FACTFILE

87Vietnam War

FACTFILE


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2255 aircraft were lost

Official estimate of economic cost of

war is US $ 140 billion 19685,84,000 US troops

Drastic changes in technology

throughout the 25 yr US involvement

A

N

AL

Y

SI

S

FACTFILE

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TECH ADVANCEMENT


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1945 55 Piston engine aircraft and

straight wing very early jet fighters

1950 60 First generation equipment,swept wing fighters/bombersMach 1

1960 70 Second generation fighters,

Mach 2 capability, advanced electronics

A

N

AL

Y

SI

S

TECH ADVANCEMENT

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103Vietnam War

AVIONICS


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Advancements included:

Radar Homing Devices

Radar Warning Devices

ECM Suites

Reconnaissance Pods

Self Protection Suites, chaff and flares

A

N

AL

Y

SI

S

AVIONICS

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ARMAMENT


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Advancements included:

Dumb bombs replaced with PGMs/LGBs

70 80 % accuracy at later stages

Introduction of AAMs

Anti-radiation missiles replaced with HARM

A

N

AL

Y

SI

S

ARMAMENT

105Vietnam War


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106Vietnam War


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107Vietnam War

CHARACTERSITICS OFAIR POWER


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STRENGTHSA

N

AL

Y

SI

S

AIR POWER

Height

Speed

Reach

Flexibility

Ubiquity

Responsiveness

Concentration

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Never, never, never believe anywar will be smooth and easy, or

that anyone who embarks on thestrange voyage can measure thetides and hurricanes he will

encounterSir Winston Churchil

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CHARACTERSITICS OF


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A

N

AL

Y

SI

S

AIR POWER

Political sensitivity

Resilience of Viet Cong

Leadership

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"You can kill ten of my men forevery one I kill of yours, yet even at

those odds, you will lose and I willwin"

Ho Chi Minh

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PRINCIPLES OF WAR


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L

E

S

S

O

N

S

Selection and Maintenance of aim

Maintenance of morale

Offensive action

Security

SurpriseConcentration of force

Economy of effort

FlexibilityCooperation

Administration

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PRINCIPLES OF WAR


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Maintenance of moraleOffensive action

Security


Economy of effort


Administration

L

E

S

S

O

N

S

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PRINCIPLES OF WAR


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Maintenance of morale

Offensive action

Security


Economy of effort


Administration

L

E

S

S

O

N

S

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PRINCIPLES OF WAR


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L

E

S

S

O

N

S


Maintenance of moraleOffensive action

Security


Economy of effort


Administration

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SELECTION/MAINT OF AIM


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L

E

S

S

O

N

S

Political objectives ambiguous

Trumans Doctrine of Containment

Escalation of US involvementWill of North Vietnam never broken

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MORALE


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L

E

S

S

O

N

S

National morale continued declining

Various factors responsible

Little authority delegated to militaryleaders

Lack of tactical freedom

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OFFENSIVE ACTION


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L

E

S

S

O

N

S

Demands of Strategic Air Campaign

not fulfilled

Gradual escalation

Failed to break North Vietnams

determination

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WG CDR JAFRI


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LESSONS

CONCLUSION

WG CDR JAFRI

LESSONS LEARNT


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L

E

S

S

O

N

S

One of the tests of leadership is the

ability to recognize a problem before itbecomes an emergency

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LESSONS LEARNT


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L

E

S

S

O

N

S

Circumstances are what get you

started; Motivation is what keeps yougoing.

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LESSONS LEARNT


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L

E

S

S

O

N

S

Offensive action is needed not only

to achieve victory but also to averthumiliating defeat

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LESSONS LEARNT


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L

E

S

S

O

N

S

Together, the characteristics of air

power may not always overwhelm theoutcome of a war. It may just be the

right combination of few, at the right

time, at the right place

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LESSONS LEARNT


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L

E

S

S

O

N

S

It is extremely difficult to fight

against guerrilla tactics

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CONCLUSION

BIBLIOGRAPHY


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The Vietnam WarBy Gen W C Westmoreland

Vietnam Conflict & Controversy

By Paul Elliot

On Strategy

By Harry G Summers

Inernet

Vietnam War Final Prep 312130

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