Between 1965 and 1975, the United States and its allies dropped more than 7.5 million tons of bombs on Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia—double the amount dropped on Europe and Asia during World War II. Pound for pound, it remains the largest aerial bombardment in human history.
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Why was bombing ineffective in Vietnam?
The bombing campaign failed because the bombs often fell into empty jungle, missing their targets. The North Vietnamese guerrillas knew the jungle and made use of elaborate underground bases and tunnels to shelter from US bombs, and often re-used unexploded American bombs against US soldiers.
Was carpet bombing effective in Vietnam?
With the advent of television, which allowed the media to report from both sides of the battle lines, carpet bombing became less accepted. The destruction inherent in such bombing may weaken the will of the enemy, but it also weakens the resolve of the nation prosecuting the battle.
Was Operation Rolling Thunder a success?
Operation Rolling Thunder was a demonstration of America’s near total air supremacy during the Vietnam War. It was started in an effort to demoralise the North Vietnamese people and to undermine the capacity of the government in North Vietnam to govern. Operation Rolling Thunder failed on both accounts.
Was bombing in Vietnam successful?
Between 1965 and 1975, the United States and its allies dropped more than 7.5 million tons of bombs on Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia—double the amount dropped on Europe and Asia during World War II. Pound for pound, it remains the largest aerial bombardment in human history.
Why was the US not successful in Vietnam?
America “lost” South Vietnam because it was an artificial construct created in the wake of the French loss of Indochina. Because there never was an “organic” nation of South Vietnam, when the U.S. discontinued to invest military assets into that construct, it eventually ceased to exist.
Why was precision bombing successful in the Gulf war?
As the antishipping missile transformed war at sea, the advent of the laser-guided bomb revolutionized precision land attack, for it could function with an average circular error of less than twenty feet from the aim point.
Did the US bomb civilians in Vietnam?
Beginning on December 18, American B-52s and fighter-bombers dropped over 20,000 tons of bombs on the cities of Hanoi and Haiphong. The United States lost 15 of its giant B-52s and 11 other aircraft during the attacks. North Vietnam claimed that over 1,600 civilians were killed.
Is Vietnam still communist?
The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a one-party state. A new state constitution was approved in April 1992, replacing the 1975 version. The central role of the Communist Party was reasserted in all organs of government, politics and society.
How many tons of bombs were dropped in Operation Rolling Thunder?
From 1965 to 1968, about 643,000 tons of bombs were dropped on North Vietnam, and a total of nearly 900 U.S. aircraft were lost during Operation Rolling Thunder.
How did Tim O’Brien feel about the Vietnam War?
Tim O’Brien was a foot soldier during the Vietnam War. “The problem for me really is that I questioned the rectitude of the war,” he says. “I thought I was doing the wrong thing by being there.”
Did the US use nuclear weapons in Vietnam?
While no nuclear weapons were deployed in Vietnam, they were on board aircraft carriers and stockpiled in the region, increasing in numbers up through mid-1967. [22] CINCPAC plans for a major escalation of the war included both nuclear and nonnuclear options.
Why did we win the Vietnam War?
Those who argue that the United States won the war point to the fact that the U.S. defeated communist forces during most of Vietnam’s major battles. They also assert that the U.S. overall suffered fewer casualties than its opponents. The U.S. military reported 58,220 American casualties.
Was Operation Flaming Dart successful?
The results were unimpressive. The attack had destroyed or damaged only 22 of the 275 buildings in the camp.
How many bombs did the US drop in the Vietnam War?
From 1964 to 1973, as part of the Secret War operation conducted during the Vietnam War, the US military dropped 260 million cluster bombs – about 2.5 million tons of munitions – on Laos over the course of 580,000 bombing missions.
How did America lose the Vietnam War?
The Paris Peace Accords of January 1973 saw all U.S. forces withdrawn; the Case–Church Amendment, passed by the U.S. Congress on 15 August 1973, officially ended direct U.S. military involvement. The Peace Accords were broken almost immediately, and fighting continued for two more years.
Was the Vietnam war a mistake?
For many who study foreign affairs, the Vietnam War was a tragic mistake brought about by U.S. leaders who exaggerated the influence of communism and underestimated the power of nationalism.It was a proxy conflict in the Cold War.
Did America win the Vietnam War?
Explanation: The U.S. Army reported 58, 177 losses in Vietnam, the South Vietnamese 223, 748.In terms of body count, the U.S. and South Vietnam won a clear victory. In addition, just about every North Vietnamese offensive was crushed.
How accurate was WWII bombing?
Bombing accuracy was terrible. The average circular error in 1943 was 1,200 feet, meaning that only 16 percent of the bombs fell within 1,000 feet of the aiming point.As the loss rate spiked to eight percent in early 1943, crews calculated their chances of surviving a 25-mission combat tour.
How accurate are smart bombs?
An Air Force study found that LGBs were “100 to 200 times as effective as conventional bombs against very hard targets and 20 to 40 times more effective against soft and area targets.” Laser-guided bombs were used in about 10 percent of the attacks on enemy tanks but accounted for 22 percent of the tanks destroyed.
Was strategic bombing effective in ww2?
World War II witnessed the first full application of strategic airpower in war. Allied air forces dropped nearly 2.7 million tons of bombs, flew 1,440,000 bomber sorties and 2,680,000 fighter sorties. The number of men lost in air action was 79,265 Americans and 79,281 British.
