Feb 09, 2012 the contrast between the two sides in the vietnam war could hardly have been greater. Psychological warfare and the viet cong the war fought by the viet cong was an insurgencydefined by galula 1964 as a protracted struggle conducted methodically, step by step, in order to attain specific intermediate objectives leading finally to the overthrow of the existing order. Contrasting tactics of us and vietcong forces teaching. Sky soldiers riveting personal stories from men of the 173rd, vietnam. Here the author attempts to clarify the concept and evaluate its role in revolutionary warfare. The vietcong relied on hit and run tactics and were able to improvise solutions to the problem of lack of supplies. This book reveals the evolving us, viet cong and nva tactics at battalion level and below throughout the vietnam war. This book is not easy to put down for those who love action and suspense books.
Who was feared, hated and yet respected by the viet cong. Markers like broken sticks would be left on the path to warn fellow viet cong about the locations. They based their strategies and tactics on those that were used by mao zedong,the communist leader in china. In order to combat bettersupplied american and south vietnamese forces during the vietnam war, communist guerrilla troops known as viet cong dug tens of. Nlf and pavn battle tactics comprised a flexible mix of guerrilla and conventional warfare battle tactics used by the main force of the peoples liberation armed forces known as the national liberation front or viet cong in the west and the nva peoples armyvietnam to defeat their u. An example of such tactics occurred on 1011 march 1975 when ban me thuot was captured. The main strategy and tactics of guerrilla warfare tend to involve the use of a small attacking, mobile force against a large, unwieldy force. In spottershooter pairs, sniper teams accompanied battlehardened marine rifle. Jun 18, 2019 the viet cong was the military arm of the national liberation front nlf, an underground communist insurgency formed in december 1960 and active in south vietnam.
Ospreys study of the evolving us, viet cong and nva tactics at battalion level and below throughout the vietnam war 19551975. Culbertson, a former 5th marine sniper himself, presents the riveting true stories of young americans who fought with bolt rifles and bounties on their heads during the fiercest combat of the war, from 1967 through the. Oct 22, 2015 the crude and effective guerrilla small arms of the vietnam war. Beginning with a description of the terrain, climate and the unique nature of operations in this theater of war, author gordon rottman, a vietnam veteran himself, goes on to explain how unit organization was broken down by combatant forces and the impact this had on.
By night, the viet cong became active, setting booby traps and mines and employing set ambushes with hit and run tactics against the stronger and betterarmed american forces. Nlf and pavn battle tactics comprised a flexible mix of guerrilla and conventional warfare. Guide to viet cong boobytraps and mines delta press. This book is widely viewed as the best concise history of the vietnam war. Viet minh, viet cong and nva the viet cong were the south vietnamese communists, and considered a political movement for the people. Whether fighting their way out of a viet cong kill zone or battling superior numbers of nva crack troops, the sniper teams were at the cutting edge in the art of jungle warfare, showing the patience, stealth, combat marksmanship, and raw courage that made the unit the most decorated regimental sniper platoon in the vietnam war. She was killed in 1966 by carlos hathcock, who was part of a sniper team of the united states marine corps. You can try sniper on the easter front by albrecht wacker about sepp alleberger, a crack german sniper on ww2 credited with 257 kills and possibly responsible for 5x more. Long exposure photos show the terrifying firepower unleashed against a single viet cong sniper. I refer to the book frequently in my discussions of various aspects of the second indochina war. Now a new film tells the story of the vietnam wars most incredible escape.
This book is by far the best book i have read and is inspired by a true story. Elements of the 26th marines are participating in the operation in the batangan peninsula, in quang ngai province, vietnam, to rout out the. Apache was a female viet cong sniper and interrogator known as apache, because of her methods of torturing us marines and arvn troops and letting them bleed to death. The evolution of us army tactical doctrine, 19461976 ehistory. The top 30 vietnam war books to read this winter historynet. The crude and effective guerrilla small arms of the vietnam war. From tearing roads through the jungle to blasting out viet cong positions, from convoy escort to rescue operations, the tank crews in vietnam did it all. Beginning with a description of the terrain, climate and the unique nature of operations in this theatre of war, the author, a vietnam veteran himself, goes on to explain how unit organisation was broken down by combatant forces and the impact this had on the kind of tactics. He examines in detail the place of terroristic practices in viet cong tactics and finds. Oct 22, 20 the effective of the search and clear tactics were proved in many operations such as operation pinnaroo where only 5 australians were killed compared to 40 of the viet cong, or operation hammersley where the ratio of death between australian and vietcong was 5. The effective of the search and clear tactics were proved in many operations such as operation pinnaroo where only 5 australians were killed compared to 40 of the viet cong, or operation hammersley where the ratio of death between australian and vietcong was 5. There were a large number of privately available books in the 1930s and 1940s written by serving or former ncos and officers as either preparatory reading for new recruits the most popular of which was the reibert series or as guides for prospective section and platoon commanders. It is said that she emasculated her victims and a detailed account of such an event was given by henderson in his biography of hathcock.
Please pay particular attention to the authors discussions of north vietnamese army intelligence, tactics and operational art, the nomadding concept, and the ho chi. Viet cong boobytraps viet cong boobytrap and mine warfare techniques soldiers ied awareness guide improvised munitions handbook general explosives data sheets principles of explosive behavior explosives and demolitions military explosives incendiaries unconventional warfare devices and techniques minecountermine operations army grenade data. An army grunts astonishing 1970 photos capture a hellish. Enemy units were often deliberately delayed by the deployment of small patrols or snipers which harassed it. The viet cong received military advisors and weapons from china in 1950, which the chinese versions of the russian ak47 were frequently used throughout the war. Shaping their thought with the ideas of sun tzu, the viet cong became adept at maneuver war. Later in the vietnam war, the viet cong primarily used the type 53 carbine m44, the type 56 sks, the type 56 ak47, shown and the k50 from china and north vietnam. Case of the viet cong richard shultz northern illinois university the various types and uses of terrorism have given rise to much misunderstanding and confusion. Ospreys study of the evolving us, viet cong and nva tactics at battalion level and below. During the period 12 april to 9 may 1969 snipers of the 6th battalion, 31st infantry killed 39 viet cong. An elusive viet cong sniper is picking off us and south vietnamese officials along highway one between cu chi and tay ninh. The messages of secrets of the viet cong are certsainly too chilling to be ignored. Did the viet cong have a team of snipers to take out high. One, i love war books and two, i love history books marine sniper is set in the vietnam war.
The us forces relied on high technology weaponry and massive firepower, particularly air strikes and carpet bombing of vietcong bases. Sniper fire, boobytraps, mines and mortars constantly harassed free world forces. Dec 02, 20 a viet cong guerrilla stands guard in the mekong delta. In this thorough examination of the tactical war waged in vietnam, former paratroop officer j. Strategy and tactics of guerrilla warfare wikipedia. A viet cong guerrilla stands guard in the mekong delta. The guerrilla force is largely or entirely organized in small units that are dependent on the support of the local population. So feared were these lethal marksmen that the viet cong offered huge. For example, the viet cong would place trip wires or dig holes filled with spikes, sometimes coated in human excrement, and then would cover the hole with leaves to deceive the enemy. Beginning with a description of the terrain, climate and the unique nature of operations in this theater of war, author gordon rottman, a vietnam veteran himself, goes on to explain how unit organization was broken down by combatant forces and the impact this. The enemy also employed rapid strikes against allied weak points. They were originally trained by chinese guerrillas. Marines and soldiers of arvn army of the republic of viet nam. Mccoy explains how the viet cong won the war, and why the strategies they used were effective against the u.
Reagan doctrine, viet cong and pavn strategy, organization and structure, viet cong and vietnam peoples army logistics and equipment, history of guerrilla warfare, insurgency, splan, liberation of paris, northern campaign, leaderless resistance. The viet cong, or national front for the liberation of south vietnam, supported the replacement of president ngo dinh diem. Jun 21, 2011 ospreys study of the evolving us, viet cong and nva tactics at battalion level and below throughout the vietnam war 19551975. A concise and well rounded volume that describes and illustrates nearly 25 different viet cong boobytraps and explosive devices including mudball mine and cartridge trap, as well as demolitions, fuses and firing devices plus countermeasures how to detect a marked mine and emergency handling guidance for explosive devices detection, outdoor search techniques, disarming. The evolution of us army tactical doctrine, 19461976. Jan 17, 2018 they set up an elite sniper team but that was to take out legendary us sniper carlos hathcock who was taking out the nvas high value leadership.
A concise and well rounded volume that describes and illustrates nearly 25 different viet cong boobytraps and explosive devices including mudball mine and cartridge trap, as well as demolitions, fuses and firing devices plus countermeasures how to detect a marked mine and emergency handling guidance for explosive devices detection, outdoor search techniques, disarming methods. Surprise attacks by elite communist units known as sappers were one of the most seriousand fearedthreats to americans in vietnam. However, hathcock killed off the nvas elite sniper team. Therefore, the leader ho chi minh turned to using guerrilla warfare. The book is an interesting biography and treatise on what it takes to be. Throughout the period we were perfecting sniper techniques and as a result of their. The tactics employed were almost exact copies of those. Female viet cong guerrilla, 1972 rare historical photos. The viet cong main force units blended into the surrounding vietnamese population by day. Green north highlands, california checks out a suspected viet cong boobytrap during operation bold mariner. Her name is lam thi dep dep means beautiful in vietnamese, the picture was taken in 1972 at soc trang province by vietnamese journalist minh truong. Ralph zippo zumbros evocative, actionpacked memoir of a year with a company, 1st battalion, 69th armor.
The viet cong were well supplied with weapons and equipment from china and the ussr, but heavily outnumbered and outgunned by the south vietnamese forces and their us allies. The villagers, whether willingly or by coercive intimidation and torture, gave the viet cong and the north vietnamese accurate intelligence about u. The commander of the 48th, ngu duc tan, a man with sixteen battle scars scattered around his. An amplifier and pair of speakers in a yellow and blue padded. So feared were these lethal marksmen that the viet cong offered huge rewards for killing them. Vietnam, the making of a sniper by jerry melvin mitchem. Us army sniper program charlie company vietnam 19661972. Though the practice had been in use since the korean war, carlos hathcock made the use of the m2. Lieutenant carr and sergeant samples are dealing with an quirky temporary company a teenage girl is personally chosen by ho chi minh and sent to south viet nam on a clandestine mission, armed with a new secret weapon. Tactically, the guerrilla army makes the repetitive attacks far from the opponents center of gravity with a view to keeping. Who is the most famous sniper from north vietnam and. Background the war in vietnam lasted from the mid 1950s 1975.
A memoire ok, ghost written of a viet cong politician who served in the upper echelons of viet cong secret government in south vietnam during the early days of the second south east asia war up to 1968 when he was caught and swapped for south vietnamese agents. In the fogshrouded early morning hours of march 28, 1971, 50 members of a specially trained north vietnamese army assault force, their bodies covered with charcoal dust and grease that made them almost invisible in the dark, quietly approached fire support. Vietnam war books l z books on the war in vietnam including the tet offensive, helicopter warfare, viet cong tactics, ho chi min trail and veterans affairs. Here is the best account ever of this fascinating aspect of the vietnam war. Then comes the story of jokers captivity by viet cong villagers. The tactics and methods of the north vietnamese and viet cong soldiers did not. His partner, captain edward james land, manned the spotting scope, while hathcock hit her with both of the rounds that. American military tactics vs vietcongs tactics prezi. Sep 01, 2015 the descriptions and examples of various types trap devices commonly used by the guerrilla defenders in southeast asia are explained. Based on the life and times of sergeant carlos hathcock an american soldier who apparently eventually became the posterboy of the marine sniper program the book seemed an interesting prospect at first. At that time viet cong tactics called for delaying action by guerrilla or light. Viet cong vc, in full viet nam cong san, english vietnamese communists, the guerrilla force that, with the support of the north vietnamese army, fought against south vietnam late 1950s1975 and the united states early 1960s1973. You could find women like her almost everywhere during the war, said the photographer.
He was tortured with razorsharp bamboo, fed alive to jungle ants and halfdrowned in a freezing well. The descriptions and examples of various types trap devices commonly used by the guerrilla defenders in southeast asia are explained. There was one particularly interesting sniper from the north who only went by the nickname cobra. Tactical and materiel innovations army center of military history. This is a story about one such marine sniper team, in 196465 deltatwo foxtrot who helped blazed the trail, gave their best, who hunted the. With a mechanism probably inspired by the british sten, this almost toylike, greenpainted submachine gun was. The sniper team was hunted and chased for days and used every trick they knew to get back to base alive. The contrast between the two sides in the vietnam war could hardly have been greater. The us and the rvn republic of vietnam were against the southernbased revolutionary movement known as the viet cong. Apache was a female viet cong sniper, known for her sadistic nature and for torturing her victims. He had many kills against marines surrounding hill 55, just southwest of da nang before beginning his most significant mission. The name is said to have first been used by south vietnamese pres. They set up an elite sniper team but that was to take out legendary us sniper carlos hathcock who was taking out the nvas high value leadership. Elements of the 26th marines are participating in the operation in the batangan peninsula, in quang ngai province, vietnam, to rout out the viet cong who have been terrorizing the area.
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