Three key Vietnam disasters

Diva down or whatever

What was operation rolling thunder?

What was operation rolling thunder?

A carpet bombing campaign in which 864,000 T of bombs were dropped on Viet Cong supply trails and key positions to try and disrupt them.

Why did operation rolling thunder fail? (3)

The B-52 bombers could not see where they actually had to drop the bombs thanks to the dense jungle canopy (slightly aided by agent orange)

Many key VC positions were located in underground tunnels that were almost invulnerable to surface bombing

Damaged supply trails would be repaired near instantly via nocturnal construction crews.

What was the Tet Offensive?

A coordinated set of attacks on US/SV territory by the north Vietnamese in January 1968 for 5 weeks. They disabled the US embassy in Saigon for 6 hours and held their captured territory for a month before the US got it all back. During this, 60,000 north Vietnamese died.

Why was the Tet Offensive a failure for the US?

It disproved rumors that the Viet Cong were disorganised and weak. It also made the US look weak as a technologically stunted and small army had managed to take key US positions, making the US seem like the disorganised ones!

What was the My Lai massacre?

A search and destroy mission gone wrong. It was initially sold as a successful uncovering of Viet Cong traitors in 1968 but a year later a whistleblower revealed that a US platoon basically just mowed down 500 armed civilians unprovoked.

Why was the My Lai massacre a failure.

It made the US look like the villains. Not only had the government lied to people about it, the US had literally committed a war crime, not very defending freedom of them.