Vietnam’s heavy cover of trees gave the Viet Cong troops an inherent advantage. The trees hid the Ho Chi Minh trail from American planes so the Viet Cong could transport food, medical supplies, and aid without constant air attacks.
How did the Viet Cong hide?
The Vietcong had a hidden system of tunnels stretching over 200 miles. There were hospitals, armouries, sleeping quarters, kitchens and wells underground. These tunnel systems could hide thousands of Vietcong which helped them fight their guerrilla war. It would be the job of US ‘tunnel rats’ to search these tunnels.
Who hid in trees during war?
The French, the British, and the Germans used these trees throughout Great War. The French were the first to use one, in 1915, and they then tutored the British on the approach—which was adopted by the Germans soon thereafter.
Was the Vietnam War fought in the jungle?
Ground combat in the Vietnam War was a lot more than random ambushes in heavy jungle and the Air Force bombing the hell out of jungle canopies. At places like Ben Het, the North Vietnamese Army even attacked in force with tanks and armored personnel carriers.
What was the scariest trap used by the Viet Cong?
8 of the Most Dangerous Viet Cong Booby Traps
- Punji sticks. Punji sticks were the most infamous of the booby traps used, said to account for 2% of wounds to American soldiers.
- Grenade Traps.
- Cartridge Traps.
- Snake Pits.
- The Mace.
- Tiger Traps.
- Pressure Release Traps.
- Bamboo Whip.
Is there still Viet Cong?
Viet Cong Downfall and Impact on Vietnam
In 1976, the Viet Cong was disbanded after Vietnam was formally reunited under communist rule.
Why were the Viet Cong so successful against the US?
For destroying armored vehicles or bunkers, the Vietcong had highly effective rocket propelled grenades and recoilless rifles. Mortars were also available in large numbers and had the advantage of being very easy to transport. Many weapons, including booby traps and mines, were homemade in villages.
When was the last POW found in Vietnam?
Greensburg, Indiana, U.S. Often cited as the last verified American POW from the Vietnam War, Garwood was taken to North Vietnam in 1969, and reportedly was released in 1973 along with the other U.S. POWs as part of the Paris Peace Accords.
Why did the Germans chop down trees in ww1?
Road-side trees could be felled and laid across roads to create impromptu roadblocks to impede the advancing enemy, as these near Havrincourt cut down by German soldiers during the Battle of Cambrai in November 1917.
Did North or South Vietnam win?
Communist forces ended the war by seizing control of South Vietnam in 1975, and the country was unified as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam the following year.
Why did Viet Cong wear sandals?
Ho Chi Minh sandals are iconic for having been worn by the Vietcong during the Vietnam war. During the war they were considered by many more practical than army boots, because being open they allowed the foot to dry and thus prevented the onset of ‘jungle rot’.
What did Viet Cong eat?
The only contribution made by the villagers is rice, of which there is a glut in the Mekong Delta—an area that is, in any case, practically controlled by the insurgents. For the rest of their food supplies, the Vietcong cultivate manioc, bananas and papaya trees and catch all the fish they need in the rice swamps.
How hard was it to fight in Vietnam?
The Vietcong had an intricate knowledge of the terrain. They won the hearts and minds of the South Vietnamese people by living in their villages and helping them with their everyday lives. Their tunnel systems, booby-traps and jungle cover meant they were difficult to defeat and hard to find.
Did they use snake pits in Vietnam?
Snake Pits
Yes, this is exactly what it sounds like. Viet Cong guerrillas would often carried Bamboo Pit Vipers in their packs to (hopefully) kill anyone who searches through them. They would also tie the deadly snakes to bamboo and hide them throughout their tunnel complexes.
How many soldiers died to booby traps in Vietnam?
Counting US forces alone, there were over 300,000 wounded in Vietnam. That means about 45,000 men were injured by booby traps. Of these wounds, 2% came from punji stakes, the most infamous of all the booby traps employed by the Vietnamese during the war.
How many US soldiers are still missing in Vietnam?
Current Status of Unaccounted-for Americans Lost in the Vietnam War
| Vietnam | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| Original Missing | 1,973 | 2,646 |
| Repatriated and Identified | 729 | 1,061[1] |
| Remaining Missing | 1,244 | 1,584 |
Did any American soldiers stay in Vietnam after the war?
It’s estimated that tens of thousands of veterans have returned to Vietnam since the 1990s, mostly for short visits to the places where they once served. Decades after the fall of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) many former soldiers still wonder why they were fighting.
What did the Vietnamese call American soldiers?
The name comes from the shorthand of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam – ARVN. Number-One GI – A troop who spends a lot of money in Vietnam. Number-Ten GI – A troop who barely spends money in Vietnam. Ok Sahlem – Term American soldiers had for villagers’ children who would beg for menthol cigarettes.
Are there still US POWs in Vietnam?
As of 2015, more than 1,600 of those were still “unaccounted-for.” The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) of the U.S. Department of Defense lists 687 U.S. POWs as having returned alive from the Vietnam War.
Did America invent the Vietcong?
First de Marrais tells them that it was Americans who created the Viet Minh, a precursor to the Viet Cong, in 1945. That is nonsense. The OSS, later to become the CIA, only backed the Viet Minh in world war two because it was already an established guerrilla group, capable of spying on the Japanese.
Did the Vietcong have tanks?
No, The VC did not have tanks. While the PAVN was equipped as light infantry (and fought with combined light infantry/guerrilla tactics), it only used tanks in one confirmed engagement prior to entering the conventional phase of the Maoist guerrilla doctrine at Ben Het Special Forces camp in 1969.
