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Jan. 7, 2005 It is imperative that soldiers understand the mindset of waging counterinsurgency warfare, as it is of extreme importance in the current war on terrorism. Counter insurgency warfare goes hand in hand with the low intensity conflict warfare waged for decades by U.S. Army Special Forces. The new U.S. Army small unit tactics policy aims to expand tactical small unit proficiency amongst conventional units. Contrary to popular belief, America did not lose the Vietnam War, as the Vietnam War was tied to strategic American initiatives that were implemented across the globe in regards to spreading democracy through implementation of the Limited Nuclear Option strategy in order to neutralize the proliferation of nuclear weapons and the expansion of communism by Russia. By studying the strategic and tactical contrasts of both sides in the Vietnam War, students of war will get an understanding of what is required to engage in small unit tactics and counter insurgency warfare and what can be gained from its successful implementation. The following is a brief look at the Vietnam contrasts I have noted: North Vietnamese Army The North Vietnamese Army used multiple stratagems to facilitate a long and drawn out war in the hopes of forcing American forces out of Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh expected this plan to be successful, as he felt that in a protracted war with a high casualty rate, most factors would be in favor of North Vietnam forcing a large scale withdrawal from Vietnam, as America would not be willing to endure a high casualty rate and implement the decisive force tactics that were necessary to successfully defeat his forces. Minh used a variation on Clausewitz strategy in using decisive force and facilitating an extremely bloody war of attrition to attain the goals of his army. Minh also merged this stratagem with the Sun Tzu strategy to make the enemy uncomfortable with the prevailing parameters of war to force them into making the decision to pull out or continue to suffer a continuously high casualty rate over extended periods of time to attain victory. These stratagems would be extremely hard on American forces as they would be drawn into death ground(Sun Tzu) circumstances for as long as the Vietnam War raged on. This would put huge strains on the morale and psychology of American soldiers. American soldiers would have to endure the harshest parameters of war twenty four hours a day and watch their enemy continue their resolve regardless of the loss of human life. Minh understood that this played into his hands as his North Vietnamese troops had everything to lose which would keep them united and galvanized while the harsh parameters and high body count would force American soldiers to think twice about what it would gain by continuing the prevailing pace of the war. This would force multiple factors into the strategic picture: • America would have to work twice as hard to keep the morale and intensity of its soldiers at peak levels which would be extremely critical to attaining any success in the Vietnam War because of the torrid pace and parameters of the death ground war conditions. • America would also have to combat the public perception of the war at home and deal with the public outcry over the high body count caused by this type of war. The Vietnam War also put huge strains on the American economy because of the prolonged status of the war. Many domestic programs suffered and facilitated a potential threat to American domestic stability by the wide ranging protest and riots fueled by critics of the Vietnam War. • Minh was willing to endure major casualties to force these types of conditions on America. The support Minh received from China and Russia threatened to exert these harsh parameters on American forces and citizens for a prolonged and unbearable amount of time while his North Vietnamese troops had the comfort and psychological benefit of waging war to preserve their way of life on their native soil. U.S. Military America used the oppressive ideology of communism and the effects of its potential spread throughout Southeast Asia to support justify the American war effort in Vietnam. After the Cuban Missile Crisis, America understood the catastrophic consequences of communism, as Russia brought the world close to a nuclear exchange that would have produced millions of casualties and the toppling of multiple governments all over the world. Vietnam was vital to diffusing the communist efforts of Russia and China in Southeast Asia. Ho Chi Minh was willing to lose hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese casualties to prevent democracy and freedom in Vietnam. This was more than reason enough to justify the American war effort in Vietnam, as the threat of a nuclear exchange with Russia would have been increased if Vietnam was allowed to fall into communist hands unopposed during the time period of the Vietnam War. Russia was in a race with the United States to achieve nuclear superiority and was willing to risk a nuclear exchange to accomplish that goal. The inclusion of communist China as an atomic power increased the threat of Russian using communist expansion in Southeast Asia to practice aggression globally. American commanders remained steadfast in their commitment to winning the Vietnam War after carefully analyzing several consistent factors of the war: • North Vietnamese troops would use men, women and children as bait and weapons (suicide) to accomplish its goals. These acts were not restricted or tamed by the influence and support of communist China and Russia. • Ho Chi Minh was willing to reduce the whole of Vietnam to a bombing site to reject freedom, democracy and diplomacy in Vietnam. This approach was encouraged by support and influence from China and Russsia. • The suicidal approach of Ho Chi Minh validated the American war effort in Vietnam, as it became clear Russia and China would become more dangerous if Ho Chi Minh was successful in controlling Vietnam and aiding the spread of communism throughout Asia. American commanders also understood that although they were going against the grain of all known art of war parameters, they were also exerting enough of a load on China and Russia in regards to equipment, money and attention to allow America to strengthen its global initiatives in a manner to offset the long term cost of the Vietnam war while ensuring that huge strides were made towards the American goal of nuclear superiority. This allowed America to implement a massive pullout in Vietnam after accomplishing the groundwork for those long term goals while enduring the short term cost of the public outcry against the high casualty rate of the Vietnam War. By enduring the harsh and brutal death ground parameters for over 7 years, the military forces of America became more diverse and tactically proficient in guerilla warfare and low intensity conflict. This would pay huge benefits in the future, as America acquired the capability of waging multiple military engagements with streamlined budgetary costs and numerical troop strength. ------------ About the author: My name is Terrance Jones and I have two published books that will be available for purchase through Publish America in the next year. My books contain upgrades and totally original breakthroughs in strategic thought. My books also deal with the management of troops, materials and budgets. I have been very successful at projecting and influencing military and governmental foreign and domestic policy. My work has been hailed and highly praised by esteemed representatives of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, U.S. Marines and U.S. Army Special Forces to name a few. Email: businessd30@yahoo.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. 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