Milh510 American Military History Answers Assessment Answer

Questions :-

rld in search of a political idealism that he could embrace. In 1919, Ho Chi Minh had arrived at the Versailles Conference for upholding the causes of Vietnam. However, he or his views were not accepted and his hopes of the liberation of Vietnam from the French had failed. Ho’s nationalism was proven again when he joined the French Communist forces out if the perception that the Socialist leaders were diverted worshippers of capitalism and colonialism. On the other hand, Werner (2015), is of the opinion that he saw that the communists were ready to give active support for national liberation. The Americans, although supportive of Ho Chi Minh in the beginning, began to withdraw support when they observed that the Communists were gaining grounds in the country. In 1930 Ho Chi Minh had taken active role in organizing the Indo-Chinese Communist party’s rule in Vietnam. However, more than any political ideal, the liberation of his motherland was essential for him. Hence, in the latter half of the 1940s, Ho Chi Minh attempted to form a combined front by coalition of the Nationalist groups of Vietnam with the Communists to create the Viet Minh.

Since the 1950s, the Americans began to change sides. In order to prevent the penetration of communism in the South East Asia, they supported the French. However, HO Chi Minh gallantry and martyrdom helped Viet Minh to land the French. This was followed by the Geneva Conference where it was decided that Vietnam was to be split till 1956. Allison (2016), is of the opinion that America had introduced Ngo Dinh Diem, at that strategic period as a substantial leader from South Vietnam to combat the combined forces of Viet Minh in North under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh. The rise of Ngo Dinh Diem in South Vietnam as an anticommunist face was the strategic planning of the US political personnel’s. However, Ngo Dinh Diem lacked the pulse of the nationalists. His government in South Vietnam was strategically led by the US. He received US aid as well expertise. However, Ngo Dinh Diem can also be given the stage as a tragic hero who could never win acclaim favor of his countrymen owing to his allegiance towards America. He was also a patriot who had substantial plans for modernization of South Vietnam. However he lacked the spirit to unify North and South Vietnam.

Ngo Dinh Diem was fed with American ideals. This led him to commit the greatest mistake of subsidizing a large section of the Buddhists which made him an intriguer in the eyes of the nationalists. The Buddhists had approached Ngo with hope of a favor after being despised by communist minded Viet Cong. However, he took an essential discriminatory policy towards them. This major flaw combined with extremes American intervention in his governance and his incapability to tack the same led to his downfall and paved the way for the unification of Vietnam in 1970s under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh.

2. The Operation Rolling Thunder was the implementation of the contemporary US president L.B. Johnson. Johnson intensified the military activities in Vietnam and ordered a series of air strikes. This incident has been named as Operation Rolling Thunder. Williams (2017), has opined that the US saw this action as a compulsory step to make the Soviet forces aware of the level of American indulgence in the Vietnamese war. The communist insurgency of North, backed by communist forces needed to be stopped and hence the operation Rolling Thunder occurred. The American leaders had supposed that with the active support of American troops, South Vietnam would be able to stalk the progress of the north. However, when it turned otherwise, President Johnson decided to show advanced and aggressive involvement of Americans and warn North Vietnam indirectly.

The Combat Readiness of the joint military venture of the Vietnamese and American forces in South Vietnam was also displayed by the series of sir attacks. Fey (2018), informs that the US navy, Republic of Air Force of Vietnam and the seventh Air Force of US were combat read parallely at the time of the attack. The US had already gained air superiority in combat. On the contrary, the North Vietnamese force backed heavily by Soviet weaponries relied on anti-aircraft missiles. Communist forces like China and the former Soviet Union also strengthened the Viet Cong in North with the 85 mm and 100 mm Surface missiles which could successfully land air missiles. Hence the USA also needed to make a display of their air fare fighting arsenal. The US also equipped South Vietnam with the Phantom 2 air craft along with Sky hawks and Bombers. These were the primary weapons that were involved in the war. As per MacKenzie (2017), the SAMS missiles had locked the smaller planes with micro targets leaving larger areas vulnerable to the attacks of the A-6A intruders and the USAF (Iron Hand SAMS suppression team). The US saw the project of Rolling Thunder as an essential opportunity to test the proficiency of the weapon systems of their native war crafts. The effectiveness of US air bombers such as A-7B Corsairs or the A-6A Intruders have been effectively analyzed in the attack. The onset of the attack during the Operation Rolling thunder made it evident that the US had serious intention, economic strength, technicality, and ability to concentrate on expansion of their air power. However, the application of the project Rolling Thunder had another strategic importance. The attacks could not curb the arsenal of the North Vietnam who were not willing to submit before the US backed Southern capitalist forces.

The tactical suppression of the harshness of war by the US officials is another aspect of the Rolling Thunder Project. The media projecting the horror of the aftermath of the bombardment had to be eye washed by the US. Most importantly America had to validate their cause for such aa vivacious attack. The American civilians were also resenting thus terrible attack. Moreover, this attack also made it evident to the Americans that they could not take a direct route to participate in the Vietnamese war. This followed the search for an alternative subsidiary for leading South Vietnam and America found it in the form of Ngo Dinh Diem.