Strategy of Revolutionary War

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Strategy of Revolutionary War
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Lesson Objectives
Understand the Vietnam War as part of the Cold
War.   Be able to describe the evolution of
U.S. policy toward Indochina from Presidents
Roosevelt to Eisenhower.   Understand and
describe the challenges posed by the Democratic
Republic of Vietnam (DRV) against the south.  
Understand and describe the situation in the
Republic of Vietnam (RVN) after 1959 and the RVN
reaction to the challenge from the north.  
Understand the doctrine of limited war and
counterinsurgency as espoused by the Kennedy
Administration.   Understand the timeline of
events that led to U.S. involvement in Southeast
Asia.
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The Vietnam War
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The Vietnam War
To understand the Vietnam War, you only need two
books
Link
Link
Both are available online
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The Vietnam War
Technically, The Second Indochina War
or The Southeast Asia War
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(No Transcript)
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French Indochina
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Southeast Asia
Central Highlands
The Delta
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Terms
Viet Minh Communist independence movement in
Vietnam, founded 1941
VC Viet Cong, political/military insurgent
group in South Vietnam (1959-1975)
NLF National Liberation Front, formal name for
Viet Cong
COSVN Central Office for South Vietnam, US term
for NLF HQ
DRV Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North
Vietnam)
PAVN Peoples Army of Vietnam (North Vietnamese
Army, also NVA)
RVN Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam)
ARVN Army of the Republic of Vietnam
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Surrender Ceremony Tokyo Bay, September 2, 1945
Newsreel - 836
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First Indochina War
1945 - 1954
vs.
Viet Minh
France
Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DVR) Declared
September 2, 1945
Ho Chi Minh 1890 - 1969
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Vietnamese Declaration of Independence
Hanoi - September 2, 1945
"All men are created equal. They are endowed by
their Creator with certain inalienable rights
among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of
Happiness." This immortal statement was made in
the Declaration of Independence of the United
States of America in 1776. In a broader sense,
this means All the peoples on the earth are
equal from birth, all the peoples have a right to
live, to be happy and free. The Declaration of
the French Revolution made in 1791 on the Rights
of Man and the Citizen also states "All men are
born free and with equal rights, and must always
remain free and have equal rights." ltsnipgt
Source
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Ho Chi Minh
George Washington or Joe Stalin?
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Ho Chi Minh
Born Nguyen Sinh Cung
(May 19, 1890)
Adopted name Ho Chi Minh around 1940 in China
Chi spirit Minh light gt enlightened
spirit
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Ho Chi Minh
Ho Chi Minh with American OSS agents
Formed Viet Minh in 1941 as an independence
movement
Fought against French, then Japanese in WW II
Office of Strategic Services (forerunner of CIA)
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Indochina
Truman pledged to return Indochina to France
after WW II
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First Indochina War
1945 - 1954
vs.
Viet Minh
France
Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DVR) Declared
September 2, 1945
Viet Minh began a long, bitter war with French
Ho Chi Minh 1890 - 1969
US supported France Chinese Communists, USSR
supported Viet Minh
Was fought as a guerilla war
A war of national liberation
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What if
HANOI FEBRUARY 26 1946 TELEGRAM PRESIDENT
HOCHIMINH VIETNAM DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC HANOI TO
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
WASHINGTON DC ON BEHALF OF THE VIETNAMESE
GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE I BEG TO INFORM YOU THAT IN
THE COURSE OF CONVERSION BETWEEN VIETNAMESE
GOVERNMENT AND FRENCH REPRESENTATIVES THE LATTER
REQUIRE THE SECESSION OF COCHINCHINA AND THE
RETUN OF FRENCH TROOPS IN HANOI STOP MEANWHILE
FRENCH POPULATION AND TROOPS ARE MAKING ACTIVE
PREPARATIONS FOR A COUP DE MAIN IN HANOI AND FOR
MILITARY AGGRESSION STOP I THEREFORE MOST
EARNESTLY APPEAL TO YOU PERSONALLY AND TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE TO INTERFERE URGENTLY IN SUPPORT
OF OUR INDEPENDENCE AND HELP MAKING THE
NEGOTIATIONS MORE IN KEEPING WITH THE PRINCIPLES
OF THE ATLANTIC AND SAN FRANCISCO
CHARTERS. RESPECTFULLY
HOCHIMINH
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Viet Minh Strategy
Strategy of Revolutionary War
Objective The seizure of power in a nation-state

by any means possible
Characteristics
Integrated military conflict and political
conflict War on multiple fronts
Geographical Programmatic
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Strategy of Revolutionary War
Characteristics of Political Conflict
Political, diplomatic, psychological,
ideological, sociological, economic components
Three programs
Mobilize people into conflict
Undermine morale, loyalty of population
Undermine morale, loyalty of state military
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Strategy of Revolutionary War
Phase I Targeted state stronger militarily
Revolutionaries avoid combat Guerrilla war
raids, ambushes, sabotage, terrorism Political
conflict predominant
Phase II Rough military parity
Combined guerrilla and conventional war
Military and political conflict equally important
Phase III Revolution stronger than targeted
state
Revolutionary forces go to totally conventional
war General Offensive linked to political
Great Uprising
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Strategy of Revolutionary War
General Characteristics
It is a total war
It is waged with total unity of effort
It is, by necessity and choice, a protracted war
It stresses gaining and keeping the initiative
It is a changing war (shift between phases)
It is a mosaic war (different phases, different
areas)
Davidson
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First Indochina War
1945 - 1954
vs.
Viet Minh
France

After end of Korean War (July 1953), China
funneled aid to the Viet Minh
Conflict transitioned to Phase III revolutionary
war
War ended with defeat of French forces at Dien
Bien Phu (May 7, 1954)
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Dien Bien Phu
greatest defeat in French history.
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Significance First Indochina War
Did not settle principle issues over which it was
fought Political unity of Vietnam
Vietnam's independence from foreign
influence
Created basis for second war
Dictated the way that war would be fought
Strategy that worked against French would
work against US
- First Indochina war judged insignificant by US
military - - Only after US was bogged down
was there an interest in this war
George Herring Lecture First Indochina War
?? (5537)
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Geneva Accords
April 27, 1954
Viet Minh
State of Vietnam
Divided Vietnam into two independently administere
d parts
Unification to follow elections in July 1956
US did not support the accords
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Geneva Accords
April 27, 1954
Viet Minh
State of Vietnam
"In connection with the statement in the
Declaration concerning free elections in Vietnam,
my government wishes to make clear its position
which it has expressed in a Declaration made in
Washington on June 29, 1954, as follows 'In the
case of nations now divided against their will,
we shall continue to seek unity through free
elections, supervised by the United Nations to
ensure they are conducted fairly'"
U.S. Under-Secretary of State Walter Bedell Smith
The elections never occurred
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Vietnam
17th parallel
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So why did we get involved in Vietnam?
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Roots of U.S. Strategic Mindset
For Vietnam War
Munich
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Legacy of Munich
No historical event has exerted more influence on
post-World War II U.S. use-of-force decisions
than the Anglo-French appeasement of Nazi Germany
that led to the outbreak of the Second World War.
Jeffrey Record Appeasement Reconsidered
Investigating the Mythology of the 30s US Army
Strategic Studies Institute, August 2005
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Legacy of Munich
DoD Orientation Film (1965 )
( 3101 )
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Roots of U.S. Strategic Mindset
For Vietnam War
Munich
Truman Doctrine (Containment)
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Truman Doctrine
March 12, 1947
?? (230)
US foreign policy designed to stop spread of
Communism
Pledged to provide economic and military aid to
Greece and Turkey
US foreign policy transitioned from détent to
containment
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Roots of U.S. Strategic Mindset
For Vietnam War
Munich
Truman Doctrine (Containment)
Chinese Intervention in Korea
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Korean War
Approaching the Yalu River October-November 1950
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Korean War
China Enters the War November 1950 - January 1951
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Roots of U.S. Strategic Mindset
For Vietnam War
Munich
Truman Doctrine (Containment)
Chinese Intervention in Korea
Domino Theory
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Domino Theory
Term coined by President Dwight D. Eisenhower
(April 7, 1954)
Described how, if one country in Asia fell to
Communism, others would follow in succession.
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Munich
Truman Doctrine (Containment)
Chinese Intervention in Korea
Domino Theory
Cuban Missile Crisis
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Why Vietnam?
What were the U.S. objectives in Vietnam?
Stated Preserve a non-Communist government in
South Vietnam
Understood Containment
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U.S. Post-WW II Attitude
Nuclear weapons nullified all previous military
theory
Total war (nuclear) unthinkable
Future wars would be limited
Problem
One countrys limited war Another countrys
total war
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U.S. Attitude Toward Vietnam
Eisenhower (1954-1961) US Military Assistance
Trained ARVN to resist cross-border invasion
Kennedy (1961-1963) Counterinsurgency
Resisted by US military leaders
Johnson (1963-1969) Limited War Attempted
to force North Vietnam to negotiate
Nixon (1969-1973) Vietnamization Increased
pressure on North Vietnam to negotiate
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South Vietnam
The Republic of Vietnam
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Ngo Dinh Diem
1901 - 1963
President of Republic of Vietnam (RVn) 1955-1963
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Ngo Dinh Diem
Led effort to establish RVn after Geneva Accords
Elected president in 1955
Catholic in a majority Buddhist nation
Staunchly anti-Communist
Supported by US in early years
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Ngo Dinh Diem
Instituted unpopular strategic hamlet program
(1961)
Took a hard line against Buddhist majority
Protests put down violently
World-wide attention from monks self-immolation
(June 1963)
This plus growing insurgency caused US to lose
faith in Diem
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Ngo Dinh Diem
Toppled by US-sanctioned coup (November 2, 1963)
He and his brother assassinated by generals
Not US intention
RVn plagued by series of coups over next few years
Counterinsurgency effort faltered
US reconsidered its strategy in Vietnam
Cronkite, Vietnam War Seeds of War - 1438 -
2238
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Viet Cong
Vietnamese Communists
National Front for the Liberation of South
Vietnam (NLF)
Local insurgent forces fighting against the
Republic of Vietnam
Founded 1960 (some mark this as start of 2nd
Indochina War)
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North Vietnam
Democratic Republic of Vietnam ( DRV )
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Timeline
Mar 59 Ho Chi Minh declares Peoples War to unite Vietnam
May 59 DRV establishes Central Office of South Vietnam (COSVN) ? Oversee coming war in South Vietnam
May 59 NVA unit established to construct, maintain Ho Chi Minh Trail
Apr 60 DVR establishes universal conscription for the duration
The Stage is Set
North Vietnamese Army
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References
Col. Harry G. Summers, USA (Ret) On Strategy A
Critical Analysis of the Vietnam War Interview
with Harry Summers http//globetrotter.berkeley.
edu/conversations/Summers/summers2.html Lt.
Gen. Phillip B. Davidson, USA (Ret) Secrets of
the Vietnam War
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Vietnam In Search of a Strategy
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Lesson Objectives
  Understand the timeline of events that led to
the decision for major U.S. troop deployments to
Southeast Asia in 1965.   Be able to
articulate the issues and discussions surrounding
the 1965 decision to escalate the war in Vietnam.
  Understand the evolution of U.S. objectives
and strategy for the Vietnam War.
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End
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Terms
Viet Minh Communist independence movement in
Vietnam, founded 1941
VC Viet Cong, political/military insurgent
group in South Vietnam (1959-1975)
NLF National Liberation Front, formal name for
Viet Cong
COSVN Central Office for South Vietnam, US term
for NLF HQ
DRV Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North
Vietnam)
PAVN Peoples Army of Vietnam (North Vietnamese
Army, also NVA)
RVN Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam)
ARVN Army of the Republic of Vietnam