The American presence II: U.S. combat troops

On March 8, 1965, the first U.S. Marine combat units, whose arrival had been publicly announced, landed at Da Nang, the second largest city in South Vietnam. A huge American base, both ground and air, developed there. Although different individuals argued for different troop levels, Johnson prudently decided to stop the buildup at 175,000 men. Several weeks later the President authorized fighting as far as 85 kilometers from the installation. Early in May of 1965, an Army brigade arrived at Ben Hoa for the same purpose, base defense. By the end of 1966 American military personnel reached 485,000; American troop levels would peak in 1968 at just over 536,000.

The number of frequency of contacts between the Americans and VC/PAVN increased with the American buildup. Several examples are given here: In October of 1965 U.S. troops were drawn into a fight in the Ia Drang Valley with North Vietnamese regulars as a followup to an attack on a Special Forces camp. As the numbers of American troops continued to grow, Westmoreland began to use them for offensive purposes as well; early in 1967 He sent troops to sweep the areas north and west of Saigon for Viet Cong: Operations Cedar Falls and Junction City. Although the 1968 Tet Offensive was aimed at ARVN troops, Americans became heavily involved, especially in Hue. In 1968 American troops were beseiged at Khe Sanh by PAVN troops. Although there were many other clashes on the ground between Americans and VC/PAVN forces, those four will suffice to provide an indication of the sort of war that was being fought in Vietnam.

Because of such factors as the frustration in our seeming inability to win the war in Vietnam, a growing anti-war movement in the United States, and a change of U.S. administrations from Johnson to Nixon, the ground war for American troops began to wind down after 1968. By 1970 American troop levels were just under 335,000; by the end of 1971 the numbers would be down to 156,800. President Nixon's efforts would be directed at seeking a peace through negotiation and attempting to bomb North Vietnam until they agreed to terms.

Readings:

1. Kolko, pp. 293-311
2. Langguth, pp. 372-530

Military Operations:

1. Ia Drang Valley
2. Operation Cedar Falls
3. 1968 Tet Offensive
4. Khe Sanh

 

Questions for consideration and further discussion:

1. What sorts of justifications did the U.S. use for introducing American combat troops into the Vietnamese equation?
2. What happened to the predictions of McNamara and Westmoreland, among others, of a "quick win" in Vietnam?
3. Tours of duty for American troops were normally 12 months instead of for the "duration;" did this have any impact on American fighting?
4. To what might President Nixon have been responding when he changed the overall strategy of the war?