The Vietnamese used guerrilla tactics, which was proved to be effective in the past against the Japanese and French and this time against the Americans would work. For example they would retreat when the US attacked in big numbers so that they would not die in large numbers, which may also tire out the US, as the Vietcong knew the areas well. The Vietcong would also raid enemy camps such as the US or ARVN and usually do this very secretly as a surprise attack at night or when the Americans are not on high alert so that in shock the US would respond slower giving the Vietcong the advantage. The Vietcong would also attack the enemy when they are vulnerable, for example if they are tired or fatigued they would be less strong and alert resulting in the Vietcong having an advantage. Furthermore if the US tried to retreat the Vietcong would pursue them to give them more pressure as well as to scare them and lower morale.
Along with this the Vietcong were also very good at using the environment and land to their advantage, as they knew they could not win with a full on battle in the open with Americans, so the Vietcong would wear dark clothes or pyjamas but would make use of tree branches or leaves to cover themselves and also hide in vegetation. This was proved to be very effective against the US, as it would be likely for them with the lack of sleep and fatigue to be less alert of their surroundings. The Vietcong would then surprise attack the Americans, which would probably shock many of them, as they were not ready giving the Vietcong an advantage in battle. Secondly this would again lower morale for the Americans, as they would be worried of being attacked and would have to look carefully everywhere.
The USA as said were rich in weapons and resources and were also powerful. The ARVN also got these weapons and resources. However the Vietcong were again effective and clever, as they would make use of guns with no ammunition or pick up any ammunition, which would be useful to them. This was useful, as more people were equipped this way.
As well as using the environment to their advantage the Vietcong would also use booby traps or surprise traps to trick US soldiers and to injure as many as possible. Traps were often made to cause pain or to kill instantly or gradually, for example the mines that blew up when trodden on or punji traps that were sharpened bamboo spikes that could poke through boots. They often were covered in poison or faeces to cause blood poisoning and kill the soldiers. Source B shows the agony felt by one of the soldiers at the time that was blown by a mine. This would benefit the Vietcong, as the US would not be used to this kind of warfare with surprise traps, as well as not knowing where these traps were, which would lower confidence of the Vietcong. The sight of one of their men dying could lower their confidence, as they would be scared to fight or to even carry on. This is also shown in source D, which would have slowed down US army progress, as well as to alert the Vietcong to prepare for the US soldiers.
Finally as soon as the Vietcong found out that the US were going to bomb certain areas such as the Ho Chi Minh trail or the jungles where the Vietcong could hide they dug deep tunnels to hide and protect themselves from these bombs. The tunnels were sometimes very deep and could go on for miles. Source C is a good example for showing this. If the Americans happened to find out about this the Vietcong purposely built special booby to trap the enemy inside. This is another way how the Vietcong used their land to the fullest.
In conclusion we can learn that the Vietcong certainly were certainly a better side to America, not because of weapons, power or technology but also because they had better tactics and used what they had and their environment to their usefulness, for example they knew that the Americans were simply too powerful for them in the open battle field so they sneaked up on Americans in areas such as jungle that the Americans weren’t used to, as well as using ‘booby traps’ to slow down the Americans. The Vietcong were also clever in a sense that when the Americans were weak they would attack them. Finally the Vietcong dug special tunnels to protect themselves from bomb raids. All these clever and thoughtful methods allowed the Vietcong to overcome a superpower such as America.
