What do you think were the main weapons and technology used during the Vietnam War?

Question

I know napalm was widely used but what other weapons do you think helped us not get anihilated in Vietnam?

Answer 1

My goodness, did only one side fight in the Vietnam war?

Yes, napalm was used by the Americans. So were 'Daisy Cutter' bombs and toxic defoliants like Agent Orange.

One has to be careful with that all those Daisy Cutters, Agent Orange and flaming petroleum jelly - or else one will annihilate the very civilians whose "democracy" one is trying to save.

Well, I guess it's too late for that now.

Yes, the AK-47 assault rifle was used by the Vietnamese.

Answer 2

I think the main technology used by the Americans that helped, was helicopters and their boats. Also, the coordination between the infantry, airforce, and the navy was crucial, as the army could call in heavy artillary to hopefully wipeout Vietcong outposts.
For weapons, i think it would be all sorts of weapons which were availiable, like Agent Orange, and napalm and stufff like that.
For the Vietcong, i say it would be their tunnel networks, and the booby traps, killed a great many Americans and South Vietnamese

Answer 3

We did not get annihilated because we were simply the best trained troops in the world and the best equipped. The US won every military engagement in Vietnam. Our weapons consisted of helicopter gunships (Cobras, Cayuses and Hueys equipped with mini guns and 90mm rockets), airburst artillery rounds (firecracker- pellets that would burst downward and out), hand held grenade launchers and a host of other modern killing efficiencies. None more deadly than the strategic shift of large numbers of troops & equipment in rapid succession to bear down on an enemy (Airmobility).
Still, we fought an enemy defending "his home", on "his turf" and whose strategies aligned with our politics back home, eg we were not allowed to go into Cambodia or Laos to cut his supply lines!!. And yes, they were well trained combat troops, who believed in a cause, can't get much tougher than that. Explains why we had a half million casualties in addition to the 58 thousand dead.
Politically, we lost the war, by hamstringing our military from doing its job and backing every corrupt politician there was in that country, none of whom ever gained the hearts and minds of the people. Ever wonder what role the South Vietnamese army played in the conflict? NONE

Answer 4

The US army got the best weapon against the vietcongs but they were defeated during the war. In my own analysis US lost the war in Vietnam since the Vietcongs use the 3 Magic weapons which is called in the communist doctrine as the "THREE TOGETHERS", meaning the enemy (vietcongs) TOGETHER they work with the People, TOGETHER they lived with the People and TOGETHER they eat with the People. In the battlefield of Human Relations it is not fought in the valleys nor in the forest but rather in the hearts and mind of the people. US lost the support of the many of the Vietnamese during the war.

Answer 5

Yes napalm was used. Than AK-47, for the first time American solders used M-16. Choppers (helicopters) were introduced to the battleground. Than the Gatling gun was back in the game.
All kind of battle drugs, from reinventing amphetamine to MDMA.

Answer 6

Rolando, you failed to mention that if THE PEOPLE failed to assist the VC, they killed them -- men, women, and children; thus they used FEAR AND PROPAGANDA to 'win.'

The VC got their azzes kicked on the battlefield; the war was lost POLITICALLY.

Now to answer the question:

Both sides used modern rifles -- M-16 and AK-47.
Both sides used modern long-range artillery (North Vietnamese regular army had this).
Both sides used jet aircraft.

Our stuff was just better and our troops were better trained.

Or was I just conned into doing someone's homework for them? Methinks YES!