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S. system of communication was responsible for far too many problems, including the presidential conception of the value of the leader, Nhu Ding Diem. Key factors in this war were the misuse of technology in the south and intelligent use of simple technology by the north. The Battle of Diem Bin Phu was a classic miscalculation when the French thought that artillery could not be brought against them through the jungle. The North Vietnamese did just that, manually hauling big guns on jungle trails and over mountains, then followed with ammunition on bicycles. In addition they hid the guns in tunnels and set off charges in the jungle to confuse the French as to the sources of shelling.
After the French left, the U.S. set up Nhu Ding Diem as president of South Vietnam. Between him and his brother, they alienated more than half the population in short order with their repressive regime. Use of the guillotine to execute their enemies furthered popular hate until they were murdered. The use of napalm and Agent Orange by the U.S. devastated the South Vietnam populations and their land. Meanwhile, the North Vietnamese created a whole network of connected trails, residences and hospitals underground, and kept it hidden. It was called the Ho Chi Minh Trail and was used to efficiently transport troops and supplies the length of the country. The American "Strategic Hamlets" were easily infiltrated by Vietcong, since many were sympathetic to them. The attacks on Da Nang base precipitated the final mess with the possibly mistakes of radar operators on the U.S.S. Maddox, and the car bombing of the American Embassy and Brinks Hotel in Da Nang. Operation Rolling Thunder launched the all out war as the U.S. carpet bombed North Vietnam. This entire sequence of events was almost totally caused by improper use of inappropriate technology: chemical agents, air strikes on jungle and carpet bombing. The most effective technology, the underground tunnel systems and manual supply lines was employed by the North Vietnamese.
There is not space within the bounds of a short paper to really explore this topic. The technology of World War II alone would fill a large dissertation. However, these examples from World War II and the Vietnam War clearly show that the effective use of appropriate technology does win wars, while the reverse has the opposite effect. World War II had examples where the improper use of extremely good technology was disastrous, as in the invasion of Russia. It also shows over all that the strategic use of superior technology was ultimately the deciding...
However, in the case of Vietnam, the wrong technology was used improperly and resulted in a mess from which the U.S. still bears the scars.
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Burck, Gordon M., and Charles C. Flowerree. International Handbook on Chemical Weapons Proliferation. New York: Greenwood Press, 1991. Questia. 8 Oct. 2006 http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=9805752.
Byrne, Kevin B., et al. A Handbook of American Military History: From the Revolutionary War to the Present. Ed. Jerry K. Sweeney. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1996. Questia. 8 Oct. 2006 http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=82360494.
Carafano, James Jay. After D-Day: Operation Cobra and the Normandy Breakout. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner, 2000. Questia. 8 Oct. 2006 http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=105848971.
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Encarta® World English Dictionary [North American Edition] © & (P)2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Developed for Microsoft by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_/technology.html www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=105952506
Military Technology -- Civil War Leadership What technological advances were used during the United States Civil War? There were many technological innovations that were devised and used during the Civil War by both sides, and they are important aspects when researching the reasons that the Union Army defeated the Confederate Army. An article in Scientific American ("How Technology Shaped the Civil War") reports that first of all, the way the war was
The task of stabilizing a collapsed Pakistan may well be beyond the means of the United States and its allies. Rule-of-thumb estimates suggest that a force of more than a million troops would be required for a country of this size. Thus, if we have any hope of success, we would have to act before a complete government collapse, and we would need the cooperation of moderate Pakistani forces (Kagan
The Past Present and Future of Warfare Impact of Technology and Strategy Introduction Military tactics and strategies are essential in warfare. Without the right tactics and strategy, it is impossible to win wars. By definition, military strategy is the planning, coordination, and implementation of military operations to meet some set objectives. Tactics can be defined as short-term military strategies in the field of operations in terms of the equipment to use, how
Better transportation methods helped farmers reach a global market, but they also helped increase the cost of food, and helped more farmers give up agriculture as their employment, too. Technology helped farms become more efficient, but it also helped develop large, factory farms that ran small, independent farmers out of business because they could not compete financially. Many other innovations that we take for granted today also changed the face
Unfortunately, the availability of combat power encourages people to try to solve a problem by using it. Doctrinal training for soldiers emphasizes the aggressive, warrior image that is not normally compatible with peacekeeping. and, finally, the United States soldier is always regarded as primarily under control of Washington, even when supposedly under the command of another nation (the United States and Peacekeeping: Can it Work?). Also, a U.S. military presence especially
The subjects were 613 injured Army personnel Military Deployment Services TF Report 13 admitted to Walter Reed Army Medical Center from March 2003 to September 2004 who were capable of completing the screening battery. Soldiers were assessed at approximately one month after injury and were reassessed at four and seven months either by telephone interview or upon return to the hospital for outpatient treatment. Two hundred and forty-three soldiers