Reply #11: Naturally I totally disagree on all your response points. [View All]

[BillZBubb]

The South Vietnamese government was a corrupt, ineffective mess. No leader emerged who really united the South. Maybe you believe "President" Thieu was a real leader?????? ARVN was a friggin' useless joke--just like the Iraqi "security forces". Instead of arms we should have given them track shoes to help them run from the sound of gunfire. If you believe otherwise, well, no need for further discussion.

The US did control a lot of the strategic highpoints, but most of the countryside was not "pacified". Your anecdotal comment is, frankly, worthless. In almost every village it was impossible to tell friend from foe.

VC cadres were incorporated into NVA units. They had no shortage of manpower except briefly after screwups like Tet. Most of the war was small scale engagements. There were a few battles where Giap had delusions of a second Dienbienphu. But small engagements were the rule.

The US doctrine was to try to engage the enemy is large scale battles where maneuver could be decisive. The few major engagements that occured were on NVA terms. A similar scenario could unfold in Iraq as the insurgency grows.