Summary.

In February 1965, President Johnson ordered Operation Rolling Thunder - a massive bombing campaign against
North Vietnam.
He sent US troops - 500,000 by 1969 - to fight in Vietnam.

In November 1965, General William Westmoreland, the US commander, lured the North Vietnamese Army
(NVA/vietcong) to attack a force of American troops at Ia Drang, then destroyed the attackers with a massive air strike.

In 1968, the CIA started Operation Phoenix, arresting, interrogating and killing suspected Vietcong activists.
Despite this, the Americans could not succeed in driving the Vietcong out of the rural areas

In January 1968, the NVA launched the Tet Offensive, capturing a number of towns in South Vietnam.
The North Vietnamese lost 45,000 men, including many officers. Their morale was damaged - the offensive proved that they could not defeat the Americans by direct attack.
It took the Americans a month to recover the towns. Their confidence was badly shaken. They won the Tet Offensive, but realised that they would never defeat the Vietcong.

	Created by KatyWright about 10 years ago

History (Vietnam) Note on The war in Vietnam, created by KatyWright on 16/09/2014.