Sea Power and MaritimeSea Power and Maritime Affairs Affairs

Lesson 5.14: The U.S. Navy, Vietnam and Limited War, 1963-1975

Enabling ObjectivesEnabling Objectives• Know the role of the U.S. Navy during the Know the role of the U.S. Navy during the

Vietnam War.Vietnam War.• Comprehend the impact of the Vietnam War on Comprehend the impact of the Vietnam War on

the U.S. Navy’s force structure under Admiral the U.S. Navy’s force structure under Admiral Elmo Zumwalt during the Richard Nixon Elmo Zumwalt during the Richard Nixon administration.administration.

• Recall the reasons for the relative decline in U.S. Recall the reasons for the relative decline in U.S. naval preeminence from 1962-1977.naval preeminence from 1962-1977.

• Comprehend the differing naval policies of the Comprehend the differing naval policies of the U.S. and the Soviet Union and how those U.S. and the Soviet Union and how those differences affected their resulting force structure.differences affected their resulting force structure.

U. S. Involvement in VietnamU. S. Involvement in Vietnam

• 19451945: Ho Chi Minh founds : Ho Chi Minh founds Democratic Republic of Democratic Republic of Vietnam.Vietnam.– French forces reoccupy.French forces reoccupy.

• 19471947: Vietnamese war for : Vietnamese war for independence begins.independence begins.– Rural population supports Rural population supports

Vietminh communists. Vietminh communists. – French forces control cities.French forces control cities.

• 19541954: Dien Bien Phu : Dien Bien Phu – French surrender to Vietminh.French surrender to Vietminh.– Vietnam split into North and Vietnam split into North and

South at 17th parallel.South at 17th parallel.

IndochinaIndochina

Early U.S. Involvement in VietnamEarly U.S. Involvement in Vietnam• 1954-19631954-1963

– Part of U.S. Cold War “Containment” strategy.Part of U.S. Cold War “Containment” strategy.– Opposition to communist incursions from the North.Opposition to communist incursions from the North.– Gradual buildup of U.S. military / CIA advisors in South.Gradual buildup of U.S. military / CIA advisors in South.– JFK increases number of U.S. advisors to 17K by 1963.JFK increases number of U.S. advisors to 17K by 1963.– President Diem assassinated - military government installed.President Diem assassinated - military government installed.

Democratic Republic of VietnamDemocratic Republic of VietnamRepublic of VietnamRepublic of Vietnam

JFK Assassinated – 22 Nov 1963JFK Assassinated – 22 Nov 1963

• Succeeds Kennedy as Succeeds Kennedy as President after his President after his assassination. assassination.

• 19641964: Raises U.S. advisors in : Raises U.S. advisors in Vietnam to 23,000.Vietnam to 23,000.

• Concerned with “Great Society” Concerned with “Great Society” and domestic politics.and domestic politics.

• Robert S. McNamara- SECDEFRobert S. McNamara- SECDEF• High level of restrictions put on High level of restrictions put on

military planners by his military planners by his administration.administration.

Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ)Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ)

Tonkin Gulf Incident (1964)Tonkin Gulf Incident (1964)

• Destroyers USS Destroyers USS MaddoxMaddox and and USS USS Turner Joy:Turner Joy:– Night attacks by North Night attacks by North

Vietnamese torpedo boats Vietnamese torpedo boats reported….reported….

• U.S. strikes ordered in U.S. strikes ordered in retaliation.retaliation.

• Tonkin Gulf ResolutionTonkin Gulf Resolution::– Congressional approval for the Congressional approval for the

President to take “all necessary President to take “all necessary measures to repel any armed measures to repel any armed attack” in Vietnam.attack” in Vietnam.

General Westmorelandand LBJ

Cam Ranh Bay23 DEC ‘67

Policy – Strategy MismatchPolicy – Strategy Mismatch

• 19651965: MACV- Military : MACV- Military Assistance Command Assistance Command Vietnam established.Vietnam established.• General General

Westmoreland: Westmoreland: Commands U.S. Commands U.S. ForcesForces

• Strategy: Search and Strategy: Search and destroy missions.destroy missions.

ROLLING ROLLING THUNDERTHUNDER

MARKET MARKET TIME/GAME TIME/GAME

WARDENWARDEN

TF 77TF 77(CVs)(CVs)

TF 115 and TF 116TF 115 and TF 116(PBRs, PCFs, (PBRs, PCFs,

ATCs)ATCs)

Coastal and Mekong Delta Coastal and Mekong Delta InterdictionInterdiction

North Vietnamese bombing North Vietnamese bombing campaign.campaign.

The U.S. Navy in VietnamThe U.S. Navy in Vietnam

1. 1.

2. 2.

1. “Rolling Thunder”, 1965-19681. “Rolling Thunder”, 1965-1968

• Theory: punish NV until it Theory: punish NV until it stops supporting Viet Cong stops supporting Viet Cong in South.in South.

• Reality: Very CostlyReality: Very Costly– 304,000 fighter bombers and 304,000 fighter bombers and

2,380 B-52 sorties2,380 B-52 sorties– 421 aircraft lost, 1965-1968421 aircraft lost, 1965-1968

• 643K tons of bombs 643K tons of bombs dropped (537K dropped in dropped (537K dropped in entire Pacific War.)entire Pacific War.)

““Rolling Thunder must go down in the history of aerial Rolling Thunder must go down in the history of aerial warfare as the most ambitious, wasteful, and ineffective warfare as the most ambitious, wasteful, and ineffective campaign ever mounted. While damage was . . . done to campaign ever mounted. While damage was . . . done to

many targets in the North, no lasting objective was many targets in the North, no lasting objective was achieved. Hanoi emerged as the winner of Rolling achieved. Hanoi emerged as the winner of Rolling

Thunder.” (CIA analyst quoted by COL Harry Summers, Thunder.” (CIA analyst quoted by COL Harry Summers, USA, USA, Historical Atlas of the Vietnam WarHistorical Atlas of the Vietnam War, p. 96), p. 96)

Rolling Thunder EvaluationRolling Thunder Evaluation

2. Operation Market Time, 1965-19722. Operation Market Time, 1965-1972

• The Goal:The Goal:– Deny use of Mekong River and Deny use of Mekong River and

tributariestributaries– Interdiction of supplies.Interdiction of supplies.

• Highly Dangerous Highly Dangerous – Less effective and more costly than Less effective and more costly than

coastal interdictioncoastal interdiction• Specially Designed and Improvised Specially Designed and Improvised

ForceForce– 50 FT, aluminum hull fast patrol craft 50 FT, aluminum hull fast patrol craft

(PCFs), .50 cal and 81-mm(PCFs), .50 cal and 81-mm– 31 ft, fiberglass, river patrol boat. 31 ft, fiberglass, river patrol boat. – Coast Guard CuttersCoast Guard Cutters

““From January to July 1967, Market Time forces . From January to July 1967, Market Time forces . . . inspected or boarded more than 700,000 . . inspected or boarded more than 700,000 vessels in South Vietnamese waters. Except for vessels in South Vietnamese waters. Except for five enemy ships [sighted during Tet] . . . no five enemy ships [sighted during Tet] . . . no other enemy trawlers were spotted from July other enemy trawlers were spotted from July 1967 to August 1969.” (COL Harry Summers, 1967 to August 1969.” (COL Harry Summers, USA, USA, Historical Atlas of the Vietnam WarHistorical Atlas of the Vietnam War, p. 150), p. 150)

Market Time EvaluationMarket Time Evaluation

““There are no statistics to show what MARKET There are no statistics to show what MARKET TIME did TIME did notnot interdict. At the very least, interdict. At the very least, MARKET TIME forced the enemy to be even more MARKET TIME forced the enemy to be even more inventive and creative in bringing into the South inventive and creative in bringing into the South the tools of war.” (Symonds, the tools of war.” (Symonds, Historical Atlas of Historical Atlas of the U.S. Navythe U.S. Navy, p. 210), p. 210)

Cautious EvaluationCautious Evaluation::

Outstanding EvaluationOutstanding Evaluation::

The Tet Offensive: The Turning PointThe Tet Offensive: The Turning Point

• WHENWHEN: Jan, 1968: Jan, 1968• WHO/WHATWHO/WHAT: Combine : Combine

attack by North Vietnamese attack by North Vietnamese and Vietcong.and Vietcong.– 80k N. Vietnamese troops 80k N. Vietnamese troops

strike more than 100 towns strike more than 100 towns and cities simultaneously.and cities simultaneously.

– Goal: cause a popular uprising Goal: cause a popular uprising (failed)(failed)

• WHEREWHERE::– Struck at 36 of 44 provincial Struck at 36 of 44 provincial

capital and military basescapital and military bases

Marines in the Tet OffensiveMarines in the Tet Offensive

• Hue CityHue City– Ancient capital of Vietnam.Ancient capital of Vietnam.– Held by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong for 26 days.Held by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong for 26 days.– Retaken by Marines and South Vietnamese forces.Retaken by Marines and South Vietnamese forces.

• Street fighting from house to house.Street fighting from house to house.

• Khe SanhKhe Sanh– Important base in northern South Vietnam near DMZ.Important base in northern South Vietnam near DMZ.– 6,000 Marines under siege by 20,000 North Vietnamese 6,000 Marines under siege by 20,000 North Vietnamese

Army regular troops.Army regular troops.– Supplied by air drops and supported with air strikes.Supplied by air drops and supported with air strikes.– Eventually abandoned.Eventually abandoned.

Hue CityHue CityKhe SanhKhe Sanh

Results of the Tet OffensiveResults of the Tet Offensive• Jan 1968Jan 1968

– No popular uprisingNo popular uprising– Outrage with war in U.S.Outrage with war in U.S.

• Mar 1968Mar 1968 – LBJ renounces candidacy.LBJ renounces candidacy.– McNamara forced to resign.McNamara forced to resign.

• Jun 1968Jun 1968– General Westmoreland replaced General Westmoreland replaced

by General Abrams. by General Abrams.

• Sep 1968Sep 1968– VADM Elmo Zumwalt appointed VADM Elmo Zumwalt appointed

Commander, U.S. naval Commander, U.S. naval Forces.Forces.

““What the Hell’s Ho Chi What the Hell’s Ho Chi Minh doing answering our Minh doing answering our Saigon Embassy phone?!?”Saigon Embassy phone?!?”- - Paul Conrad, Paul Conrad, LA TimesLA Times, 1968, 1968

• Linebacker ILinebacker I (May 1972 - Oct 1972) (May 1972 - Oct 1972)- 40,000 sorties; 125,000 tons of - 40,000 sorties; 125,000 tons of bombs.bombs.

• Linebacker II Linebacker II (18-26 Dec. 1972)(18-26 Dec. 1972)-742 B-52 742 B-52 -640 fighter-bomber sorties640 fighter-bomber sorties-15 B-52s lost!15 B-52s lost!

1968 - Nixon’s Back1968 - Nixon’s Back•““The bastards have never been The bastards have never been bombed like they’re going to be bombed like they’re going to be bombed this time.”bombed this time.”- President Richard M. Nixon- President Richard M. Nixon

The Endgame – Jan 1973The Endgame – Jan 1973• VietnamizationVietnamization

– U.S. forces reduced from over 500,000 U.S. forces reduced from over 500,000 combat/support to a combat/support to a handful of advisors.handful of advisors.

• Jan 1973Jan 1973: Hanoi signed Paris Accords : Hanoi signed Paris Accords calling for cease-fire throughout S. calling for cease-fire throughout S. Vietnam and release of POWs.Vietnam and release of POWs.– U.S. withdraws forces from South U.S. withdraws forces from South

Vietnam.Vietnam.– Cost to American people dramaticCost to American people dramatic– 58,000 Americans died58,000 Americans died

Battle History VideoBattle History Video

• Chapter 3 "Steel Chapter 3 "Steel Walls of Freedom", Walls of Freedom", Time 39:24 - 44:00. Time 39:24 - 44:00.

Enabling ObjectivesEnabling Objectives• Know the role of the U.S. Navy during the Know the role of the U.S. Navy during the

Vietnam War.Vietnam War.• Comprehend the impact of the Vietnam War on Comprehend the impact of the Vietnam War on

the U.S. Navy’s force structure under Admiral the U.S. Navy’s force structure under Admiral Elmo Zumwalt during the Richard Nixon Elmo Zumwalt during the Richard Nixon administration.administration.

• Recall the reasons for the relative decline in U.S. Recall the reasons for the relative decline in U.S. naval preeminence from 1962-1977.naval preeminence from 1962-1977.

• Comprehend the differing naval policies of the Comprehend the differing naval policies of the U.S. and the Soviet Union and how those U.S. and the Soviet Union and how those differences affected their resulting force structure.differences affected their resulting force structure.

Questions?Questions?

Next time: The Era of Retrenchment: Presidents Next time: The Era of Retrenchment: Presidents Ford and Carter, 1974-1980Ford and Carter, 1974-1980