What difficulties did United States soldiers face in Vietnam?

Answer 1

I have heard that they got what was called Jungle Rot or a foot fungus which made them raw and also made them burn from what I understand. I also have read that the weather in Vietnam is unpredictable and it could be hot and humid or it could be very rainy. They were also not familiar with the geography which was another problem. The jungle, humidity and the need to avoid fighting in populated areas were all problems. The lack of leadership in devising a strategic overall plan for fighting an insurgent war was a major problem.

Answer 2

Answer

Many people in the United States were not supporting the war, and peace movements occurred.

Many soldiers were extremely young, the average age being just nineteen.

The soldiers had little training and many were of low intelligence.

They were fighting the Viet Cong and Vietminh in an alien environment, giving the opposition an advantage.

There was a high death toll.

They were forced to kill, often innocent people.

They were drafted ina nd were not always enthusiastic.

There was racial discrimination in the war. for example black people were fighting for freedom in south East Asia, a freedom they had not yet got themselves in their own country.

There was also the occurence of 'fragging' as disputes between officiers and soldiers became serious.

The biggest problem we had was the opinions stated above. Here's the truth:

01) The public did not support the war. True.

02) The average age was 19. False. Average age was 22.

03) They had little training and low intelligence. False. Best trained army in the world with 79% having a high school education or better.

04) The VC had the environment advantage. True. But we had an air force and superior training and weapons. We never lost a major battle.

05) A high death toll. True - in every war.

06) Forced to kill- often innocent people. False and True. You kill in every war- often innocents die. We were not "forced"- we were soldiers.

07) They were drafted. False. 2/3 were volunteers.

08) There was racial discrimination. False. We fought side-by-side, and risked our lives for each other.

09) Disputes between officers and soldiers. False. Were did this writer get his information?

I speak as a Vietnam combat veteran. US Army, 1st Infantry, 1966-1968. Our biggest problem was lack of support from home and lies....

Answer 3

The difficulties faced by US servicemen in Vietnam were the same difficulties faced by any and all past servicemen during war time. The tropical heat faced by US GI's in Vietnam were no worse nor no better than the Marines and Soldiers fighting in the Pacific Theater of WWII experienced. The casualties from exploding shells and flying bullets were no worse nor easier than the shells and bullets our GI's faced in the Korean War. Being drafted for Vietnam was no different either, many, if not most, of those GI's fighting in Korea, WWII, and World War I were also drafted. If there was any difficulty that stood out for the Viet War veteran, it was rejection and discrimination from his fellow citizens (fellow countrymen). So much so, that in 1974(?) the US government had to pass a non-discrimination law for Vietnam War Veterans. And those rejections and discriminations, with time, have smoothed over, and have nearly disappeared.

Answer 4

When attempting to carry out the Vietnam war, the US Military had problems with it being such an unpopular war. Conditions in which our military were fighting were deplorable, and the media coverage of the war was so intense.

Answer 5

There were several problems. It was an unpopular war since Pres Johnson never adequately explained to the American public why the war was necessary. There was dissention in the ranks as many (white) students took advantage of student deferments to not serve, leading to charges this was a war fought by Blacks and poor whites who were drafted. The other problem was the US Army wanted to fight a conventional war similar to WW2 and Korea, and the NVA and VC used different tactics that frustrated Army generals like Westmoreland who was unable and/or unwilling to adapt..

Answer 6

There were many difficulties for US soldiers in Vietnam, from environmental to military strategies to homeland attitudes about "The Vietnam Conflict", as it was called. Just some difficulties included:

1. thick jungles, could not see the enemy
2. extreme and constant heat and humidity and torrential rains - all very unlike the US climate and conditions; fighting to keep hydrated (water and sodium/salt) due to excessive sweating
3. fighting an unseen enemy -- The Vietnamese soldiers tunneled underground with trap doors throughout the territory.
4. extreme stress amid complete heroism - having a soldier crawl into tunnels to single-handedly find the enemy and block the tunnel system
5. psychological warfare - never knowing when the soldiers might discover a booby trap, often with one or more soldiers losing limbs or their lives; never knowing where the enemy might pop up after using their tunnel system
6. the barbarism and tyranny the enemy used as supposed "military" tactics
7. that the enemy used villages/villagers to hide themselves; that soldiers could not always tell for sure who was or wasn't the enemy
8. increasing animosity of US citizens toward US soldiers and the war
9. disillusionment of soldiers, feeling the US had no way to win the war, no way to end the war, or that the soldiers would ever get home alive
10. that some US soldiers began to use opium; they were psychologically "lost" and felt foresaken and forgotten inside the war "in country"...and further lost themselves into the drug

Answer 7

they faced not having any family with them, they might not ever see their family again, and if you became too close of a friend, you would feel horrible when that person died

Answer 8

Terrain, lack of knowledge of our enemy, China and USSR support

Answer 9

so far I only know 1 and that is some people hated them for being soldiers and spat on them.

Answer 10

Conscription.