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VietnamVietnamPart 2Part 2

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Uses of AirpowerUses of AirpowerBackgroundBackground

• Vietnam War was primarily a land war Vietnam War was primarily a land war • Most air power used in conjunction with Most air power used in conjunction with

ground opsground ops• North stayed above DMZ, so air superiority North stayed above DMZ, so air superiority

over the South was never a concernover the South was never a concern• In-country operations centered around: In-country operations centered around:

interdiction, close air support, airlift, recon, search interdiction, close air support, airlift, recon, search and rescue, and air refuelingand rescue, and air refueling

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• After Gulf of Tonkin, airair units built up rapidly• US Air Force occupied 10 major air bases

• All were built and defended by the Air Force• Huge logistical effort

• Also flew from 6 bases in Thailand• Navy flew from carriers in Gulf of Tonkin• B-52s flew from Guam-- at times even from US

BackgroundBackground

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Uses of Air PowerUses of Air PowerDuring VietnamizationDuring Vietnamization

Train the South Vietnamese Train the South Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF)Air Force (VNAF)

Support the South Support the South Vietnamese ArmyVietnamese Army

Forestall suspected enemy Forestall suspected enemy attacks against withdrawing attacks against withdrawing American unitsAmerican units

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Uses of Air PowerUses of Air Power InterdictionInterdiction

• A major mission during SEA warA major mission during SEA war• Aircraft used: F-4 Phantom, F-100 Super Sabre, F-Aircraft used: F-4 Phantom, F-100 Super Sabre, F-

105 Thunderchief (Thud), AC-130 Gunships105 Thunderchief (Thud), AC-130 Gunships• Best known interdiction aircraft was the B-52: a Best known interdiction aircraft was the B-52: a

nuclear bomber modified to carry conventional nuclear bomber modified to carry conventional weaponsweapons• Arc LightArc Light--Name for B-52 interdiction missions --Name for B-52 interdiction missions

F-100 SupersabreF-100 Supersabre

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Uses of Air PowerUses of Air Power Close Air SupportClose Air Support

• Missions to support forces of the groundMissions to support forces of the ground• Aircraft used: A-4 Skyhawk, F-4, F-100, A-37 Aircraft used: A-4 Skyhawk, F-4, F-100, A-37

Dragonfly, A-1 Skyraider and AC-47 Gunships Dragonfly, A-1 Skyraider and AC-47 Gunships (Puff the Magic Dragon)(Puff the Magic Dragon)

• Gunships, cargo aircraft armed with rapid-fire Gunships, cargo aircraft armed with rapid-fire machine guns, were very effectivemachine guns, were very effective

• Forward Air ControllersForward Air Controllers (FACs) were used to (FACs) were used to locate the enemy and mark targets for faster locate the enemy and mark targets for faster flying jets flying jets

A-4 SkyhawkA-4 Skyhawk A-1 SkyraiderA-1 Skyraider

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Uses of Air PowerUses of Air Power Close Air SupportClose Air Support

B-52 Arc Light aircraft were occasionally B-52 Arc Light aircraft were occasionally used for close air supportused for close air support

B-52 were used extensively in close air B-52 were used extensively in close air support at Khe Sanhsupport at Khe Sanh• Flew 2,548 sorties and dropped bombs Flew 2,548 sorties and dropped bombs

within 300 yards of of U.S. Marine within 300 yards of of U.S. Marine perimeter perimeter

B-52 credited with saving Khe Sanh and B-52 credited with saving Khe Sanh and repelling the Tet and Easter Offensivesrepelling the Tet and Easter Offensives

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Uses of Air PowerUses of Air Power Tactical AirliftTactical Airlift

• Vital to successful US operations because Vital to successful US operations because of poor security on roadsof poor security on roads

• Aircraft used: UH-1 Hueys, C-7 Caribous, Aircraft used: UH-1 Hueys, C-7 Caribous, • C-123 Providers, and C-130 HerculesC-123 Providers, and C-130 Hercules• Missions often flown while under attackMissions often flown while under attack• Supplies often air-dropped because of Supplies often air-dropped because of

enemy fire and poor landing facilitiesenemy fire and poor landing facilities• A major factor in keeping Khe Sanh aliveA major factor in keeping Khe Sanh alive

C-123 ProviderC-123 Provider

C-7 CaribouC-7 Caribou

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Uses of Air PowerUses of Air Power ReconnaissanceReconnaissance

• Aircraft used: RF-4C, RB-57 Canberra, and RB-66 Aircraft used: RF-4C, RB-57 Canberra, and RB-66 DestroyersDestroyers

• Aircraft were equipped with variety of cameras Aircraft were equipped with variety of cameras and sensing devicesand sensing devices

• Missions consisted of locating lucrative targets Missions consisted of locating lucrative targets and assessing battle damageand assessing battle damage

• A valuable part of repelling Tet and protecting A valuable part of repelling Tet and protecting Khe Sanh Khe Sanh

RB 66 DestroyerRB 66 DestroyerRB 57 CanberraRB 57 Canberra

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Uses of Air PowerUses of Air Power Search and RescueSearch and Rescue

• An extremely important part of the air An extremely important part of the air support mission throughout Southeast support mission throughout Southeast AsiaAsia

• Buttressed aircrew morale -- fliers knew Buttressed aircrew morale -- fliers knew every effort would be made to save them if every effort would be made to save them if shot downshot down

• Aircraft used: HH-3 Jolly Green Giants and Aircraft used: HH-3 Jolly Green Giants and HH-53 Super Jolly GreensHH-53 Super Jolly Greens

• By’73, USAF had rescued 3,883 AmericansBy’73, USAF had rescued 3,883 Americans

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Uses of Air PowerUses of Air Power Air to Air RefuelingAir to Air Refueling

• Indispensable -- extended the range of combat Indispensable -- extended the range of combat aircraft and enabled many aircraft to return safelyaircraft and enabled many aircraft to return safely

• C-130s refueled helicopters, KC-135s refueled C-130s refueled helicopters, KC-135s refueled fixed wing aircraftfixed wing aircraft

• SAC tankers flew 195,000 sorties, unloaded 9 SAC tankers flew 195,000 sorties, unloaded 9 billion pounds of fuel and took part in 814,000 billion pounds of fuel and took part in 814,000 individual refuelings individual refuelings

                                 

C-130 RefuelingC-130 Refueling

KC-135 TankerKC-135 Tanker

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Major CampaignsMajor Campaigns “Rolling Thunder”“Rolling Thunder”

• Officially began 2 March 1965Officially began 2 March 1965• ObjectivesObjectives

• Interdict the flow of supplies from the Interdict the flow of supplies from the NorthNorth

• Force the North to stop supporting the Force the North to stop supporting the Vietcong and quit the warVietcong and quit the war

• Raise South Vietnamese moraleRaise South Vietnamese morale

RF 4 PhantomRF 4 Phantom

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Rolling Thunder (con’t)Rolling Thunder (con’t)

• Strategic bombing and interdiction campaignStrategic bombing and interdiction campaign• Strategic because it was aimed at the North’s will Strategic because it was aimed at the North’s will

to wage warto wage war• Interdiction because the North had few large Interdiction because the North had few large

industries and got most of their material from industries and got most of their material from China and the Soviet UnionChina and the Soviet Union

• Employed mostly tactical aircraft -- F-105s, F-Employed mostly tactical aircraft -- F-105s, F-4s and F-111s -- B-52s used in ‘66 in the 4s and F-111s -- B-52s used in ‘66 in the Southern part of North VietnamSouthern part of North Vietnam

F-111F-111

F-105F-105

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Rolling ThunderRolling Thunder RestrictionsRestrictions

Johnson administration controlled campaign Johnson administration controlled campaign tightlytightly

Restriction imposed by civilians included:Restriction imposed by civilians included:• Hanoi, Haiphong, China border -- off limitsHanoi, Haiphong, China border -- off limits• MIG bases and non-firing SAM sites--off MIG bases and non-firing SAM sites--off

limits limits • Dams, dikes, hydroelectric plants--off limitsDams, dikes, hydroelectric plants--off limits

White House selected targets, weapons and White House selected targets, weapons and flying routes -- with little military inputflying routes -- with little military input

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Rolling ThunderRolling Thunder

Graduated increases in bombing Graduated increases in bombing intensity worked to advantage of intensity worked to advantage of North VietnameseNorth Vietnamese• Gave them time to recover from damageGave them time to recover from damage• Allowed them to establish the world’s Allowed them to establish the world’s

most intense antiaircraft defense systemmost intense antiaircraft defense system• Provided them the will to fight on and a Provided them the will to fight on and a

sense they could survivesense they could survive By 1965, it became clear that Rolling By 1965, it became clear that Rolling

Thunder didn’t workThunder didn’t work

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Rolling ThunderRolling Thunder

ImpactsImpacts• South’s morale improved as the North suffered under South’s morale improved as the North suffered under

the bombingthe bombing• North used frequent halts and restrictions to repair North used frequent halts and restrictions to repair

damage and resupply forces in Southdamage and resupply forces in South• Criticism grew at home and internationally Criticism grew at home and internationally

Johnson ended Rolling Thunder prior to 1968 Johnson ended Rolling Thunder prior to 1968 electionselections

Campaign, America’s longest, was a failureCampaign, America’s longest, was a failure

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Major Campaigns Major Campaigns “ “Linebacker I”Linebacker I”

• Easter Offensive (Mar 72) made it apparent Easter Offensive (Mar 72) made it apparent the North was not willing to negotiatethe North was not willing to negotiate

• Objectives of Linebacker Objectives of Linebacker • Initially a close air support effort to aid retreating Initially a close air support effort to aid retreating

South Vietnamese forcesSouth Vietnamese forces• Later, changed to an interdiction campaign against Later, changed to an interdiction campaign against

North VietnamNorth Vietnam• A systematic campaign with little civilian control -- A systematic campaign with little civilian control --

unlike Rolling Thunderunlike Rolling ThunderB 52 StratofortressB 52 Stratofortress

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Linebacker I (con’t)Linebacker I (con’t)

• Civilian casualties were a consideration but Civilian casualties were a consideration but didn’t determine how missions were flowndidn’t determine how missions were flown

• Haiphong harbor was mined for the first time Haiphong harbor was mined for the first time to restrict in-coming supplies for the Northto restrict in-coming supplies for the North

• Strikes were flown over Hanoi and Haiphong -- Strikes were flown over Hanoi and Haiphong -- B-52 strikes on Haiphong began April ‘72B-52 strikes on Haiphong began April ‘72

• ““Smart bombs’ were used extensivelySmart bombs’ were used extensively

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Linebacker I (con’t)Linebacker I (con’t)

• Linebacker I was the most successful US Linebacker I was the most successful US bombing campaign of the warbombing campaign of the war• Had more impact on the North Vietnam in 9 Had more impact on the North Vietnam in 9

months than Rolling Thunder did in 4 yearsmonths than Rolling Thunder did in 4 years Successful largely because Easter Offensive Successful largely because Easter Offensive

was a conventional, mechanized attackwas a conventional, mechanized attack• Peace Talks resumed in July 1972 Peace Talks resumed in July 1972 • Nixon restricted Linebacker I attacks to below Nixon restricted Linebacker I attacks to below

the 20th parallelthe 20th parallel

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Major Campaigns Major Campaigns “Linebacker II”“Linebacker II”

• Peace Talks stalled again in Dec Peace Talks stalled again in Dec 7272

• Nixon ordered Linebacker II to run Nixon ordered Linebacker II to run concurrently with Linebacker Iconcurrently with Linebacker I

• Purpose of Linebacker II was to Purpose of Linebacker II was to force the North Vietnamese to force the North Vietnamese to negotiate and sign a peace treatynegotiate and sign a peace treaty

• Ran from 18 Dec to 30 Dec 1972 -- Ran from 18 Dec to 30 Dec 1972 -- referred to as the “Christmas referred to as the “Christmas Campaign”Campaign”

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Linebacker II (con’t)Linebacker II (con’t)

• Very intense and logistically complexVery intense and logistically complex• Specific targets in Hanoi and HaiphongSpecific targets in Hanoi and Haiphong• B-52s used for the first time over HanoiB-52s used for the first time over Hanoi• By the end of Linebacker II, North Vietnam was By the end of Linebacker II, North Vietnam was

defenselessdefenseless• 1,200 SAMs were fired1,200 SAMs were fired• 80% of the North’s electrical 80% of the North’s electrical

systems and 25% of their POL systems and 25% of their POL facilities were destroyedfacilities were destroyed

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Linebacker II (con’t)Linebacker II (con’t)

• North Vietnam returned to the bargaining North Vietnam returned to the bargaining table 30 Dec 72table 30 Dec 72

• All bombing ceased on 15 Jan 73All bombing ceased on 15 Jan 73• Peace treaty was signed on 27 Jan 73Peace treaty was signed on 27 Jan 73• Linebacker II was a successLinebacker II was a success

• Some believe that if Rolling Thunder had Some believe that if Rolling Thunder had been conducted like Linebacker II, the war been conducted like Linebacker II, the war would have ended in ‘65 -- unlikelywould have ended in ‘65 -- unlikely

http://www.davka.org/what/theleft/peoplespeacetreatyvietnam.htmlhttp://www.davka.org/what/theleft/peoplespeacetreatyvietnam.html

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VIDEOVIDEO Vietnam Vietnam

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The Vietnam WarThe Vietnam WarLessons LearnedLessons Learned

The U.S. can’t win a counterinsurgency war in another country, only that country can

Force and technology are of limited value in a “people’s war”

National leaders must base decisions on realistic assessments before committing troops

“Graduated response” is an ineffective way to employ airpower

Know your enemy and know yourself

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More Lessons LearnedMore Lessons Learned Congressional and public support is critical to winning

limited war objectives Congressional and public support for war is hard to

get Modern war is open to public scrutiny and on-scene

television coverage Those who know most about fighting a war should be

the ones to conduct it. We need revolutionary technology, not evolutionary. We needed precision munitions. We needed to move

from many aircraft on one target to one aircraft on many targets.