weapons of warfare in the vietnam war 1959 - 1975 by nathan payne
TRANSCRIPT
Weapons of Warfare in Weapons of Warfare in the Vietnam Warthe Vietnam War
1959 - 19751959 - 1975
By Nathan PayneBy Nathan Payne
Main Conflict BelligerentsMain Conflict Belligerents
The U.S.The U.S.
Republic of South Vietnam (AVRN)Republic of South Vietnam (AVRN) People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN) People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN) National Front for the Liberation of National Front for the Liberation of
South Vietnam (NLF) commonly South Vietnam (NLF) commonly known as the Viet Cong (VC) known as the Viet Cong (VC)
The NVAThe NVA
The The NVA (or the PAVN) NVA (or the PAVN) inherited a miscellany of inherited a miscellany of American, French and Japanese weapons from WWII and American, French and Japanese weapons from WWII and the First Indochina War ( aka French Indochina War ), but the First Indochina War ( aka French Indochina War ), but were also largely armed and supplied by Red China, the were also largely armed and supplied by Red China, the U.S.S.R, and it’s Warsaw Pact allies. U.S.S.R, and it’s Warsaw Pact allies.
Among the weapons supplied were Among the weapons supplied were K-50MsK-50Ms, a variant of , a variant of the the PPSh-41PPSh-41 sub-machine gun, and many ‘home-made’ sub-machine gun, and many ‘home-made’ RPG-2RPG-2 rocket launchers. Also common were rocket launchers. Also common were AK-47sAK-47s and and RPD-7.62mmsRPD-7.62mms..
The U.S.The U.S.
Until the introduction of the Until the introduction of the M-16M-16, the , the M-14M-14 was was the standard rifle of the the standard rifle of the U.S.U.S. soldier. soldier.
The The CAR-15CAR-15, 5.56mm assault rifle was a , 5.56mm assault rifle was a compact version of the compact version of the M-16M-16 with a telescoping with a telescoping stock. It was popular with spec ops troops.stock. It was popular with spec ops troops.
The The M-72M-72, 66mm Light Anti-tank Weapon (LAW) , 66mm Light Anti-tank Weapon (LAW) was designed as a one-man operated rocket was designed as a one-man operated rocket launcher for destroying tanks. But in Vietnam it launcher for destroying tanks. But in Vietnam it was mainly used as a bunker-buster.was mainly used as a bunker-buster.
Weapons of the WarWeapons of the War
The M-16 rifle The M-16 rifle
The LAWThe LAW
The M-14 rifleThe M-14 rifle
The Thompson sub-machine gunThe Thompson sub-machine gun
The AVRNThe AVRN
The The AVRNAVRN were armed with mainly were armed with mainly American cast-offs, including American cast-offs, including weapons from before World War Two. weapons from before World War Two. So a lot of their weapons were So a lot of their weapons were common among common among U.S.U.S. troops. troops.
They also used They also used AmericanAmerican vehicles vehicles such as the such as the Chance-Vought F-8 Chance-Vought F-8 Crusader Crusader and the and the Dodge M37Dodge M37..
The NLF or Viet CongThe NLF or Viet Cong
The The NLFNLF largely supplied themselves with largely supplied themselves with weapons they captured from the weapons they captured from the AVRNAVRN. .
These would include old WWII weapons These would include old WWII weapons such as the such as the ThompsonThompson submachine gun submachine gun and the and the M-1 Garand M-1 Garand rifle. rifle.
Other such examples would be hand Other such examples would be hand grenades, .30 calibre fixed machineguns, grenades, .30 calibre fixed machineguns, bazookas and the bazookas and the M-1 CarbineM-1 Carbine. .
Weapons of the War (cont.2)
Browning 50.cal
M-1 Carbine
AK-47
Chemical Weapons of the WarChemical Weapons of the War
‘‘Agent Orange’ Agent Orange’ was the code name for a herbicide was the code name for a herbicide developed by the American military, for use in tropical climates. developed by the American military, for use in tropical climates. The purpose of the weapon was to deny cover and concealment in The purpose of the weapon was to deny cover and concealment in dense terrain by defoliating the forest where the enemy could dense terrain by defoliating the forest where the enemy could hidehide. Unfortunately, Agent Orange was found to be extremely . Unfortunately, Agent Orange was found to be extremely contaminated with a man-made dioxin called contaminated with a man-made dioxin called TCDDTCDD. .
TCDDTCDD is seriously harmful to man, and the civilian population of is seriously harmful to man, and the civilian population of Vietnam suffered from illnesses caused by Vietnam suffered from illnesses caused by TCDDTCDD. Whether the . Whether the contamination of the agent was deliberate or otherwise remains to contamination of the agent was deliberate or otherwise remains to be seen. be seen. The The AmericanAmerican government described it as an accident, government described it as an accident, but denied deliberate contamination to win the war.but denied deliberate contamination to win the war. This is a man This is a man who’s mother was exposed to Agent Orange.who’s mother was exposed to Agent Orange.
Statistics of deaths in the Vietnam Statistics of deaths in the Vietnam War (War (1959 - 1975 )1959 - 1975 )
0200000400000600000800000
100000012000001400000160000018000002000000
Conf.(58) Conf.(1.2) Est.(2.0)
U.S.
Viet Cong
Civilians
Vehicles of the Vietnam War
Chance-Vought F8 Crusader
Dodge M37
Weapons of the War (cont.3)
PPSh-41
RPD-7.62mm
K-50M
Weapons of the War (cont.4)
RPG-2
M-1 Garand
CAR-15
BibliographyBibliography The U.S. 1: 14/01/11, 11:29, www.173rdairborne.com The U.S. 1: 14/01/11, 11:29, www.173rdairborne.com The NVA 2: 14/01/11, 11:13, www.wikipedia.com The NVA 2: 14/01/11, 11:13, www.wikipedia.com The AVRN 3: 14/01/11, 12:07, www.bookrags.com The AVRN 3: 14/01/11, 12:07, www.bookrags.com The NLF 4: 17/01/11, 14:25, www.answers.com The NLF 4: 17/01/11, 14:25, www.answers.com Agent Orange: 21/01/11, 11:27, www.members.tripod.com Agent Orange: 21/01/11, 11:27, www.members.tripod.com Weapon pictures: 17/01/11, 14:37, www.173rdairborne.com Weapon pictures: 17/01/11, 14:37, www.173rdairborne.com Agent Orange picture: 21/01/11, 11:49, www.wikipedia.com Agent Orange picture: 21/01/11, 11:49, www.wikipedia.com Weapon pictures (2,3,4): 23/01/11, 11:35, Google ImagesWeapon pictures (2,3,4): 23/01/11, 11:35, Google Images