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The War Of The Vietnam War

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Remembered as one of the most controversial wars, Vietnam had more casualties in the short three day battle of Ia Drang, than in the worst week during the Korean War. Entering this war, neither side could have predicted how this battle would play out. With numbers in the thousands the Vietnam leaders must have believed victory was theirs for the taking. Whereas the opposite could be said for the 450 brave American soldiers who faced incredible odds. It seemed as if only death awaited these men in the valley of Ia Drang, yet they managed to secure the first American victory in the Vietnam War.
Vietnam was already divided into two factions by 1965. The communist North fought along side their allies in the South, known as the Viet Cong
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But the U.S didn 't intend to make this an easy win for the Vietnamese, despite the extreme adjustments they had to endure. The hot humid weather that was typical of this jungle climate, was a combatant on its own. The terrain made it difficult for the soldiers to move themselves and their equipment to where it was needed most. To counter what seemed to be impossible odds the U.S tested a new method of engaging the enemy, the airmobile assault. This new battle tactic would,in the end, give them an advantage over the vietnamese. They made use of the Bell UH-1 Hueys and F100 jets in combination with the devastating power provided by “The King of Battle.” The artillery’s weapon during this conflict was the M2A1 and M114 howitzers, which gave the U.S a fighting chance against overwhelming numbers. The vietnamese positioned themselves in perfect positions to ambush their unsuspecting enemy. Their strategy was to trap smaller forces in order to lure in rescue teams, and then destroy them all in one fell swoop. This ploy is one known for its effectiveness, but thanks to the ARVN II Commander, it was not a plan that would work this time. The commander knew if he lost the relief forces, we would ultimately lose more lives and the little ground we had. Instead of falling into this trap, the commander “pressed...for continuous artillery and air cover” (Galloway, 2010). Chinook helicopters piloted by
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