Positive Reactions
Using helicopters revolutionized infantry warfare, ushering in a more efficient way of fighting. After the ground-breaking success in Vietnam, other countries adopted helicopter warfare (Day 2). Because of the increase of airmobile warfare, more airfields were built.
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Negative Reactions
Following the success of the air cavalry’s tactics, North Vietnamese realized that this advantage could be weakened by hand-to-hand fighting. The Communist Army strengthened their ground combat and used hit and run tactics to weaken United States forces, making up for their lack of a significant air division (Caputo 34).
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“Viet Cong guerillas ... soon learned that if they stood their ground, they could bring down the helicopters with relative ease. Communist training manuals described the best ways to shoot at the H-21 and Huey helicopters-how to shoot ahead of the target to increase the chance of hitting it and where to shoot to cause the most damage.”
-Dwayne A. Day |
“As a matter of fact, for every chopper that the ‘VC’ (Viet Cong) shoot down, three go down in accidents not related to hostile fire. So the problem is not the Viet Cong as I look at it... I try to be as safety conscious as I can. I don’t want to get killed in an accident.” -First Lieutenant James Michener, 129th Assault Helicopter Company |
Although helicopters improved success, air-mobility came at a heavy price. Some problems included: slow speeds, weight capacities, lifting limits, and frequent maintenance (Day 2). |
“The high rate of operational accidents occurred largely because helicopters are prone to mechanical breakdown if not regularly maintained, and during a war, maintenance often suffers."
-Dwayne A. Day
“Those of us who are refugees here, we all think this way now: we pray that the war will end, that our parents and relatives and brothers and sisters who have been separated from us may all meet again: that we may again farm in happiness and live as we wish. That is all we want. War causes a flood of blood. We don’t need war! We only need peace! ... Have pity on the victims of the war.”
-Nang, 30 year old Vietnamese woman and witness of bombings