I rolled out of bed to the floor and low crawled as fast as I could to the nearest bunker. In 1968 alone, some 200,000 PAVN troops made the journey south according to some American estimates. [44] The Nixon regime removed some of the operational constraints on American power late in the war, but was already committed to removing US forces from the theater, and the punishment inflicted by expanded bombing, while heavy, did not fundamentally threaten Hanoi's existence. 47178, Lanning and Cragg, Inside the VC and the NVA, pp. Labor was recruited primarily by impressment/draft, or as a way to pay off VC taxes, although volunteers motivated by ideology also took part. A massive American effort in the air failed to stop the men and material pushed forward by Hanoi. Range rocket fired from: Unknown. This was lit to provide guide lights to moving men and material, invisible from the air. 31157, Krepinevich, The Army and Vietnam, pp. This Rocket was developed in WWII and was then mounted on a truck with multiple tubes. 5. (1989). Beyond male troops, approximately 1.5million Northern women were mustered into support and even some combat units, both on the northern home front and further south on the Trail. Both of these artillery guns were used in the counter-attack against Vietnam. 116. Nor did it stop China from continuing to massively supply its North Vietnamese client. GRADUAL FAILURE: THE AIR WAR OVER NORTH VIETNAM 19651966. Firing . "[33], The North Vietnamese however kept fighting. Casualties: Ten people were killed by a single rocket as they waited in line for bread outside the Balrwein . One 1972 analysis for the US Senate on bombing notes the tenacity and resilience of PAVN and its logistics system: Throughout the war, the results of the bombing of North Vietnam have consistently fallen far short of the claims made for it. PHIL M. HAUN, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF. [42] In the air defense effort around important targets, labor units often constructed up to 4 dummy positions for each real anti-aircraft concentration.[43]. [22], Load bearing by porters was greatly enhanced by the use of ingenious "steel horses" bicycles specially modified by widening the handlebars, strengthening the suspensions and adding cargo pallets. Total war was preached from the beginning of the US intervention and a huge mobilization started as early as 1965 with population evacuation and construction of massive air defenses. Simon And Schuster. . We pay our respects to elders past and present. The term NVA identifies regular troops of the North Vietnamese Army as they were commonly known by their Western opponents. Late war PAVN special units, such as c Cng sappers, even made use of some modern SA vz. They were fielded in 1966 and would remain dominant until the end of The War in 1975. The 122 mm D-74, a towed gun that entered Soviet service in 1955, was the most numerous gun in the NVA's five independent artillery regiments. An American or ARVN sweep for example that wiped out several supply caches did not shut down the whole district. Her areas of interest include the Vietnam War and World Wars I and II, with a focus on Great Britain, Germany and Eastern Europe. 24 km (R-Han 122A), [2] 27 km (R-Han 122B), [3] 32 km (R-han 122 Avibras) [4] Payload capacity. Date. Free shipping for many products! China made significant contributions in medicines, hospital care, training facilities, foodstuffs, and infantry weapons. Ready-reaction labor units were also held in various areas, deploying for action to repair bomb damage. One of the most used ground based Rocket (and System), The 122mm Rocket was used by both North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and Viet Cong (VC) Armies. Two days later however the traffic was moving again, despite huge landslides caused by the bombing, and the use of numerous delayed action munitions. The ability for ruthless total mobilization of almost the entire population, for as long as the struggle required. Physical description. Attacks on these were also forbidden by American policymakers. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 72-600390; 1974) The quiet of the 25th Infantry Division base camp at Cu Chi was shattered by explosions from incoming rocket rounds exactly one hour after midnight on 9 May 1968. Gordon et al. Most material movement in bulk was not by gangs of sweating laborers, but modern Soviet-supplied trucks. In our basecamp full of rubber trees, a tree . Entries are listed below in alphanumeric order (1-to-Z). Overview. Many of those who survived their time on the battlefield continue to suffer from wounds, illnesses, and social neglect decades after the war had ended. Language. [49], Another technique used to lower casualties and loss was to separate the movement of men from the movement of material. While inaccurate compared to more . Generally there was ten minutes of rest per hour, with one day of rest every five. This page is not available in other languages. American war makers ran a restrained start-stop aerial campaign for fear of Chinese or Soviet intervention exempting MiG airfields in China, targets above certain geographical or navigational boundaries, and many dams and locks associated with North Vietnam's agricultural system. [41], Road and bridge repair methods. The North Vietnamese were quick to take advantage of the leverage afforded under both Johnson and Nixon. They were fielded in 1966 and would remain dominant until the end of The War in 1975. There are a total of [ 8 ] Vietnam War Mortars entries in the Military Factory. There are several survival skills that a person needs to learn in Vietnam. Chinese Type 24, Soviet Maxim, SG-43 and DShK, as well as captured Browning M1919 were used in these roles. The Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) used well-organized logistics methods to supply and equip their fighting forces. The hub of the North Vietnamese material distribution was Hanoi with its numerous railheads, bridges and major roads. Another history notes that while female home front activity in war (clearing rubble, manning factories, nursing the sick etc.) My pillow got peppered with shrapnel holes along with an Iowa State flagthat was hanging on the wall above my bed, Remains of Red platoon hoochPhoto by Nathan D. Shaffer (Charlie Troop Scouts, 1969-70). The BM-21 "Grad" (Russian: -21 "", lit. It seemed like we got hit at least three times a day, and Charlie had our Company Area zeroed in. A massive 1966 bombing mission by thirty B-52's for example attempted to pulverize vital stretches of the strategic Mu Gia Pass. Air interdiction of the Trail hurt supply efforts but failed to stop the logistical buildup on a sustained basis. Construction of what was to become the famous Ho Chi Minh Trail extended over decades, with elements put in place during the anti-French struggle of the Viet Minh. In terms of stopping Hanoi's ruthless drive for reunification, the overall US bombing campaign, with its varied stops and starts, was ultimately ineffective in the face of cascading imports from socialist allies, political restraints on American action, the remorseless marshaling of the populace and the stoic endurance of the North Vietnamese. Great pains were taken to camouflage movement. [10] China also provided radar stations and airfields where Vietnam People's Air Force aircraft could marshal for attack, or flee to when in trouble against American air forces. (Two above Photos by Chris Bussells, 31st HHC), Newly built Charlie Troop hooches before sandbags, Two above photos by Jordan Green (Charlie Troop Maintenance, 1969-70). Transit time could take months, and sometimes entire units were disrupted and disbanded. The warhead is painted light or dark gray, and the rocket motor is painted light or silver gray. One of the most used ground based Rocket (and System), The 122mm Rocket was used by both North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and Viet Cong (VC) Armies. The gun had a horizontal sliding-wedge breech block, a hydropneumatic recoil system, a muzzle brake and a split tail carriage. Some 2,000 imported generators provided essential power, and oil and gas were shuttled ashore on small craft from Soviet ships and stored in thousands of small 55-gallon drums throughout the countryside, alongside roads and in rice paddies. The country continued to function for war despite the aerial onslaught. The Finance and Economic grouping was the chief fund raiser, banker and purchasing agent. Copyright 2013 Stronghold Nation. The simplest and most primitive was a lanyard ''pull'', attached to a simple firing pin ring. The 11,000 artillery rounds and several thousand rockets fired that day were a clear demonstration that the North Vietnamese Army had improved and expanded its artillery arm. Places of Pride, the National Register of War Memorials, is a new initiative designed to record the locations and photographs of every publicly accessible memorial across Australia. As with the RPG-7, the BM-21 Grad can exhaust various ammunition types, including high-explosive, cluster, and incendiary rounds. [13], The Trail had over 20 major way-stations operated by dedicated logistics units or Binh Trams, responsible for air and land defence, and delivery of supplies and replacements to fighting points in the South. The 11,000 artillery rounds and several thousand rockets fired that day were a clear demonstration that the North Vietnamese Army had improved and expanded its artillery arm. The long pouch carried the flight and launch motor. I then went back to check my AO ( sleeping area). The main characteristics of the Zuni rocket: diameter - 127 mm, length - 2790 mm, weight - 46,3 - 61,6 kg, depending on the engine and warhead, warhead weight: 20,7 - 25,6 kg (high-explosive fragmentation, high-explosive, armor-piercing . They were area rather than precision weapons and not very accurate. If they came close you heard a screaming rocket engine just before the explosion. They can also be used as a mobile rocket unit for the 122mm rockets, known as BM-21 Grad rockets. Medical care like other aspects of the logistical system was austere, and field hospitals, whether in caves, underground bunkers or jungle huts usually suffered shortages. Sturdier pontoon structures were made by tying wooden canal boats together with camouflage measures to hide them during the day from aerial observation. It is estimated that a VC/PAVN division in the south typically required only 15 tons of supplies per day. [34], Concealment and evasion. and attack personnel. Hezbollah fires more than 100 Chinese-produced Type-81 122mm cluster munition rockets into northern Israel. Indeed the sanctuaries gave them the trump card that enabled them to fight a protracted war and outlast the United States commitment to the Republic of Vietnam.[58]. The BM-14 can fire 140 mm M-14 rockets with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead, a smoke warhead or a chemical warhead. image/jpeg. US air interdiction against the Trail increased as PAVN stepped up its activities. Population was also dispersed with massive movement of civilians out of major cities like Hanoi, into the countryside. 61 and PM-63 RAK machine pistols of Czech and Polish origin. A bit ungrateful of our Ukrainian friends to complain about our military aid and the thousands of Yarmuk rockets sent as they are being used from weapons which are not meant for them. Gradually, PAVN units were refitted with more modern AK-47 rifles from China, the Soviet Union, and other Warsaw Pact countries. PAVN possessed privileged enclaves in Laos and Cambodia, immune from ground attack creating vital sanctuaries and strategic depth, Friendly socialist allies that provided a massive pipeline of war material off-limits to US strikes until it had entered North Vietnam, including the vital border with an unassailable China, Heavy tropical vegetation and periods of poor weather in the battle zone, that facilitated the movement of men and material and hindered aerial attacks. From 1965-1972 DaNang Air Base was hit by approx 1000 122mm rockets . Both weapons used the same intermediate 7.62mm cartridge, which eased logistics. Local tribesmen recruited by PAVN for example would beat on pots or gongs to warn of the presence or landing of US Special Operations teams and high rewards were offered for assisting with their capture.[54]. Unauthorised Copying of any kind is strictly prohibited. That was a close one to say the least! The rockets vary . The siren would sound again to indicate the attack had ended and all was clear to exit from your bunker. History is who we are and why we are the way we are.. Vietnam, 1962-1975. Repairs were often done at night when the enemy aircraft would be less active. Mauser Kar98k rifles, both of captured German origin by way of Soviet Union or Chinese-made Chiang Kai-shek rifles were also provided as military aid. [4], Submachine guns were also used by the PAVN early on, before being more and more by replaced by AK-47 automatic rifles, which made the army pass them down to the VC. [12] The Trail was a complex web of roads, tracks, bypasses, waterways, depots, and marshaling areas, some 12,000 miles (19,000km) in total. A 122mm rocket is an unguided surface-to-surface artillery rocket delivered by a multiple rocket launcher (MRL). Number of rockets fired: Six confirmed, possibly more. Since most of the US effort focused on trucks, the bulk of the fighting men were able to travel without the full weight of US pressure, although they sometimes came under attack. These quantities increased vastly as the North stepped up infiltration into the South. When Hanoi showed no signs of weakening, the rationale shifted toward interdiction, but this goal, too, proved unobtainable. The Ho Chi Minh Trail consumed massive amounts of attention, but the internal pipelines were also crucial, and these were not closed off because the US and particularly the South Vietnamese Government failed to control the major population concentrations effectively.[20]. and 107-mm. B. Lippincott Publishing: 1969), pp. Not enough time to do anything except die a little inside. Since July 3, 1863, there have been many calls for Confederate flags to be returned to their home states, and in particular, for the 28th Virginia Infantry Regiment flag return to Virginia. [7] Total requirements to run the insurgency in the south were relatively small compared to the needs of US opponents, well below port and rail capacity. r/shittytechnicals. Simple pontoon bridges were made of lashed together bundles of bamboo, topped by heavy wooden planking. This is a preview of our 78-minute video. [31] However, Communist forces had several important advantages that translated into successful tactics to survive American bombing:[32], From 1965 to 1968, North Vietnam was bombed on a scale heavier than that of the entire Pacific theater during World War II, and absorbed about 20% of US bombing efforts in Southeast Asia. The North Vietnamese and Viet Cong launch artillery attacks on over 100 population centers and military targets across South Vietnam. With volumes such as these, backed by lavish Soviet and Chinese aid, and thorough organization, PAVN persevered until final victory. but it was written in the 1970s to cover the use of napalm in Vietnam, which is not how these weapons . [9] Targeting however was tightly controlled and limited, and while most major industrial centers had been destroyed by 1967, imports from Soviet bloc countries and China furnished most war-making material. Edward Miller and Tuong Vu (2009). Binh Trams stations at intervals on the Trail, hosted the stream of men, weapons and supplies flowing to the battle zone. Throughout most of the conflict the US generally enjoyed air superiority, although this was often challenged in the north by MiG fighters and especially modern Soviet surface-to-air missiles. [57] A post-war analysis by the BDM Corporation, a think-tank contractor in Vietnam, summarized the efficiency and effectiveness of VC/PAVN logistics as follows: Subsequently the Communist Vietnamese leadership outlasted America's eight-year combat effort in Southeast Asia, and finally reunited Vietnam by force of arms. Zita is the editor of both Military History Quarterly and Vietnam Magazine. Unlike Greece, fifteen years earlier, which had been able to seal its borders with the help of neighbors, South Vietnam could not count on such aid. While outside material was vital to the war effort, much of the resources needed were obtained inside South Vietnam. By contrast a single US heavy combat division required about 5 times this amount. Continue browsing in r/shittytechnicals. Yet, the VPA also managed to produce copies of 50mm, 60mm, 81mm and 120mm mortars employed by the French, thus facilitating the use of captured ammunition. Since China bordered Vietnam, it was an immensely important conduit of material on land, although the Soviets also delivered some of its aid by sea. She has written numerous military history books, articles and book reviews and is also an award-winning author. Truck lights were dimmed or mounted under vehicles, and at regular intervals on some routes, spaces were cut into the jungle trees, forming small cups into which kerosene or some other flammable liquid was poured. 122mm rockets, 82mm and 60 mm mortar rounds, and tons of RPG-7's - rocket propelled grenades, some artillery rounds, but not sure of . If there was no curve then "Get deep and tight." Commo-Liaison units also operated along other trail segments and were tasked with providing food, shelter, medical support and guides to infiltrating troops between Trail segments. A large number of small supply depots, widely dispersed to guard against attack, furnished units on the move. The initial American Operation Rolling Thunder campaign while inflicting painful local damage, did not halt the continual stream of men and materiel into the south. The two most common types included the French MAT 49, using either its original 919mm ammunition or having been converted to use the 7.6225mm Tokarev cartridge, and the Soviet/Chinese PPSh-41, often modified and converted in PAVN arsenals to the K-50M. Of the NVA's supporting arms in those battles, the DKB 122mm rocket was the most commonly employed, but the M-43 120mm was the most powerful. It is used primarily by the Indonesian . [51], Anti-sensor techniques. By 1968, activity was brisk on the Trail. [52] About 100,000 people were kept working on the Trail as porters, drivers, mechanics and anti-aircraft troops. The bombing began with the expectation that it would break the will of the enemyalthough many questioned its capability to do so. Big search and destroy operations seized hundreds of tons of rice and other material in remoter base areas, but these could be regenerated and restocked again when roving US troops invariably moved on to their next sweep. By 1970, the entire Trail bristled with anti-aircraft batteries. Ukrainian artillery uses Czech BM-21MT 122mm multiple rocket launchers on the front line https://mil.in.ua/en/news/the-armed-forces-of-ukraine-is-armed-with-bm-21mt . Subsequent US analysis indicated skillful movement and dispersal by the North Vietnamese, with one of the missile sites a decoy, and another left empty deployed as bait to lure the American pilots to their doom.[43]. PAVN troops also faced US movement, auditory and chemical ("people sniffer") sensors on various parts of the Trail. This segmentation helped protect against compromising the network when couriers were captured or killed. . [46] Official North Vietnamese sources also confirm the massive buildup, although figures differ between American and Northern sources. Ronald Oakes collection. I would not be writing this now if I wouldnt have woken when I did. U.S. Government Printing Office, Ray Bonds, ed., "The Vietnam War, (Salamander Books: 1979), pp. While inaccurate compared to more sophisticated weapons, the 122mm rocket made an effective terror weapon when deployed against civilian targets. By the time of the aerial offensives, most US forces (over 500,000 troops) were already out of the Vietnam theater. Supply routes using multiple sources, (waterways, black-market transactions, cross-border sanctuaries, etc.) pp. 152175. (2006) At Caanan's Edge. [27], VC/PAVN weapons had to be moved from shipment points in the North, Cambodia or down the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Stars and Stripes news special-reports vietnam-at-50, Tet Offensive & Khe Sahn Vietnam War Footage, Vietnam War Casualties Listed by Home of Record. This page was last edited on 17 April 2023, at 08:57. Traffic was regulated by numerous civilian helpers, often young girls. This changed as the war went on, and the PAVN took over more responsibility in-country after the 1968 Tet offensive. The 122mm Rocket was 75-inches in length and weighted 102-pounds. This article is about the weapons used in the Vietnam War, which involved the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) or North Vietnamese Army (NVA), National Liberation Front for South Vietnam (NLF) or Viet Cong (VC), and the armed forces of the China (PLA), Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), United States, Republic of Korea, Philippines, Thailand, and the Australian, New Zealand defence forces . No official information was published by the Czech government regarding the delivery of BM-21MT to Ukraine, but since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the Czech Republic has already supplied Ukraine with a large quantity of MLRSs (Multiple Launch Rocket Systems) including 12 122mm RM-70, an undisclosed number of modernized 122mm RM-70 Grad . 1998. They also made use of the Soviet/Chinese 122mm rocket which was used effectively against populated areas and large installations such as airfields. At least some of the 5-inch Zuni air-launched rockets pledged to Ukraine by the United States have now been delivered, according to new photos. Conflict. cit, John Prados, The Blood Road, (New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1998), p. 2-45, Colonel Jack Broughton, Thud Ridge, (J. [23] Older men made up many of the long-term laborers as those younger were drawn off into combat and female labor was used extensively in a wide range of logistics tasks. Fear of massive Chinese intervention in Vietnam continually caused a number of restrictions on US options. Use this login for Shop items, and image, film, sound reproductions, 122 mm DKZ-B Rocket Launcher and Stand : Viet Cong, Europe: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. PAVN soldiers were limited to old pathways, while trucks were increasingly routed along newer, improved stretches of road. Casualties caused by American airstrikes were low, accounting for only 2% of total losses. [36], The successful and severely damaging American Linebacker efforts however were not sustained. share. [20] Food was always had locally, taxed away from peasants, purchased or even grown by VC units. United States Air Force, Taylor Branch. 37169, Stanley Karnow, Vietnam: A History, (Viking Press: 1983) pp. US Marines pushed the Vietnamese Communist Units back 20 Km so they could not hit DaNang AirBase. During the Vietnam War the Soviets sent . Her book Bernard Montgomerys Art of War won a Silver Medal from the Military Writers Society of America. After the reunion, Wright contacted the Army and got the wheels turning to give Hendrickson the proper recognition for his actions that day in Chu Lai, Vietnam, 48 years earlier. ARVN and US sources were also significant localized conduits of arms. That Captain's name is William Wright. [55] Force strengths will always be imprecise given the large number of irregular or part-time guerrilla elements. It handled all storage, movement, anti-aircraft defense and fortification on the Ho Chi Minh Trail which snaked through parts of Laos and Cambodia. For strategic aerial defense, the North deployed one of the densest and most sophisticated air-defense systems in the world based on Soviet surface-to-air missile missiles and radar batteries. In Vietnam this rocket comprised one of the primary means of inflicting standoff attacks against airfields and other . The sound of 122mm rockets slamming down in the area around the hooch where I was sleeping woke me up within seconds. Washington, D.C.: Air Force Museums and History Program, 2005, p. 39, Victory in Vietnam: The Official History of the People's Army of Vietnam, 19541975. Close. US MACV estimates posited a more modest total of around 280,000. VC/PAVN troop strengths during the Vietnam War are the subject of numerous controversies and contradictory claims. Collection. The hole in the ground between the boots is the results of a small VC mortar round. The Chinese were content to provide supportive diplomatic rhetoric, manpower and material, but signaled they would not enter the fray unless the Americans invaded North Vietnam. Later ''modified versions'' claimed distances of 11,000-meters. [35], Distinct restrictions were still applied however. Ten thousand trucks could move at a time, and improvements were made continuously by the 559th Transport Group. If you heard them overhead they were no threat. 'hailstorm') is a self-propelled 122 mm multiple rocket launcher designed in the Soviet Union. Common weapons included the French MAS-36 and other weapons left behind from the First Indochina war, the Soviet Mosin-Nagant, especially M1944 carbines, mostly by way of China. Steep mountain slopes had steps gouged into them for climbing.