This document discusses different perspectives on why the United States failed in Vietnam. Source A describes General Westmoreland's view that negative media coverage helped turn US public opinion against the war. Source B explains Ho Chi Minh's view of effective guerrilla tactics like harassing the enemy. Interpretation 1 argues that superior US firepower was ineffective against guerrilla warfare. Interpretation 2 contends that initially pro-war media began questioning the lack of progress and turned against the war after reporting on the Tet Offensive.

1. Paper 3: VietnamSectionQuestion3 Model Answers
Source A: General Westmoreland,whocommandedthe US forces inVietnam until 1968, gave his
viewson the US mediain 1979
“Actionsbyopponentsof the war inthe UnitedStateswere supportedbythe news media.The
media,nodoubt,helpedtobackup the message thatthe war was ‘illegal’and‘immoral’.Thencame
the enemy’sTetOffensiveof early1968. The NorthVietnameseandVietcongsugaredamilitary
defeat.Despitethis,reportingof the offensiveby the pressandtelevisioninthe USA gave the
impressionof anendlesswarthatcouldneverbe won.
Source B: From SelectedWritings,Ho Chi Minh,publishedin1977. He explainsthe use of guerrilla
tactics.
“Whenfightinginanenemy-occupiedarea,we must use guerrillatactics.We mustabsolutelynotgo
infor large-scale battlesandbigvictoriesunlesswe are certainof success.The aimof guerrilla
warfare isto nibble atthe enemy,harasshiminsuch a way thathe can neithereatnorsleepin
peace,toallowhimno rest,to wearhimout physicallyandmentally,andfinallytoannihilatehim.
Whereverhe goes,he shouldbe attackedbyourguerrillas,stumbleonlandminesorbe greetedby
sniperfire.”
Interpretation1: From Rise and Fall of the GreatPowers,P Kennedy,publishedin1988
“Economically,the USA was50 to 100 timesmore productive thanNorthVietnam.Militarily,ithad
the firepowertobombthe enemybackintothe Stone Age.Butthiswas nota war inwhichthat
superioritycouldbe made effective.Fightingwasreducedtoa seriesof small-scale encountersin
junglesandpaddyfields.Moreover,the NorthVietnameseandVietcongwere fightingforwhatthey
believedverystrongly.The SouthVietnamese government,bycontrast,appearedcorruptand
unpopular.”
Interpretation2: From Access to History Context:An Introduction to American History 1860-1990,
A. Farmer and V Sanders, publishedin2002
“Some Americans,especiallyVietnamWarveterans,blameunsympatheticmediacoverage forthe
UnitedStates’failure towininVietnam.Initiallythe mediawere prowar.However,asthe lackof
progressbecame evidenttoreportersinVietnam, the mediabegantoturnagainstthe war. Tet
acceleratedthatprocess.While the mediadidnotcoverCommunistatrocities,reporterssaw
enoughof SouthVietnamtoknowthere wassomethingwrongwiththe Saigonregimeandthat
Americanpolicyinsupportingitwasnotalwaysadmirable”
Question3)a)
How useful are sources B and C for an enquiryinto why America was forced to withdraw from the
VietnamWar?
Explainyour answerusing source B and C and your knowledge ofthe historical context. (8 marks)
Source B is useful foranenquiryinexplainingwhyAmericawasforcedtowithdraw fromVietnam
because itshowsthe importance of the mediainhelpingtopersuade the Americanpublicthatthey
shouldwithdrawfromthe war.Source B showsthiswhenitsays thatthe actionsof the opponents
of the war were “supportedbythe media”.Thisisbestshowninthe reportingof the TetOffensive
whenthe mediareallystartedtoquestionwhetherornot the US were reallythe ‘goodguys’inthe

2. war. The publicexecutionof aVietcongsuspectwhichwascapturedoncamera wasnot the kindof
behaviourthatthe US publicexpected.Thiswas made evenworse bythe reportingof the Tet
Offensive whenWalterCronkite stated“Ithoughtwe were meanttobe winningthiswar”.
Source C is alsouseful inexplainingwhyAmericafailedinthe VietnamWarbecause ithighlightsthe
importance of guerrillawarfare whenitsaysthatthe aimof guerrillawarfare isto“nibble atthe
enemy”.Thisisexactlywhatthe guerrillawarfare didtothe Americas,itstoppedthemusingtheir
more advancedtechnologyandcausedthemalot of problems.Forexample,Vietcongambushes
caused51% of US causalities,whilstboobytrapscaused11% of US causalities.Thismade the
Americansoldiersveryworriedaboutgoingoutonpatrol and made theirsoldierslesseffective.
Since the Americanscouldnotfindanddefeatthe Vietcongtheywereforcedtowithdraw fromthe
VietnamWar.
Question3)b)
Study interpretations1 and 2. They give differentviewsabout the reasons for the Americanfailure
in Vietnam.
What is the main difference betweenthese twoviews?
Explainyour answer,using detailsfrom both interpretations.(4 marks)
The main difference betweeninterpretation1and 2 isthat interpretation1identifiesthe Vietcong
tactics as the mainreasonfor the US failure,whilstinterpretation2highlightsthe issuesof the
unsympatheticmedia.Interpretation1notesthat“this wasnot a war inwhichthat superioritycould
be made effective.”Meanwhile Interpretation2highlightsthe issue of the Americanmediawhenit
says“the mediabegantoturn againstthe war”. As suchit isclear that interpretations1and2
disagree overthe mainreasonforthe failure of Americainthe VietnamWar – tow identifiesthe
mediaandits impacton the Americanpublic,whilstInterpretation1suggeststhatitwas more to do
withthe Vietcongtactics.
Question3)c)
Suggestone reason why interpretationsone and two give differentviewsaboutthe reasonsfor
the USfailure in Vietnam.
You may use source B and C in your answer. (4 marks)
Interpretationsone andtwogive differentreasonsforthe US failure inVietnambecausethere are a
range of factorsthat contributedtothisdefeat.Interpretationone identifiesthe Vietcongtactics
whichwere indeedkeyincausingthe USfailure.Thisissupportedbythe evidence insource Cwhich
focusesonthe planfor guerrillawarfare - to“nibble atthe enemy”,to“wear himout”and thisis
exactlywhatthe Vietcongtacticsdid.The Americanswere unabletouse theirsuperiortechnologyto
defeatthe Vietcong.AlthoughAmericawasfarmore wealthythanNorth Vietnamtheycouldnot
affordto continue topay$400,000 foreach Vietcongsoldierthattheykilled.Meanwhile
interpretationtwofocusesonthe role of the mediawhichissupportedbysource A whenitsays that
the media“helpedtobackup the message thatthe war was ‘illegal’”.Thisissupportedbythe fact
the mediareportingof the TetOffensivewasverynegativewithWalterCronkitestating“Whatthe
hell’sgoingon?Ithoughtwe were meantto be winningthiswar?”.Bothinterpretationsfocuson
differentcausesof the Americanfailure,theydonotcontradicteachothersince bothof these were
keyfailings.