Guerrilla Warfare was used in the Vietnam War by the Vietminh army (later named Vietcong). Traditionally, Guerrilla Warfare was fought by a small number of armed combatants against a much large army with far superior numbers and firepower. In Vietnam, civilians also fought for the small combatant army against the much more powerful United States. Guerrilla Warfare warfare succeeded for the Vietcong due to the large population of Vietnam who were willing to help fight off the United States (U.S).
The Vietnam War involved complex tactics used by the Americans and Vietcong. The small combatant army, with less numbers than the U.S, would avoid pitched battles against the Americans and instead would hit and run. Dwindling numbers meant the Vietcong enlisted young recruitment soldiers to counter the U.S numbers. These young soldiers were often teenagers, given only basic training compared to the advanced, month long, training given to the main Vietcong group.
Vietcong soldiers couldn't access firepower the Americans had, an obvious flaw in Guerrilla Warfare. Instead, the used Chinese copies of the AK-47 sub-machine gun and a range of Soviet and Chinese light and medium machine guns. Infrequently used were heavy machine guns but when defending against American helicopters they were helpful. To destroy bunkers and armoured vehicles, the Vietcong soldiers used propelled grenades and recoil-less rifles. Guerrilla Warfare limited their options for weapons and new technology so they had to make do with what could be salvaged or buy cheap.
Underground Tunnels
Instead of trenches, the Vietcong dug underground tunnel systems called the Cu Chi Tunnels in the Cu Chi district of Saigon, Vietnam. During the Vietnam War, the Cu Chi district was used as the Vietcong stronghold. Over 20 years, the tunnels were dug, stretching more than 190 kilometres and 30 feet deep.
The Vietcong soldiers used the tunnels to avoid aerial attacks, house troops, transport supplies and send communications. After attacking, the soldiers would simply vanish underground, unable to be located by the U.S troops. The tunnels were like underground villages and the Vietcong units could often spend months living in spaces that were only a few feet high and wide.
Many dangers accompanied living in the underground tunnels, such as flooding, diseases, poor ventilation and various insects and snakes. To unearth the hidden tunnels, U.S soldiers called 'tunnel rats' would be trained to search the tunnels for Vietcong soldiers. If a 'tunnel rat' found a Vietcong soldier they would often engage in hand-to-hand combat with pistols and flashlights underground.
These spectacular tunnels that enabled the Vietcong soldiers to evade the U.S soldiers can now be viewed in a war memorial park in Saigon, Vietnam.