Three Surprising Reasons The US Failed In Vietnam

Little-known factors that were hampering the US efforts in Southeast Asia

(Public domain)

The United States famously struggled in Vietnam during the 1960s and 1970s, cumulating in the photo of the last helicopter out of Saigon. Images of people frantically boarding helicopters and leaving the country in 1975 remain a potent part of history. Many people know about the tough jungle conditions, the rifles that jammed on US soldiers, and General Westmoreland’s foibles. However, few people know about some of the extenuating factors that exasperated the American military issues in Vietnam.

These are three interesting reasons that the United States failed in Vietnam that many people don’t know about.

1. Officer Brain Drain

Many of the United States Army’s career staff officers were slated to retire between 1965 and 1968, just before American involvement was slated to ramp up to unprecedented levels. That is because many of the officers in the middle levels of the military signed up after the conclusion of World War II to stay on and become career officers. These men started their service around 1945. Career officers typically only serve 20 years before retiring. That made a large number of officers due for retirement right before the escalation…