Conditions of the Vietnam War Essay Example for Free

Conditions of the Vietnam War EssayWhen pushing in a war, the brave soldiers ar not wholly up against their enemy, but also against the chaotic obstacles born on the battlefield. The constant noise of slaughter, the gut-wrenching weather and the omnipresent fear of death were all elements of war that the soldiers had to coexist with. The betting odds of walking home after a war are extremely rare and those who were lucky plenteous to survive were unlucky enough to have had witnessed indescribable scenes of blood and murder. Those who have confronted the wrath of war are left psychologically traumatised and amiablely unstable.The bit conditions during the Vietnam War were excruciatingly tough. The Australian and American troops were force to fight in a variety of weathers, including the tropical rains and blazing heat. Fighting in environments and conditions they were not hitherto accustomed to, they were drained of their energy and were demanded high levels of endurance. For some soldiers, the dry season was particularly difficult to fight in. they were required to fight th knockabout a haze of dust that penetr consumed their clothing, filled their pores and worked its way through their eyeball and ears, resulting in conjunctivitis and ear infections.One soldier stated, It can be a test of mankind endeavour inside a noisy metal box all day in xl degree heat, with eighty per cent relative humidity and no peerless has showered for a week. Soldiers fought with damages to their bodies much(prenominal) as blisters, sunburn and dehydration, making it really difficult to move around and fight to the best of their ability. otherwise difficulties they faced were the threat of diseases such as malaria and dysentery which is ca employ by lack of sanitation and dehydration. Spiders, poisonous centipedes, snakes and leeches were some of the harmful creatures the soldiers tried their hardest to avoid.Proper food and clean water was very difficult to obtai n as well. Soldiers ate from used cans and drank from dirt covered drink bottles. In a land where the ground explodes and it rains bullets, death is inevitable. Soldiers would be knee-deep in massacre and the vicinity would be infested with the body parts of buster soldiers. War does not give time for soldiers to grieve and is constantly tainting the earth in the colour of red.Witnessing the death of a comrade is one thing, but to have to crawl, walk and run knowing that you may die a inexorable death at any moment is just as painfully terrifying. Soldiers who survived the Vietnam war were diagnosed with permanent paranoia and insanity. Whilst fighting an enemy on the battlefield, soldiers must simultaneously fight fear in their minds. rebel WarfareDuring the Vietnam War, Guerrilla tactics were being put into action. Guerrilla Warfare consisted of small surprise attacks and ambushes instead of operating in major gunfire battles. Setting up booby-traps and tripwires were the prefer red option as well as digging up complicated systems of underground tunnels in and around small villages. The Vietcong had the home field advantage, they used the rough terrain, thick forests and uneven landscape to their advantage against the American soldiers as they were unfamiliar to such difficult landforms. The Vietcong used their intelligence and stealth to outsmart the Americans and win the war. They did not wear any uniform so the Americans only saw them as villagers with guns.The Vietcong would also hide behind innocent civilians and use them as a nurse against their enemy. They would also dig up American land mines and use the explosives as bombs of their own. Hit-and-run attacks were common and very effective in the fight against the Americans. With dangerous deft, the Vietcong would stealthy attack the Americans and leave before risking capture- incorporating the element of surprise. The Vietcong would hunt through a complex network of underground tunnels, oblivious to the Americans. At the start of the war, the American soldiers had no idea of the tunnels existence and their unawareness produced great advantage to the Vietcong.The most extensive of the tunnel system position in the Iron Triangle in the Cu Chi distract, which covered approximately 400 kilometres. The Americans extremely relied on their helicopters to combat the Vietcongs skilfully hidden death traps. However, the Vietcong turned to heavy machinery as a form of retaliation against the Americans aerial attacks. The Vietcong would set up multiple booby-traps, hidden among the jungle floor of the forests. Majority of the booby-traps were covered in poison and venom which will increase the risk of infection. nearly booby traps that were crafted and handmade by the Vietnamese villagers included * The Bear Trap- when stepped on would fiercely clutch ones foot by impaling it with sharp claws* Grenade Traps- a grenade strapped to a tripwire which will instantly explode, leaving no t ime to escape when triggered * Bouncing Betty- designed to cut someone in half, when stepped on would result in either paralysis or the complete amputation of a limb * Foot Trap- a hole that was take away knee deep and planted with stakes coated in poison pointing downwards, making it unescapable * Tiger blaze/ Punji Spike Pit- a hole approximately 5-6 feet deep, with the bottom covered in piercing, venomous stakes.It also has a grenade lying in await to ambush those who try to escape The fighting conditions in the Vietnam war were beastly for both parties. Soldiers put their bodies through irritatingly uncomfortable situations and fought in fearsome scenarios, all whilst trying to keep their limbs intact. Battles arose inside battles, whether it be the vicious weather or the unshakable fear of death, soldiers endured an admirable amount of physical and mental struggle. The rage of the Vietnam War claimed many courageous lives and defiled the minds of those who were able to walk away with the luxury of breath.Bibliography* http//vietnamawbb.weebly.com/guerrilla-warfare-and-war-of-attrition.html * http//history1900s.about.com/od/vietnamwar/a/vietnamwar.htm * http//www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index.html * http//www.vietnam-war.0catch.com/vietnam_war_nature.htm * http//vietnam-war.commemoration.gov.au/combat/viet-cong-tunnels.php * http//www.securenet.net/3rdbn5th/mike35/booby.htm* http//www.echo23marines6569.org/BoobyTraps.html* http//vietnam-war.commemoration.gov.au/armour/conditions.php * https//session.wikispaces.com/1/auth/auth?authToken=03a2e4971076358d2188756c8108eb2b5