Introduction

Cold War – The Stalemate of the Vietnam War, 1965-67

In this course, Professor Andrew Preston (University of Cambridge) discusses the period of stalemate in the Vietnam War from 1965 to 1967. In the first module, we briefly introduce the topic and why refer to this period of the war as a stalemate. After this, we look at what the US strategy was in the air in Vietnam. Then, we discuss what the US strategy was on the ground in Vietnam. In the fourth module, we discuss the impact of the homefront and diplomacy on the US war in Vietnam. Finally, we explore whether the war in Vietnam was winnable or not.

Introduction

In this module, we briefly introduce the topic and why refer to this period of the war as a stalemate. In particular, we will focus on: (i) a brief recap of the escalation of the Vietnam War; (ii) why the US, as a supremely powerful country in 1965, was unable to defeat the communists in South Vietnam; (iii) the US strategic advantage over North Vietnam and the Viet Cong; (iv) the US build-up of the South Vietnamese Army, AVRN, and air force; and (v) why the communists were able to defeat the US in Vietnam.