Question

what tactics did the vietcong use to take over areas that the u.s. had just won?

a. they would line up and fight the u.s. head on.
b. they would hide in the jungle, wait for u.s. troops to leave, then take the area back over.
c. they would call the soviets for help and they would bomb the area.
d. they would wait for additional chinese forces to arrive to overwhelm u.s. forces.

Explanation:

Analyze Vietcong military strategies

The Vietcong primarily used guerrilla warfare tactics rather than conventional head-on battles. Because the United States military possessed superior firepower, technology, and air support, open conventional engagements would result in heavy casualties for the Vietcong.

Evaluate the options

• Option a: Fighting the U.S. head-on was not a standard Vietcong tactic, as they avoided direct conventional confrontations where U.S. firepower was dominant.
• Option b: Guerrilla warfare relied heavily on mobility, knowledge of the terrain, and patience. Vietcong fighters used extensive tunnel systems and the dense jungle to hide, avoiding direct combat. Once U.S. search-and-destroy missions cleared an area and withdrew, Vietcong forces would emerge from hiding to reoccupy the territory.
• Option c: While the Soviet Union provided military equipment and financial aid, they did not send air forces to bomb areas on behalf of the Vietcong.
• Option d: Unlike the Korean War, China did not send massive combat ground forces to fight alongside the Vietcong against U.S. troops.

Determine the correct choice

Option b accurately describes the classic guerrilla strategy of evasion, patience, and reoccupation used by the Vietcong during the Vietnam War.

Answer:

• a. They would line up and fight the U.S. head on.
• b. They would hide in the jungle, wait for U.S. troops to leave, then take the area back over. (Correct answer)
• c. They would call the Soviets for help and they would bomb the area.
• d. They would wait for additional Chinese forces to arrive to overwhelm U.S. forces.