The War Of Southeast Asia - Essay Example

THE WAR OF SOUTHEAST ASIA The defeat of United States of America in Vietnam War The war was also referred to as the resistance war against America. This was a cold war that happened in Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. It happened from the start of November in the year 1955 and lasted up to the fall of Saigon at the end of April 1975. It was followed again with the first Indochina war which occurred between 1946 and 1956. It was a war between the government of South Vietnam and North Vietnam (Fall 351). North Vietnam was supported by Soviet Union, china and other internal communists in Asia. South Vietnam got its support from the United States of America and some anti-communist allies in Asia. A South Vietnam communist common front known as national liberation front (NLF) fought in what can be described as guerrilla war against North Vietnamese army (the people’s army of Vietnam) which was an anti-communist force in the country (Fall 338-442.) They engaged in conventional war involving huge units to battle off. The war experienced in Vietnam was bloody and protracted. The U.S military intervention was from 1965 and lasted for eight years up to 1973. The Vietnamese referred to the war as “American war” whereas the Americans referred to it as “Vietnamese war”(Lomperis 173-194). Agreements and treaties were negotiated that divided the country into communist in the north and the pro American in the south. It was separated by a demilitarised zone. All over the country, there were promised an election that never happened that from that election an amicable decision and solution would be found (Guenter 42). This was all in vain. Within the first years of disagreement, the communist from the north had already a guerrilla war on the anti-communists in the south. Americans were driven by the cold war about the quick spread of communists (Fall 353). In response the united states send hundreds of thousands of soldiers and troops to help fight against communists. It was a costly ultimate unsuccessful war which posted international embarrassment and it was associated with domestic civil unrest. According to the figures released by American government, over two hundred Vietnamese soldiers died from the south. Additionally over fifty five thousand American soldiers were assumed dead or went out of action(Elliott 66). It is suggested by the government approximated that within the twenty one years of fighting, over four million citizens were killed across the south and North Vietnam. It was estimated that over one million communist fighters died the cold war. We are going to discuss three theories that try to explain the war in Vietnam and the reasons behind the loss of Americans and the anti-communists in this war. Theory of war by Carl von Clausewitz Clausewitz was a professional soldier who took in many and various military campaigns. He is phenomenon and he is recognised primarily as a theory military in the study of war. He utilized the ideas of the great Fredrick and the famous napoleon as the basis of his reference work. Basing on his work on war the book has rich historical examples used to explain various concepts about war in Vietnam. Clausewitz developed three main objectives essential during the war1. Firstly, the objectives of military in a war that gives helping hand to one’s political objective can be categorised in to two divisions (Elliott 66). War to ‘disarm’ the enemy is meant to render the enemy politically helpless or impotence of military and the war to achieve limited aims. Secondly, war should not be seen as to be having any self-purpose. It should be viewed as an instrument of ‘politic’. This was a Germany phrase that constitutes the meaning policy and politics. He emphasized that war was not merely a political scene but also a real political tool. It is a continuation of political commerce which involves carrying out same objectives by other means. Lastly, all other two factors being considered, the course of will appear favouring the side with stronger, political and emotional motivations. This is usually experienced with the defender side like the Americans soldiers in Vietnam. This is different to the common prejudice that those in war usually adopt during aggressive warfare’s. Some of the elements that he emphasized in the book and theory were the use of critical analysis techniques during the war, analysis of military dialectical approach and analysing critically these techniques before and during the war. He stressed o the use and abuse of historical information and studies. The army should nature some military genius and balance of nature mechanism and method (Douglas 45). The war should establish the link between objectives of the military and the objectives of politics. He factored out the asymmetrical bond between the defence and attack should be identified. He points out that ware belongs to basically to the social realm (Lomperis 173-194). He opposes the idea of war belonging to the realm of science and art. He further argues that tactics and strategy belongs basically to the realm of science and realm of art respectively. In his theory he points out the ides of friction, identifying operational and strategic centres of gravity during the war. He later argues that culminating point of victory and offensive to be identified. There should be a clear philosophical difference between real war and ideal war or absolute war(Pike 132). He further stresses the idea about fog of war and the fascinating trinity of the war. Lastly, in his book during the real war there must be clear distinction limits of war to render enemy helpless and limited war. Therefore Carlos von Clausewitz used dialectical techniques to build his arguments. This led to frequent modern misunderstanding caused by how he views different often opposed ideas and facts before making conclusions. Mao Zedong thoughts about war Mao Zedong was a Chinese leader who believed and embraced communism. Hel was born in 1893 and passed on in the year 1976. Mao Zedong wanted to establish a new communist political party and style of leadership courtesy of the leadership of the Chinese community party where he wanted to overthrow the ruling Kuomintang. His theories and theories, strategies in military and army and his political policies are known as Marxism Leninism Maoism. He was responsible for the disastrous policies of the cultural and the great leap forward. Evidenced in Mao Zedong quotes and speeches, he was in for the idea that getting support and trust from masses and applying violence where it is necessary will lead to achievement of a peaceful and communist order in the given nation. He said ‘a revolution is not a dinner party, reciting or writing an essay, doing embroidery or painting a picture. It cannot be so leisurely and gentle, cannot be refined, so temperate, courteous, kind, magnanimous or restrained. A revolution is characterised by an insurrection, an event marked by violence where by one party overthrows the other party in charge (Douglas 78). The only problem faced with Mao Zedong thought was it was very difficult and hard to build and establish a strong military support for the revolution and stop or prevent the strong armed military from becoming too powerful after the revolution. He suggested that the war of revolution is a war of masses and it can be waged only by organizing and influencing huge masses and having the mass backing you. Mao Zedong argued further that the power in politics cannot be obtained without resorting to the use of forceful methods. He said each and every communist must obtain the truth; power of politics develops out of the barrel of the gun. This implies that guns are military forces. He further explains that the party in control should constantly remain in political control of the country in order for prosperity and peace to be achieved. He says guns should never be given a chance to command the political orders. Sun Tzu art of war The art of war was an ancient and old military treaty that was used by the Chinese military that were formulated to sun Tzu. Sun Tzu was a military general in Chinese military, strategist, tactician and a philosopher who hailed in the spring and autumn period of the old china. The sun Tzu strategy comprised of thirteen chapters. Each chapter was designed to tackle each aspect that may arise during warfare. It comprises of strategies and tactics used by military that were used in the ancient period. It has been used and is still influential up to date as its being used by the seven military classics of china. For the past two thousand years it has stood out as the most important military treatise used in many Asian countries (Douglas 241). Many people in the region know the strategy. Its legal, business, strategy has influenced also eastern and western military way of thinking and beyond boundaries. The chapter include: Laying plans The chapter contains the five major factors and seven components that determine the results of military wars. By reviewing these five strategies a military can predict the outcome of the war. Failure to follow these strategies will lead to improper action. The five elements include management, leadership, terrain, season and the way. The plan guides each and every member of the military during warfare. It also got the main objective of the warfare hence the military sticking on the main objective in the war. Attacking with fire Every war involves different strategies as portrayed by the attacking party. It familiarises specific ways of military weapon usage on enemies. This chapter describes the usual use of armour and weapons during the war. It also familiarises the army to the environment of weapons (Lomperis 150). The chapter focuses mainly on five strategies of attack, the five underlying types of environmental and surrounding attack and right responses in case of attack. Waging war; This chapter highlights how to know the economy of warfare and how successful engagement requires quick decisive engagements (Lomperis173-194).This involves overall strategic plans of a given military before the start of the war. It is apparent that winning military campaigns needs limited costs of conflict and competition. Strategic attack The chapter describes the source of strength as unity and not size of military during war. It highlights five major elements that are required in order to be successful any war. This allows commander or the military leader will plan on how to plan on the given war. The chapter stresses attack, army, alliances, strategy and cities. Army disposition Here sun Tzu explains the significance of defending initial and existing position until a commander is able continuing from those positions in safety (Douglas 111). This chapter helps commanders and army leaders the significance of recognizing strategic opportunities and teaches not to build chances for the enemy. Strengths and weaknesses This chapter brings out how army opportunities originate from. It includes the weak points and strongholds of the enemy the military is engaging. The opening in the surrounding that are caused by the underlying weaknesses of the enemy how to counter respond to changes in the bloody battlefield over a given area. Forces This chapter clearly outlines the use and significance of being creative and proper timing in an army momentum. It involves the equipment and necessary resources needed in a war. Manoeuvres of the military It explains the exposed and risky dangers associated with direct conflict and states how to come out successful in these direct confrontations when are forces and faced upon a particular army or commander. This includes all important and unique plans that military forces have to conquer its enemy. Adaptability and variations: This chapter is usually focused on the need for a flexible in any given specific army response. This chapter outlines on how to respond to the shifting instances successfully. Military may encounter different environment like deserts and swamps hence they need to lay appropriate strategies to adapt to this variations. Development and movement of troops The chapter covers different instances in which army finds itself as it engages a new or different enemy or opponent territory. It also outlines how to respond to these different situations. Most of the parts of this chapter focus on evaluations of the intentions of the opponent. Terrain The chapter looks at the major three points of resistance. It focuses on the strongholds of the enemy. These are dangers, distance and barriers. It also evaluates six types of positioning on the ground for the opponents. Each type of positioning strategy gives an advantage to the army using it and a disadvantage to the enemies. The nine battlegrounds This chapter usually describes the nine common situation and stages in a campaign from exposing too deadly and it specifically points to the commander will require to successfully navigating among his opponent or enemy (Elliott 90). This is applicable during the war and directions on how to attack using this objective is issued by the commander. Intelligence and espionage: The chapter focuses on the significance of coming up with well and best information and data sources (Pike 242). The information specifies the five types of intelligence bases and explains further on how to manage each of them better. Conclusion From the three theories, we can consider the last theory since it looks more protective and meaningful way of targeting modern war. Sun Tzu art of involves or limits its strategies to given military of country when they attack or are being attacked by the enemy. It focuses on protecting the civilians. It concentrates on those parties involved in the war alone. The two other theories revolves generally around the attacking side or they are one sided. In all in all every style has advantages but before choosing a specific model. Bibliography Lomperis, Timothy J. From People’s War to People’s Rule: Insurgency, Intervention and the Lessons of Vietnam. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1996. Guenter, Lewy. America in Vietnam. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1978. Fall, Bernard B. The Two Viet-Nams: A Political and Military Analysis. Second Revised Edition. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1984. Pike, Douglas. Viet Cong: The Organization and Techniques of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam. Cambridge, MA: M.I.T. Press, 1966. Elliott, David W. P. “Hanoi’s Strategy in the Second Indochina War,” in the Vietnam War: Vietnamese and American Perspectives, ed. Jayne S. Werner and LuuDoan Huynh. Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe, 1993. Read More