This addition further develops the popular and unique series studying the Cold War. By the beginning of 1972, the Americans could see the war in Vietnam being lost despite the huge expenditure of advanced military resources. – Highly Recommended
NAME: Cold War, 1945-1991, Vietnam's Final Air Campaign, Operation Linebacker I & II, May-December 1972 FILE: R2815 AUTHOR: Stephen Emerson PUBLISHER: Pen & Sword BINDING: soft back PAGES: 128 PRICE: £14.99 GENRE: Non Fiction SUBJECT: Vietnam War, air warfare, bombing, strategic bombing, carrier aircraft, heavy bombers, column warfare, asymmetric warfare, guerillas
ISBN: 1-5267-845-1
IMAGE: B2815.jpg BUYNOW: tinyurl.com/y3hg3aa6 LINKS: DESCRIPTION: This addition further develops the popular and unique series studying the Cold War. By the beginning of 1972, the Americans could see the war in Vietnam being lost despite the huge expenditure of advanced military resources. - Highly Recommended The Vietnam War saw the advancement of socialism in the US with stars of film joining the war on the side of the enemy, most notably with 'Hanoi' Jane Fonda posing on an anti-aircraft gun, simulating the shooting down of US warplanes. This 5th Column at home was a significant factor in the US loses and was mirrored by socialists in other countries who sought to lose the Cold War as it was being won. The socialists were supported by an increasingly socialist Main Stream Media that took every opportunity to search out damaging stories to demoralize the troops engaged in the fighting, and play down their successes. This two pronged approach did more that the combined efforts of China, Russia, and North Vietnam to defeat the US military. The US military was also its own worst enemy, trying to wage asymmetric warfare with a huge expenditure in technology and resources against what was a classic guerilla war that was fought largely by an enemy on foot with minimum resources, until the final stages where regular North Vietnamese troops were deployed with armour and artillery. Had the US taken the approach of the British in Malaya, the Vietnam War could have been won militarily but the US never had much influence with the South Vietnamese politicians and military who seemed to take delight in alienating their people. Also, the British in Malaya knew the local population well and did not have public opinion at home fighting against them. Linebaker I & II were the last throw of the dice in the hope that a massive air campaign would turn the situation around in favour of South Vietnam and the US military. It was a massive sledge hammer to crack a nut and it failed. The story is told here with clarity and supported by many well-selected images through the body of the text.