Air Power Saved South Vietnam in 1972, But Couldn't Win the War

Summary

Key Points:

• The Easter Offensive of 1972 was a major assault by North Vietnamese forces on South Vietnam.
• The South Vietnamese army (ARVN) had to fight without U.S. ground troops and faced a superior enemy.
• Airpower became the only politically feasible means for the United States to aid South Vietnam.
• The American air fleet in Southeast Asia included hundreds of combat aircraft and over 200 B-52s.
• Bad weather initially limited air support, but American pilots soon made a significant impact.
• The use of AH-1 Cobra gunships, along with Air Force, Navy, and Marine aircraft, provided constant air support.
• Operation Linebacker I involved striking targets in North Vietnam and mining Haiphong Harbor.
• Laser-guided smart bombs and improved air combat tactics gave the U.S. an advantage against North Vietnamese forces.
• The North Vietnamese switch from guerrilla warfare to conventional offensives made them vulnerable to air power.
• American airpower helped the ARVN repel assaults, but South Vietnam ultimately fell in 1975 due to other factors.

References

• VIETNAM AIR WAR COLLECTION | The Runway (airforce.gov.au)
• MILITARY HISTORY GENERAL ARTICLES | The Runway (airforce.gov.au)
• Air Power and the Ground War in Vietnam: Ideas and Actions (af.edu)
• The Limits of Airpower or the Limits of Strategy: The Air Wars in Vietnam and Their Legacies > National Defense University Press > Publications | NDU Press

Source Information:

• Article Source: The National Interest: Defense, National Security, Politics and More
• Media Check:       National Interest - Media Bias/Fact Check (HIGH CREDIBILITY)
• RAAF RUNWAY: RATIONALE, GUIDELINES, LEARNING OUTCOMES, ETC