Losing Vietnam (64 page)

Resolution for 1975 (COSVN).
See
Central Office South Vietnam (COSVN), Resolution for 1975

rice: production of,
60–61
,
206
,
207
,
235
; resupplying,
249
,
266
,
267
,
269
,
270
; shortages of,
226
,
261–62
,
287
,
288
; U.S. resupply of Cambodia,
206
,
207–8
,
209
,
210
,
219
,
220

Roosma, Col. J. S., Jr.,
160

Route 4 (Cambodia): battlefield committee report,
243
; clearance of,
222
,
224–25
; defense of,
178
,
183
; interdiction of,
207
,
241

Route 5 (Cambodia): defense of,
183
,
231
; KC control of,
227–28

Royal Laotian government (RLG),
317

Royal Thai Nakhon Phanom Airbase (NKP, Thailand),
1
,
3–4

Rural Development (RD) cadre,
329

RVNAF.
See
Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces (RVNAF)

sabotage,
127
,
165
,
166
; defined,
328
; as incident type,
331
; sapper units,
58
,
118

Saigon, South Vietnam: defense of,
101
,
143
,
264
; evacuation of,
150–64
; NVA attacks on,
79
,
149–50
; strategic troop reserve near,
123–24
.
See also
Tan Son Nhut Air Force Base, Saigon, South Vietnam

Samae San airbase, Thailand,
158
,
173
,
266
,
268
,
283

Samphan, Khieu,
240

Sang, Brig. Gen. Phan Ngoc,
143

sapper units,
58
,
118

Sarendy, Rear Adm. Vong,
182
,
254
,
258
,
259
,
274
,
280
,
289–90

SCOOT (Support Cambodia Out of Thailand) program,
200–202
,
220
,
258

SEAPAC, Inc.,
220
,
258
,
261

2nd Airborne Brigade (South Vietnam),
143

2nd Battalion, 40th ARVN Regiment (South Vietnam),
31–32

II Corps (South Vietnam),
83
,
109
; and central highlands attack,
130–31
,
133
,
134
,
136
; failures of,
145
,
169
; withdrawal of,
141
,
142
,
147

2nd Infantry Division (South Vietnam),
139
,
141
,
143

2nd KC Division (Cambodia),
246
,
275

Second Thai Army,
313

set-asides,
74
,
92
,
94
,
97
,
194

7th Airborne Regiment (South Vietnam),
141
,
142

Seventh Air Force (U.S., 7AF): bases in Thailand,
4
,
108
; and
Mayaguez
incident,
299–300
; providing security for Mekong River convoys,
218
; and South Vietnam evacuation,
158
,
160
; USSAG affiliation with,
2
,
156
,
160
,
163
,
202
,
301
.
See also
reconnaissance units, U.S. aerial

7th Division (ARVN),
83

7th Division (Cambodia),
178
,
247
,
278
,
279

7th NVA Division (North Vietnam),
91
,
121
,
144

Shipler, David,
231

Sichan, Maj. Gen. Mey, surrender of,
289

Siem Reap, Cambodia,
227

Sihanouk, Prince,
21
,
171–72
,
234–43
,
276

6th Air Division (South Vietnam),
141
,
143

69th Brigade (Cambodia),
260

Smith, Maj. Gen. Homer,
6
,
84
,
95
; and South Vietnam evacuation,
153–54
,
157
,
158

Song Be, South Vietnam, airlift from,
120–21

Souphannouvong, “Red Prince,” 320

Southeast Asia,
29
,
103
,
298
,
315
; Afghanistan's parallels with,
321–22
; ammunition situation in,
65
,
69
,
74
; evacuations from,
151
,
164
; historical perspective,
171–72
; map of,
4
; nature of war in,
52
,
186
,
189
,
311
; U.S. funding for,
1
,
96
; USSAG goals in,
2
,
3
.
See also
tripartite deputies
;
and individual Southeast Asian countries

Southerland, Dan,
287
,
288

South Vietnam,
5–170
; Defense Attaché Office,
5–6
; demographics of,
24
; dispute with Cambodia over Puolo Wei Island,
103–4
; disruption of economy by communists,
60–61
; enclaves,
102
,
138–39
,
141
; evacuation of,
150–64
; feelings of U.S. abandonment,
2
,
140–41
,
147
,
164
,
167–68
; government of,
20–21
; historical perspectives,
6–7
; hopes for supplemental U.S. funding,
95
,
101
,
103
,
107–8
,
153–55
,
277
; inflation in,
111–12
; insurgency's effects on people of,
62
,
64
; intelligence regarding North Vietnam's plans 1975,
127–28
; life under communists,
170
; Mekong Delta,
61
,
101
,
112
,
142
,
168
; military academy in,
27
; military support of Cambodia,
283–84
; North Vietnam's chances of defeating,
113–15
; reasons for fall of,
164–70
,
264
,
298
; skirmish with China at Paracel Islands,
103
; Thai component in,
3–4
.
See also
infiltration, North Vietnamese
;
marines, South Vietnamese
;
military regions, South Vietnam; morale, South Vietnamese
;
navy, South Vietnam
;
Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces (RVNAF)
;
Saigon, South Vietnam
;
Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF)

South Vietnam, policy of no loss of territory or population,
9
,
47
,
65
,
67–68
,
88
,
102
,
116
,
128
; President Thieu's efforts to maintain,
21–23
,
75
,
93
,
109–10
,
123–24
,
168
,
183
,
296

South Vietnamese Army (ARVN): ammunition use,
69
,
71
,
73–74
,
76
,
77–78
,
81
,
82–84
,
198
; antiarmor capabilities,
32–35
,
121
; desertions from,
24
,
37
,
138
,
147–48
; distribution of,
143
; effectiveness,
61
,
84
,
86
; efficiency,
46
,
47
,
49
,
51
,
81–82
,
110–11
,
127
; equipment,
50
,
140
,
141
; field report data,
39
,
40–41
; firepower and mobility of,
27
,
35
,
75–76
; as glue of RVNAF,
167
; leadership of,
25
,
34
; manpower deficiencies in,
21
,
23–25
,
34–35
,
37
,
38–39
; morale,
38
,
41
,
48
,
52
,
144
,
169–70
; 1972 Easter Offensive,
25
; offensive spirit lost,
21
,
84
,
85
; ordered to take initiative,
48
,
49
; pay situation,
36–37
; reserve forces limited,
34–35
,
137
; training,
26–27
,
32–33
,
38
,
48
,
50
; unit map,
43
; U.S. air support for,
28
; and U.S. funding reductions,
76
,
99–100
,
112
; weaknesses in,
19
,
62
.
See also
casualties, Vietnam War, friendly
;
popular forces (PF, ARVN)
;
ranger units (ARVN)
;
regional forces (RF, ARVN)
;
territorial forces (TF, ARVN)

South Vietnamese Joint General Staff (JGS),
34
,
56
,
59
,
105
,
129
,
149
,
210
; ammunition conservation program,
71
,
73–74
,
82–83
,
87–88
; ARVN study,
6–7
,
182
; and central highlands battles,
130
,
135
,
136
; combat analyses,
40
,
41
,
46–47
,
48
,
49
; lack of reserves,
121
,
122
; navy directives,
30
,
98–99
; reorganization of regional forces by,
22
,
25
,
59–61
,
88
,
137
; and U.S. reductions in funding,
93–96
,
108–9
,
124
,
347–48
; USSAG as liaison with,
2

Suang, Gen. Ith,
281

Sunthan [Colonel],
276

Sutsakhan, Lt. Gen. Sak,
280
,
287

tactics, combat.
See
combat levels and tactics, Vietnam War

Takeo, Cambodia,
225
,
227
,
268
,
274
,
281
,
287

TALON VISE (Cambodian evacuation plan),
150
,
151
,
164
,
257–60
,
279
,
284–87

Ta Mok,
243
,
244
,
245–46

Tan, Huynh Van,
20

Tan Son Nhut Air Force Base, Saigon, South Vietnam,
6
,
78
,
79
,
156–57
,
158
,
159
,
162
,
269

Tay Ninh Province, South Vietnam, attacks on,
15
,
121
,
142
,
145
,
206

Telakhmer petroleum company (Cambodia),
208
,
270

10th ARVN Division (South Vietnam),
145

territorial forces (TF, ARVN),
43–44
,
50
,
51
,
59–61
,
86
,
169
; defined,
23
,
329
; fighting by,
131
,
142–44
,
166–67

territory, control of, Cambodia,
183
,
236
,
237

territory, control of, South Vietnam: effects of U.S. funding cuts on,
92–93
,
101
; North Vietnam's goal
of grabbing,
61
,
113
,
128
,
164
,
167
; as troop efficiency measure,
82
,
86
. See also
South Vietnam, policy of no loss of territory or population

terrorism,
42
,
57–58
,
132
,
315
; defined,
328
; as incident type,
127
,
165
,
166
,
331

Tet Offensive,
12–13
,
122

Thailand,
177
,
211
; airbases in,
158–59
,
173
,
266
,
268
,
269
,
283
; communists in,
313–15
,
316
; coup of 1973,
311–12
; and dispute with South Vietnam over Puolo Wei Island,
103–4
; reaction to
Mayaguez
incident,
310
,
315–16
; U.S. air force units stationed in,
1
,
3–4
,
108
,
312–13
,
315
,
316
.
See also
Samae San airbase, Thailand
;
U-Tapao airbase, Thailand

Thammasak, Prime Minister Sanya,
312

Thanh Hoa Province, South Vietnam, fighting in,
145–46

Thanon Kittikachorn, Premier,
311

Thieu, President Nguyen Van: “Four No's,”
22
,
98
; hopes for supplemental U.S. aid,
96–98
,
103
,
108–9
,
111
,
153–54
,
154–55
; momentous decisions by,
132–45
,
146
,
148
,
169
,
264
; policy of no loss of territory or population,
21–22
,
23
,
75
,
93
,
109–10
,
123–24
,
168
,
183
,
296
; resignation of,
148–49
; unpopularity of,
146–47
; war policy of,
89–91
,
124
,
182