The Vietcong

This section explains the role of the Vietcong in the Vietnam War. The government of Ngo Dinh Diem in South Vietnam faced widespread opposition due to its authoritarian nature and lack of popular support. As a result, many ordinary South Vietnamese people turned to an organised resistance movement: the National Liberation Front (NLF), commonly known as the Vietcong. This insurgent group sought to overthrow Diem’s regime and unite Vietnam under a communist government. Their fight would grow into a central element of the broader Vietnam War.

Key Features of the Vietcong

Support from North Vietnam

The Vietcong were strongly supported by communist North Vietnam, led by Ho Chi Minh. The North provided essential military aid, supplies, and training to the Vietcong, who were primarily composed of South Vietnamese peasants and rural-based guerrilla fighters. The North also sent its own soldiers to assist the Vietcong, when necessary, although the group remained largely composed of local fighters.

Appeal to Peasant Farmers

The Vietcong's central message resonated strongly with the rural poor, particularly peasant farmers. Their appeal was rooted in promises of independence from foreign control (specifically from the United States and the French) and the dismantling of the concentration of land ownership among wealthy landlords. The poor peasant population, who made up a significant portion of South Vietnam, found this vision of land reform and social equality compelling. By offering a solution to their economic struggles, the Vietcong gained considerable support in the countryside, where many peasants resented the government’s neglect of their needs.

Diem’s Strategic Hamlets and Its Unintended Consequences

In 1962, Diem introduced a policy known as Strategic Hamlets. The idea was to relocate rural villagers into fortified “safe” areas to prevent them from supporting the Vietcong. The intention was to cut off the Vietcong’s access to supplies, resources, and manpower, which they had been receiving from villages sympathetic to their cause.

However, in practice, the policy had disastrous consequences. Many peasants were forcibly relocated to the hamlets, often losing their homes and farms in the process. The hamlets themselves were poorly constructed and inadequate for the needs of the villagers. As a result, the policy alienated many South Vietnamese peasants, who viewed it as an oppressive measure that only benefited the government. The discontent bred by this policy likely pushed more people towards the Vietcong, as they sought an alternative to Diem’s authoritarian rule.

Ho Chi Minh’s Call for Revolution

In 1959, Ho Chi Minh declared a war to overthrow the South Vietnamese government and reunite Vietnam under communist rule. This declaration marked the beginning of a long and brutal conflict that would involve both conventional and guerrilla warfare. With the support of the Vietcong, Ho Chi Minh and the North Vietnamese government aimed to forcefully reunify Vietnam, which had been divided into North and South after the end of French colonial rule.

The North’s backing allowed the Vietcong to sustain their operations and spread their influence throughout South Vietnam. They conducted guerrilla warfare, relying on hit-and-run tactics, ambushes, and sabotage to undermine the government’s control. The Vietcong were well-versed in the use of their own knowledge of the terrain, which gave them a strategic advantage in the rural areas of South Vietnam.

Guerrilla Warfare

One of the defining features of the Vietcong’s tactics was the use of guerrilla warfare. This type of warfare involved small, mobile units that could quickly strike and then retreat before the enemy could respond. The Vietcong’s knowledge of the dense forests, tunnels, and rural landscapes of Vietnam allowed them to wage effective asymmetric warfare against the far better-equipped South Vietnamese Army and American forces. Guerrilla warfare often involved ambushes, assassinations, booby traps, and sabotage of military infrastructure.

The Vietcong also engaged in psychological warfare, aiming to demoralise the South Vietnamese government and their American allies. They spread propaganda to rally support and weaken the resolve of their enemies, while simultaneously gaining the loyalty of rural populations who were already disillusioned with the Diem regime.

Impact on the War

As the war continued, the Vietcong became a central force in the struggle for control of Vietnam. Their successful guerrilla tactics, combined with the support they received from the North, made them a formidable opponent to the South Vietnamese government and the United States, despite being outmatched in terms of conventional military strength. Their ability to fight a protracted war, drawing on popular support in the countryside, helped to prolong the conflict and make it increasingly difficult for the U.S. and South Vietnam to achieve victory.

In addition to their military operations, the Vietcong also played a key role in the broader political and social movement to unite Vietnam under communist rule. Over time, the influence of the Vietcong grew, leading to the eventual fall of Saigon in 1975 and the reunification of Vietnam under communist control.