Many “mamasans” (women who washed or cleaned for the troops) and mess hall workers took great care of military personnel and performed their jobs well. Others washed clothes, cleaned barracks and offices, cooked food, or built military structures. Some served as civilian contractors or interpreters. There, some 500 men, women, and children were murdered by soldiers of the Army’s 11th Infantry Brigade in 1968. This detachment may have contributed to such deadly incidents as the Mỹ Lai Massacre. One veteran explained this lack of contact made it easy to dehumanize the Vietnamese. troops had little or no contact with the Vietnamese. troops often shifted their loyalties from day to day based on the complex nature of meeting their most basic needs. Even civilians sympathetic to the South Vietnamese Army and U.S. military personnel to distinguish enemies from allies. Sometimes this made it difficult for U.S. funds and supplies, however, the policy failed.Īlthough the North Vietnamese Army wore recognizable uniforms, the Việt Cộng dressed as civilians. President Richard Nixon’s 1969 Vietnamization policy was designed to shift the burden of the ground war entirely to the South Vietnamese Army. Others recall they lacked discipline and often refused to fight. Some veterans who served closely with South Vietnamese forces believe they were effective and dependable allies. The Army of the Republic of Vietnam, or South Vietnamese Army, fought with distinction in many cases, particularly during the 1968 TET offensive. They created effective booby traps to kill, maim, and demoralize their enemy. They created sophisticated tunnels that provided food, ammunition, and medical treatment for their wounded. They were skilled at hiding supplies and ammunition throughout the country.
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