History Vietnam Controlled Assessment Essay

P1 Para-starter: Use of Defoliation to win hearts and minds. Point 1: Causes birth defects  Evidence: â€Å"Agent Orange is fifty times more concentrated than normal agricultural herbicides; this extreme intensity completely destroyed all plants in the area. Agent Orange not only had devastating effects on agriculture but also on people and animals. The Vietnam Red Cross recorded over 4.8 million deaths and 400,000 children born with birth defects due to exposure to Agent Orange. (http://vietnamawbb.weebly.com/napalm-agent-orange.html) Explanation: So it affected South Vietnam negatively, caused them to hate US and feel sympathy for VC. Evidence 2: Point 2: Use of napalm strikes Evidence: â€Å"Fail grey smoke where they’d burnt off the rice fields, brilliant white smoke from phosphorus, and deep black smoke from napalm. They said that if you stood at the base of the column it would suck the air right out of your lungs.† (Sauvain, Philip: Vietnam) Explanation: Consequently shows how bad it is from American POV so would be worse for random civilian. Evidence 2: Para-ender: Overall, defoliation is bad because it makes civilians hate US. P2 Para-starter: Use of Search and Destroy to win hearts and minds Point 1: Ruthless aggression of Americans Evidence: â€Å"Frustrated and frightened American troops settled on searching villages and destroying those instead. In most cases these villages played no role in supporting the VC.†(Demarco, Neil: Vietnam) Explanation: Because of this Americans would kill innocents (Refer to My Lai Massacre and Zippo lighters) Evidence 2: Para-ender: As a result, brutality of US caused the civilains to hate the US P3 Para-Starter: In addition, use of Search and Destroy to counter VC Point 1: VC were well prepared Evidence: â€Å"Such missions were ineffective because at the slightest hint of american activity the communist forces would slip away into the jungle.†(Bircher, Rob and May-History controlled assessment) Explanation: Shows how well prepared VC were compared to americans Evidence 2: â€Å"60%of US casualties from the war came from traps and mines† Explanation: Shows how vulnerable Americans were, demoralized American troops and failed to counter VC P4 Para-starter: Finally, Defoliation counters VC Point 1: Successful to an extent Evidence: â€Å"It is estimated that approximately 77 million litres of this acid was sprayed over Vietnam† (Rob Bircher and Steve May – History Controlled Assessment) Evidence 2:†Nearly 5.5 million acres of South Vietnamese forest and cropland†(Gibson, Michael – The war in Vietnam) Explanation: initial plan to uncover Ho Chi Minh trail, but not fully achieved. Para-ender: In Addition, they couldn’t do more damage cause communists are supported by USSR and China.