re: #25 Dark_Falcon

“Greater understanding” meant a better understanding of methods and mentality of the Vietnamese communists. It would have meant understanding how determined they were and that they were not going to be deterred by battle casualties alone; more aggressive action was needed.

The purpose of military actions informed by that greater understanding would have been to damage the Communist ability to wage the war badly enough to force the North to back off and give South Vietnam a breathing space in which to repair the political failings that left the South vulnerable to insurgency in the first place.

So, even if the most favorable assumptions are made (such as no intervention by China), this scenario envisions near-total warfare against North Vietnam, pretty much to the unconditional surrender level in order to end to support of insurgents in the South by the North.

After that, 10+ years of nation building in adverse circumstances.

One has to be a most dedicated cold warrior indeed for that to look like a reasonable use of US power.