it’s Sunday November 14 1965 US combat troops have been in South Vietnam for
troops have been in South Vietnam for
troops have been in South Vietnam for just eight months Army lieutenant
just eight months Army lieutenant
just eight months Army lieutenant colonel Hal Moore and his battalion have
colonel Hal Moore and his battalion have
colonel Hal Moore and his battalion have their orders seek out and kill communist
their orders seek out and kill communist
their orders seek out and kill communist forces here in the Central Highlands I
had very little information on the enemy
had very little information on the enemy very little intelligence information but
very little intelligence information but
very little intelligence information but I knew that the enemy had been
I knew that the enemy had been
I knew that the enemy had been retreating into the odd rain valley
Colonel Moore’s foray into the ayah
Colonel Moore’s foray into the ayah dragging River Valley will ramp up u.s.
dragging River Valley will ramp up u.s.
dragging River Valley will ramp up u.s. involvement in Vietnam
involvement in Vietnam
involvement in Vietnam and set the stage for years of bloody
and set the stage for years of bloody
and set the stage for years of bloody conflict it takes shape in the early 60s
conflict it takes shape in the early 60s
conflict it takes shape in the early 60s under President John F Kennedy they
under President John F Kennedy they
under President John F Kennedy they think the Vietnamese people and
think the Vietnamese people and
think the Vietnamese people and ourselves agree we want the Communists
ourselves agree we want the Communists
ourselves agree we want the Communists to be contained and the Americans to
to be contained and the Americans to
to be contained and the Americans to kill home but we are not there to see a
kill home but we are not there to see a
kill home but we are not there to see a war lost the United States sends weapons
war lost the United States sends weapons
war lost the United States sends weapons and builds military bases in South
and builds military bases in South
and builds military bases in South Vietnam to fend off the forces of the
Vietnam to fend off the forces of the
Vietnam to fend off the forces of the Communist leader Ho Chi Minh in the
Communist leader Ho Chi Minh in the
Communist leader Ho Chi Minh in the north
north
north pose guerrilla fighters in the south the
pose guerrilla fighters in the south the
pose guerrilla fighters in the south the Vietcong use violence and terror to
Vietcong use violence and terror to
Vietcong use violence and terror to undermine the government ho is
undermine the government ho is
undermine the government ho is determined to unite North and South
determined to unite North and South
determined to unite North and South Vietnam under his communist rule on
Vietnam under his communist rule on
Vietnam under his communist rule on November 1st 1963 South Vietnamese
November 1st 1963 South Vietnamese
November 1st 1963 South Vietnamese military leaders staged a coup and
military leaders staged a coup and
military leaders staged a coup and assassinate President ZM the Kennedy
assassinate President ZM the Kennedy
assassinate President ZM the Kennedy administration not only supports but
administration not only supports but
administration not only supports but encourages the cool
now responsibility for South Vietnam’s
now responsibility for South Vietnam’s destiny rests squarely on the shoulders
destiny rests squarely on the shoulders
destiny rests squarely on the shoulders of the United States
tensions come to a head on August 2nd
tensions come to a head on August 2nd 1964 when North Vietnamese patrol boats
1964 when North Vietnamese patrol boats
1964 when North Vietnamese patrol boats attacked this US destroyer the Maddox in
attacked this US destroyer the Maddox in
attacked this US destroyer the Maddox in the Tonkin Gulf Johnson seizes the
the Tonkin Gulf Johnson seizes the
the Tonkin Gulf Johnson seizes the opportunity and gets Congress to pass a
opportunity and gets Congress to pass a
opportunity and gets Congress to pass a resolution authorizing him to undertake
resolution authorizing him to undertake
resolution authorizing him to undertake military action
within months Vietcong guerillas begin
within months Vietcong guerillas begin attacking US air bases
March 2nd 1965 President Johnson ups the
March 2nd 1965 President Johnson ups the ante the u.s. launches an intense and
ante the u.s. launches an intense and
ante the u.s. launches an intense and long term bombing campaign against North
long term bombing campaign against North
long term bombing campaign against North Vietnam called Operation Rolling Thunder
army general william Westmoreland the US
army general william Westmoreland the US commander in Vietnam receives the
commander in Vietnam receives the
commander in Vietnam receives the president’s approval to call up two
president’s approval to call up two
president’s approval to call up two battalions of Marines from the States on
March 8 1965 these Marines come ashore
March 8 1965 these Marines come ashore near Danai and fortify the perimeter of
near Danai and fortify the perimeter of
near Danai and fortify the perimeter of the airfield
their orders to seek out the Vietcong
their orders to seek out the Vietcong and kill them will define America’s
and kill them will define America’s
and kill them will define America’s expanding mission
eight months later this strategy brings
eight months later this strategy brings Lieutenant Colonel Hal Moore and his men
Lieutenant Colonel Hal Moore and his men
Lieutenant Colonel Hal Moore and his men to the aya Drang Valley ninety minutes
to the aya Drang Valley ninety minutes
to the aya Drang Valley ninety minutes after landing they face 1500 North
after landing they face 1500 North
after landing they face 1500 North Vietnamese soldiers the men establish a
Vietnamese soldiers the men establish a
Vietnamese soldiers the men establish a perimeter and battle to protect their
perimeter and battle to protect their
perimeter and battle to protect their landing zone
landing zone
landing zone if the enemy gains control of the
if the enemy gains control of the
if the enemy gains control of the clearing Moore and his men have little
clearing Moore and his men have little
clearing Moore and his men have little chance of survival
on the dawn of the second morning
on the dawn of the second morning communist troops focused a strike on the
communist troops focused a strike on the
communist troops focused a strike on the southern section of the landing zone the
southern section of the landing zone the
southern section of the landing zone the attack decimates to u.s. platoons 42
attack decimates to u.s. platoons 42
attack decimates to u.s. platoons 42 Americans perish in less than three
Americans perish in less than three
Americans perish in less than three hours
in the badlands the US forces abandoned
in the badlands the US forces abandoned the landing zone
their goal was never to occupy the area
their goal was never to occupy the area but to kill as many enemy forces as they
but to kill as many enemy forces as they
but to kill as many enemy forces as they could and leave with an estimated 1,800
could and leave with an estimated 1,800
could and leave with an estimated 1,800 North Vietnamese soldiers dead the US
North Vietnamese soldiers dead the US
North Vietnamese soldiers dead the US Army declares the Battle of victory
Army declares the Battle of victory
Army declares the Battle of victory but what had been a limited conflict
but what had been a limited conflict
but what had been a limited conflict with guerrilla fighters in the south is
with guerrilla fighters in the south is
with guerrilla fighters in the south is about to escalate into a broader
about to escalate into a broader
about to escalate into a broader conflict with North Vietnam
for these soldiers on the frontlines the
for these soldiers on the frontlines the stakes are much higher and their mission
stakes are much higher and their mission
stakes are much higher and their mission but far more deadly
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