Assessment of influence exerted on military operations by other than military considerations

362 Pages·1993·18.3 MB·English

by  Rosson, William B. (William Bradford), 1918-

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ASSESSMENT OF
INFLUENCE EXERTED ON
MILITARY OPERATIONS
BY OTHER THAN
MILITARY CONSIDERATIONS
I
GENERAL W.B. ROSSON
Commander in Chief
United States Army, Pacific
?//- J7S9b S
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
THE CENTER OF MILITARY HISTORY
WASHINGTON, DC 20005-3402
REPLY TO
ATTENTION OF . 7
DAMH-ZC , Z<o7 22 April 1993
/?f3
MEMORANDUM FOR SEE DISTRIBUTION
SUBJECT: Manuscript
1. The enclosed manuscript, "Assessment of Influence Exerted
on Military Operations by Other than Military Considerations,"
is provided for inclusion in your collection. This 1970 study
was completed under the direction of the Commander, U.S. Army
Pacific, General W.B. Rosson, for then Chief of Staff of the
Army, General William C. Westmoreland.
2. This study contains a wealth of information about the
prosecution of the Vietnam War. Of particular use are the
citations to primary sources in the notes. The manuscript
is, however, a reflection of the era in which it was prepared.
Used within this context it should be a valuable tool for
researchers.
Enel
Brigadier General, USA
Chief of Military History
DISTRIBUTION:
AIR FORCE SYSTEMS COMMAND LIBRARY
ALBERT F. SIMPSON HISTORICAL RESEARCH CENTER
ARMED FORCES STAFF COLLEGE LIBRARY
COMBINED ARMS RESEARCH LIBRARY, U.S. ARMY COMMAND AND GENERAL
COLLEGE
DEFENSE TECHNICAL INFORMATION CENTER
JAMES CARSON BRECKINRIDGE LIBRARY AND AMPHIBIOUS WARFARE
RESEARCH FACILITY
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
NATIONAL ARCHIVES
U.S. ARMY MILITARY HISTORY INSTITUTE
U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY
U.S. NAVAL WAR COLLEGE LIBRARY
Cc
c
UNCLASSIFIED
PREFACE
(U) In a letter to the author dated 9 November 1970, the Chief of Staff,
United States Army stated:
M. . . .1 have been concerned about a serious
deficiency in the authoritative accounts of certain
events or series of events concerning the United
States Army in Vietnam -- accounts that will assist
the Army in its development of future operational
concepts and provide reference material for a
comprehensive historical record.
"An assessment of the influence exerted on
military operations by other than military considera¬
tions has not been fully documented. . . . "
To "correct the deficiency" the author was tasked to prepare the
assessment cited above. This monograph responds to that tasking.
(U) In terms of scope, the assessment reflects the following guidance
furnished by the Chief of Staff:
This monograph should provide an assessment of the effect
of nonmilitary considerations on military operations with particular
attention to those which tend to have a negative effect and to methods
employed in minimizing their effect. Of prime consideration will be
a discussion of the Rules of Engagement that have governed the actions
of United States, Free World Military Assistance Forces, and Govern¬
ment of Vietnam forces within the Republic of Vietnam and along its
borders. The account should include the problems of unit commanders
in securing clearances to fire, conditions affecting actions on the
borders and within Cambodia and Laos, and the ranging scale of actions
and counteractions that can be conducted within and north of the Demili¬
tarized Zone. A focal point will be the limited incursion into Cambodia
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and the effect of the conditions imposed upon the participants, to
include prior proposals for similar operations. The account should
also describe the effects on United States and allied forces of the
observance of ceasefires. Treatment should be given to the changing
policies governing the use of air power, including restrictions on the
use of B-52's in South Vietnam until June 1965, the 37-day halt in air
attacks north of the Demilitarized Zone beginning in December 1965,
the partial limitation of air strikes in March of 1966 [1968], and the
complete bombing halt in North Vietnam in October of 1968. Other
factors that should be taken into account are the Buddhist uprising in
1966, the prisoner of war issue, limitations in command and control
of third country forces, the effect of anti-war sentiment in the United
States, and the effect of coverage of the war by the news media. The
monograph should close with a discussion of troop reductions.
(U) Organizationally, requirements established by the Chief of Staff's
guidance are fulfilled by nine chapters:
I. Rules of Engagement
II. Free World Military Assistance Forces
III. The Buddhist Uprising in 1966
IV. Effect of Truces on US and Allied Operations
V. Policies Governing the Use of Air Power
VI. Prior Proposals for and the Limited Incursion into
Cambodia
VII. Prisoner of War Issue
VIII. Reduction of US Forces
IX. Summary of Conclusions
(U) In relation to time frame, the monograph encompasses the decade
1961-71. Prime focus, however, is on the period mid-1964 through
1970.
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