Smither, James R. The End of the Rope

The Ripcord Campaign and American Disengagement in Vietnam

The Firebase Ripcord campaign in 1970 was the last major American offensive in the Vietnam War. It went badly and is hardly known today. Parts of the 101st Airborne Division attempted to return to the area where the battles for Hamburger Hill had taken place the previous year, but failed due to enemy resistance, a lack of resources due to troop reductions as part of Vietnamisation, and serious problems with command authority. The Ripcord base was intended to serve as a springboard for an advance into the A Shau Valley, an important North Vietnamese base and staging area in northern South Vietnam. Due to a combination of poor planning, bad weather and enemy resistance, three attempts were necessary to establish the base. Once the base was established, the North Vietnamese gradually built up their forces in the area, effectively attacking and eventually isolating the surrounding units and bases. Instead of simply disappearing as they had done in the past, they intensified their resistance, forcing the Americans to abandon the campaign. By 1970, the Americans were no longer able to conduct a campaign as they had before. Instead of overwhelming the enemy with superior force, they withdrew to avoid further losses in an unpopular war. As the Americans weakened, the North Vietnamese grew stronger and had learned a great deal about how to deal with American superiority in firepower and mobility. In addition, the American system of rotating officers in and out of command positions took place without regard to the situation on the ground, with key commanders changing in the middle of the campaign and new arrivals having to quickly familiarise themselves with the situation. At the higher command levels, there was also competition for command of combat units, as these were necessary for career officers to obtain their promotions. Several of the campaign's key leaders, notably Lieutenant Colonel Andre Lucas, commander of the battalion most heavily involved in the campaign, had little relevant experience, which proved costly for the men in the field and also for himself he died when his battalion abandoned the base. At the lower levels, most of the officers and soldiers in the campaign performed well, although they increasingly felt that they were risking their lives for no purpose.