EARLY IDENTIFICATION AND UNDERSTANDING THE OPPONENT OF COMBAT - AN IMPORTANT FACTOR TO WIN THE VIETNAM WAR

Abstract

The Vietnamese people have a long history of building and defending the country. The written history of Vietnam is known from the 2nd century BC. Throughout the country's history, Vietnamese people are associated with the wars against aggression to win back, preserve and protect national independence. In total, the Vietnamese people have waged 17 wars against foreign invaders in 12 centuries. Therefore, it can be said that the history of Vietnam is the history of resistance against aggression. During those wars, Vietnam won in 14 resistances1. There are many reasons for this result: nationalist sentiment, the unyielding will to not yield to the enemy, historical tradition, determination to fight for independence and freedom... Which, one of the factors contributing to victory is identifying and understanding the opponent in combat. In the anti-US struggle for national salvation  (America and the West called the Vietnam War), the people, and armed forces soon identified the right opponent for combat, properly evaluate and compare the enemy's forces, strengths, and weaknesses, from which to propose a policy, appropriate ways, and countermeasures, step by step defeat the enemy's plots and actions, win the final victory. The article divides the process of perceiving combat objects as the American imperialist of the Leadership, Vietnamese army, and people through 4 periods from 1945 to 1975.