re: Could any strategy have worked in Vietnam?

Getting a do over in 1945 the US could have allied itself with Ho and he never would have given himself over to the Reds. He saw common cause against the Japanese with the USA. Had the US persuaded France to give up its colonial empire instead of trying to hang on to it, everyone would be happier today.

Yes,really very simple, acted as President Trump as acted, let the Chief Staff run the war.

The Phoenix Program

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Was there anything we could have done other than not getting involved at all?

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Just 1 thing; go into with the goal of winning, as in annihilate North Viet Nam

Did generals get to consider all approaches?

No.

It was political.

Only.

It was a sham.

You have to win the hearts and minds first.

The local politics was as bad as Iraq. Worse.

Fwiw, if you were going to do such a war, train your people better.
What is objective?

If the enemy uses Mao propaganda and training methods, maybe they will also use Mao tactics.


They moved troops through commie Laos to move troops. Surprised?

Target rich environment.

IMHO, yes, BUT, pursuing such a strategy might have been beyond the capabilities of the "reigning" US military and political leaders of that time.

The first phase of The Strategy would involve direct negotiations between US political leaders and China, the Soviet Union and even North Vietnam. At those talks, the USA could have made its war aims clear -- independence and peace for the two separate nations of South and North Vietnam. The USA would inform all parties that the USA would wage Total War to achieve its war aims, and that North Vietnam's entire infrastructure would be targeted in this war -- to include all of its industrial and maritime infrastructure, such as port facilities and railroads.

Second Phase: Fulfill the promises made at the talks, should North Vietnam persist in its conventional and unconventional efforts to conquer the Republic of South Vietnam.

Third Phase: Ongoing throughout US involvement -- shape the nascent South Vietnamese nation-state to shape and improve develop its methods of governance -- give it a sort of crash course on civil rights, a judicial system, etc.

Of course, this Strategy might have provoked China and the Soviet Union into a wider war. Low risk of that happening, IMHO, so, that's why IMHO, this Strategy could have worked.

The KEY to the Strategy would be to make it clear to North Vietnam that the USA would guarantee it's sovereignty AND would make North Vietnam a trading partner, should that some day be mutually beneficial. At some point, my guess is that North Vietnam would have chosen peace, because we would have been killing so many millions of those people that they would be running out of men and women.

My uncle commanded a base in Vietnam as a Marine Colonel aviator. He said that “every time they made progress they were told to withdraw. Politics got in the way.”

My analysis: It’s almost like the military industrial complex wanted to drag the war on so they continue to sell arms to both sides.