Environmet
Much of Vietnam’s interior is composed of rugged mountains and deeply dissected plateaus and is sparsely inhabited by tribes people. The country as a whole is characterized by its monsoonal climate, affected by high precipitation, humidity, and temperatures. This jungle environment was the home turf of the Vietnamese. The Vietnamese were able to use the environment to their advantage. They used the brush and foliage to conceal themselves and spring ambushes. They dug tunnel systems and pits to covertly move around the war zone, flank, and surprise the Americans. They used their home field advantage to its fullest potential. Since this terrain was very new to the American soldiers, fighting was very tough. They extremely high temperatures and humidity caused exhaustion in the U.S. soldiers. The American men were tossed into an hot, unknown environment and expected to fight to their fullest potential, a potential that can not be reached under such conditions.
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