Essay Sample on The Battle of Hamburger Hill

Introduction

The Hamburger hill battle began on 10th May 1969 led by the U.S army with the aim to eliminate the North Vietnamese Army. It was a significant battle in the Vietnam War as it saw the end of America's operations in Vietnam. The Hamburger hill battle involved different forms of communication, health service on soldiers, and intelligence tactics by the U.S Army.

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Intelligence

The U.S Army had proper intelligence technics during the Hamburger Hill battle. The Americans used documents, patrols, installations and equipment that was captured during the war to learn more about the enemy. Although aerial surveillance was difficult to practice, it had observers who noticed the construction activity on the roads that were used to move equipment and supplies. It appeared certain that the North Vietnamese Army was moving material into the region. It also suggested that three North Vietnamese Armies were also being brought into the area.

However, the North Vietnamese Army usually moved at night covered by the canopy jungle making it hard for the Americans to recognize them. They also conducted attacks at night which had disastrous effects on the Americans. Through the documents, the Americans were able to discover that the enemy's command and control center was at the hill. They later attacked the hill with four groups which covered all directions of the hill.

The army used the prisoners' information to know the arrangement of the enemy's troops and plans. However, the intelligence of the enemy's strength did not quite fulfill the commander's intention. It did not quite really indicate the dispositions and actual strengths of the North Vietnamese Army. Through the study of the past experience of the North Vietnamese Army, the Americans were able to assess the pattern of how the enemy conducted operations. The study of the past experience helped them notice that the enemy would violently resist for a short period but upon the invasion with strong firepower, would withdraw quickly. The landing zones were also chosen based on intelligence so that they would surprise their enemies. Intelligence revealed that the North Vietnamese army had moved some of its units to the mountains and was establishing secure bases far away from the Americans.

The American tactics were clearly better than the Vietnamese tactics. They utilized their strong firepower including air support to defeat their enemies. However, their fires hardly neutralized their enemies' positions.

Health Service Support

Veterans although few were present during the war. Some soldiers also acted as medics in treating their fellow soldiers. The medics present were not much of professionals as some soldiers still had bullets inside their bodies after battles. The soldiers would get sick due to the heat and sudden firefights and would not receive any treatment. Instead, the commanders would motivate and tell them that some units were down to fifteen men and were still advancing.

The U.S military regularly supplied its troops with amphetamine as the drugs they would use. No attention was given to the frequency to which the soldiers took the dose. The amphetamine would restore bravery and keep the soldiers awake. The soldiers also received medical kits which contained painkillers and analgesics. Before leaving for the war, the soldiers would be administered with steroid injections.

Stimulants were administered to soldiers which made them more aggressive and alert. To reduce the impact of the combat on the psyche of the soldiers, they were issued with psychoactive substances which also boosted their strengths. Without the drugs, the soldiers would feel irritated. The Veterans administered sedatives to reduce combat stress and reduce mental breakdown. Modern pharmacology was used to empower a soldier.

The outcome of the medicinal use was, however, short-sighted. The drugs only brought immediate relief which would not last. Intoxicants only treated the symptoms but not the disease attached to it. The American soldiers contributed to the widespread of post-traumatic stress disorder among the veterans. It was due to the reckless use of drugs.

Health services in the Hamburger Hill were not well administered. Some soldiers would spend the nights still injured or given general drugs. The veterans in the war misused the drugs, by giving dosage only when the soldiers were heading for war.

Command, Control, and Communications

The Hamburger Hill attack was led by five battalions who were all under a major general. Two units came from the Republic of Vietnam while the other three units belonged to the Americans. The North Vietnamese Army mainly used the runner and wire for command and control. It left no electronic signature that could be traced. The Americans, therefore, had to use other ways other than that related to technology to monitor the enemy. They would interrogate prisoners for raw data about the enemy. They would also make use of documents and captured equipment to know more.

The base area of the Americans had no communication zone. The combat zone would still be the communication zone. The soldiers used the manual system to request for supplies and in-country support. To ensure the enemy did not invade their channel of communication, the Americans would change their destination and pick up point of supplies.

The battle command was decentralized. Pilots could not distinguish a friend from an enemy and would end up killing both. Each soldier would also at occasions use different tactics contrary to the commander's suggestion when on the battlefield. The air support was quite responsive, unlike the command and control who supported fires.

The Hamburger Hill battle proved that the commander is a key player in achieving a successful battle. The command and control centers were a crucial part in ensuring proper communication was delivered to the intended parties. The U.S army made sure that the forms of communication differ from that of the North Vietnamese Army Soldiers.