In the spring of 1972, North Vietnam launched a massive, three-pronged
attack into South Vietnam that was eventually repulsed by South
Vietnamese forces, United States (US) advisors and massive amounts of
American air power. The problem is determining what factors were key to
South Vietnam’s successful defense. To that point, this thesis will
address the overall effectiveness of US air power in defeating North
Vietnam’s attack. This paper first examines the strategic and
operational environment surrounding the 1972 offensive, including the
role and influence that the leaders of the US, Saigon, Hanoi, China, and
the Soviet Union had on the conflict. It then shifts to the three
primary tactical battles, describing each in detail, from the initial
communist successes to their ultimate defeat. Finally, the analysis
focuses specifically on air-power's role, from the massive strategic
deployment that doubled the available assets in theater in just over a
month, to its operational success striking targets in North Vietnam, to
its tactical successes on the various battlefields of South Vietnam.
Ultimately, this analysis determines that US air power, with US advisors
playing a critical enabling role, was the decisive element in the defeat
of North Vietnam’s Easter Offensive.
OBTAIN DOCUMENT: Airpower and the 1972 Easter Offensive
