Operation Rolling Thunder
Operation Rolling Thunder was a highly controversial bombing campaign carried out by the United States during the Vietnam War. It lasted for three years, from 1965 to 1968, and was intended to weaken the North Vietnamese government and its military forces by targeting its infrastructure, supply lines, and military installations.
The operation was named after a Native American shamanistic ritual that involved the rolling of thunder in the sky. However, the name failed to capture the devastating impact that the bombing campaign had on the Vietnamese people.
At the start of the campaign, President Lyndon B. Johnson believed that the bombing would break the will of the North Vietnamese and force them to negotiate a peace settlement. However, this did not happen, and the operation continued for three years without any significant impact on the outcome of the war.
The bombing campaign was highly controversial, both in the United States and around the world. Critics argued that it was a disproportionate use of force that killed many innocent civilians and only served to deepen the Vietnamese people’s hatred of the United States. Many also argued that the bombing campaign violated international law and the principles of just war.
Despite the criticism, the operation continued, and the bombing intensified over time. By the end of the campaign, the United States had dropped more than 7 million tons of bombs on Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. The bombing campaign caused immense damage to the Vietnamese infrastructure, killed tens of thousands of civilians, and displaced millions of people.
In addition to its human cost, Operation Rolling Thunder was a strategic failure. The North Vietnamese government and military forces were able to adapt to the bombing and continue their fight against the United States. The operation did not weaken the North Vietnamese or break their will to fight, as Johnson had hoped.
In conclusion, Operation Rolling Thunder was a highly controversial and ultimately unsuccessful bombing campaign carried out by the United States during the Vietnam War. It caused immense damage to the Vietnamese people and infrastructure, violated international law, and failed to achieve its strategic objectives. The operation remains a dark chapter in American history and a cautionary tale of the dangers of disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force in military conflict.