CMH Profile picture
Apr 4 8 tweets 5 min read Twitter logo Read on Twitter
SOLDIER PROFILE - GENERAL WILLIAM WESTMORELAND - VIETNAM WAR 50TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION

Widely remembered as the face of the U.S. war effort in Vietnam, GEN Westmoreland commanded Military Assistance Command – Vietnam (MACV) from 1964 to 1968.

#Armyhistory #USArmy
Westmoreland’s career began at West Point, after which he climbed up the ranks during WWII, during which he garnered a sterling reputation. He further burnished his career by becoming the youngest MG in the U.S. Army in 1956 and superintendent of West Point in 1960.
In JAN 1964, Westmoreland was made deputy commander of MACV; in JUN he was elevated to overall command. He occupied that role for the next four years, during which he would become the primary force shaping U.S. military strategy in the region.
#VietnamWar #VietnamWarHistory
Westmoreland went to Vietnam before formal U.S. combat involvement, but within just two months of assuming command, the Gulf of Tonkin Incident led to the massive escalation of the U.S. presence in Vietnam to over 500,000 military personnel over a period of just a few years.
The tenure of Westmoreland as MACV commander was marked by contrasts. Although U.S. forces achieved significant battlefield triumphs, the enemy’s predilection towards small-unit engagements and guerilla actions made the task of winning the war both lengthy and costly.
Westmoreland’s efforts to break the enemy’s will to fight through a strategy of attrition was effective in generating enemy casualties but backfired by overexposing American society to the negative externalities of the war, ultimately sapping U.S. support for the war effort.
In JUN 1968, Westmoreland became Army Chief of Staff (1968 – 1972). It was in this capacity that he ordered an investigation into the My Lai Massacre which ultimately became a foundational element for the wholesale reform of the Army officer corps following Vietnam. #TRADOC
Westmoreland retired from the Army in 1972 after over three and a half decades of service to the nation and died in 2005 at the age of 91. He is buried at West Point Cemetery.
#VietnamVeterans #MilitaryHistory #Westmoreland @TRADOC @USArmy @SecArmy @ArmyChiefStaff

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh
 

Keep Current with CMH

CMH Profile picture

Stay in touch and get notified when new unrolls are available from this author!

Read all threads

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

PDF

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video
  1. Follow @ThreadReaderApp to mention us!

  2. From a Twitter thread mention us with a keyword "unroll"
@threadreaderapp unroll

Practice here first or read more on our help page!

More from @USArmyCMH

Apr 6
6 APRIL 1917 U.S. DECLARES WAR ON GERMANY - #WWI

Congress formally declared war against the German Empire on 6 April 1917 bringing America into WWI which had been raging in Europe for almost 4 years. The United States later declared war on Austria-Hungary on 7 Dec 1917. Image
On 31 January 1917, Count Johann von Bernstorff, Germany's Ambassador to the United States, notified U.S. Secretary of State Robert Lansing of his country's intention to resume unrestricted submarine warfare the following day.
In response, Pres Wilson addressed Congress on 3 Feb to announce that he had severed diplomatic relations with Germany. Throughout Feb and Mar German submarines attacked and sank several U.S. flag vessels resulting in the loss of many American passengers and merchant seamen. Image
Read 7 tweets
Apr 6
6-7 APRIL 1862 - BATTLE OF SHILOH - #CivilWar
Rebel forces launched a surprise attack against the U.S. Army of the Tennessee encamped near Pittsburgh Landing, Tennessee, in the vicinity of the Shiloh Church. The battle lasted two days, and resulted in a victory for Union forces. Image
After U.S. forces penetrated the Confederate outer defense line by capturing Forts Henry and Donelson, President Abraham Lincoln ordered Major General Henry Halleck to coordinate the operations of the four western armies.

#Armyhistory #USArmy #Shiloh #TRADOC #MilitaryHistory Image
The Armies of the Ohio and the Tennessee advanced against Johnston's Confederate army at Corinth, Mississippi. Buell moved to Savannah, TN, on the Tennessee River, and Grant moved to Pittsburg Landing nine miles below Savannah. Image
Read 6 tweets
Apr 5
M48 PATTON MAIN BATTLE TANK - END OF THE VIETNAM WAR 50TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION

Part of the Patton family of main battle tanks, the M48 saw widespread use by the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, providing crucial infantry support, particularly in intense urban combat. Image
Originally developed in the early 1950’s as a first-generation main battle tank, the M48 was quickly modified in several variants. The model which was most common in the Vietnam War was the M48A3, developed in the late 1950’s.
#TRADOC #Armor #VietnamWar #Armyhistory #USArmy
Although it was superseded by the M60 tank in the early 1960’s, the M48 performed well in Vietnam, where the scarcity of tank-on-tank combat allowed the slightly behind-the-times M48 to shine in infantry support and convoy defense roles.
#VietnamWarHistory #VietnamVeterans Image
Read 5 tweets
Apr 5
U.S. ALLIES IN VIETNAM - END OF VIETNAM WAR 50TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION

Although the U.S. was the main military supporter of South Vietnam, combat troops from South Korea, Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand fought in the Vietnam War as well.
#Armyhistory #USArmy #TRADOC Image
South Korea was the second-greatest contributor of forces, sending over 300,000 soldiers to Vietnam from 1965 – 1972, where they earned a reputation for combat efficiency. By the end of 1972, most foreign forces in-country were South Korean.
#VietnamWar #VietnamWarHistory Image
Australian advisors assisted the ARVN as early as 1962, and both Australia and New Zealand began sending ground combat elements in 1965, with their troops often serving together. Australia sent 60,000 soldiers over the course of the war, while New Zealand sent 3,000. Image
Read 5 tweets
Apr 5
5 APRIL 1945 - PO VALLEY CAMPAIGN BEGINS - #WWII

On 5 April 1945, Allied forces pushed across the Po River Valley, and, as German resistance crumbled, made rapid advances which ended with the surrender of the German forces in Italy on 2 May 1945.
#armyhistory #USArmy #TRADOC Image
After another slow, arduous advance over rugged terrain, in poor weather, against a determined, well-entrenched, and skillful enemy, by April 1945 the superbly led and combat-hardened Allied 15th Army Group enjoyed overwhelming numerical superiority on the ground and in the air.
On the evening of 2 May, the 15th Army Group headquarters, commanded by General Mark Clark, transmitted the cease-fire orders throughout northern Italy, and the remaining Axis forces laid down their arms within the next forty-eight hours.
#POValley #MilitaryHistory @USArmy Image
Read 5 tweets
Apr 4
AMERICAN FORCES VIETNAM NETWORK (GOOD MORNING VIETNAM!) - END OF THE VIETNAM WAR 50TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION

AFVN was a U.S. military radio network which entertained troops with music, comedy, and news and was immortalized in the 1987 movie Good Morning, Vietnam.
A direct successor to the famous U.S. Army-operated Armed Forces Radio Service radio stations of WWII, AFVN began broadcasting in Saigon under the banner of Armed Forces Radio Saigon in AUG 1962. As the network grew it was renamed AFVN.
#Armyhistory #USArmy #TRADOC #DINFOS
AFVN’s round-the-clock broadcasts became an important source of news of current events and provided a respite from the hardships of military life through music and humor. AFVN stations also became a tool for broadcasting information to the Vietnamese people.
#PublicAffairs
Read 7 tweets

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!


This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Don't want to be a Premium member but still want to support us?

Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal

Or Donate anonymously using crypto!

Ethereum

0xfe58350B80634f60Fa6Dc149a72b4DFbc17D341E copy

Bitcoin

3ATGMxNzCUFzxpMCHL5sWSt4DVtS8UqXpi copy

Thank you for your support!

Follow Us on Twitter!

:(