Vietnam and the War in the Gulf - Ten Observations 

Notes presented by Dr. Frank Burdick - SUNY Cortland 

History 330-001 - The Vietnam War  12/2/1991

1. The combat environment: The Gulf War provided a more favorable environment for US technology , weapons, and maneuver tactics.

2. End of the Cold War: Absent from the Gulf War was the factor of big power politics; Soviets and Chinese supported coalition action. Soviets passed on important intelligence on Iraqi air defense systems.

3. Coalition Warfare: In Vietnam the US was unable to win more than token support of SEATO allies, or worse, was forced to purchase Korean mercenaries.

4. Clear constitutional support of Congress: The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution of August 1964 meant a commitment few congressmen could appreciate. This was not so in the Congressional debate of December 1990.

5. The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait was deliberate and offensive to most nations. In Vietnam the "enemy" was Vietnamese fighting Vietnamese in a Revolutionary War. 

6. Motivation: It is clear that the Iraqi forces - even the so called elite "Republican Guard" lacked the motivation to fight. In Vietnam the Revolutionary forces were highly motivated, a fact noted by most American Vietnam veterans. 

7. In the Gulf War the US applied power massively and forcefully. In Vietnam power was applied gradually and haltingly, for reasons inherent in Vietnam's close proximity to China.

8. Progress and "victory" in the gulf War was measured by territory taken, unlike Vietnam where an attrition strategy was applied success was measured in the infamous body count.

9. Because of the gradualist nature of the build up in Vietnam it was impossible  for the military to impose censorship of the media. In the Guld War censorship of the media was imposed from the start.

10. Finally, Vietnam was a war the US couldn't win; The Gulf War was a war the US could lose.

Dr. Frank Burdick
1933 to 2013