THE GUNS OF VIETNAM
By Alexandros Tsitlakidis
AMONG THE WEAPONS USED IN THE VIETNAM WAR, THE SMALL ARMS OF THE WARRING FRACTIONS HAD A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON THE OUTCOME OF THE WAR, AFTER ALL, IT IS THE SOLDIERS ON THE GROUND THAT DO THE BATTLE, AND THE GUN IS THE MOST BASIC TOOL OF ALL SOLDIERS DURING THE WAR.
AMONG THE WEAPONS USED IN THE VIETNAM WAR, THE SMALL ARMS OF THE WARRING FRACTIONS HAD A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON THE OUTCOME OF THE WAR, AFTER ALL, IT IS THE SOLDIERS ON THE GROUND THAT DO THE BATTLE, AND THE GUN IS THE MOST BASIC TOOL OF ALL SOLDIERS DURING THE WAR.
THE AMERICANS, THE ARVN, AND ALLIED FORCES
The standard-issue rifle used by the American Forces M16 Rifle. Adopted in 1968, best distinguished by its all-black look and its accuracy.
However, there were problems with the M16 including: - It was infamously unreliable and unsuited to jungle conditions - The soldiers would doubt the lethality of the 5.56x45mm Cartridge. The Previous Standard-Issue Rifle to the United States Armed Forces is the M14 rifle, which bears a resemblance to the M1 Garand, chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO, Capable of Select Fire (although it was preferrably fired in Semi-automatic). The rifle was criticized due to its unwieldy length and uncontrollable recoil in Full automatic fire. Another standard-issue weapon issued to American Forces is the M60 Machine Gun, used for ground support, and helicopter door gunner, nicknamed "the Pig" due to its size and poor reliability. It fires the 7.62x51mm NATO round like the M14 but at a rate of around 500 Rounds per minute. Among the Weapons used by the allies include: - the WWII-era Thompson Submachine Gun used by Door Gunners as a secondary weapon. - the Remington 700 bolt-action sniper rifle. - the Colt M1911 Handgun, standard-issue sidearm. - the M79 Grenade Launcher. - the M134 Minigun, for more specialized door gunner-roles. - the Ithaca 37 Shotgun, in which many were shortened in iconic fashion. - The Claymore landmine. - The M67 Rocket Launcher. - The Browning M2 Heavy Machine Gun, used by Boat Crews and in some cases, Helicopter door gunners. Dubbed "Ma Deuce" by its users, chambered in .50 BMG. |
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THE COMMUNIST FORCES
Their standard issue rifle is among the most Iconic rifles ever made: the AK-47
The AK-47 is known for its reliability in harsh environments including the Jungles of Vietnam, despite its poor accuracy in comparison to the M16. The rifle comes in many different variants (one with a wooden stock, one with an under-folding stock, and an improved model, dubbed the AKM), made by many countries (most notably the Type 56 copy exported from China.) It fires the 7.62x39mm M43 round at a rate of around 600 to 650 rounds per minute. Among the Weapons in used by the communist forces include: - the SKS Semi-Automatic Rifle. - the RPD Machine Gun. - the DShK Heavy Machine Gun, the Communist equivalent to Ma Deuce (Browning M2.) - the PRG-7 rocket launcher. - the PPS-43 submachine gun. - the PPSh-41 (and the K-50M, the Vietnamese modification.) - the MP40 submachine gun from World War 2. - the MAT-49 submachine gun from the Franco-Vietnamese War. - the TT-33 pistol. During the war, the Viet Cong were able to obtain not only Communist Weapons, but use captured American Weapons, captured French Weapons from the earlier Franco-Vietnamese War, and even captured Japanese Weapons from World War II. The Viet Cong used many booby traps against the Allied forces, that worked to great effect. |
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