U.s. Strategic Objectives And Tactical Choices Asymmetry's,

Vietnam War is, not only a hot war rating important during the cold war, but also the longest lasting war in American history. Vietnam War featured special background and progress. Aiming at preventing the Communism spreading in Southwest Asia, which was regarded as a threat to its own global benefits, the US was employing its supreme military forces against the weak North Vietnam and Vietnam Communists, with its preliminary Military Assistance Advisory Group devoting to South Vietnam and the subsequent mass ground battles and heavy air attacks against North Vietnam. Notwithstanding the heavy cost for over twenty years'war ending with its withdrawal, the US lost the war yet. Therefore, Vietnam War is considered with profound significance for study hitherto. As the invader in war, the attacker, the US failed to seize the initiative. Its limit tactics caused limitless target impossible, as a result, far from reaching the expected target, the military move formed an impediment for political strategy, which came into the situation that strategic interests was governed by that of strategy execution agency. Rolling Thunder from 1965 to 1968 was a typical example of this situation. The US contrived to increasingly pressurize North Vietnam to force it to surrender through mass strategic bombing, but meanwhile neglected the limitation. The thesis aims to study the implementation progress of Rolling Thunder, analyzing what caused the impolicy, and impact of the issue on America's policy. The thesis is divided into 5 parts: Introduction; Chapter 1 America's Strategic Target on Vietnam; Chapter2 Rolling Thunder from 1965 to 1968; Chapter 3 Analysis on Rolling Thunder and America's Policy; Conclusion.