Why did the USA lose the Vietnam War?

1. US military tactics in Vietnam
The military tactics that were used in vietnam shocked the American public because they were completely inhumane and cruel. Events like the My Lai Massacre made the public think about what was actually going on in vietnam and rethink if it was wort it. The Viet Cong had more effective tactics as well, which were more suited in the terrain of Vietnam.

2. The unpopularity of the South Vietnamese regime
The South Vietnamese regime was corrupt, and did not treat its people well which caused the monks to light themselves on fire in public protest. This made the South Vietnamese people turn against their government, and the US did not support the South Vietnamese government and so this made the public not like the war even more.

3. The experience of the Viet Cong and the inexperience of the American soldiers
The Vietcong solders were forced to fight the whole time, and so they could continue to improve their skills. The US troops on the other hand cycled out once a year and so the american troops would be taken out once they became used to the conditions and new soldiers would have to come in and adapt. Also, when they came home they would share the horrible things going on in Vietnam.

4. Domestic opposition to the war in the U.S.
The domestic opposition against the war in the US played a big part in ending the war. The Anti-War protests took away support for the war and most of the protesters were men who would be drafted and go and fight in the war, which made them protest harder. Also, some just refused to go to war and were put in jail.

5. Chinese and Soviet support for the Viet Cong
The Chinese and Soviet support for the Vietcong let them use supplies that were more up to date, but they were not nearly as good as the US soldier's weaponry. This helped them keep from being completely being overwhelmed by the fact that the US soldiers had the better technology.

6. 'But did they really lose?' Summarize the argument put forward in Source 57, and your view on it.
The US did not really lose the war. First of all, the US pulled out of the war, and it was because of the public, not because of military problems even though they were having them. I do agree with source 57 because i believe that the US did not really lose the war, but i dont agree with the part supporting the war. On top of that, it was not declared a war by the US but rather a military conflict.