I don't know much about the Vietnam war (except what I read here on FR and on the web). I'll be interested in hearing from the MilHist pingees....we have quite a bunch of knowledgeable vets and milhist experts on the list.
ARVN were shown to be dismall in their ability.
There were however some excellent AVRN [South Vietnamese] units which would go on Charlie with resolve.
Dewey Canyon II [Lam Son 719] in 1971 displayed ARVN's capability....the writing was on the wall after the disasterous forray into Laos.
Hundreds of U.S. helo's ferrying ARVN into firebases were damaged and lost.
The roadnet/convey run on the ground into Laos was a slaughter guantlet.
*Into Laos...by Keith William Nolan is a must read on Dewey Canyon II.
U.S. Helo crews went into Firebases while Charlie over ran them.
The heroism is amazing.
Some Helo's were so shot up...they limped to the next firebase....only to find it being over-run.
Some U.S. soldiers stayed with AVRN who fought to the last man...calling in Air strikes in a series of cascading *Broken Arrow events.
Downed Helo crews...downed Fighter crews,...wandering thru the jungle while Charlie hunted them.
The scale of battle was huge....as U.S. Firebases on Vietnam side were zapped in strength.
damaged helo's returned to find themselves under fire at the U.S. bases.
Sheridan Tank crews lagered at night with Flechette rounds in the tube.
Charlie zapping platoons with RPG and mortars.
Ambushes on the roadnet towards Laos on Vietnam side were continual.
Some ARVN mechanised units halted just short of the ARVN firebases,....smoked cigarettes while their buddies got the chop.
Dewey Canyon II was compromised by ARVN commanders who had personal grudges with each other.
ARVN losses in Dewey Canyon II were over 50%.
Charlie knew the opp and was ready with significant forces spread out to assail the logistic run ...and to await the air coverage with quad site killing zones.
Charlie paid for Dewey Canyon II ....to the tune of near 20,000 killed.
The writing was on the wall however.....ARVN did not have the stuff to prevail without the U.S.
US Army, retired