“The insurgency in Vietnam was dead by 1971, thanks to South Vietnam’s armed forces, America’s forces, and a South Vietnamese civilian population that overwhelmingly viewed the South Vietnamese government as legitimate.”
Incorrect. The VC were largely defunct by 71 due to their over reach and repulse by American forces during the Tet offensive and subsequent attacks. For the author of this piece to claim that South Vietnamese civilians were suddenly all for their government and thus played a role in the impotence of the VC is wrong.
The premise of the massive '68 Tet uprising by the VC in all major cities of the South was that the people would join them against the government. That didn't happen, which allowed U.S. and S.V. forces to decimate them.
If Dr. Moyar says S.V. civilian support of the government was an important factor, you can take it to the bank. His research is meticulous.