Why was the North off limits?
Didn’t want to draw the Russians in if we went to hard against NV.
I never really understood - apparently only someone as smart as McNamara could.
So far as I got it the reason was if we really went to war against the North (as they had gone to war against us in the South) we might make them really mad at us, or might bring in the Chicoms or might bring criticism from the "international community." Plus, McNamara seemed to think if he only applied a little pressure and then gradually increased pressure against the North they'd come to their senses and negotiate a peace deal.
Then there were various suspensions of bombing what targets McNamara would allow us to bomb to give the North an opportunity to sue for peace, none of which went anywhere.
If Obama could ever bring himself to go to war, his ilk would probably fight it in a similar fashion, with one hand tied behind his back.
Look at a map of Vietnam. See what Country is on it’s Northern border? That’s why.
Rumor back then had it that lady tird johnson owned a great deal of conoco stock. Part of the reason.
Perhaps to avoid killing Chinese advisors there and triggering WWIII with a Chinese-Russian alliance?