[Seruzawa]

McNamara thought that US high tech sensors and weaponry would defeat those sandal wearing Vietnamese, too.

[only1percent]

We did defeat the sandal-wearing Viet Cong (NLF). By 1970 they were a largely neutralized force.

We were "beaten" by the boot-wearing conventional NVA infantry, field artillery, armor and air defense artillery - not that they beat us in battle, but that we weren't willing to spend the lives and treasure required to keep them at bay indefinitely. Quite similar to Biden's "loss" to the Taliban in Afghanistan - never beaten in a stand-up fight, but just worn out.