Viet Cong Casualties

Alfred Batungbacal1966 

The Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) grossly under reported casualties to the public during the Vietnam War in order to prevent public opinion turning against the war. All told, the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) suffered around two hundred thousand casualties while North Vietnam and the National Liberation Front (Viet Cong) suffered around one million casualties. The North Vietnamese strategy during the Vietnam War was that of attrition and wearing down of the United States’ resolve to continue to fight. As such, they turned a blind eye to the mounting casualties and planned military and propaganda attacks designed to elicit international outcry against United States’ involvement in Vietnam.

Photograph taken by Department of the Army Special Photographic Office photographer, Alfred Batunbacal

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