1961 in the Vietnam War

1961 in the Vietnam War
← 1960 1962 →
	; A map of South Vietnam showing provincial boundaries and names and military zones: I, II, III and IV Corps.
Location	Indochina
Belligerents
Anti-Communist forces: South Vietnam'; Kingdom of Laos; Republic of China	Communist forces: North Vietnam; Viet Cong; Pathet Lao
Strength
	South Vietnam 330,000.
Casualties and losses
South Vietnam: 4,004 killed	North Vietnam: 12,133 killed

The year 1961 saw a new American president, John F. Kennedy, attempt to cope with a deteriorating military and political situation in South Vietnam. The Viet Cong (VC) with assistance from North Vietnam made substantial gains in controlling much of the rural population of South Vietnam. Kennedy expanded military aid to the government of President Ngô Đình Diệm, increased the number of U.S. military advisors in South Vietnam, and reduced the pressure that had been exerted on Diệm during the Eisenhower Administration to reform his government and broaden his political base.

The year was marked by halfhearted attempts of the United States Army to respond to Kennedy's emphasis on developing a greater capability in counterinsurgency,^[3]^: 27–38^[4]^: 124–9 although the U.S. Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) began providing counterinsurgency training to the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) and other security forces. The Kennedy Administration debated internally about introducing U.S. combat troops into South Vietnam, but Kennedy decided against ground soldiers. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) began assisting Montagnard irregular forces, American pilots began flying combat missions to support South Vietnamese ground forces, and Kennedy authorized the use of herbicides (Agent Orange) to kill vegetation near roads threatened by the VC. By the end of the year, 3,205 American military personnel were in South Vietnam compared to 900 a year earlier.

North Vietnam continued to urge the VC to be cautious in South Vietnam and emphasized the importance of the political struggle against the governments of Diệm and the United States rather than the military struggle.

^ Stewart, Richard (2014). Deepening Involvement 1945-1965: The U.S. Army Campaigns of the Vietnam War. United States Army Center for Military History. ISBN 978-1505475166. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
^ Clarke, Jeffrey (1998). The U.S. Army in Vietnam Advice and Support: The Final Years, 1965-1973 (PDF). U.S. Army Center of Military History. p. 275. ISBN 978-1518612619. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
^ Krepinevich, Andrew (1986). The Army and Vietnam. Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0801836572.
^ Nagl, John (2002). Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife: Counterinsurgency Lessons from Malaya and Vietnam. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0226567709.

[Stewart-1] Stewart, Richard (2014). Deepening Involvement 1945-1965: The U.S. Army Campaigns of the Vietnam War. United States Army Center for Military History. ISBN 978-1505475166. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

[Clarke-2] Clarke, Jeffrey (1998). The U.S. Army in Vietnam Advice and Support: The Final Years, 1965-1973 (PDF). U.S. Army Center of Military History. p. 275. ISBN 978-1518612619. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

[Krepinevich-3] Krepinevich, Andrew (1986). The Army and Vietnam. Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0801836572.

[Nagl-4] Nagl, John (2002). Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife: Counterinsurgency Lessons from Malaya and Vietnam. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0226567709.

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