[tonycavanagh]

re : Seems like LtCol Becker read his history on the Marines in Vietnam with the CAP's winning the hearts and minds of the villagers by living with and fighting with them at the local level.

Agreed, a policy ignored by General Westmoreland who decided the war would be better thought with big headline grabbing operations, search and destroy ops attriting the enemy.

This tactics failed because in most cases it was the NVA and VC who initiated these fire fights and withdrew when American fire power became too great.

In this way they kept there casualty figures to a acceptable level inflicting casualties on the Americans with no ground gained or lost.

[highlymotivated]

EXACTLY! I work with a former CAP'er. He said it was working VERY WELL and THAT is why Westmoreland nixed it. It was making the Army look bad.