0 - The Black Vault

THE BDM CORPORATION
miiitary activities in and over Indochina, the elimination of any possibility
of US
reinvolvement ir, the area, and the reduction of US
m 4 lirary
and economic aid to South V~etnam, Lacs, and Cambodia to levels considered
appropriate by the US legislative brancri. _S/
a., Congressional Aid Reductions, 1973-1975
Congressional reductions in US military appropriations fo'
Vietnam impinged oil RVNAF's abililTy to defend South Vietnam for e number of
K• reasons, the most significant of which can be summarized as follows:
• 4 RVNAF's exposure to the US military's mode of conducting military operations
led it to rely increasingly on a well-established logistics system
and heavy fire power, both groand and air; to expend ammunitior at an
exceedingly liberal rate, with little conceri, for conservation; and,
finally, to depend on the ready accessibility and availability of replacement
equipment and spare parts for the maintenance of military material 19/
The impact of the US Congress' aid reductions was particularly significant
in light of the axtreme inflation and fuel shortages facea by the world's
nations during this period.20/
Table 8-2 provides a summary of US military
aid requests between 1973 and 1975, and the respective US legislative
response;21/ Table b-3 depicts US economic relief to South Vietndm during
the same fiscal year time span.22/
After having negotiated a
treaty that allcwed the United
States a certain leeway in replacing South Vietnam's militarŽ, equipment on
a one-to-one basis, ouch reductions in aid we~re particularly disheartening
for the US executive branch,
One-to-one repldcement was no longer a viable
option. By 1974, RVNAF faced severe supply shortages, particularly of
ammunition, and a scarcity of fue" leeded for ooerating military equipment,
Table 8-4 assesses these congressional aid reauctions for FY
impact on RVNAF's overall combat level,
'75 and their
its ability to replace equipment,
and South Vietnam's caoacity to operate and maintain a variety of systems
and/or efforts neccessary for its self-defense. 23/ it therefore becomes
apparent that because of these aild reductions, South Vietnam was hard
pressed to maintain the level of self-defense to which it had become
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