Myth: The South Vietnamese never really fought well, they weren't really committed to the fight

Fact: Many South Vietnamese troops fought with great bravery and inflicted heavy casualties on the North Vietnamese troops.

• The South Vietnamese military had to be built from scratch. It takes to build a competent military.
• The greatest problem in building any military is the leadership; both enlisted and officer ranks. ARVN performance was uneven in this area.
• ARVN performance improved over time. By 1973 they were successfully defending their country against the aggression of North Vietnam. Then the US abandoned them.

Confirming Evidence

The Strength and Weakness of the ARVN

The Effects of Vietnamization on the Republic of Vietnam's Armed Forces, 1969-1972; Three Military Operations that Illustrate the Impact of American De-escalation during the Vietnam War

THE DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING OF THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE ARMY, 1950-1972

The Bravest ARVN I Ever Met

Vietnam's Forgotten Army: Heroism and Betrayal in the ARVN (review)

ARVN Rangers