Myth 15: The determination of the North to carry the war on was never affected by any military setbacks or US actions

Myth: The determination of the North to carry the war on was never affected by any military setbacks or US actions

Fact: Morale of the troops was an increasing problem over time, especially after the Tet offensive

Morale began to deteriorate when troops had to endure the rigors of travel on the Ho Chi Minh trail while infiltrating
Many NVA troops had a tattoo "Born in the North To Die in the South" indicating their pessimism about surviving
As the war dragged on, loss of food, ammunition and medical supplies affected morale and caused problems with recruiting
The 1970 entry of US and ARVN troops into Cambodia seriously affected NVA morale, because they had been told that Cambodia was a safe haven
Although communist documents are routinely bombastic and full of exaggerations, there are hints of problems revealed in them
The Linebacker II bombing campaign terrified NVA troops and almost broke the will of the North to continue
NVA Commander Giap admitted in his memoirs that the NVA was defeated in Tet and during the Linebacker II bombing campaign

The Vietnam Debates: A Fresh Look at the Arguments. New York: U of America, 1990. 179. Print.