How did battlefield conditions in Vietnam affect American soldiers?

Answer 1

Do you mean the physical conditions of the individucal serviceman? Or was it your intent to say the physical conditions of "Vietnam" on the individual soldier/marine/sailor/airman? For the latter, each U.S. Serviceman had to pass a military physical. So unless they were 4-F (unfit for military service) they were all in good physical condition. As for the physical conditions of Vietnam itself, the land was extremely hot and moist (humid). Just carrying on a normal conversation with someone, and doing anything, one's whole body was soaked in sweat. When in the field, there was NO modern settings such as paved roads and sidewalks, signal lights, fences, signs, gas stations, stores, or bridges. When in the rear (bases, firebases) one was living in the frontier of the U.S. in 186l. The side walks were raised wooden ones not unlike the ones in Deadwood or Dodge City, thus to keep from walking in the mud when it rained. No toilets (except the Air Force or naval bases sometimes), one had to use an OUT HOUSE, just like a hundred years ago. Unless a portable shower was set up by the engineers, the river and creeks became one's bathing place. Unless the engineers processed the river water, one had to use iodine tablets to place in your canteen, so the water was safe to drink. And it was warm to hot when you drank it. Do you mean the physical conditions of the individucal serviceman? Or was it your intent to say the physical conditions of "Vietnam" on the individual soldier/marine/sailor/airman? For the latter, each U.S. Serviceman had to pass a military physical. So unless they were 4-F (unfit for military service) they were all in good physical condition. As for the physical conditions of Vietnam itself, the land was extremely hot and moist (humid). Just carrying on a normal conversation with someone, and doing anything, one's whole body was soaked in sweat. When in the field, there was NO modern settings such as paved roads and sidewalks, signal lights, fences, signs, gas stations, stores, or bridges. When in the rear (bases, firebases) one was living in the frontier of the U.S. in 186l. The side walks were raised wooden ones not unlike the ones in Deadwood or Dodge City, thus to keep from walking in the mud when it rained. No toilets (except the Air Force or naval bases sometimes), one had to use an OUT HOUSE, just like a hundred years ago. Unless a portable shower was set up by the engineers, the river and creeks became one's bathing place. Unless the engineers processed the river water, one had to use iodine tablets to place in your canteen, so the water was safe to drink. And it was warm to hot when you drank it.

Answer 2

The battlefield conditions, consisting of low-intensity warfare in dense jungle areas, contributed to the declining morale and hard conditions faced by American soldiers. These conditions gave the Viet Cong an advantage over the technologically superior US forces and made armored operations difficult.

Answer 3

Grunts lived on the ground (the dirt); tank crewmen lived on their tanks (or on the ground next to it...many had cots...some didn't); artillerymen lived in bunkers that they constructed from wooden ammo crates filled with dirt.