The Vietnam War was a long, costly and disruptive conflict that pitted the communist government of North Vietnam against South Vietnam and its main ally, the United States. Careful, strategic planning was needed to win this war and all of the armies involved shared the common problem of “logistics” - getting their soldiers what they needed to be able to win. During WWII military operations required substantial logistical support. With large armies fighting on a range of terrains, worlds away from each other, the logistical planning took center stage. The lesson learned from those previous conflicts was clear - the will to win must be matched with the means to achieve that victory. Here we will see the logistical efforts necessary to keep the soldiers in Vietnam supplied with “beans, bullets and bandaids”.
