Both sides used a wide variety of devastating weapons during the Vietnam War. The Americans and South Vietnamese used US army weapons including a range of rifles, anti-tank weapons, rocket launchers, grenade launchers, machine guns, sub machine guns, handguns, mortars, howitzers, jet fighters, helicopters, gun ships, bombs and tanks. Some of these weapons dated from World War Two. The Americans also used herbicides - including the notorious Agent Orange - to destroy rice crops in South Vietnam.
On the other side, the Vietcong and the North Vietnamese were employing AK-47 assault rifles, various other rifles, machine guns, heavy machine guns, sub machine guns, rocket launchers, mortars, handguns, jet fighters, helicopters, tanks, landmines and booby traps. They were mainly armed and supplied by their Warsaw Pact allies, though they also inherited American, French and Japanese weapons from earlier stages of the conflict. Some weapons were manufactured in Vietnam itself, notably anti-personnel explosives.
On the other side, the Vietcong and the North Vietnamese were employing AK-47 assault rifles, various other rifles, machine guns, heavy machine guns, sub machine guns, rocket launchers, mortars, handguns, jet fighters, helicopters, tanks, landmines and booby traps. They were mainly armed and supplied by their Warsaw Pact allies, though they also inherited American, French and Japanese weapons from earlier stages of the conflict. Some weapons were manufactured in Vietnam itself, notably anti-personnel explosives.
