The United States could not envision ever leaving Vietnam without having accomplished its goals. American combat troops had access to—and made good use of—hightech equipment such as helicopters, fighter planes, bombers, and ships that could bomb targets many miles inland. The use of helicopters in medical evacuations (medevacs) was perfected during the Vietnam War and saved thousands of lives by getting the injured to hospitals within minutes of being wounded. Helicopters also ferried men and supplies to remote jungle posts and could provide instant support for troops in battle. Vietnam also saw the use of new warfighting tools such as napalm, a gasoline-based gel used to burn down the jungle where the NVA and VC were hiding, and Agent Orange, a defoliant also used to deny jungle cover to the enemy.

Used to fighting traditional battles...