Vietnam War · World History

The 'Strategic Hamlet Program' was an attempt by the South Vietnamese government and the U.S. to:

  1. Accelerate ARVN recruitment from rural areas to build a larger South Vietnamese fighting force
  2. Relocate rural villagers into fortified hamlets to sever their ties to the Viet Cong insurgency
  3. Win rural loyalty through land reform, free education, and local healthcare initiatives
  4. Establish fortified fire bases along the Cambodian and Laotian borders to block NVA infiltration
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: Relocate rural villagers into fortified hamlets to sever their ties to the Viet Cong insurgency

The program largely failed because it alienated the peasantry, who were forcibly moved from their ancestral lands. Instead of providing security, it often made the villagers more sympathetic to the Viet Cong.

Difficulty: Medium Question 19 of 20

Practice all 20 Vietnam War questions

Keep practicing

More Vietnam War questions