ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Viet Cong and PAVN battle tactics

Okay, so imagine you are playing a game of hide and seek with your friends. You want to stay hidden from your friends for as long as possible, right? Well, that's kind of what the Viet Cong and PAVN (People's Army of Vietnam) did during the Vietnam War.

They didn't have as many soldiers, weapons, or resources as the Americans and their allies did, so they had to be really sneaky and smart about how they fought. They would hide in the jungles and villages, and they would only come out to attack when they had an advantage.

For example, they would often set up traps for the American soldiers to walk into, like booby traps or ambushes. They would also use guerrilla warfare tactics, which means they would hit the enemy quickly and then disappear before the enemy could even respond.

Another thing they did was to blend in with the local population. They would often dress like farmers or villagers, so the American soldiers wouldn't even know they were there. This made it easier for them to gather information and plan their attacks.

Overall, the Viet Cong and PAVN were really good at fighting a hidden, guerrilla-style war. They used their knowledge of the terrain and their ability to blend in with the local population to their advantage, and they were able to hold off the much stronger and better-equipped American army for many years.