South Vietnamese Regional Forces: Difference between revisions
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During the [[Vietnam War]], the '''South Vietnamese Regional Forces''' were a form of local militia. Recruited locally, they fell into two broad groups - Regional Forces and [[South Vietnamese Popular Force|Popular Forces]] (The RFPF's, called Ruff-Puffs by American forces). During the early 1960s the Regional Forces manned the country-wide outpost system and defended critical points, such as bridges and ferries. There were some 9,000 such positions, half of them in the [[Mekong Delta]] region. In 1964, the Regional Forces were integrated into the [[Army of the Republic of Vietnam]] (ARVN) and placed under the command of the Joint General Staff. |
During the [[Vietnam War]], the '''South Vietnamese Regional Forces''' were a form of local militia. Recruited locally, they fell into two broad groups - Regional Forces and [[South Vietnamese Popular Force|Popular Forces]] (The RFPF's, called Ruff-Puffs by American forces). During the early 1960s the Regional Forces manned the country-wide outpost system and defended critical points, such as bridges and ferries. There were some 9,000 such positions, half of them in the [[Mekong Delta]] region. In 1964, the Regional Forces were integrated into the [[Army of the Republic of Vietnam]] (ARVN) and placed under the command of the Joint General Staff. |
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Local militia came to play a very effective role in the war, as the style of small-unit warfare was better suited for guerrilla conflicts. Despite being poorly paid, these forces are much more capable at detecting infiltration and holding civilian areas <ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1970/08/16/archives/ruff-puffs-vietnamese-militia-hunt-enemy-by-night.html|title=‘Ruff Puffs,’ Vietnamese Militia, Hunt Enemy by Night|last=Emerson|first=Gloria|date=1970-08-16|work=The New York Times|access-date=2018-05-28|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>. Accounting for an estimated 2-5% of war budget, they were thought to have accounted for roughly 30% of casualties inflicted upon VC/NVA<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.ca/books/about/The_army_and_Vietnam.html?id=7FHbAAAAIAAJ&redir_esc=y|title=The army and Vietnam|last=Krepinevich|first=Andrew F.|date=1986-05-01|publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press|year=|isbn=9780801828638|location=|pages=219-222|language=en}}</ref>. |
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Revision as of 15:28, 28 May 2018
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2013) |
| South Vietnamese Regional Force | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | early 1960s-1964 |
| Land | South Vietnam |
| Typ | Militia |
| Nickname(s) | Ruff-Puffs (used by American Forces) |
| Engagements | War in Vietnam |
During the Vietnam War, the South Vietnamese Regional Forces were a form of local militia. Recruited locally, they fell into two broad groups - Regional Forces and Popular Forces (The RFPF's, called Ruff-Puffs by American forces). During the early 1960s the Regional Forces manned the country-wide outpost system and defended critical points, such as bridges and ferries. There were some 9,000 such positions, half of them in the Mekong Delta region. In 1964, the Regional Forces were integrated into the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) and placed under the command of the Joint General Staff.
Local militia came to play a very effective role in the war, as the style of small-unit warfare was better suited for guerrilla conflicts. Despite being poorly paid, these forces are much more capable at detecting infiltration and holding civilian areas [2]. Accounting for an estimated 2-5% of war budget, they were thought to have accounted for roughly 30% of casualties inflicted upon VC/NVA[3].
History
When U.S. forces began to withdraw from South Vietnam during 1969 and the ARVN began the task of fighting the communist main force units, Regional Forces took on a new importance. For the first time, they were deployed outside their home areas and were sometimes attached to ARVN units. By 1973 the Regional Forces had grown to 1,810 companies, some of which were consolidated into battalions. Charged primarily with local defense under provincial government control, they were too lightly armed and equipped, marginally trained, and lacked the unit cohesion to withstand attack by regular People's Army of Vietnam units supported by tanks and artillery.
External links
![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (September 2013) |
References
- ^ Lễ ra mắt Hội Địa phương quân Bắc Cali
- ^ Emerson, Gloria (1970-08-16). "'Ruff Puffs,' Vietnamese Militia, Hunt Enemy by Night". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
- ^ Krepinevich, Andrew F. (1986-05-01). The army and Vietnam. Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 219–222. ISBN 9780801828638.
