Operation Rolling Thunder facts for kids

Operation Rolling Thunder was a major bombing campaign by the United States against North Vietnam during the Vietnam War. It started in March 1965 and lasted until October 1968. The main goal was to stop North Vietnam from sending supplies and soldiers to help the Viet Cong in South Vietnam.

What Was the Vietnam War?

The Vietnam War was a long conflict that took place in Vietnam, a country in Southeast Asia. It was fought between North Vietnam (which was communist) and South Vietnam (which was supported by the United States). The war lasted from the late 1950s to 1975. The United States got involved to try and stop the spread of communism in the region.

Why Did Rolling Thunder Happen?

The United States started Operation Rolling Thunder for several reasons:

• To make North Vietnam stop supporting the Viet Cong in South Vietnam.
• To destroy North Vietnam's ability to fight, by bombing their roads, bridges, and supply lines.
• To boost the spirits of the South Vietnamese government and army.
• To show North Vietnam that the United States was serious about protecting South Vietnam.

How Did the Bombing Work?

American planes, including fighter jets and bombers, flew many missions over North Vietnam. They targeted military bases, supply depots, bridges, and roads. The idea was to make it very difficult for North Vietnam to move troops and equipment.

Types of Aircraft Used

Many different types of aircraft were used in Operation Rolling Thunder.

• Republic F-105 Thunderchief jets were often used for bombing missions.
• Douglas A-4 Skyhawk planes also carried out attacks.
• Grumman A-6 Intruder bombers were used for all-weather attacks.
• LTV A-7 Corsair II jets were used later in the operation.
• KC-135 Stratotanker planes provided fuel to the fighter jets during their long flights.

Challenges Faced by Pilots

Flying missions over North Vietnam was very dangerous. North Vietnam had strong air defenses, including:

• SA-2 surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), which were rockets fired from the ground to hit planes.
• Anti-aircraft guns, which shot shells into the sky.
• MiG fighter jets, flown by North Vietnamese pilots.

American pilots had to fly carefully to avoid these dangers. Special "Wild Weasel" teams were created to find and destroy enemy missile sites.

What Were the Results?

Operation Rolling Thunder was one of the longest bombing campaigns in history. However, it did not fully achieve its goals. North Vietnam continued to send supplies to the South, and the war continued for many more years. The bombing did cause a lot of damage in North Vietnam and made it harder for them to fight.

The operation ended in October 1968 when President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered a complete stop to the bombing of North Vietnam. This was done to encourage peace talks.

Images for kids

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  F-105Ds refueling en route to North Vietnam in 1965

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  A U.S. Navy Douglas A-4 Skyhawk attacking a train in North Vietnam with a Zuni rocket

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  Route Package organization

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  A-4E Skyhawks attacking Phuong Dinh bridge in 1967

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  An F-105D hit by an SA-2 missile

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  U.S. Navy A-6A Intruder all-weather bombers, in 1968

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  The Hanoi POL facility burning after it was attacked by the U.S. Air Force on 29 June 1965

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  A USAF "Iron Hand" SAM-suppression team late in the war

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  U.S. Navy A-7B Corsairs armed with Shrike anti-radiation missiles, 1969

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  A missile-armed VPAF MiG-21PF landing, using its drogue parachute

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  F-105 Thunderchief dropping ordnance during Rolling Thunder

See also

In Spanish: Operación Rolling Thunder para niños