Weapons of the ARVN, US, South Korean, Australian, and New Zealand Chemical weaponsIn 1961 and 62 the Kennedy administration authorized the use of chemicals to destroy vegetation and food crops in South Vietnam. Between 1961 and 1967 the US Air Force sprayed 12 million US gallons of concentrated herbicides, mainly Agent Orange (a dioxin) over 6 million acres (24,000 km²) of foliage, trees and food crops, affecting an estimated 13% of South Vietnam's land. In the year 1965, 42% of the herbicide used was allocated to food crops. The herbicide use was also intended to drive civilians into RVN-controlled areas. In 1997, an article published by the Wall Street Journal reported that up to half a million children were born with dioxin related deformities, and that the birth defects in South Vietnam were fourfold those in the North. The use of Agent Orange may have been contrary to international rules of war at the time. It is also of note that the most likely victims of such an assault would be small children. A 1967 study by the Agronomy Section of the Japanese Science Council concluded that 3.8 million acres (15,000 km²) of land had been destroyed, killing 1000 civilians and 13,000 livestock.
Grenades and Mines Claymore anti-personnel mine in use in Vietnam
Mark 2 Fragmentation Hand/Rifle Grenade
M61 Fragmentation Hand Grenade
WP M34 grenade White Phosphorus Hand Grenade is a smoke grenade that uses white phosphorus, which, when in contact with air ignites and creates white smoke. The white phosphorus was also a useful way to dislodge the Viet Cong from tunnels or other enclosed spaces as the burning white phosphorus absorbs oxygen, causing the victims to suffocate or suffer serious burns.
M18 grenade Smoke Hand Grenade
Claymore M18A1 - An anti-personnel mine
Grenade launchers
M79 grenade launcher
M203 grenade launcher - Used late in the war by special forces.
China Lake NATIC - A pump-action grenade launcher used by U.S. Navy SEALs
XM148 grenade launcher
Mk.19 Automatic Grenade Launcher
Flamethrowers
M2 flamethrower
Substitute standard weapons used by irregular forces
Arisaka bolt-action rifles
M1 Garand rifle, semi-automatic
M1 carbines, semi-automatic
Springfield M1903 bolt-action rifles
MAS-36 bolt-action rifles
MAS-49 semi-automatic rifles
MAT-49 submachine gun and local variants
MP40 submachine guns
PPS-43 submachine gun and local variants
Swedish K submachine guns
Mosin-Nagant bolt-action rifles and carbines
Mauser Karabiner 98k bolt-action rifles
Type 99 light machine gun Used occasionally by the Viet Cong
Nambu semi-automatic pistol
Colt M1911A1 Semi-Automatic Pistol
M72 LAW
Hand combat weapons
M6 bayonet U.S. Used on M-14
M1 Bayonet U.S. and ARVN Used on M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, and M-14
M7 Bayonet U.S. Use with the M-16
Other types of knives, bayonets, and blades.
A wide variety of anti-personnel landmines and booby traps were used in the Vietnam war, including punji stakes.
Artillery
105 mm Howitzer M2A1
105 mm Howitzer M102
M107 howitzer Self-propelled 175 mm howitzer
M109 Self-propelled 155 mm howitzer
M110 Self-propelled 8-inch howitzer
75mm Pack Howitzer M1
L5 pack howitzer 105 mm pack howitzer used by Australia
Artillery ammunition types
Beehive rounds
White phosphorus (marking round) "Willy Peter"
HE, general purpose (High Explosive)
Canister
Aircraft Ordnance
GBUs
CBUs
BLU-82 Daisy cutter
Napalm
Bomb, 250 lb, 500 lb, 750 lb, 1000 lb, HE (high explosive), general purpose