S8 Ep273: SEARCH AND DESTROY AND THE FAILURE OF ATTRITION Colleague Geoffrey Wawro. General Westmoreland implemented a strategy of attrition aimed at reaching a "crossover point" where enemies were ki

SEARCH AND DESTROY AND THE FAILURE OF ATTRITION Colleague Geoffrey Wawro. General Westmoreland implemented a strategy of attrition aimed at reaching a "crossover point" where enemies were killed faster than they could be replaced, requiring the construction of massive infrastructure and thousands of firebases. However, this "search and destroy" tactic largely failed because the enemy avoided contact 90% of the time, retreating to sanctuaries when threatened and choosing when to fight. The strategy proved ineffective against an adversary willing to wait out American patience, as US operations often resulted in a "swing and a miss" rather than decisive engagement. NUMBER 11