( Bowman) ( McCoy).
Saigon did have a chance. South Vietnam was not defenseless. Under President Thieu much of the land lost to the Viet Cong was regained during the period of "flag wars." Seventy percent of South Vietnam was under Saigon control. ARVN was very well equipped with troops, material, and supplies. As many as 1,000,000 ARVN regulars defended South Vietnam. They had the fourth largest air force in the world and a massive navy. These forces were supplied and trained by the U.S. Moreover, U.S. technicians remained in country to maintain the equipment and lend other technical support. The U.S. was initially supplying South Vietnam with over $3,000,000,0000 of yearly military aid. ( Todd) South Vietnam had the backing of thousands of U.S. troops in nearby Thailand and the Philippines. North Vietnam's forces were battered from recent heavy fighting. The north had recently lost as many 100,000 of its veteran troops and thousands more were injured. South Vietnam was not defenseless. ( McCoy) .
South Vietnam had a few critical weaknesses. Dependence on the "camp follower economy," which had also lost its American backbone created inflation crippled the country. Necessities like oil and rice were nearly unattainable. Unemployment had reached extreme levels as well. ARVN was not well organized. ARVN was responsible for defending every village in South Vietnam. This took troops away from crucial defense areas. ARVN was spread too thin. Corruption in the Saigon government hurt the south's chances. The government was corrupt from the lowest village ranks to the president himself. Officers could purchase their rank, resulting in rich but incompetent leaders. Corrupt military personnel sold supplies on the black market and embezzled funds. Catholic politicians in Saigon organized public criticism. Instead of change, President Thieu resorted to repression. Increased repression doubled resistance.