Final answer:
Operation Rolling Thunder is considered a failure in the Vietnam War due to its inability to achieve strategic objectives and significant civilian casualties. The campaign lasted from 1965 to 1968 and involved massive bombing that failed to break North Vietnamese resolve. It contributed to negative public opinion and doubts about the war's winnability, especially after the Tet Offensive.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Vietnam War campaign considered by many as a failure is Operation Rolling Thunder. This was a sustained bombing campaign ordered by President Johnson in March 1965 to demonstrate US resolve, target North Vietnamese military sites, and support the South Vietnamese in their fight against the North. However, the difficulty in distinguishing between military and civilian targets from the air led to significant civilian casualties and failed to break the will of North Vietnam or significantly hinder their military capabilities.
Many Americans began to doubt the winnability of the war following the Tet Offensive, which was a large-scale attack by Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces on South Vietnamese and U.S. targets in 1968. This event significantly impacted American public opinion and perception of the conflict, marking a turning point in domestic support for the Vietnam War.
While General William Westmoreland claimed military success, stating that the U.S. won every engagement, the 'war of attrition' strategy failed to account for the political and psychological dimensions of the war. The inability to clearly achieve military objectives and the high toll on civilian life led to the perception of Operation Rolling Thunder as a failed campaign.