Phoenix Program

The Phoenix Program was a U.S.-supported initiative during the Vietnam War aimed at identifying and dismantling the infrastructure of the Viet Cong, the communist insurgent group. It used intelligence gathering, interrogation, and targeted operations to eliminate key members and disrupt their activities, often involving covert tactics. While intended to weaken the enemy, the program was controversial due to reports of human rights abuses and its impact on civilians. Its goal was to reduce the insurgency’s strength quickly, but it raised ethical and legal concerns about the methods used.