American intervention 1965
135-598: 1966 1967 Tet Offensive and aftermath Vietnamization 1969–1971 1972 Post- Paris Peace Accords (1973–1974) Spring 1975 Air operations Naval operations Lists of allied operations Phase III of the Tet offensive of 1968 (also known as the August offensive or Third offensive ) was launched by the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and Viet Cong (VC) from 17 August to 27 September 1968. The offensive
270-528: A MIKE Force company, killing 17 Special Forces soldiers (their largest one-day loss of the war) and wounding another 125 allied soldiers, 32 VC were killed. At 01:00 on 23 August the VC V25 and T89 Battalions tried to capture the Cẩm Lệ Bridge , 2 km south of Da Nang Air Base to allow follow-on units to attack the city. A platoon of U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) Company D, 1st Military Police Battalion defended
405-669: A U.S. Special Forces border outpost at Lộc Ninh , in Bình Long Province . This attack sparked a ten-day battle that drew in elements of the U.S. 1st Infantry Division and the ARVN 18th Division and left 800 PAVN troops dead at its conclusion. The most severe of what came to be known as "the Border Battles" erupted during October and November around Dak To , another border outpost in Kon Tum Province . The clashes there between
540-555: A U.S. bombing raid on COSVN after having been evacuated from Cambodia. After cementing their position during the Party crackdown, the militants sped up planning for a major conventional offensive to break the military deadlock. They concluded that the Saigon government and the U.S. presence were so unpopular with the population of the South that a broad-based attack would spark a spontaneous uprising of
675-652: A VC unit marching toward the capital. They called in artillery fire and engaged the VC with small arms and the VC retreated to the north and east. At midnight on 18 August a battalion from the 273rd Regiment, 9th Division, attacked Firebase Buell II ( 11°22′23″N 106°07′37″E / 11.373°N 106.127°E / 11.373; 106.127 ) which was defended by 2 platoons from Company D, 3rd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment , two platoons from Company C, 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment and five M48 tanks from Company A, 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment . The PAVN hit
810-536: A battalion from the 275th Regiment attacked the position of Company A, 1/5th Infantry, of the 25th Infantry Division on the west of the Bến Củi Plantation. The attack continued throughout the night and Companies B and C and Company B, 3/22nd Infantry were sent to support Company A. The PAVN/VC withdrew at dawn leaving 100 dead, U.S. losses were three killed and 18 wounded. On 12 September the PAVN 88th Regiment, attempted
945-446: A compromise: The CIA would drop its insistence on including the irregulars in the final tally of forces and add a prose addendum to the estimate that would explain the agency's position. George Allen, Carver's deputy, laid responsibility for the agency's capitulation at the feet of Richard Helms , the director of the CIA. He believed that "it was a political problem ... [Helms] didn't want
1080-605: A conventional conflict might draw China in, as had happened in the Korean War . They also resisted the idea of negotiating with the allies. Moscow, on the other hand, advocated negotiations, but simultaneously armed Hanoi's forces to conduct a conventional war on the Soviet model. North Vietnamese foreign policy therefore consisted of maintaining a critical balance between war policy, internal and external policies, domestic adversaries, and foreign allies with "self-serving agendas." To "break
1215-596: A countrywide assault on the cities, conducted primarily by VC forces. Concurrently, a propaganda offensive to induce ARVN troops to desert and the South Vietnamese population to rise up against the government would be launched. If outright victory was not achieved, the battle might still lead to the creation of a coalition government and the withdrawal of the Americans. If the general offensive failed to achieve these purposes, follow-up operations would be conducted to wear down
1350-406: A dawning realization that if current trends continued, Hanoi would eventually lack the resources necessary to affect the military situation in the South. As a result, there were more strident calls by the moderates for negotiations and a revision of strategy. They felt that a return to guerrilla tactics was more appropriate since the U.S. could not be defeated conventionally. They also complained that
1485-426: A defensive position north of the road while artillery and air strikes were called in. At 20:45 a troop from the 3/44th Cavalry attacked the enemy flank allowing the column to disengage and move east, fighting its way through further ambushes with B-40s knocking out two M48s and two M113s. U.S. losses were eight killed and 44 wounded while PAVN losses were estimated to be more than 200. On the early morning of 20 August,
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#17328481557141620-573: A former commander of the 3rd Division , became the Division’s new commander and was given orders to destroy the US 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division . On the afternoon of 2 January, elements of the 12th Cavalry Regiment engaged a unit of the Division in a four-hour-long battle 5 km south of Ross resulting in 3 U.S. and 39 PAVN killed. On the early morning of 3 January the PAVN attacked four U.S. firebases in
1755-477: A hamlet southwest of Tây Ninh where they were engaged late that day by the ARVN 2nd Airborne Battalion who killed 150 VC for the loss of nine dead and 17 wounded. On 14 September, Company B, 4/23rd Infantry, engaged the 1st Battalion, 272nd Regiment 12 km east of Tây Ninh, killing 33 PAVN/VC. While patrolling Route 239 6 km west of Dầu Tiếng a 1/5th Infantry unit engaged a unit of the 275th Regiment killing 25 PAVN/VC. Between 16 and 20 September, units from
1890-658: A major North Vietnamese military buildup. In addition to captured documents (a copy of Resolution 13 , for example, was captured by early October), observations of enemy logistical operations were also quite clear: in October, the number of trucks observed heading south through Laos on the Hồ Chí Minh Trail jumped from the previous monthly average of 480 to 1,116. By November this total reached 3,823 and, in December, 6,315. On 20 December, Westmoreland cabled Washington that he expected
2025-442: A night ambush platoon from Company A, 2/27th Infantry, 2 km north of Tây Ninh Combat Base spotted a unit of VC. On engaging the unit with their personal weapons, the return fire indicated that they were facing a VC battalion. Air and artillery support was called in while the platoon fought to prevent the VC from overrunning their position. The VC withdrew at dawn leaving 155 dead, U.S. losses were five killed and six wounded. On
2160-423: A preliminary phase, during which diversionary attacks would be launched in the border areas of South Vietnam to draw American attention and forces away from the cities. The general offensive and uprising would then commence with simultaneous actions on major allied bases and most urban areas, and with particular emphasis on the cities of Saigon and Huế. Concurrently, a substantial threat would have to be made against
2295-419: A protracted war of attrition". In May, MACV attempted to obtain a compromise from the CIA by maintaining that VC militias did not constitute a fighting force but were essentially low-level fifth columnists used for information collection. With the groups deadlocked, George Carver, CIA Special Assistant for Vietnam Affairs, represented the CIA in the last stage of the negotiations. In September, Carver devised
2430-535: A reinforced battalion of the Division near Firebase Ross resulting in 122 PAVN killed. In total the Division had lost more than 1,100 soldiers killed in action between December and January. For the Tet Offensive of January/February 1968 the Division was ordered to attack Đà Nẵng however its slow approach to the city meant that it was still 25 km away on 30 January. As the Division approached Đà Nẵng on 31 January, its 8th Battalion, 31st Regiment, attacked
2565-411: A reinforced regiment from the PAVN 2nd Division would attack Tam Kỳ and another reinforced regiment from the PAVN 3rd Division would attack Quảng Ngãi . Allied intelligence was able to detect the planning of the offensive, its timing and objectives. On 10 August COMUSMACV General Creighton Abrams reported to the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff that the “current deployment of [allied] ground forces
2700-419: A repeat of the 25 August ambush on Highway 22, 3 km north of that ambush site. The targeted convoy comprised 19 vehicles from the 48th Transportation Group including one M48 and an M113. The initial fire disabled a vehicle in the middle of the convoy and its crew and those of the following four vehicles dismounted and engaged the PAVN, while the front section drove north and the rear section pulled back from
2835-592: A series of coups had characterized the preceding years. Protests, campaigning and the atmosphere of elections were interpreted by the Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam and Lê Duẩn as signs that the population would embrace a 'general uprising' against the government of South Vietnam. The Politburo sought to exploit perceived instability and maintain political weakness in South Vietnam. During late 1967,
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#17328481557142970-520: A very public debate over military strategy took place in print and via radio between Thanh and his rival for military power, Giáp. Giáp had advocated a defensive, primarily guerrilla strategy against the U.S. and South Vietnam. Thanh's position was that Giáp and his adherents were centered on their experiences during the First Indochina War and that they were too "conservative and captive to old methods and past experience... mechanically repeating
3105-445: A winter-spring offensive during 1968 had begun in early 1967 and continued until early the following year. According to American sources, there has been an extreme reluctance among Vietnamese historians to discuss the decision-making process that led to the general offensive and uprising , even decades after the event. In official Vietnamese literature, the decision to launch the Tet offensive
3240-422: Is a division of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN), first formed from Viet Cong (VC) and PAVN units in October 1965. The first commander and the first commissar of the division were Colonel Nguyễn Năng and Senior Colonel Nguyễn Minh Đức respectively. The Division was formed on 20 October 1965 from the 1st ( Ba Gia ) Regiment and the 21st Regiment which had just arrived from North Vietnam . The Division
3375-489: Is satisfactory,” and he was “confident in our ability” to defeat the offensive. Abrams ordered increased air strikes on suspected PAVN/VC assembly areas, but specifically ordered his commanders not to be drawn out into the countryside, but rather to stay back and defend the population centers. On the evening of 17 August a night ambush patrol from Company D, 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment , operating between Nui Ba Den and Highway 13 3 km east of Tây Ninh, observed
3510-590: Is the truncated version of the Lunar New Year festival name in Vietnamese, Tết Nguyên Đán , with the offense chosen during a holiday period as most ARVN personnel were on leave. The purpose of the wide-scale offensive by the Hanoi Politburo was to trigger political instability in a belief that mass armed assault on urban centers would trigger defections and rebellions . The offensive was launched prematurely in
3645-407: The 1967 South Vietnamese presidential election , looked increasingly stable. Rivalries between South Vietnam's generals were becoming less chaotic, and Thiệu and Kỳ formed a joint ticket for the election. Despite efforts by North Vietnam to disrupt elections, higher than usual turnouts saw a political turning point towards a more democratic structure and ushered in a period of political stability after
3780-409: The 1975 Spring Offensive the Division was tasked with attacking Tam Kỳ and then moving north with the 572nd Artillery Regiment, 573rd Anti-Aircraft Regiment and 574th Tank-Armor Regiment to threaten the southern approaches to Đà Nẵng. On 21 March the Division began attacking the outer defenses of Tam Kỳ and by 24 March following an artillery barrage, began their attack on the city, quickly penetrating
3915-482: The 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment was flown into Lộc Ninh to support the 2/11th ACR. Over the next four days the U.S forces engaged the 165th Regiment southwest of Lộc Ninh and then a battalion from the 320th Regiment northeast of Lộc Ninh, killing more than 200 PAVN for the loss of 12 U.S. killed. On 25 August the PAVN units began withdrawing into their sanctuaries in Cambodia. On the morning of 11 September renewed
4050-412: The 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment were landed in blocking positions east of the hill. At 13:00 as the helicopter carrying 1st Infantry Division commander MG Keith L. Ware flew in to observe the assault on Hill 222 it was hit by anti-aircraft fire 5 km south of Lộc Ninh and crashed killing all eight on board. The initial assault on Hill 222 was repulsed by intense PAVN fire and 1/28th Infantry
4185-510: The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The intense shelling (100–150 rounds per day) prompted Westmoreland to launch Operation Neutralize , an intense aerial bombardment campaign of 4,000 sorties into and just north of the DMZ. On 27 October, an ARVN battalion at Sông Bé , the capital of Phước Long Province , came under attack by an entire PAVN regiment. Two days later, another PAVN regiment attacked
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4320-460: The People's Republic of China and called for the reunification of the nation by military means and that no negotiations should be undertaken with the Americans. This group was led by Communist Party First Secretary Lê Duẩn and Lê Đức Thọ (no relation). From the early to mid-1960s, the militants had dictated the direction of the war in South Vietnam. General Nguyễn Chí Thanh , the head of Central Office for South Vietnam (COSVN), headquarters for
4455-625: The Phase III Offensive a regiment of the Division was ordered to attack Tam Kỳ . From 17 to 26 August 1969 the Division's 1st and 3rd Regiments lost more than 650 killed in clashes with the 23rd Infantry Division (Americal) in the Quế Sơn Valley, while U.S. losses were killed. In February 1971, under the command of Colonel Nguyễn Chơn, the Division joined the Route 9 -Southern Laos Front to counter Operation Lam Son 719 . In early March
4590-570: The Que Son Valley killed five U.S. and wounded 26 while the VC lost only one killed and one captured. In Da Nang a company from the R20 Battalion and a sapper platoon infiltrated Forward Operating Base 4 , a compound just south of Marble Mountain Air Facility that contained a Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group headquarters, several Special Forces teams and
4725-455: The Quế Sơn Valley , launching ground attacks against Ross and Landing Zone Leslie , which were defeated by dawn for the loss of 18 U.S. and 331 PAVN killed. On 7 January, Division anti-aircraft gunners shot down a helicopter carrying the commander of the 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry, Lt. Col. Robert L. Gregory, killing him and six others on board. On 10 January the 2/12th Cavalry, engaged
4860-595: The 14th Plenary session of the Party Central Committee in January 1968. The resultant Resolution 14 was a major blow to domestic opposition and "foreign obstruction". Concessions had been made to the center group, however, by agreeing that negotiations were possible, but the document essentially centered on the creation of "a spontaneous uprising in order to win a decisive victory in the shortest time possible." Contrary to Western belief, Giáp did not plan or command
4995-565: The 1st and 2nd Battalions, 27th Infantry, each minus one company were also placed under 2nd Brigade operational control. These reinforcements allowed the 1st Brigade to focus its efforts on the areas immediately surrounding Tây Ninh. The 2nd Brigade commander sent a task force comprising Companies A, B and D of the 2/27th Infantry, supported by elements of Troop A, 3/4th Cavalry to construct a new firebase named Schofield ( 11°15′11″N 106°17′06″E / 11.253°N 106.285°E / 11.253; 106.285 ) on Route 239 halfway between
5130-638: The 21st Regiment attacked the ARVN 51st Regiment's base camp, the ARVN were reinforced by US Marines and the fighting continued until the PAVN withdrew at nightfall on 7 February with losses estimated at more than 586 killed. Following the Battle of Lo Giang on 8–9 February a combined US Army/Marine task force named Task Force Miracle pursued the Division as it withdrew to its base areas near Go Noi Island ( 15°51′04″N 108°11′10″E / 15.851°N 108.186°E / 15.851; 108.186 ) killing 236 PAVN/VC soldiers near there on 9 February. In total
5265-559: The 275th Regiment attacked 1/5th Infantry outposts in and around the Bến Củi Plantation losing more than 20 killed for no U.S. losses. The 174th Regiment attacked units from the 4/23rd Infantry and the 3/22d Infantry near the Cau Khoi Plantation with no U.S. losses. After midnight on 20 September the 1st Battalion, 272nd Regiment, attacked a Regional Forces outpost in Phước Tân hamlet, 20 km west of Tay Ninh City, losing 35 killed in
5400-550: The 2nd Division's formation with the 38th Regiment, while the 52nd Regiment left to form the new 52nd Brigade, and the 141st Regiment was transferred to the 3rd Division. On 18 July 1974 the Division conducted a series of attacks on Ranger -held outposts in Quảng Nam Province . The Battle of Duc Duc from 18 July to 4 October 1974 where the Division attacked the ARVN 3rd Division and Ranger forces resulted in more than 4,700 ARVN had killed, wounded, or missing. During
5535-513: The 315th Division under the command of Major General Nguyễn Chơn (the new assigned commander of the Region) carried out a large campaign to attack Khmer Rouge Base 547 in Preah Vihear province . After eight days fighting, the PAVN forces totally destroyed Base 547, eliminated 1,800 enemy troops, captured 300 prisoners and 515 weapons. But the 1st Regiment of the 2nd Division suffered heavy casualties in
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5670-579: The ARVN Task Force 2-34 was deployed to the southwest. Once these blocking forces were in position the Regional and Popular Forces within the city began pushing the PAVN back to the south and by nightfall the D14 Battalion had withdrawn southeast away from the city. At 09:30 on 18 August, 8 km southeast of Tây Ninh the 275th Regiment ambushed Troop A, 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment on Route 239 in
5805-568: The American public still disapproved of the President's handling of the war. The American public, "more confused than convinced, more doubtful than despairing ... adopted a 'wait and see' attitude." During a discussion with an interviewer from Time magazine, Westmoreland dared the communists to launch an attack: "I hope they try something because we are looking for a fight." Planning in Hanoi for
5940-539: The Americans would win the war. There was a discrepancy, however, between the order of battle estimates of the MACV and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) concerning the strength of VC guerrilla forces within South Vietnam. In September, members of the MACV intelligence services and the CIA met to prepare a Special National Intelligence Estimate that would be used by the administration to gauge U.S. success in
6075-659: The Bến Củi and Cau Khoi Plantations. The firebase became operational that evening, with two 105-mm. howitzer units, Battery A, 1st Battalion, 8th Artillery Regiment and Battery C 7th Battalion, 11th Artillery . After midnight on 24 August two battalions from the 33rd Regiment attacked Firebase Schofield in a four hour long assault. PAVN/VC losses were 103 dead and an unusually large number of weapons were captured including four machine guns, four 60-mm. mortar tubes, two recoilless rifles and 11 B-40 launchers. U.S. losses were nine dead and 41 wounded, four M113s and two M48s were destroyed. On
6210-567: The Cau Khoi Plantation. Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment , was dispatched south down Route 26 and attacked the VC flank, killing 34. U.S. casualties totaled four dead and 17 wounded. At midday on 18 August Company B 1/5th Infantry engaged a two battalion strong PAVN unit in the Bến Củi Rubber Plantation northeast of Tây Ninh. Company C 1/5th Infantry and its reconnaissance platoon were sent to reinforce Company B and with artillery and air support by 16:00 they had scattered
6345-499: The Communist Party militants. For the moderates and centrists, it offered the prospect of negotiations and a possible end to the American bombing of the North. Only in the eyes of the militants, therefore, did the offensive become a "go for broke" effort. Others in the Politburo were willing to settle for a much less ambitious "victory". The PAVN official history states that the objectives of
6480-511: The Division commander - Colonel Lê Hữu Trữ, Division commissar - Senior Colonel Nguyễn Minh Đức, its deputy chief of staff, its chief of rear services, its chief of military operations and intelligence, its chief of combat operations and training, and the commanders of the 3rd and 21st Regiments along with several of their battalion commanders. On 9 December the Division's 3rd Regiment was engaged by US helicopter gunships near Landing Zone Baldy , losing 121 killed. Senior Colonel Giáp Văn Cương,
6615-438: The Division had lost 1,200-1,400 soldiers in the period from 29 January to 14 February 1968 and had completely failed to penetrate Đà Nẵng. After the Division had recuperated from its Tet losses, between 10 and 12 May 1968, two of its Regiments successfully captured Kham Duc . In July 1968 the Division's 1st Regiment was the target of Operation Pocahontas Forest in the Quế Sơn Valley in which it lost 127 killed. During
6750-574: The Division less one regiment attacked the ARVN 1st Regiment, 1st Division on Hill 723. On 20 March the Division attacked the ARVN 2nd Regiment, 1st Division on Hill 660. In July 1970, the 141st Regiment was added the Division's formation. One year later, in June 1971, the Division's 21st Regiment was transferred to the 3rd Division. During the Easter Offensive the Division less one regiment conducted diversion operations north of Dak To . In 1972,
6885-500: The Division's 1st and 21st Regiments were the target of Operation Hood River , losing 166 killed. In September 1967 the B1 Front ordered the Division back into the Quế Sơn Valley. In September 1967 the Division was the target of Operation Wheeler . On 5 December 1967 a command group from the Division was carrying out reconnaissance near Firebase Ross when they were attacked by US helicopter gunships, losing 17 killed including
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#17328481557147020-513: The Division's 31st Regiment was separated to form the 711st Division. Later, in the end of the year, the 52nd Regiment was added to fill the gap. During the War of the flags in January/February 1973 the Division briefly captured Sa Huỳnh Base and a stretch of Highway 1 before being ejected by ARVN forces by 16 February. In June 1973, the 711th Division was dispersed, the 31st Regiment came back
7155-661: The January–February 1968 offensive, but it can also include the so-called " Mini-Tet " offensive that took place in May and the Phase III offensive in August, or the 21 weeks of unusually intense combat that followed the initial attacks in January. Leading up to the Tet Offensive were years of marked political instability and a series of coups after the 1963 South Vietnamese coup . In 1966,
7290-502: The May offensive as a failure and opposed any renewal of the offensive. Lê Duẩn supported by General Hoàng Văn Thái and General Chu Huy Mân then persuaded the attendees to support the launching of a third offensive by mid-August. The Chinese advisers opposed this decision and returned to China, while several of the Vietnamese who had voiced their opposition to the new offensive were fired. The offensives of May and August were primarily re-directed towards military targets, intending to blunt
7425-508: The Medal of Honor. After midnight on 27 August, the 275th Regiment attacked Firebase Rawlins III. The attack was easily repulsed by the defending 4/23rd Infantry who killed 58 PAVN and captured two wounded prisoners, three machine guns and five B-40 launchers for the loss of only eight wounded. On 11 September the offensive against Tây Ninh was renewed when the 271st Regiment fired 200 mortar rounds at Firebase Buell II before launching an attack that
7560-468: The North Vietnamese had done was carry out the first stage of their plan: to fix the attention of the U.S. command on the borders and draw the bulk of U.S. forces away from the heavily populated coastal lowlands and cities. Westmoreland was more concerned with the situation at Khe Sanh, where, on 21 January 1968, a force estimated at 20,000–40,000 PAVN troops had besieged the U.S. Marine garrison. MACV
7695-400: The PAVN 88th Regiment in stolen uniforms who then opened fire on the convoy hitting it with mortars, B-40 rockets and machine gun fire. The lead vehicles were able to escape the ambush and sped north towards Tây Ninh, but an oil tanker was hit and burst into flames blocking the road for the 58 vehicles behind it. The drivers and MPs dismounted and returned fire from behind their vehicles or along
7830-433: The PAVN attacked Companies C and D to cover the withdrawal of the rest of their unit. After repelling this attack Companies C and D pursued the PAVN further east and at 13:00 they engaged the fresh 4th Battalion, 320th Regiment. Troop E, 2/11th ACR was sent to support the 1/2nd Infantry and the PAVN disengaged. Also on 13 September at Hill 222 the 1/28th Infantry, got into position to assault the hill, while three companies from
7965-526: The PAVN/VC "to undertake an intensified countrywide effort, perhaps a maximum effort, over a relatively short period of time." Despite all the warning signs, however, the allies were still surprised by the scale and scope of the offensive. According to ARVN Colonel Hoang Ngoc Lung the answer lay with the allied intelligence methodology itself, which tended to estimate the enemy's probable course of action based upon their capabilities, not their intentions. Since, in
8100-409: The South Vietnamese 2nd and 3rd Marine Battalions and another artillery battery were flown in to set up another firebase 8 km further east. On the evening of 11 September the ARVN 3rd Airborne Brigade and the 4th Marine Battalion were landed by helicopter in the northeast suburbs of Tây Ninh to clear the area. When the PAVN/VC withdrew the following morning they left 21 dead. Also on 11 September
8235-452: The South, was another prominent militant. The followers of the Chinese line centered their strategy against the U.S. and its allies on large-scale, main force actions rather than the protracted guerrilla war espoused by Mao Zedong . By 1966–1967, however, after suffering massive casualties, stalemate on the battlefield, and destruction of the northern economy by U.S. aerial bombing , there was
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#17328481557148370-537: The Tet casualties and the escalation of draft calls. Subsequently, the Johnson Administration sought negotiations to end the war. Shortly before the 1968 United States presidential election , Republican candidate and former vice president Richard Nixon encouraged South Vietnamese President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu to become publicly uncooperative in the negotiations, casting doubt on Johnson's ability to bring peace. The term "Tet offensive" usually refers to
8505-483: The Tet offensive were to: annihilate and cause the total disintegration of the bulk of the puppet army, overthrow the "puppet" (South Vietnamese) regime at all administrative levels, and place all government power in the hands of the people. Annihilate a significant portion of the American military's troop strength and destroy a significant portion of his war equipment in order to prevent the American forces from being able to carry out their political and military missions; on
8640-491: The Thiệu government in the southern press. Launching such an offensive would also finally put an end to what had been described as "dovish calls for talks, criticism of military strategy, Chinese diatribes of Soviet perfidy, and Soviet pressure to negotiate—all of which needed to be silenced." In October, the Politburo decided on the Tet holiday as the launch date and met again in December to reaffirm its decision and formalize it at
8775-745: The U.S. 1st Infantry Division and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) 5th Division from reinforcing Tây Ninh. Other PAVN/VC units would launch further diversionary attacks across the region. In the Central Highlands the PAVN 1st Division was to seize the Duc Lap Camp and then move northeast to threaten Buôn Ma Thuột . The PAVN 24th Regiment would cut Highway 14 between Buôn Ma Thuột and Pleiku . The 95C and 101D Regiments would make diversionary attacks on Allied bases across Kon Tum Province , while in
8910-457: The U.S. Khe Sanh Combat Base . The Khe Sanh actions would draw PAVN forces away from the offensive into the cities, but Giáp considered them necessary to protect his supply lines and divert American attention. Attacks on other U.S. forces were of secondary, or even tertiary importance, since Giáp considered his main objective to be weakening or destroying the South Vietnamese military and government through popular revolt. The offensive, therefore,
9045-436: The U.S. advance halted and by dusk the 33rd Regiment withdrew further into the plantation. U.S. losses were two killed and 24 wounded. At 18:45 on 19 August, the 33rd Regiment ambushed a column of Company B 1/5th Infantry and Troop A 3/4th Cavalry as they moved along Route 239 through the Bến Củi Plantation towards Dầu Tiếng Base Camp . B-40 and recoilless rifle fire knocked out the two leading vehicles and Company B established
9180-561: The U.S. command in Saigon was perplexed by a series of actions initiated by the PAVN/VC in the border regions. On 24 April a U.S. Marine Corps patrol prematurely triggered a PAVN offensive aimed at taking Khe Sanh Combat Base, the western anchor of the Marines' defensive positions in Quảng Trị Province . For 49 days during early September and lasting into October, the PAVN began shelling the U.S. Marine outpost of Con Thien , just south of
9315-580: The U.S. perspective was summed up by an MACV intelligence analyst: "If we'd gotten the whole battle plan, it wouldn't have been believed. It wouldn't have been credible to us." The Tet offensive would later be used in a textbook at West Point as an example of "an allied intelligence failure to rank with Pearl Harbor in 1941 or the Ardennes offensive in 1944." Lieutenant Colonel Dave R. Palmer: Current Readings in Military History . From early to late 1967,
9450-409: The VC with new AK-47 assault rifles and B-40 rocket-propelled grenade launchers, which granted them superior firepower over the ARVN. To pave the way and to confuse the allies as to its intentions, Hanoi launched a diplomatic offensive. Foreign Minister Trinh announced on 30 December that Hanoi would rather than could open negotiations if the U.S. unconditionally ended Operation Rolling Thunder ,
9585-567: The VC. General Bruce Palmer Jr. , one of Westmoreland's three Field Force commanders, claimed that "the Viet Cong has been defeated" and that "He can't get food and he can't recruit. He has been forced to change his strategy from trying to control the people on the coast to try to survive in the mountains." Westmoreland was even more emphatic in his assertions. At an address at the National Press Club on 21 November, he reported that, as of
9720-486: The administration to launch a so-called "success offensive", a concerted effort to alter the widespread public perception that the war had reached a stalemate and to convince the American people that the administration's policies were succeeding. Under the leadership of National Security Advisor Walt W. Rostow , the news media then was inundated by a wave of effusive optimism. Every statistical indicator of progress, from "kill ratios" and "body counts" to village pacification,
9855-484: The afternoon of 25 August, an 89 vehicle supply convoy manned by troops from the 6th and 7th Transportation Battalions escorted by military police in gun-jeeps was moving along Highway 22 towards Tây Ninh Combat Base. As the convoy passed by the Thanh Duc Rubber Plantation approximately 10 km southeast of Tây Ninh they observed troops in ARVN uniforms in the trees to the east. The troops were actually
9990-491: The agency ... contravening the policy interest of the administration." During the second half of 1967 the administration had become alarmed by criticism, both inside and outside the government, and by reports of declining public support for its Vietnam policies. According to public opinion polls, the percentage of Americans who believed that the U.S. had made a mistake by sending troops to Vietnam had risen from 25 percent in 1965 to 45 percent by December 1967. This trend
10125-402: The allied estimation, the communists hardly had the capability to launch such an ambitious enterprise: "There was little possibility that the enemy could initiate a general offensive, regardless of his intentions." The answer could also be partially explained by the lack of coordination and cooperation between competing intelligence branches, both South Vietnamese and American. The situation from
10260-478: The allied intelligence collection apparatus in Saigon. During the late summer and fall of 1967 both South Vietnamese and U.S. intelligence agencies collected clues that indicated a significant shift in communist strategic planning. By mid-December, mounting evidence convinced many in Washington and Saigon that something big was underway. During the last three months of the year intelligence agencies had observed signs of
10395-523: The ambush and they proceeded to attack the PAVN right flank. The counterattacks forced the PAVN deeper into the plantation and those vehicles that could move were sent north to Tây Ninh, while another 20 damaged vehicles awaited recovery. The PAVN withdrew as darkness fell and when U.S. forces swept the plantation the next day they found 103 PAVN dead among the destroyed bunkers, U.S. losses were 21 dead and 22 vehicles destroyed. For his actions during this battle Sgt. William W. Seay would be posthumously awarded
10530-455: The ambush site. 25th Infantry Division M113s operating nearby quickly arrived at the ambush site as did helicopter gunships. The PAVN withdrew leaving 18 dead, while U.S. losses were only one vehicle destroyed. On 13 September, the 3rd Battalion, 272d Regiment attacked Firebase Buell II. After a 600-round mortar barrage the infantry attacked the base but were easily repulsed leaving 76 dead for no U.S. losses. The VC retreated west taking refuge in
10665-473: The attacks and inflicted heavy casualties on PAVN/VC forces. The popular uprising anticipated by Hanoi never materialized. During the Battle of Huế , intense fighting lasted for a month, resulting in the destruction of the city. During its occupation, the PAVN/VC executed thousands of people in the Massacre at Huế . Around the American combat base at Khe Sanh , fighting continued for two more months. The offensive
10800-678: The base. At dawn the PAVN withdrew leaving 15 dead. U.S. losses were eight dead and 23 wounded. New generators were flown in and the base became operational later that day. Also during the early morning of 18 August the D14 Local Force Battalion and a company from the 275th Regiment attacked southeast Tây Ninh but were held back from the center by Regional and Popular forces and police . At dawn Companies A and B, 4/23rd Infantry moved from Firebase Rawlins III ( 11°17′31″N 106°11′13″E / 11.292°N 106.187°E / 11.292; 106.187 ) to southeast Tây Ninh, and
10935-490: The basis, crush the American will to commit aggression and force the United States to accept defeat in South Vietnam and end all hostile actions against North Vietnam. In addition, using this as the basis, they would achieve the immediate goals of the revolution, which were independence, democracy, peace, and neutrality in South Vietnam, and then move toward achieving peace and national unification. The operation would involve
11070-676: The bombing campaign against North Vietnam. This announcement provoked a flurry of diplomatic activity (which amounted to nothing) during the last weeks of the year. South Vietnamese and U.S. military intelligence estimated that PAVN/VC forces in South Vietnam during January 1968 totaled 323,000 men, including 130,000 PAVN regulars, 160,000 VC and members of the infrastructure, and 33,000 service and support troops. They were organized into nine divisions composed of 35 infantry and 20 artillery or anti-aircraft artillery regiments, which were, in turn, composed of 230 infantry and six sapper battalions. Signs of impending communist action were noticed among
11205-597: The bridge from their bunkers until they were relieved by the 1st Battalion, 27th Marines and ARVN Rangers. North of the bridge, a company from the VC 402nd Sapper Battalion tried to seize the Hòa Vang District , but were held back by Regional Force units who were also reinforced by Marines and Rangers. The 402nd Sappers fell back to the Cẩm Lệ Bridge, where they continued to fight for a further nine hours, but by late afternoon after air and artillery strikes they abandoned
11340-410: The brief assault. The 1st Marine Battalion was deployed to Phước Tân later that day to defend against any renewed assault. That evening the 271st Regiment attacked, the assault was repelled with air and artillery support, killing 128 VC with six captured. The ARVN 8th Airborne Battalion was also deployed to Phước Tân and on the night of 27 September the 272nd Regiment attacked again losing 150 killed. On
11475-402: The commander had been killed and covering its withdrawal. On the afternoon of 21 August Troop A 3/4th Cavalry and Company A 4/23rd Infantry, clashed with VC again in the Cau Khoi Plantation. U.S. losses were three killed and five wounded. On the night of 21 August the PAVN/VC launched simultaneous attacks on Firebases Buell II and Rawlins III. The 174th Regiment attacked Firebase Buell II which
11610-419: The conflict. Provided with an enemy intelligence windfall accrued during Operations Cedar Falls and Junction City , the CIA members of the group believed that the number of VC guerrillas, irregulars, and cadre within the South could be as high as 430,000. The MACV Combined Intelligence Center, on the other hand, maintained that the number could be no more than 300,000. Westmoreland was deeply concerned about
11745-467: The district capital of Điện Bàn , but the attack was resisted by ARVN troops and Korean Marines . On 3 February when the ARVN 51st Regiment swept through Thanh Quit, they stumbled onto a battalion from the 31st Regiment hidden there and engaged them in battle, supported by the Korean marines until they broke contact at nightfall. On 6 February the Division began a concerted push north towards Đà Nẵng. At 03:00
11880-429: The early morning hours of 30 January in large parts of the I and II Corps Tactical Zones of South Vietnam. This early attack allowed allied forces some time to prepare defensive measures. When the main operation began during the early morning hours of 31 January, the offensive was countrywide; eventually more than 80,000 PAVN/VC troops struck more than 100 towns and cities, including 36 of 44 provincial capitals, five of
12015-407: The economic viability of North Vietnam should come before support of a massive and conventional southern war and they generally followed the Soviet line of peaceful coexistence by reunifying Vietnam through political means. Heading this faction were party theorist Trường Chinh and Minister of Defense Võ Nguyên Giáp . The militant faction, on the other hand, tended to follow the foreign policy line of
12150-425: The end of 1967, the communists were "unable to mount a major offensive ... I am absolutely certain that whereas in 1965 the enemy was winning, today he is certainly losing...We have reached an important point when the end begins to come into view." By the end of the year the administration's approval rating had indeed crept up by eight percent, but an early January Gallup poll indicated that forty-seven percent of
12285-509: The enemy and lead to a negotiated settlement; Phase II was scheduled to begin on 5 May and Phase III on 17 August. Preparations for the offensive were already underway. The logistical build-up began in mid-year, and by January 1968, 81,000 tons of supplies and 200,000 troops, including seven complete infantry regiments and 20 independent battalions made the trip south on the Ho Chi Minh Trail . This logistical effort also involved re-arming
12420-580: The enemy force who left behind 92 dead, a field radio and three .50-caliber machine guns. Captured documents showed that the force comprised a battalion from the 33rd Regiment and the D24 Anti-Aircraft Battalion. On the morning of 19 August, 1/5th Infantry regained contact with the 33rd Regiment in the Bến Củi Plantation. Companies B and C and the reconnaissance platoon, engaged PAVN who had reoccupied their previous fighting positions. After several M113 armored personnel carriers became bogged down
12555-544: The following month. Thanh was then ordered to the capital to explain his concept in person to the Military Central Commission. At a meeting in July, Thanh briefed the plan to the Politburo. On the evening of 6 July, after receiving permission to begin preparations for the offensive, Thanh attended a party and died of a heart attack after drinking too much. An alternative account is that Thanh died of injuries sustained in
12690-571: The four regiments of the PAVN 1st Division , the U.S. 4th Infantry Division , the 173rd Airborne Brigade and ARVN infantry and Airborne elements, lasted for 22 days. By the time the fighting was over, between 1,200 and 1,600 PAVN and 262 U.S. troops had been killed. MACV intelligence was confused by the possible motives of the North Vietnamese in prompting such large-scale actions in remote regions where U.S. artillery and aerial firepower could be applied indiscriminately, which meant that tactically and strategically, these operations made no sense. What
12825-525: The leadership in South Vietnam, represented by the Head of State Nguyễn Văn Thiệu and Prime Minister Nguyễn Cao Kỳ were persuaded to commit to democratic reforms in an effort to stabilize the political situation at a conference in Honolulu . Prior to 1967, the South Vietnamese constituent assembly was in the process of drafting a new constitution and eventual elections. The political situation in South Vietnam, after
12960-399: The lowland areas VC units would make attacks by fire and sapper attacks on Allied bases. In central I Corps the PAVN 31st and 38th Regiments would attack the 1st Marine Division positions around Da Nang allowing 6 VC local force battalions to penetrate and attack key installations across the city while the PAVN 368B Artillery Regiment would shell Da Nang Air Base . In southern I Corps
13095-465: The main area of operations. Saigon would not be targeted because of the severe losses suffered by VC forces there in the Tet and May offensives and subsequent Allied security operations. The plan called for the 5th and 9th Divisions to draw the U.S. 25th Infantry Division away from its positions between Tây Ninh and Dầu Tiếng allowing VC local force units to attack Tây Ninh. The 7th Division would attack Lộc Ninh in Bình Long Province to divert
13230-541: The morning of 19 August PAVN 7th Division mortar crews shelled the Lộc Ninh Special Forces Camp. At dawn the 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment , was sent to locate the PAVN and that afternoon they engaged the 5th and 6th Battalions, 165th Regiment, in the rubber plantations southwest of Lộc Ninh in a running two day battle. PAVN losses were 32 dead and 20 captured, while U.S. losses were four dead and 31 wounded, with two M113s destroyed. On 20 August,
13365-420: The morning of 20 August, Company B, 4/23rd Infantry, was ambushed by elements of the 275th Regiment on Route 26 through the Cau Khoi Plantation. Company A deployed south down Route 26 from Firebase Rawlins III and the combined force made the VC disengage leaving 28 dead. U.S. losses were four dead and seven wounded. On the morning of 21 August as Company C and the reconnaissance platoon of 1/5th Infantry patrolled
13500-474: The morning of 22 August on Route 239 in the Bến Củi Plantation, Company B, 1/5th Infantry, reengaged elements of the 33rd Regiment killing 24 PAVN/VC for the loss of four U.S. dead and 16 wounded. On 22 August, 25th Infantry Division commander MG Ellis W. Williamson instructed his 2nd Brigade to move north to Dầu Tiếng and on 23 August the 2nd Brigade established its headquarters there and assumed operational control over 1/5th Infantry. Troop A, 3/4th Cavalry, and
13635-550: The night of 21–22 August VC units attacked 75 targets across IV Corps (South Vietnam) . Of those attacks, 39 were attacks by fire and only seven of the ground attacks involved more than a single company. At Bến Tre an assault by the 516th and 550th Battalions was repulsed by the ARVN. On 24 August, the 263rd and 514A Battalions assaulted a district headquarters in Mỹ Tho Province, but their mortar crews hit their own infantry when their mortar baseplates sank into swampy ground. On
13770-561: The night of 21–22 August, 22 122-mm. rockets hit Saigon, in the first such attack for two months. 17 civilians were killed and 69 wounded. One of the rockets hit the National Assembly building , causing severe damage. On the night of 22–23 August PAVN and VC attacked 36 bases, towns and cities across I Corps mainly with rocket and mortar fire. A VC sapper attack on Landing Zone Bowman ( 15°29′24″N 108°25′37″E / 15.49°N 108.427°E / 15.49; 108.427 ) in
13905-463: The northwest of the Bến Củi Plantation they were engaged by the 33rd Regiment. The PAVN aggressively closed on the U.S. force sending in two battalions of infantry and knocking out the six lead M113s with B-40 rockets. The unit withdrew killing 182 VC for the loss of 18 U.S. killed and 23 wounded. S. Sgt. Marvin R. Young would be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for taking command of his platoon after
14040-614: The offensive by mortaring Lộc Ninh Special Forces Camp and the 1/2nd Infantry's adjacent base. At dawn two companies from 1/2nd Infantry began a sweep east of Lộc Ninh to locate the mortar positions. The infantry companies were engaged by entrenched PAVN 2 km east of Lộc Ninh losing five killed and 10 wounded before withdrawing. The next morning the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment was flown into Lộc Ninh and 3 companies were sent in separate columns towards Hill 222 ( 11°53′17″N 106°37′44″E / 11.888°N 106.629°E / 11.888; 106.629 ), 6 km north of
14175-486: The offensive himself. Thanh's original plan was elaborated on by a party committee headed by Thanh's deputy, Phạm Hùng , and then modified by Giáp. The Defense Minister may have been convinced to toe the line by the arrest and imprisonment of most of the members of his staff during the Revisionist Anti-Communist Party Affair. Although Giáp went to work "reluctantly, under duress", he may have found
14310-507: The past." The arguments over domestic and military strategy also carried a foreign policy element, as North Vietnam, like South Vietnam, was largely dependent on outside military and economic aid. The vast majority of North Vietnam's military equipment was provided by either the Soviet Union or China. Beijing advocated that North Vietnam conduct a protracted war on the Maoist model, fearing that
14445-480: The perception that military victory was attainable for the US. On 24 July in Hanoi, Lê Duẩn met with senior leaders responsible for military affairs including PAVN chief of staff, General Văn Tiến Dũng to develop the operational plan for the offensive. After considering the recommendations submitted by COSVN and Military Region 5, it was agreed that Tây Ninh Province with its proximity to base areas in Cambodia would be
14580-560: The policy of rejecting negotiations was in error. The Americans could only be worn down in a war of wills during a period of "fighting while talking". During 1967 things had become so bad on the battlefield that Lê Duẩn ordered Thanh to incorporate aspects of protracted guerrilla warfare into his strategy. During the same period, a counter-attack was launched by a new, third grouping (the centrists) led by President Hồ Chí Minh , Lê Đức Thọ, and Foreign Minister Nguyễn Duy Trinh , who called for negotiations. From October 1966 through April 1967,
14715-594: The population, which, if the offensive was successful, would enable the North Vietnamese to sweep to a quick, decisive victory. Their basis for this conclusion included: a belief that the South Vietnamese military was no longer combat-effective; the results of the 1967 presidential election (in which the Thiệu/Kỳ ticket had only received 24 percent of the popular vote); the Buddhist crises of 1963 and 1966 ; well-publicized anti-war demonstrations in Saigon; and continuous criticism of
14850-956: The position leaving 184 dead. Tet Offensive In Phase One: [REDACTED] South Vietnam: 4,954 killed 15,917 wounded 926 missing [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Others: 4,124 killed 19,295 wounded 604 missing Total casualties in Phase One : 45,820 casualties: In Phase One: RVN/U.S. claimed: One PAVN source (Saigon only): Phase One, Phase Two and Phase Three : Trần Văn Trà reports (Phase One and Two): 75,000+ killed and wounded PAVN source (total for 3 phases): 111,179 casualties: American intervention 1965 1966 1967 Tet Offensive and aftermath Vietnamization 1969–1971 1972 Post- Paris Peace Accords (1973–1974) Spring 1975 Air operations Naval operations Lists of allied operations The Tet Offensive
14985-523: The position of the militants as Hanoi's strategy: the rejection of negotiations, the abandonment of protracted warfare, and the focus on the offensive in the towns and cities of South Vietnam. More arrests followed in November and December. The operational plan for the general offensive and uprising had its origin as the "COSVN proposal" at Thanh's southern headquarters in April 1967 and had then been relayed to Hanoi
15120-401: The possible perceptions of the American public to such an increased estimate since communist troop strength was routinely provided to reporters during press briefings. According to MACV's chief of intelligence, General Joseph A. McChristian , the new figures "would create a political bombshell", since they were positive proof that the North Vietnamese "had the capability and the will to continue
15255-539: The question whether the U.S. strategy of attrition was working in South Vietnam weighed heavily on the minds of the American public and the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson . General William C. Westmoreland , the commander of the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV), believed that if a "crossover point" could be reached by which the number of communist troops killed or captured during military operations exceeded those recruited or replaced,
15390-418: The roadside. A relief force from the 4/23rd Infantry was sent to the ambush site with elements approaching from the north and south. At 14:00 Troop B 3/4th Cavalry, arrived at the southern end of the plantation and half the force was sent into the plantation to attack the PAVN left flank, while the others were sent to secure the convoy. At 14:15 helicopters landed Company C, 3/22nd Infantry, at the northern end of
15525-474: The six autonomous cities, 72 of 245 district towns and the southern capital. The offensive was the largest military operation conducted by either side up to that point in the war. Hanoi had launched the offensive in the belief that it would trigger a popular uprising leading to the collapse of the South Vietnamese government. Although the initial attacks stunned the allies, causing them to lose control of several cities temporarily, they quickly regrouped, repelled
15660-405: The tanks with B40 Rocket-propelled grenades to no effect and were unable to penetrate the base perimeter. At dawn the PAVN withdrew leaving 104 dead and eight wounded. At the same time 9th Division sappers climbed Nui Ba Den to attack the U.S. communications station on its summit. The sappers penetrated the perimeter destroying several buildings and the electric generators that provided power to
15795-410: The task easier due to the fact that he was faced with a fait accompli . Since the Politburo had already approved the offensive, all he had to do was make it work. He combined guerrilla operations into what was basically a conventional military offensive and shifted the burden of sparking the popular uprising to the VC. If it worked, all would be well and good. If it failed, it would be a failure only for
15930-533: The town. Around midday the columns were engaged by a battalion size PAVN force which they were only able to overcome with air and artillery support and the arrival of Troop E 2/11th ACR killing 121 PAVN and capturing three individual and nine crew-served weapons. Meanwhile, Companies C and D, 1/2nd Infantry headed east again, finding the PAVN bunkers deserted before coming upon and even larger occupied bunker complex 5 km east of Lộc Ninh which they were unable to capture despite air and artillery support. On 13 September
16065-399: The war to admit that the current war strategy required reevaluation. The offensive had a strong effect on the U.S. government and shocked the American public, which had been led to believe by its political and military leaders that the North Vietnamese were being defeated and incapable of launching such an ambitious military operation. American public support for the war declined as a result of
16200-400: The western and southern defenses. The ARVN defenses soon broke with some ARVN units being evacuated by helicopters from the beach while others fled north and south along Highway 1 . Following the capture of Tam Kỳ, the Division moved north along Highway 1 bypassing ARVN defensive positions and together with other PAVN columns entered Đà Nẵng on the morning of 29 March. On 5 April the Division
16335-509: The will of their domestic opponents and reaffirm their autonomy vis-à-vis their foreign allies", hundreds of pro-Soviet, party moderates, military officers, and intelligentsia were arrested on 27 July 1967, during what came to be called the Revisionist Anti-Party Affair . All of the arrests were based on the individual's stance on the Politburo's choice of tactics and strategy for the proposed general offensive. This move cemented
16470-666: Was a major escalation and one of the largest military campaigns of the Vietnam War . The Viet Cong (VC) and North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) launched a surprise attack on 30 January 1968 against the forces of the South Vietnamese Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), the United States Armed Forces and their allies . It was a campaign of surprise attacks against military and civilian command and control centers throughout South Vietnam. The name
16605-483: Was a military defeat for North Vietnam, as neither uprisings nor ARVN unit defections occurred in South Vietnam. However, this offensive had far-reaching consequences for its effect on the views of the Vietnam War by the American public and the world broadly. General Westmoreland reported that defeating the PAVN/VC would require 200,000 more American soldiers and activation of the reserves, prompting even loyal supporters of
16740-528: Was aimed at influencing the South Vietnamese public, not that of the U.S. There is conflicting evidence as to whether, or to what extent, the offensive was intended to influence either the March primaries or the November presidential election in the U.S. According to General Trần Văn Trà , the new military head of COSVN, the offensive was to have three distinct phases: Phase I, scheduled to begin on 30 January, would be
16875-451: Was billed as a "high-level policy review". Upon their arrival, the two men bolstered the administration's claims of success. From Saigon, pacification chief Robert Komer asserted that the CORDS pacification program in the countryside was succeeding, and that sixty-eight percent of the South Vietnamese population was under the control of Saigon while only seventeen percent was under the control of
17010-402: Was convinced that the PAVN planned to stage an attack and overrun the base as a prelude to an all-out effort to seize the two northernmost provinces of South Vietnam. To deter any such possibility, he deployed 250,000 men, including half of MACV's U.S. maneuver battalions, to I Corps. 2nd Division (Vietnam) The 2nd Infantry Division also known as Quảng Đà Division or Steel Division
17145-445: Was defended by Companies C and D, 3/22nd Infantry, the attack was repulsed at a cost of 60 PAVN/VC killed and 11 wounded soldiers captured. U.S. losses were 3 killed and 18 wounded. The 3rd Battalion, 275th Regiment attacked Firebase Rawlins III which was defended by Companies A and B, 4/23rd Infantry, the attack was repulsed at a cost of 25 PAVN/VC killed and four wounded soldiers captured. U.S. losses were one killed and ten wounded. On
17280-567: Was divided into two waves of attacks from 17 to 31 August 1968 and from 11 to 27 September of that same year. In late June 1968, COSVN and the commanders of Military Region 5 held a series of conferences to review the results of the May offensive , also in attendance was Lê Duẩn who had pushed for the original plan for the General Offensive–General Uprising. The majority of the attendees, including Chinese military advisers, regarded
17415-483: Was fed to the press and to the Congress . "We are beginning to win this struggle", asserted Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey on NBC 's Today show in mid-November. "We are on the offensive. The territory is being gained. We are making steady progress." At the end of November, the campaign reached its climax when Johnson summoned Westmoreland and the new U.S. Ambassador, Ellsworth Bunker , to Washington, D.C., for what
17550-485: Was fueled not by a belief that the struggle was not worthwhile, but by mounting casualty figures, rising taxes, and the feeling that there was no end to the war in sight. A poll taken in November indicated that 55 percent wanted a tougher war policy, exemplified by the public belief that "it was an error for us to have gotten involved in Vietnam in the first place. But now that we're there, let's win – or get out." This prompted
17685-470: Was ordered to remain and secure Quảng Nam and Quảng Tín Provinces while other PAVN units moved south to join the assault on Saigon . In December 1978, the division was sent to Southwestern border to support the 4th Corps in Cambodian–Vietnamese War . In late March 1984, the 5th Military Region forces includes the 307th Division, the 1st Regiment of the 2nd Division, the 143rd Regiment of
17820-423: Was repulsed by the 3/22nd Infantry. PAVN/VC losses were nine killed, U.S. losses were 17 wounded. Shortly afterwards the D14 Battalion attacked three Regional/Popular Forces posts to the north of Tây Ninh, opening a route for the 271st Regiment into the city. The Province Chief called for assistance and the ARVN 6th Airborne Battalion and an artillery battery were flown into the hamlet of Ven Ven on Highway 22, while
17955-524: Was under the command of the PAVN B1 Front. In mid-1966 the newly-arrived 31st Regiment was added to the Division. In February 1967 the Division's 21st Regiment was engaged by South Korean forces, losing over 1,000 killed in 2 separate battles northwest of Quảng Ngãi . From 21 April to 5 June 1967, the Division was the target of US Marine Corps' Operations Union and Union II in the Quế Sơn Valley losing over 1,400 killed. In early August 1967
18090-551: Was usually presented as the result of a perceived U.S. failure to win the war quickly, the failure of the American bombing campaign against North Vietnam, and the anti-war sentiment that pervaded the population of the U.S. The decision to launch the general offensive, however, was much more complicated. The decision signaled the end of a bitter, decade-long debate within the North Vietnamese Government between first two, and then three factions. The moderates believed that
18225-424: Was withdrawn to allow for more air and artillery preparation, but a follow-up attack was similarly repulsed and the PAVN launched their own counterattacks before the fighting ended as darkness fell. On the morning of 14 September, Companies B and C, 1/2nd Infantry, marched north to join the attack at Hill 222, but when the assault resumed later that day they found that the PAVN had abandoned the position overnight. On
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