Page 148 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

Outside this triangle an irnportant task force of South
Vietnarnese Marines, Rangers and infantryrnen, supported by arrnor and
PBR elernents,were given the task of blocking the retreat of an esti.rrra-
ted 4,000 cornrnuni st s, inc luding Main Force and regional Jorce troopa
who had failed in two atternpts agai.nst the city.
However, this big operation failed to bring about any of
the conternplated results. The enerny avoided battle and scattered ac-
tion was reported resulting in light casualties on theCornrnunist side.
On the second day of March the Tan Son Nhut AirBase wae
rocketed for the third tlrne. This tirne enemy gunners shelled the irn-
portant installation until 0900 hours. Although only light casualties
and insignificant rnaterial losses were recorded, the attack was rrlore
intense than on previous occasions. Warheads also fell on populated
areas in Cholon.
On 7 March airborne trooPs, oPerating in the Ba Diern
and Tan Thoi Trung areas, again reported an irnportant clash with
the enerny. The battle raged for three hours' The government force
was supported by four jets which took turns strafing Viet Cong
position6. Following thi6 battle, the situation in the Capital Military
District returned to normal,

Losses on both si.des during the rnonths of February and
March in the Saigon area wele as follows :
A total oI 323 governrnent soldiers lost their 1ives, 907
were wounded and 28 weapons, including five crew-served, were lost.
On the enerny side a total ol 5,289 soldiers and cadres were killed,4I5
were taken prisoners, and 1,934 rveapons were confiscated, including
I, 544 individual and 3!0 crew served weapons,
These figures were taken frorn statistics releasedby the
Joint General Sta{f for the rnonths of February and March I968.
The intense fighting,which the people of Saigon have wit-
nessed since the early days of the Year. of the Monkey, had the effect
of drastically changing the atrnosphere in this war capital, Instead of
the fun they were so prone to having, the people of Saigon began living
aucterely. The war was on their doorstep.

Little traffic was seen in the streets; the citizens
travelled directly to their work with little other rnovernent. Night life
carne to a cornplete standstill, A11 restaurants and places of entertain-
rnent closed their doors. Even schools were closed until 1 April.

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