Page 15 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

FOREWORD

The following pages have been written to record the rnany develop-
rnents that constitute the Cornrnunist rGeneral Offensiver of 1958. They
have been cornpiled with the sirnple intention to collect in book forrn
the rnany lessons of history that are df concern to each and every one
of the rnernbers of the Vietnarnese Arrned Forces.
In cornpiling this book, which we should like to be as accurate as po6-
sible, we have dispatched a group of rnilitary historians to rnany areas
of the Republic to collect inforrnation and interview rlany of the central
characters of the drarn3s that unfolded there, We have to say, however,
that the Viet Cong rTetr offensive was of such a rnagnitude as to make
a cornplete gathering of facts an irnpossible undertaking,

Moreover, with tirne passing so very rapidly relegating quite a few
details into obli.vion and with the reconstruction work progressing rnost
satisfactorily and healing the wounds of war, our task was not an easy
one. We have, thus, to rely on 6ome of the press reports that were r I
publiehed at the tirne of the rTetrfighting and rnake thern parts of this
book with the hope that their authors will not object to our doing so
without seeking their perrnission. In view o{ the c ornrnon good, we
dare hope that they accept herein our rnost heartfelt gratitude.
A1so, in our effort to publish this book, we have received invaluable
help of rnany rnilitary cornrnands that carne in the forrn of pictures
and docurnents directly related to the rnany developrnents of this na-
tionrs history in the first half of the year 1968. We should like to ac-
knowledge hereby our sincerest thanks for their irnrnense assistance
without which this book could not have been written.
Moreover, let us say that this book per force will bear quite a'few
shortcornings which we would like to elirninate with the help of our
readers. If you are in possession of docurnents and inJorrnation, we
would like to invite you to share these with us. For a better second
edition of this book, you are kindly invited to write us at the following
ad.dress : History Section, J5/JGS/RVNAF, APo,4002.
History Section
J5/Joint General Staff
RVN Arrned Force s
Saigon, Republic of Vietnarn

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