Page 153 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

Following thi.s aerial attack,enemy ground troops attack-
ed a South Vietnarnese Marine elernent standing guard on the Bien-
Hoa Highways, the Binh Loi and Xa Lo bridges,as well as another
bridge rnuch nearer to Saigon. They also assaulted the Cau Tre Folice
Station in the Binh Loi area. AII these attacks took Place between
0b30 hours and 0500 hours but were not successful'

However, the enerny had Penetrated many populated
areas in Thi Nghe, a section of the Dakao district in Saigon, and the
Binh Thoi ward in Cholon,through such attacks.

Meanwhile, at dusk rnany Cornrnunist eLernents within
the city began harassing the forces of order and took to the street
trying to sell their cause through loudspeakers' This task apparently
*." g-i.r"n Viet Cong arrned propaganda teams and special saPPer
troops who rnade their aPpearances in various parts of the city, espe-
cia1ly on Pho Co Dieu, Nguyen Trau, Tran Quy, Phan Van Tri, Co
Giang, De Tharn, Nguyen Thien Thuat, Cao Dat, and Tran Binh Trong
Streets.

These groups started distributing Iea-flets while speaking
to the people through loudspeakers. Most leaflets were supposed to
have been originated frorn the so called Alliance of National Derno-
cratic and Peace Forces (ANDPF). Police reported laterthat a total
of twelve different leaflets were distributed in Saigon'

These Viet Cong docurnents did not differ frorn one
another very rnuch. They were,on the whole,calls to revolt and encou--
ragernent for insurgent acts by the loca1 troops and population' Most
rernarkable of these was a docurnent intended for political cadres
entitled rtThe Nine Policies in Newly Libelated Citiesr''
The first three cornmands dealt with the confiscation of
the people! s proPerty. The six f oll'owing comrnands were prornises
to, as they called thern,rirepentantrr civilian and rnilitary personnel'
and civil servants. Besides, having learlred a lesson during their
unsuccessful Tet offensiwe, the C-omrnunist lligh Cornrnand instructed
its cadre to rnake full use of the rnilitary and civilian proselyting
tactics in an effort to win over sorne of the GVN troops and cadre'

In addition,the C ornrnunists atternpted to penetrate the
police station of the Eighth Precinct' Unabte to rnake a pbnetration'
they entered the unguarded adrninistrative office of the Fifth Precinct'
raised their flag, and set fire to sorne docurnents'

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