Page 164 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

frorn the border area of Long An and Hau Nghia provinces.

The intruders were stopped the day following their
arrival in this area. They di.d not dare enter the city during the day
tirne for fear of being decirnated by airstrikes. Instead they penetrated
the sprawling rnetropolis in srnall groups trying to avoid allied troops,
thus never rnassing enough strength for a coordinated attack. Likewise
their fi-fth colurnn sapper units were cripled during the first day thus
rnaking their outside probe ineffective.

The Viet Cong tactlcs had been one to attack the city both
frorn within with sappers and frorn without with regular troops. The
attack frorn within was to include rnany arrned fernale propaganda
tearns. But this tactic never had a chance of rnaterializing since all
propaganda groups worked in cornplete isolation without the support of
the pe ople,
Since Saigon is such a large and sprawling city the few
propaganda tearns that the Viet Cong could rnuster had no irnpact. Thus'
their propaganda battle was ineffective. Riot police speedily annihilated
those few srnal1 tearns that did exist.

Cn the second day the enerny continued his in-filtration
er{orts in Saigonrs weatern section' since interdiction artillery and
flares possibly had prevented Potential intruders frorn entering the
city during dark, Although the enerny was unable to reinforce wi'th
rnore troops the front of Binh Thoi and Cholon expanded to a srnall
degree, because of the situation in the build-up area.

A new battle line was visible on the second day at the
intersection of Bay Hien, Here the elernents of the ZTZnd Regirnent'
a cornponent of the CT. 9 Division, had the task of attacking the Tan
Son Nhut Airbase and penetrating neighboring areas. The intruders
had counted on the elernent of surprise that did not exist. They had
atternpted to corne into town in srnall groups but had failed to set up
liaison arnong thernselves. Thus without Proper liaison they were
unable to rnount a coordinated attack. It was the end of the Bay Hien
front.
On the f ollowing days the enerny High Comrnand continued
to deploy rnore troops in this area especially those that took part in
the rtTetrr offensive, for exarnple the Phu Loi Battalion, Battalion 808'
Battalion Nha Be Five, and Battalion 265. All these units came
towards Saigon frorn the south'

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