Page 30 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

rnortar attacks or srnall harassing actions and some were left cornple-
tely alone by the Cornrnunists. A list of these towns and their situation

follows :
Ninh Thuan (cahn), P}ru Yen (harassrnent on outskirt)'
Phu Bon (cairn), Larn Dong (harassrnent at Di Linh MACV' 2 Feb' )'
Tay Ninh (rnortared., 2 Feb. ),Long An (rnortared, 10 f eb' )' Hau Nghia
(mortar attacks), Binh Long (calrn), Phuoc .Tuy (harassrnent on the
outskirts), Phuoc Long (rnortared, ? Feb. ), Kien Phong (rnortaring
of Cao Lanh, 2 Feb. ), Ba Xuyen (rnortaring of the airport at Soc
Trang), Sadec (rnortared, 10 Feb. ), Chau Doc (rnortared' 3I Jan' /'
An X"uyen (rnortared, 3l Jan. and 6 Feb. ), Chuong Thien' An Giang'
Quang Duc and Binh Tuy (calrn), Carn Ranh (calm)'

Cornpared with other Tet targets the above provincial
capitals are relatively unirnportant. The enerny rnight have thought
that success elsewhere would autornatic ally yield wictory in these
rninor localities. That is probably why regional Viet Cong troops were
not used against srnall and isolated outposts but were deployed along
with rnain force units to attack only target cities' The enerny rnust
have reasoned that if these prirnary targets fe1l the secondary ones
would nece s sarilY be theirs.

Second wave
The Viet Cong general offensive lasted about two weeks'
Cornrnunist activities slowed down either through friendly pressure or
through their own tactical rnaneuverings. The very heavy losses suf-
fered during the unprecedented two weeks of fighting put the Cornrnu-
nists in the position of having to seek sorne respite and replacernents
{or their depleted ranks. During the night of Saturday' the 17th of Fe-
bruary, enerny troops once lnore rnade their presence felt throughout
the c ountry,
Unlike the Tet actions, however, it did not last long'
Although enerny soldiers were seen on the outskirts of rnany of the
nation'-s big cifies and townships, the new Cornrnunist attack took the
forrn of stand-off rnortar and rocket fires rather than ground assaults'
A total of 4? south vietnarnese and Allied installations were pounded.
This rnakes the second wave a little different frorn the first' inas-
rnuch as only GVN and South Vietnarnese rnilitary installations were

hit in the latte r .
The rnortar raids were followed by ground assaults

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