Page 321 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

The 1ocal US garrison also dispatched a group of tanks
to support the advancing troops but the firsi arrnored vehicl,e to
arrive at the rnarket place was hit by a 8.40 grenade that broke Parts
o{ its tread. It took the governrnent soldier:s all rnorning before they
were able to dislodge the enerny frorn the downtown section.

The situation at the Tan Canh pagoda was a little rnore
difficult as enerny troops,taking advantage of the higher ground there,
repulsed all atternpts by governrnent soldiers to take the position' It
took Major Thoai the whole day to dislodge the enerny frorn the pagoda.
The pagoda finally carne under governrnent control in the evening.

In this battle the enerny had deployed a battalion of
troops but only about two cornpanies had arrived in tirne for this
encounter that cost the cornmunists over 100 dead. Friendly losses
were 14 killed and over 30 wounded.

D. - REMARKS
Following the victory, Major Bui Duc Tai, the chief
of staff of the Z4th Special Zone rnade the f ollowing cornment on the
battle of Tan Canh.
rr If the enerny had had two regirnents of troops and had
deployed thern against the adrninistrative section and the headquarters
of the Specia). Zone, the outcorne of the battle could have been dif-
ferent.

rr But the cornrnunist cornrnander was too subjective in
his assessrnent o{ the situation. His troops, fighting in that night o{
joy, were only given the task of attacking the adrninistrative section,
*'hile the Special Zorret s headquarters where one battalion of infantry-
rnen and a group of tanks were garrisoning was not touched.
!r Not having to defend thernselves these units irnrnediately
fanned out for a counterattack. Therefore when the enerny decided 24
hours later to throw in rnore troops the defense of the headquarters
had been organized. Thus his future attacks repeatedly failed.

rr In the following days aI1 rnilitary activities of the
cornrnunists in this area were the sirnple deeds of a blind rnan unable
to see around.ll
The enerny succeeded easily in infiltrating the city
but failed in taking over even poorly guarded rnilitary installations.
What had been behind this failure ? Perhaps, the enerny {orce-had