Page 328 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

southeastern side of the city. This area encornpassed the cornpounds
oI the zZnd Infantry Battalion, the Sector Cornrnand, the 5l4th Trans-
portation Cornpany headquarters and a few rninor rnilitary installations.

The second enerny attack colurnn included the 301st and
401st Battalions hit the city's rnilitary section defended by the 23 lst
and ?3?nd Artillery Battalions and the 8th Arrnor Squadron.

The third enerny grouping was spearheaded by the four
regional guerrilla cornpanies }J4, }i,5, H6 and H8 which assaulted the
cityr s populated areas.

The enerny apparently beliewed he could seize the entire
city quickly with his superior manpower. He had planned to drive the
civilians of Banrnethuot into a spectacular pro-Cornrnunist rnass rally
to welcorne his trliberationrt soldiers and goad thern into a popular
uprising to seize power in this province. He had also planned to
conduct popular rnarches into the city frorn distant areas such as Khue
Ngoc Dien village to bolster his proposed popular upheaval in Ban-
rnethuot proper. His rnilitary and political assault on Banrnethuot had
apparently been carefully blueprinted. His strategists believed their
assault would be a complete success.

This apparent state of mind arnong enerny cornrnanders
and troops explain the fierceness and ferocity of his assault during ite
first day.
Things did not work the way they had planned.
The city appeared cakn on the evening of Tetrs Eve. The
people had gone to bed afJer celebrating the traditional ritual to send
off the dying Year of the Goat and to welcorne the incoming Year of the
Monkey. Banrnethuot citizens were sleeping soundly or hoping religi-
ously that things and events would not go against thern in the new year.

This drearn turned into a nightrnare for rnany of the
new year celebrants indeed. The enerny opened fire with heavy rnortar
barrages on the air base,the Division Cornmand headquarters, the
province adrninistration office and adjoining public cornpounds. These
were followed by rnassiwe infantry assaults on the city. Hardly any
rnilitary installations or sensitive points were spared. Even rnilitary
dependentst caffrps came under enerny ground attack. Gunfire broke
out al.rnost everywhere, The enerny was seen roarning frorn street to
street in the civilian residential and business sections of the city.

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