Page 337 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

Tet offensive as he did in the case of several other towns and cities.
He had to fight all the way frorn his bases which were far frorn the
c ity.

B. DEVELOPMENT OF THE BATTLES

The enerny launched his offensive on Quang Ngai city on
the rnorning of the Second Day o{ Tet, Jan 3I, or rrore than 24 hours
later than his offensives against rnost other I and II Corps cities. The
attack did not start until 0400 hours which was only Z IfZ howr s
before daybreak. This tirne had norrnally been the tirne for withdrawal
for rnost guerrilla assault forces in the Vietnarn War.
There never was any solid evidence for the reasons
behind this delayed action. One educated guess was that the enerny had
apparently underestirnated the ability of the city defenders to with-
stand his rnassive assauJt.The enerny thought that the city rnight be
taken in a rnatter of hours. Why did he wait so Iong to unleash the
offensive and thuB fight in the daltirne, a tirne which norrnally favored
the Vietnarnese forces with their artillery and airstrikes ? Or had
there been challenging logistical problerns to solve before he could
begin his attack ? No enerny docurnents captured later gave any clue
to a firrn and clear answer nor did any staternents by enerny soldiers
captured in action.

The enerny opened a tenrtrinute rnortar barrage around
0400 hours on several sensitiwe areas in town including the Znd Infan-

try Diwision Cornrnand he adquarte r s ,the RF and PF Training Center
on the other side o{ the Tra Khuc River and other intown rnilitary
installations such as the airfield and the provincial adrninistration
headquarters. The shelling which lacked accuracy and ferocity, cau-
sed no casualties and very tight darnage in the areas o{ irnpact, Whatrs
more it woke up and prepared the de{enders for attacks which soon
fo1lowed.
The enerny lauirched. his planned ground assaults as soon
as his last round of rnortar fire landed in town. Assaults were planned
on at least ten rnili.tary and adrninstrative objectives to include the
Mount Ong and Mount But bases, the 4th Regirnent Cornrnand headquar-
ters, the airfield, the city jai1, the city police station, the Rural
De veloprnent Servic e, the Provincial Adrnini strative Headquarters,
the Znd Divlsion Cornrnand and the RF and PF training center.

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