Page 37 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

Enernv casualtie s duri.ng the early weeks of the Tet offensive were par-
ticularly heavy but the Cornrounist High Cornrnand sornehow rnanaged
to pour into South Vietnarn as rnany replace:.. ".nts aa needed thus keep-
ing their fighting strength at approxirnately the sarne level on practi-
ca1ly all fr ont s.

Prior to the offensive C ornrnunist €trength was estirnated
around 323,000 troops of all types. According to a table o{ estirnated
Viet Cong strength early in March, the Cornrnunists Lost about 45,000
rnen as follows :
18,600 cornbat troops, 4,000 support troops, 12,400 guerrillas, 5,000
political cadres, 5000 civilians and laborers. Cornrnunist strength
a.fter ?9 February was estirnated to be circa 283,500 broken out as fol-
lows : 110, 600 cornbat troops, 33, 7C0 troops, 60,ZO0 guerrilla,
"u-pp*t
and 7 9,0 00 political c adre s.

These troops were organized into 97 battalions and l8
cornpanies. They were disposed in warious corps areas roughly as
f ollows : 35 battalions and l8 cornpanies in I Corps, 28 battali.ons in
II Corps, 15 battalions in III Corps, especially in the area of Saigon-
Cholon, and 19 battalions in IV Corps.

Prior to their Tet offensive the Cornrnunists had ptrans
for all eventualities. Should their attack fail,they would withdraw their
troops to countryside areas bordering on the clties and continue with
a loose rrencirclernent of the townships by the c ountry sidert, thus giving
thern the chance to xecover. In addition they would also launch a few
thrusts just to keep the Allies preoccupied with territorial defense
everywhere while preventing thern frorn rnounting genuine o{fensive
arctiorr s.

C ornrnencing in March this strategy was to take the f orrn
of constant rnortar and rocket attacks on the cities which were corn-
bined with a few incidental ground assaults of no particular irnportance.

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