Page 414 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

A nurnber of factors contributed to the outcorne of this
section. The garrison had just gotten a new cornrrlander who had direct-
ed losing battles during previous enerny assaults on the city. The new
cornrnander replaced 3rd Lt IJai, who was sick and hospitalized. I{is
takeover so dernoralized the troops that they were reluctant to fight.
In addition the enerny was qlore experienced now than during his third
attack.
The cornpound was retaken by relief forces around noon
the sarne day, about eight hours after it fell into enerny hands. The
recapture of the cornpound was achieved by a superior friendly {orce
which attacked frorn two sides. One colurnn consisted of the 3 44
f
Battalion and an arrnor troop while the other cofurnn included two
corrpanies of the Luong Son CIDG Task Force. The relief force su{fe-
red 12 killed. The entire Phu Long and adjoining areas were secured
during the day, Enerny casualties and losses were unknown.

IN THE WAKE OF THE OFFENSIVE

Scenes of destruction, grirn rerninders of death and
glaring evidence of rnisery could still be seen in the city one rnonth
after the of{ensive,

The daytirne cur{ew irnposed during the offensive caused
a severe shortage of potable water. Most, if not all, of the cityrs
private wells were shallow, hand-dug holes with unpalatable brackish
water. The people had relied on the rnachine-drilled deep wells in Duc
Long and Phu Khanh harnlets. These un{ortunately were located in o{f-
again on again battle zones. Norrnally two cans of water {rorn these
wells cost the loca1 consurner five piastres about 4 US qents for every
eight gallons. By the fifth day or Tet, Feb 3, the price had soared up
to Z0 then 30 piastres, water dropped to 10 piastres on the following
day.

Most public schools and o{fices were darnaged or destro-
yed following these four enerny attacks., Percentage of darnage was as
follows : the boys elernentary school on Tran Hung Dao I01, the Duc
Nghia A 401L , the Duc Nghia B 30% , the girls' elernentary school 80 ', ,
the Phan Chu Trinh serni-public high school 100%, the Phan Boi Chau
high school 3OTa, the Phu Trinh A 80";, the Binh Hung B 801, , the Phu
Tai water plant 401 , the slaughter house IOO%, the Health Service
office 8012, the Forestry Office 70"i, the Irrigation Office 304;, the
Pubtic \Vo rks Otfice 60' , the Animal Husbandry Oli ice b0 , the Land
Registry Otfice 60-r, the jail 1001 andthe city police station 30".

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