Page 426 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

Can Tho

Two cornrnunist battalions attacked Can Tho. They were
the 303rd battalion and the U Minh battalion wi.th a total of rnore than
500 rnen. They infiltrated into the city through the swarnpy fields to
the we st.
Two days before Tet rnany Viet Cong groups had reach-
ed the western edge of the city without the Local authorities knowing
it, In support of their planned attack against the city they even set up
a logistics network cornposed of three stations;one at Cau Nhiern, one
at Ba Xe and one at Phong Dien. In the rneantirne, VC sapper units
also inJiltrated into the city to conduct sabotage and prornote propa-
ganda before the offen s ive.
A group of Cornrnunists disguised as tourists carne to
the Narn Phuong HoteL planning to use it as a liaison center. They
were arreated by local police soon after their arrival. No inforrnation
could be obtained about the presence of the two VC battalions around
the city, and no alert was ordered as a result. Only a cornpany of
Rangers was stationed at the Sector C ornrnand' Personnel at other
rnilitary installations rernained reduced to 30 per cent.

The enerny launched their offensive against the city at
exactly 3 o'clock in the rnorning of the Znd day of Tet according to
the f ollowing plan :
- The 303rd Battalion, also known as the Tay Do Bat-
talion, with the help of the sappers was to attack the IV Corps corn-
rnand headquarters and its transrnission center while the U Minh Bat-
talion with the assistance of underground political cadres, was to
occupy the radio station, the university and the connecting streets.
With this plan the Cornrnunists were seeking a rnilitary
victory coupled with a popular uprising they expected to bring about
through announcernents over local radio station. They failed to
reach either goal.
Governrnent reinJorcernents carne at daybreak and
a counter offensive was irnrnediately launched. Our forces quickly
had the situation at the Cornrnand Headquarters and Transrnission
Center under control, but enerny Pressure rernained heavy at the
radio station, the university cornpound, the Narn Phuong Hotel and

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