Page 460 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

In addition to such rnethods and techniques in guerilla
type attacks against the cities, other parts of the C ornrnunist
docurnents dealt with general problerns involved in city {ighting, These
included:

- Plans for in{iltration of troops into the city as well
as their movernents and activitie s inside the city;
- Guerilla and sapper tactics to create disorder and
confusion arnong the city population before the offensive, and assert
the enerny presence after the offenslve.
- Organization, cornrnand and inforrnation plans to
irnprove the enernyrs c ornrnand and c ornrnunic ation network. The
enerny later adrnitted that cornrnunication shortcornings during both
phases of the offensive were arnong the causes of his failure (1) .
- City logistic plans based on assistance provided by
the in-city organizations and various forrns of disguise to transport
arrns into the city, including fake funerals to burry arrns in ceme-
teries, and cornrnercial transport trucks. Logistical problerns were
extrernely hard for the enerny during the offensive because of deserted
streets. The only way for the Viet Cong to get food was to steal it
frorn rhe population,

- The enernyrs antiaircraft rnethods in the city were
based on his contention that only arrned helicopters and skyraiders
were used by governrnent forces in raids on street blocks occupied
by the VC. The docurnents adrnitted that air raids caused heavy
casualties and great difficulty for the enerny. Their countermeasure
consisted of u6ing lZ. 7 and 12.8rnrn heavy rnachineguns with concen-
trated fire to prevent helicopters frorn {lying 1ow'
- Roadblocking rnethods consisted of cars parked
across the street or at atreet ends, burning rnaterials, cutdown
trees, and debris frorn dernolished houses,etc.

The enerny also envisaged an adrninistrative take-over
while giving specific directives to soldiers on what not to do to win
the support of the city population.

(1) we think that the enerny attacks were wel.1 coordinated across the
c ountry.

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