Easter Offensive
Part of the Vietnam War
PAVN 130 mm artillery battery goes into action on the Kontum front
Date 30 March - 22 October 1972 Location Republic of Vietnam Result Limited North Vietnamese victory
Belligerents
South Vietnam United States	North Vietnam Viet Cong
Commanders
I Corps: Hoang Xuan Lam (replaced by Ngo Quang Truong) II Corps: Ngo Dzu (replaced by Nguyen Van Toan) III Corps: Nguyen Van Minh	Tri-Thien-Hue Region: Van Tien Dung B-2 Front: Tran Van Tra B-3 Front: Hoang Minh Thao
Strength
742,000[1]	120,000[2]
Casualties and losses
~10,000 killed, 33,000 wounded, 3,500 missing [3]	~40,000 killed, ~60,000 wounded or missing[4]

The Easter Offensive, officially, the Nguyen Hue Offensive and also Chiến dịch Xuân hè 1972 in Vietnamese) was a military campaign conducted by the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) against the armed forces of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) and the United States between 30 March and 22 October 1972, during the Vietnam War.^[5] This conventional invasion (the largest offensive operation since 300,000 Chinese "volunteers" had crossed the Yalu River into South Korea during the Korean War) was a radical departure from previous North Vietnamese offensives. Although not designed to win the war outright, North Vietnam hoped to gain as much territory and destroy as many units of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) as possible. Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... Image File history File linksMetadata Drva. ... is the 89th day of the year (90th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... National motto: ??? Official language Vietnamese Capital Saigon Last President Duong Van Minh Last Prime Minister Vu Van Mau Area  - Total  - % water 173,809km² N/A population  - Total  - Density 19,370,000 (1973 est. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_South_Vietnam. ... Anthem Thanh niên Hành Khúc (Call to the Citizens) Capital Saigon Language(s) Vietnamese Government Republic Last President¹ Duong Van Minh Last Prime minister Vu Van Mau Historical era Cold War  - Regime change June 14, 1955  - Dissolution April 30, 1975 Area  - 1973 173,809 km² 67,108... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_North_Vietnam. ... Anthem Tiến Quân Ca (Army March) Location of North Vietnam Capital Hanoi Language(s) Vietnamese Government Socialist republic First president Ho Chi Minh Historical era Cold War  - Independence proclaimed (from Japan) September 2, 1945  - Recognized 1954  - Disestablished July 2, 1976 Area 157,880 km² Population  -  est. ... Image File history File links FNL_Flag. ... A Viet Cong soldier, heavily guarded, awaits interrogation following capture in the attacks on Saigon during the festive Tet holiday period of 1968. ... Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Lam Hoang Xuan Lam (1928-) was a general in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam and a native of the city of Hue. ... General Ngô Quang Trưởng General Ngô Quang Trưởng was born in 1933, Vietnam. ... Ngo Dzu (1926-) was a general in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN). ... Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Toan Nguyen Van Toan (6 October 1932 -) was a general in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN). ... Nguyen Van Minh was a general in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) during the Vietnam War. ... Văn Tiến DÅ©ng (May 2, 1917 – March 17, 2002) was Chief of the General Staff for the Peoples Army of Vietnam from 1953 to 1978 and Minister of Defense of Vietnam from December, 1980 to 1986. ... Tran Van Tra (1918 – 20 April 1996) was the military leader of the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam; a member of the Central Committee of the Lao Dong Party; a lieutenant general in the army of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam); chairman, Military Affairs Committee... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... Combatants Viet Cong South Vietnam United States Commanders unknown battalion commander Bui Dinh Dam John Paul Vann Strength 350 1,400 Casualties 18 dead 39 wounded 83 dead 108 wounded The Battle of Ap Bac was a small-scale action early in the Vietnam War that resulted in the first... Belligerents Viet Cong South Vietnam United States Commanders Tran Dinh Xu Franklin P. Eller Strength Estimated at 1,800[2] 4,300[3] Casualties and losses 32 confirmed killed[4] 201 killed (5 Americans killed) 192 wounded (8 Americans wounded) 68 missing (3 Americans missing). ... Combatants Viet Cong United States South Vietnam Casualties U.S casualties: 8 killed, 109 wounded and 20 aircraft destroyed or damaged. ... Combatants Viet Cong South Vietnam United States Casualties 85 Dead 49 ARVN dead 5 American dead The Battle of Song Be was a major action between the NLF (Viet Cong) and ARVN, the South Vietnamese army. ... Combatants Viet Cong South Vietnam United States Commanders Le Trong Tan Cao Van Vien, Charles W. Williams Strength 1,500 10,000 Casualties 700+ estimated KIA ARVN: 800+ killed U.S: 7 killed, 15 wounded and 13 missing The Battle of Dong Xoai was a battle that occurred during the... Combatants United States Viet Cong Commanders General Lewis W. Walt Strength 5,500 1,500 VC 1st Regiment Casualties 45 killed 203 wounded >614 killed 9 captured Operation Starlite was the first offensive military action conducted by a purely U.S. military unit during the Vietnam War. ... Combatants Viet Cong Australia Commanders Unknown John Healy Casualties Unknown 6 wounded 2 missing presumed dead The Battle of Gang Toi was fought on November 8, 1965. ... Combatants North Vietnam Viet Cong United States Commanders Nguyen Huu An Thomas W. Brown Harold G. Moore (X-Ray) Robert McDade (Albany) Strength More than 4,000 (Albany and X-Ray) Over 1,000 (Albany and X-Ray) Casualties X-Ray: Est. ... Operation Hastings was an American military operation in the Vietnam War. ... Combatants United States South Vietnam Republic of Korea North Vietnam Viet Cong Casualties 288 killed 990 wounded 2232 killed Operation Masher was a combined US, ARVN, and ROKA that began on January 28, 1966. ... Combatants United States South Vietnam North Vietnam Strength 395 2,000 Casualties U.S: 8 killed, 12 wounded and 5 missing South Vietnam: 47 killed or missing Unknown (U.S estimates put the number at 800) The Battle of A Shau was waged in 1966 during the Vietnam War. ... Combatants United States Viet Cong Strength 134 400+ Casualties 38 killed 71 wounded Unknown Vietnam War Ap Bac â€“ Binh Gia â€“ Pleiku â€“ Song Be â€“ Dong Xoai â€“ Starlite â€“ Gang Toi â€“ Ia Drang â€“ Hastings â€“ Masher/White Wing â€“ A Shau â€“ Xa Cam My â€“ Duc Co â€“ Long Tan â€“ Attleboro â€“ Cedar Falls â€“ Tra Binh Dong â€“ Bribie... Combatants North Vietnam South Korea Commanders Byung Soo Choi Casualties 134+ killed 7 killed 46 wounded In 1966, the Battle of Duc Co was a major engagement between the North Vietnamese 5th Battalion of the 88th Regiment and the South Korean 3rd Battalion of the 1st Cavalry Regiment. ... 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Combatants  United States Republic of Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam Commanders David E. Lownds (local), William C. Westmoreland (theater) Tran Quy Hai (local), Vo Nguyen Giap (theater) Strength 6,000 ~30,000 Casualties 730 killed in action, 2,642 wounded, 7 missing[2] Unknown; estimated between 10,000 and 15... Combatants South Vietnam United States North Vietnam Viet Cong Commanders William Westmoreland Vo Nguyen Giap Strength  ? 35 Battlions Casualties  ?  ? The First Battle of Saigon fought during the Tet Offensive was the coordinated attack by the NVA and VC, by which they attacked South Vietnams Capital Saigon from all sides. ... Combatants South Viet Nam United States North Viet Nam Viet Cong Commanders Ngo Quang Truong Foster C. LaHue Tran Van Quang Strength Over 30,000 8,000, later 12,000 Casualties ARVN: 452 KIA; 2,123 WIA US: 216 KIA; 1,584 WIA[1] Total: 668 KIA; 3,707 WIA... Combatants North Vietnam United States Commanders Unknown Capt. ... 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Combatants Democratic Republic of Vietnam United States Commanders Vo Nguyen Giap Chu Phong Doi Andre Lucas† Ben Harrison Strength 9 battalions 1 battalion Casualties 2400+ KIA 250~ KIA, 1,000+ WIA Wikisource has original text related to this article: After action report: Firebase Ripcord, 23 July 1970 The Battle of... Operation Tailwind was a covert incursion into southeastern Laos by a company-size element (Hatchet Force) of the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observations Group (MACSOG or SOG) on 11 September 1970, during the Vietnam Conflict. ... Combatants Khmer Republic North Vietnam Commanders Brig. ... Combatants North Vietnam United States Commanders unknown Brig Gen. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Democratic Republic of Vietnam Commanders Hoang Xuan Lam Le Trong Tan (military) Le Quang Dao (political) Strength ARVN: 20,000 troops U.S.: 10,000 troops in support ~25,000 - ~35,000 troops Casualties ARVN: 8,483 killed 12,420 wounded 691 missing U... Combatants North Vietnam Khmer Republic Commanders Unknown Brigadier General Hou Hang Sin Strength VPA 9th Division 10 FANK Battalions Casualties Unknown Decimation of the FANK Battalions Operation Chenla II was launched on August 20, 1971 by the Cambodian military (or FANK) as an attempt to regain territories lost to the... Combatants South Vietnam United States North Vietnam Pathet Lao Commanders Lt. ... Combatants United States Viet Cong Commanders Lt. ... Combatants North Vietnam Viet Cong South Vietnam Strength 30,000+ 8,000+ The First Battle of Quang Tri resulted in the first major victory for the North Vietnamese Army during the Nguyen Hue Offensive of 1972. ... Combatants South Vietnam, United States Viet Cong, North Vietnam Commanders Mark A. Smith â˜ Tran Van Tra Strength 1,000+ 40,000+ Casualties Unknown 10,000+ The Battle of Loc Ninh was a major battle fought during North Vietnams Nguyen Hue Campaign and lasted from April 4 to April 7... Combatants North Vietnam Viet Cong South Vietnam United States Commanders Gen. ... Combatants South Vietnam North Vietnam Commanders Col. ... Combatants North Vietnam Viet Cong South Vietnam The Second Battle of Quang Tri began on June 28 and lasted until September 16, 1972, when the Army of the Republic of Vietnam defeated the North Vietnamese and recaptured most of the province. ... Combatants Vietnam Peoples Army Army of the Republic of Vietnam Commanders Gen. ... Combatants Vietnam Peoples Army National Liberation Front Army of the Republic of Vietnam Commanders General Van Tien Dung President Nguyen Van Thieu (Until April 5) Strength 300,000+ (est. ... Combatants Army of the Republic of Vietnam Vietnam Peoples Army Commanders Maj. ... Combatants Democratic Republic of Vietnam Republic of Vietnam Commanders Hoang Cam, Hoang The Thien Le Minh Dao Strength 40,000 6,000 Casualties ~5,000 dead and wounded ~2,036 dead and wounded The Battle of Xuan Loc also known as The last stand at Xuan Loc, was the last... Combatants North Vietnam South Vietnam The Battle of Truong Sa was a naval battle that resulted in the capture of the South Vietnamese-held Truong Sa Islands by North Vietnamese forces on April 29, 1975. ... Belligerents Democratic Republic of Vietnam National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Republic of Vietnam Commanders Van Tien Dung Tran Van Tra Hoang Cam Le Duc Anh Nguyen Van Toan Nguyen Hop Doan Strength 100,000 [1] 30,000 [1] Casualties and losses Unknown Unknown The Fall of Saigon... Combatants United States of America Democratic Kampuchea Commanders Lt. ... Aerial warfare is the use of military aircraft and other flying machines in warfare, including military airlift of cargo to further the national interests as was demonstrated in the Berlin Airlift. ... Operation Ranch Hand was a part of the Vietnam War, lasting from 1962 until 1971. ... Operation Pierce Arrow was a U.S. military operation during the Vietnam War. ... Combatants United States (U.S.) Republic of Vietnam (RVN) Kingdom of Laos Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) Pathet Lao (PL) Casualties Unknown Unknown Operation Barrel Roll was a covert U.S. Air Force 2nd Air Division (later the Seventh Air Force) and U.S. Navy Task Force 77, interdiction and... For the American mail service, see Pony Express. ... During the Vietnam War, United States President Lyndon B. Johnson in February 1965 ordered a series of reprisal air strikes after a number of attacks on U.S. bases, particularly on a U.S. installation at Pleiku. ... Combatants  United States Republic of Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam Commanders Joseph H. Moore, William W. Momyer, George S. Brown Phung The Tai (Air Defense), Nguyen Van Tien (Air Force) Casualties United States: ~835 killed, captured, or missing VNAF: Unknown ~20,000 military, ~72,000 civilian Operation Rolling Thunder was... Operation Steel Tiger was a covert US Air Force aerial interdiction effort targeted against North Vietnamese infiltration through southeastern Laos during the Vietnam Conflict. ... Operation Arc Light was the 1965 deployment of B-52 heavy bombers to bases in Guam. ... Barrell Roll/Steel Tiger/Tiger Hound Areas of Operations, 1965. ... Combatants United States Air Force North Vietnamese Air Force Commanders Robin Olds Unknown Strength 56 F-4C Phantom IIs (26 participated) 16 MiG-21 Fishbeds (11-14 engaged) Casualties None seven Mig-21s confirmed destroyed two MiG-21s probably destroyed Operation Bolo was a famous air battle fought in the... Text on this page is modified (with permission) from Paul N. Edwards, The Closed World: Computers and the Politics of Discourse in Cold War America (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1996). ... Combatants United States, Republic of Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam Operation Commando Hunt was a covert Seventh/Thirteenth United States Air Force offensive initiative that took place during the Vietnam Conflict. ... Combatants United States Democratic Republic of Vietnam National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Operation Menu was the codename of a covert U.S. Strategic Air Command (SAC) bombing campaign conducted in eastern Cambodia from 18 March 1969 until 26 May 1970, during the Vietnam Conflict. ... Combatants United States Democratic Republic of Vietnam Khmer Rouge Operation Freedom Deal was a US Seventh Air Force interdiction and close air support campaign waged in Cambodia from 19 May 1970 until 15 August 1973, during the Vietnam Conflict. ... 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Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... The Amnok River, or the Yalu River, is a river on the border between China and North Korea. ... Belligerents United Nations: Republic of Korea Australia Belgium Canada Colombia Ethiopia France Greece Luxembourg Netherlands New Zealand Philippines South Africa Thailand Turkey United Kingdom United States Naval Support and Military Servicing/Repairs: Japan Medical staff: Denmark Italy Norway India Sweden DPR Korea PR China Soviet Union Commanders Syngman Rhee Chung... The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) was a military component of the armed forces of the Republic of Vietnam (commonly known as South Vietnam). ...

The allied high command had been expecting an attack sometime during 1972, but the size and ferocity of the assault caught the defenders off balance because the attackers struck on three fronts simultaneously with the bulk of the North Vietnamese army. This first attempt by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) to invade the south since the Tet Offensive of 1968 became characterized by conventional infantry/armor assaults backed by heavy artillery, with both sides fielding the latest in technological advances in weapons systems. The Democratic Republic of Vietnam (Vietnamese Việt Nam Dân Chủ Cộng Hòa), also known as North Vietnam, was founded by Ho Chi Minh and was recognized by China and the USSR in 1950. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam, United States, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Australia National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam, Democratic Republic of Vietnam Commanders William C. Westmoreland Võ Nguyên Giáp Strength 1. ...

In the I Corps Tactical Zone, North Vietnamese forces overran South Vietnamese defensive positions in a month-long battle and captured Quang Tri city before moving south in an attempt to seize Hue. PAVN similarly eliminated frontier defense forces in II Corps and advanced to seize the provincial capital of Kontum, which would have opened the way to the sea, splitting South Vietnam in two. Northeast of Saigon in III Corps, the communists overran Loc Ninh and advanced to assault the capital of Binh Long Province at An Loc. The campaign can be divided into three distinct phases: April was a month of communist advances and allied withdrawals; May became a period of equilibrium; in June and July the South Vietnamese forces counterattacked, culminating in the recapture of Quang Tri City in September. Quang Tri Province is a region and province in central Vietnam near (north) the ancient capital of Huế. ... An image with the hues cyclically shifted The hues in the image of this Painted Bunting are cyclically rotated with time. ... There is a historical website that is nonprofit dedicated to the 1972 Easter Offensive in the Kontum area. ... Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnamese: Thành Chí Minh) is the largest city in Vietnam, located near the delta of the Mekong River. ... An Loc is a small town in South Vietnam, located approximately 90 km north of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). ...

On all three fronts of the offensive, initial North Vietnamese successes were hampered by high casualties, inept tactics, and the increasing application of U.S. and South Vietnamese air power. One result of the offensive was the launching of Operation Linebacker, the first sustained bombing of North Vietnam by the U.S. since November 1968. Although South Vietnamese forces withstood their greatest trial thus far in the conflict, the North Vietnamese accomplished two important goals: they had gained valuable territory within South Vietnam from which to launch any future offensives, and they had obtained a better bargaining position at the peace negotiations being conducted in Paris. Combatants United States Republic of Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam Commanders John W. Vogt, Jr. ... This article is about the capital of France. ...

Background

Planning

For more details on on the Laotian incursion, see Operation Lam Son 719.

In the wake of the failed South Vietnamese Operation Lam Son 719, the Hanoi leadership began discussing a possible offensive during the 19th Plenum of the Central Committee of the Lao Dong Party in early 1971.^[6] By December the Politburo had decided to launch a major offensive early in the following year. 1972 would be a U.S. presidential election year, and the possibility of affecting the outcome was enticing and there was increasing anti-war sentiment among the population and government of the U.S.^[7] With continuing American troop withdrawals, South Vietnamese forces were stretched to the breaking point along a border of more than 600 miles (1,000 km), and the poor performance of ARVN troops in the offensive into Laos promised an easy victory. Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Democratic Republic of Vietnam Commanders Hoang Xuan Lam Le Trong Tan (military) Le Quang Dao (political) Strength ARVN: 20,000 troops U.S.: 10,000 troops in support ~25,000 - ~35,000 troops Casualties ARVN: 8,483 killed 12,420 wounded 691 missing U... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Democratic Republic of Vietnam Commanders Hoang Xuan Lam Le Trong Tan (military) Le Quang Dao (political) Strength ARVN: 20,000 troops U.S.: 10,000 troops in support ~25,000 - ~35,000 troops Casualties ARVN: 8,483 killed 12,420 wounded 691 missing U... Hanoi (Vietnamese: Hà Ná»™i, Hán Tá»±: 河内)  , estimated population 3,145,300 (2005), is the capital of Vietnam. ... The Communist Party of Vietnam (Đảng Cá»™ng sản Việt Nam) is the currently ruling, as well as the only legal political party in Vietnam. ... Politburo is short for Political Bureau. ...

Defense Minister Vo Nguyen Giap on the cover of Time magazine at the time of the offensive. A reinforcement of the Western fallacy that Giap was in command of the 1972 offensive

This decision marked the end of three years of political infighting between two factions within the Politburo: those members grouped around Truong Chinh, who favored following the Chinese model of continued low-intensity guerrilla warfare and rebuilding the north; and the "southern firsters" centered around Defense Minister Vo Nguyen Giap and supported by First Party Secretary Le Duan (both of whom supported the Soviet model of big offensives).^[8] The failure of the Tet Offensive of 1968 had led to a downgrading of Giap's influence during the ensuing years, but the victory achieved over South Vietnamese forces during the Laotian incursion brought Giap's strategy back into the ascendant.^[9] As a result, Le Duan was given responsibility for the key planning decisions for the operation, but Giap never rose to his former prominence, dealing chiefly with logistical matters and the approval of operational planning.^[10] The officer entrusted with the actual conduct of the offensive was the PAVN chief of staff, General Van Tien Dung. Image File history File links Giap. ... Image File history File links Giap. ... General Võ Nguyên Giáp (born circa 1912[1]) Vietnamese general and statesman. ... Truong Chinh (pseudonym meaning Long March, born Đặng Xuân Khu) (1907 - 1988) was a Vietnamese communist political leader and theoritician. ... Guerrilla redirects here. ... Le Duan Le Duan (April 7, 1907 - July 10, 1986) was an original founder of the Indochinese Communist Party, having been introduced to communism while he was a railroad worker during the 1920s. ... CCCP redirects here. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam, United States, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Australia National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam, Democratic Republic of Vietnam Commanders William C. Westmoreland Võ Nguyên Giáp Strength 1. ... Văn Tiến Dũng (May 2, 1917 – March 17, 2002) was Chief of the General Staff for the Peoples Army of Vietnam from 1953 to 1978 and Minister of Defense of Vietnam from December, 1980 to 1986. ...

The central questions then became where and with what forces the offensive would be launched and what its goals were to be. Although North Vietnam had utilized the border regions of Laos and Cambodia as supply and manpower conduits for a decade and a half, it was quickly decided that the main thrust of the offensive would be launched across the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone that separated the two Vietnams. There the line of communication would be shortest and forces could be concentrated where "the enemy is weakest...violent attacks will disintegrate enemy forces...making it impossible for him to have enough troops to deploy elsewhere."^[11] This was an important consideration, since the northern thrust would serve to divert South Vietnam's attention and resources while two other attacks were also to be launched: one into the central highlands in order to cut the country in two; and another that would move east out of Cambodia to threaten Saigon. In military terms, a demilitarized zone (DMZ) is an area, usually the frontier or boundary between two or more military powers (or alliances), where military activity is not permitted, usually by peace treaty, armistice or other bilateral or multilateral agreement. ...

Republic of Vietnam: Corps Tactical Zones

The offensive was given a title steeped in Vietnamese history. In 1773 the three Tay Son brothers (so-called because of the place of their origin) united a Vietnam divided by civil war and social unrest. The youngest brother, Nguyen Hue, then defeated an invading Chinese army on the outskirts of Hanoi in 1788. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 452 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (804 × 1065 pixel, file size: 360 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) From George L. MacGarrigle, The United States Army in Vietnam: Combat Operations, Taking the Offensive, October 1966-October 1967. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 452 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (804 × 1065 pixel, file size: 360 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) From George L. MacGarrigle, The United States Army in Vietnam: Combat Operations, Taking the Offensive, October 1966-October 1967. ...

Although the campaign eventually employed the equivalent of 14 divisions, winning the war outright was not part of North Vietnam's game plan. The goals were much more limited. There was the distinct possibility of destroying or at least crippling large elements of the ARVN; possibly deposing of South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu; convincing the U.S. as to the hopelessness of continued support to the South; and demonstrating the failure of Vietnamization. The prospect of seizing a South Vietnamese provincial capital, which could then be proclaimed as the seat of the Provisional Revolutionary Government, was also enticing.^[12] The attitude of the North Vietnamese leadership was illustrated in an article in a 1972 party journal: "It doesn't matter whether the war is promptly ended or prolonged...Both are opportunities to sow the seeds; all we have to do is to wait for the time to harvest the crop."^[13] President Nguyen Van Thieu Nguyen Van Thieu, (April 5, 1923 – September 29, 2001) was a former General and President of South Vietnam. ... The Vietnam War was a war fought between 1957 and 1975 on the ground in South Vietnam and bordering areas of Cambodia and Laos (See Secret War) and in bombing runs (Rolling Thunder) over North Vietnam. ... (Caution: Saigon was renamed Hồ Chí Minh City on May 1, 1975 after the Fall/Liberation of Saigon. ...

The northern leadership was taken aback during the summer of 1971 when an announcement was made that U.S. President Richard M. Nixon would visit the People's Republic of China on a diplomatic mission sometime before May 1972. The Chinese placated the suspicions of their ally by reassuring North Vietnam that even more military and economic aid would be forthcoming in 1972. The Soviet Union, perceiving the growing antagonism between the People's Republic and North Vietnam, sought to widen the rift by also agreeing to "additional aid without reimbursement" for North Vietnam's military forces.^[14][15] Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. ...

These agreements led to a flood of equipment and supplies necessary for a modern, conventional army. This included 1,000 T-54 and Type-59 (a Chinese version of the T-54) medium and PT-76 light amphibious tanks; hundreds of anti-aircraft missiles, including the shoulder-fired, heat-seeking SA-7 Grail (called the Strela in the West); anti-tank missiles, including the wire-guided (AT-3 Sagger); and heavy-caliber, long-range artillery. To man the new equipment, 25,000 North Vietnamese troops received specialized training abroad, 80 percent of them in the Soviet Union or Eastern Europe.^[16][17] The T-55 and T-54 main battle tanks were the Soviet Unions replacements for the World War II era T-34 tank. ... The Chinese Type 59 Main Battle Tank is a copy of the ubiquitous Russian T-55/54 medium tank. ... The PT-76 is a Soviet amphibious tank which was introduced in early 1950s and soon became the standard reconnaissance tank of the Soviet Army and the other Warsaw Pact armies. ... A soldier posing with a Strela launcher. ... AT-3A Sagger missile The AT-3 Sagger is the NATO reporting name for the 9M14 Malyutka (little or tiny baby) MCLOS wire-guided anti-tank missile of the Soviet Union. ... Statistical regions of Europe as delineated by the United Nations (UN definition of Eastern Europe marked red):  Northern Europe  Western Europe  Eastern Europe  Southern Europe Pre-1989 division between the West (grey) and Eastern Bloc (orange) superimposed on current borders: Russia (dark orange), other countries formerly part of the USSR...

Miscalculation

During late 1971 U.S. and South Vietnamese intelligence estimates of communist intentions were mixed. An offensive was expected, but intelligence as to its timing, location, and size were confusing. The communists had mounted an offensive inside South Vietnam in 1968, but it was conducted mainly by the by southerners of the NLF, which had essentially been destroyed in the process. Without NLF support inside South Vietnam, a large-scale PAVN offensive was considered highly unlikely. A North Vietnamese thrust across the DMZ was also considered unlikely. Past infiltration and offensive operations had been conducted through and from Laotian and Cambodian territory, and besides, a DMZ offensive would be a blatant violation of the Geneva agreement that North Vietnam was adamant in defending.

Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Lam, I Corps commander; General Cao Van Vien of the ARVN general staff; Major General Ngo Quang Truong (Lam's replacement); with U.S. Army Lieutenant General Richard G. Stilwell

In December, intelligence began to firm up. PAVN units that had been supporting Khmer Rouge operations in Cambodia began returning to the border areas. In both Laos and Cambodia there was also an unusual expansion of infiltration. Within North Vietnam, there was a noticeable increase in military recruitment. In January, Defense Intelligence Agency officers briefed Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird, stating that PAVN would attack sometime after the Tết holidays and that the offensive would make widespread use of armored forces.^[18] Laird was unconvinced, telling the United States Congress in late January that a large communist offensive "was not a serious possibility".^[19] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 784 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1470 × 1125 pixel, file size: 580 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) The U.S. Army Center for Military History (USACMH) Purpose: CMH Online is an outreach service provided by the U.S. Army Center of Military History. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 784 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1470 × 1125 pixel, file size: 580 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) The U.S. Army Center for Military History (USACMH) Purpose: CMH Online is an outreach service provided by the U.S. Army Center of Military History. ... Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Lam Hoang Xuan Lam (1928-) was a general in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam and a native of the city of Hue. ... General Ngô Quang Trưởng General Ngô Quang Trưởng was born in 1933, Vietnam. ... General Richard G. Stilwell (1917-1991) served as Commander, U.S. Forces Korea and Acting Commander of the U.S. Army, Pacific from September to December of 1974. ... Some of the Khmer Rouge leaders during their period in power. ... The Defense Intelligence Agency, or DIA, is a major producer and manager of military intelligence for the United States Department of Defense. ... The United States Secretary of Defense is the head of the United States Department of Defense, concerned with the armed services and The Secretary is a member of the Presidents Cabinet. ... Melvin Robert Laird (born September 1, 1922) was a Republican congressman from Wisconsin who served as Richard Nixons Secretary of Defense from 1969 to 1973. ... Tết display in Ho Chi Minh City Tết Nguyên Đán  , more commonly known by its shortened name Tết, is the most important and popular holiday and festival in Vietnam. ... Type Bicameral Houses Senate House of Representatives President of the Senate President pro tempore Dick Cheney, (R) since January 20, 2001 Robert C. Byrd, (D) since January 4, 2007 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Members 535 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political...

U.S. and South Vietnamese intelligence services had no clear consensus as to communist intentions. MACV, on the other hand, was suspicious. It sent several reconnaissance teams into the Mu Gia and Ban Karai pass areas, and they discovered a heavy buildup in PAVN forces and equipment. MACV then decided that the North Vietnamese were building up for an offensive in the central highlands and the northern provinces of South Vietnam. The brunt of any such attack would, however, have to be borne by South Vietnamese forces, since U.S. troop strength had been reduced to 69,000 troops, most of whom were in support roles, and that number was to be reduced to 27,000 by 30 November.^[20] The Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV, pronounced as mac vee) was the United States command structure during the Vietnam War from 1962 until the wars end. ... is the 334th day of the year (335th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The U.S. commander, General Creighton W. Abrams, was convinced an offensive was likely, if not imminent, but he was also convinced that the attack would begin during or near the Tet holidays at the beginning of the year. He notified Admiral Thomas Moorer, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff that the North Vietnamese might attempt to "duplicate the effects of the 1968 offensive, perhaps by a limited operation aimed less at inflicting defeat on the battlefield than in influencing American public opinion."^[21] The consensus at MACV, however, was that such an offensive would be launched against II Corps, in the Central Highlands. When the offensive did not occur, both he and his headquarters were ridiculed in the American press for crying wolf.^[22][23] The moment of crisis seemed to have passed, and, by the end of March, allied forces that had been standing in readiness were returned to pacification efforts.^[24] U.S. Ambassador, Ellsworth Bunker, left for Nepal while General Abrams went to Thailand to spend the Easter holiday with his family.^[25] Creighton W. Abrams watches Bob Hope at Long Binh in Vietnam Creighton Williams Abrams Jr. ... Thomas Hinman Moorer (1912 February 9 - 2004 February 5) was a U.S. admiral. ... Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States of America symbol The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is a group comprising the Chiefs of service of each major branch of the armed services in the United States armed forces. ... The Boy Who Cried Wolf, illustrated by Milo Winter in a 1919 Aesop anthology For other uses, see Cry Wolf (disambiguation). ... Ellsworth Bunker (born May 11, 1894 in Yonkers, New York, deceased September 30, 1984) was an American diplomat. ... This article is about the Christian festival. ...

The Nguyen Hue Offensive of 1972

The ARVN units upon which the initial might of the North Vietnamese was to fall included the 1st and 3rd Infantry Divisions in Quang Tri and Thua Thien Provinces, and the 2nd Division, further south. This force was supplemented by two brigades of Marines (the 147th and 258th), the 51st Infantry Regiment, the 1st Ranger Group, and Regional and Popular Forces - approximately 30,000 men.^[26] The units were, however, fixed in static defensive positions and lacked adequate mobile reserves.^[27] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 394 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (3366 × 5115 pixel, file size: 4. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 394 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (3366 × 5115 pixel, file size: 4. ...

Bearing the initial brunt of the attack would be the 3rd Division, created in October 1971 and located in an arc of outposts near the DMZ to replace departing American troops. To create the new unit, the 1st Division (arguably ARVN's best unit) was stripped of its 2nd Regiment, and the 11th Armored Cavalry was brought up from the I Corps reserve. Both units were experienced, well-trained, equipped, and led. The 3rd Division's other two regiments, the 56th and 57th, however, were made up of recaptured deserters, men released from jail, and regional and provincial forces.^[28] It was led by cast-off officers and sergeants from other units. Like other ARVN units at this stage of the conflict, the division was suffering from a dearth of American advisors, who by then served only at regimental, brigade, and divisional headquarters.

Because of the general belief that the North Vietnamese would not violate the sacrosanct boundary, the unit was stationed in the relatively "safe" area directly below the DMZ. The division was commanded by newly-promoted Brigadier General Vu Van Giai, the former deputy commander of the 1st Division. The I Corps commander, Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Lam was an officer who epitomized the indecisiveness and ineffectiveness of Saigon's command structure, as had been discovered all too blatantly during Operation Lam Son 719.^[29] Lam concentrated on administrative matters and left tactical decisions to his subordinate commanders. Considering the circumstances, this was a workable solution, but only so long as his division commanders encountered no major difficulties. Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Lam Hoang Xuan Lam (1928-) was a general in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam and a native of the city of Hue. ...

U.S. intelligence had been squabbling over a possible PAVN cross-DMZ attack during the months preceding the offensive. DIA analysts "cautiously" predicted such a contingency, while the CIA downplayed the possibility. The General Lam's American advisors agreed with his assessment that a blatant North Vietnamese violation of the Geneva accord was unlikely.^[30] When the weekend of Easter 1972 arrived, General Giai had planned to rotate the operational areas of his 56th Regiment (along the central DMZ) with the 2nd Regiment (around the artillery base at Camp Carrol in the west). Because of a truck shortage, however, the units were moved simultaneously and became hopelessly intermixed and disorganized. At 11:30 on 30 March, both unit's headquarters shut down their radios for the exchange of operational areas.^[31] With communications fragmented, its units entangled, and the weather bad enough to prevent aerial operations, the 3rd Division offered the massed PAVN forces to the north an irresistible target.^[32] A jinx, or personal jinx, is a childrens game (although not necessarily played only by children) with a myriad of highly varied rules and penalties that occurs when two people accidentally speak (or type) the same word or phrase simultaneously. ... is the 89th day of the year (90th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Offensive

Northern collapse

The offensive began at noon on 30 March 1972, when an intense artillery barrage rained down on the northernmost ARVN outposts in Quang Tri Province. Two PAVN divisions (the 304th and 308th - approximately 30,000 troops) supported by more than 200 tanks then rolled over the Demilitarized Zone to attack I Corps, the five northernmost provinces of South Vietnam. The North Vietnamese 308th Division and two independent regiments assaulted the "ring of steel," the arc of ARVN firebases just south of the DMZ. From the west, the 334B PAVN Division, including an armoured regiment, moved out of Laos along Highway 9, past Khe Sanh, and into the Quang Tri River Valley. Significantly, allied intelligence had failed to predict either the scale of the offensive or the method of attack, giving PAVN "the inestimable benefit of shock effect, a crucial psychological edge over defenders who had expected something quite different."^[33] is the 89th day of the year (90th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

PAVN offensive in I Corps

On 1 April, General Giai, ordered a withdrawal of the 3rd Division south of the Cua Viet River in order for his troops to reorganize. The following morning, ARVN armoured elements held off a PAVN attempt to cross the river at Dong Ha by destroying the bridge there.^[34] The initial PAVN units were then joined by the 320B and 325C Divisions. Simultaneously, the 324B Division moved out of the A Shau Valley and advanced directly eastward toward Fire Bases Bastogne and Checkmate, which protected the old imperial capital of Hue from the west. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 655 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1245 × 1140 pixel, file size: 158 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) From Major A.J.C. Lavalle, Airpower and the 1972 Spring Invasion. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 655 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1245 × 1140 pixel, file size: 158 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) From Major A.J.C. Lavalle, Airpower and the 1972 Spring Invasion. ... is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The A Shau Valley is a valley in Vietnam. ...

The North Vietnamese advance had been timed to coincide with the seasonal monsoon, whose 500-foot cloud ceilings negated many U.S. airstrikes.^[35] PAVN advance elements also soon followed by antiaircraft units armed with new ZSU-57-2 tracked weapon platforms and man-portable, shoulder-fired Grail missiles, which made low-level bombing attacks hazardous. For other uses, see Monsoon (disambiguation). ... A ZSU-57-2 SPAAG. Photo by GulfLINK. The ZSU-57-2 (Zenitnaya Samokhodnaya Ustanovka) is a lightly armoured, self propelled Soviet air defence cannon ( SPAAG). ...

North Vietnamese T-54 tanks

Camp Carrol, an artillery firebase halfway between the Laotian border and the coast, was the linchpin of the South Vietnamese northern and western defense line and was the strongest obstacle to the North Vietnamese before Quang Tri City. On 2 April Colonel Phan Van Dinh, commander of the 56th ARVN Regiment, surrendered the camp and his 1,500 troops with barely a shot being fired.^[36] Later in the day, ARVN troops abandoned Mai Loc, the last western base. This allowed North Vietnamese forces to cross the Cam Lo bridge, 11 kilometers to the west of Dong Ha. PAVN then had almost unrestricted access to western Quang Tri Province north of the Thach Han River. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 399 pixelsFull resolution (1546 × 772 pixel, file size: 510 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Major A.J.C. Lavalle, Airpower and the 1972 Spring Invasion. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 399 pixelsFull resolution (1546 × 772 pixel, file size: 510 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Major A.J.C. Lavalle, Airpower and the 1972 Spring Invasion. ... The T-55 and T-54 main battle tanks were the Soviet Unions replacements for the World War II era T-34 tank. ... is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The PAVN advance was slowed by delaying actions for three weeks, and the South Vietnamese launched several counterattacks, but on the morning of 27 April, the North Vietnamese came on again, launching multi-pronged attacks against Dong Ha (which fell on the following day) and advancing to within 1.5 kilometers of Quang Tri City. General Giai had planned a staged withdrawal from the city to consolidate south of the Thach Han, but bewildered by conflicting orders from Lam and Giai, most ARVN formations splintered and then collapsed, conceding most of the province north of the city.^[37] On 29 April, Giai ordered a general retreat to the My Chanh River, thirteen kilometers to the south. U.S. military advisors in Quang Tri called for emergency helicopter extraction and, on 1 May, 132 survivors were evacuated from Quang Tri, including 80 U.S. soldiers. is the 117th day of the year (118th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 119th day of the year (120th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 121st day of the year (122nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

South Vietnamese civilians flee from the fighting in Quang Tri Province

The exodus of ARVN forces was joined by tens of thousands of South Vietnamese civilians fleeing from the fighting. As the mass of humanity jostled and shoved its way south on Highway 1, it presented an inviting target for North Vietnamese artillerists.^[38] They were soon joined by PAVN infantry, who moved by the flank to attack the column. ARVN units, with no leadership and all unit cohesion gone, could muster no defense. Meanwhile, to the west, Fire Support Bases Bastogne and Checkmate had fallen after staunch ARVN defense and massive B-52 strikes, which inflicted heavy casualties.^[39] On 21 April Abrams notified the U.S. Secretary of Defense that Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 507 pixels Full resolution (1293 × 819 pixel, file size: 536 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This image is a work of a U.S. Army soldier or employee, taken or made during the course of the persons official duties. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 507 pixels Full resolution (1293 × 819 pixel, file size: 536 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This image is a work of a U.S. Army soldier or employee, taken or made during the course of the persons official duties. ... is the 111th day of the year (112th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The United States Secretary of Defense is the head of the United States Department of Defense, concerned with the armed services and The Secretary is a member of the Presidents Cabinet. ...

In summary...the pressure is mounting and the battle has become brutal...the senior military leadership has begun to bend and in some cases to break. In adversity it is losing its will and cannot be depended upon to take the measures necessary to stand and fight.^[40]

Giai evacuated the last of his forces from Quang Tri City, which fell to PAVN forces on 2 May. That same day General Lam was summoned to Saigon for a meeting with President Nguyen Van Thieu. He was relieved of command of I Corps and replaced by Lieutenant General Ngo Quang Truong, commander of III Corps and one of the ablest ARVN generals.^[41] Truong's mission was to defend the old imperial capital of Hue, minimize further losses, and retake captured territory. Although saddled with raw troops and constantly countermanded by his superiors, General Giai had conducted a reasonably good defense. Even Truong pleaded his case with Thieu, wanting to keep Giai in command of the 3rd Division.^[42] It was in vain. Giai, who was to be made the scapegoat for the collapse, was tried for "desertion in the face of the enemy," and sentenced to five years in prison.^[43] is the 122nd day of the year (123rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... President Nguyen Van Thieu Nguyen Van Thieu, (April 5, 1923 – September 29, 2001) was a former General and President of South Vietnam. ... General Ngô Quang Trưởng General Ngô Quang Trưởng was born in 1933, Vietnam. ...

An Loc

Main article: Battle of An Loc

PAVN offensive in III Corps

The initial wave of the offensive was followed on 5 April by a PAVN advance out of Cambodia into Binh Long Province, northeast of Saigon. Its targets were the towns and airfields at Loc Ninh, Quan Loi, and An Loc. The possible initial goals of the offensive in III Corps remain unclear, but probably began as probes that, if successful, could be easily reinforced.^[44] The invasion was launched from Cambodian Base Area 708 by the B-2 Front's 5th PAVN/NLF Division and 203rd Armoured Regiment, which advanced down Highway 9 toward the border outpost of Loc Ninh. There, the 2,000 men of the ARVN 9th Regiment and a battalion of Rangers beat back five separate infantry/armor assaults before collapsing under the attack on 7 April.^[45] The North Vietnamese then isolated the 25th ARVN Division in neighboring Tay Ninh Province by sending two regiments to attack its forward outposts. Combatants North Vietnam Viet Cong South Vietnam United States Commanders Gen. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 642 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1440 × 1344 pixel, file size: 202 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) From Major A.J.C. Lavalle, Air Power and the 1972 Spring Invasion. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 642 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1440 × 1344 pixel, file size: 202 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) From Major A.J.C. Lavalle, Air Power and the 1972 Spring Invasion. ... is the 95th day of the year (96th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... April 7 is the 97th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (98th in leap years). ...

Sensing that the provincial capital of An Loc would be the next target, the III Corps commander, Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Minh dispatched the 5th Division to hold the town. They were reinforced by two battalions of the Ranger Group (on 7 April) and by two additional infantry battalions (on 10 April and 11 April).^[46] The 21st Infantry Division, which had been stationed in the Mekong Delta, was rushed to Chon Thanh to join a regiment of the 9th Infantry Division as a relief force. All forces in the area were placed under the command of Brigadier General Le Van Hung, commander of the 5th Division.^[47] Nguyen Van Minh was a general in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) during the Vietnam War. ... April 7 is the 97th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (98th in leap years). ... is the 100th day of the year (101st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 101st day of the year (102nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Mekong River Delta from space, February 1996 Mekong Delta, February 2005. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ...

The move was fortuitous for the South Vietnamese, since communist forces were indeed proceeding eastward toward An Loc. Simultaneously, the 7th PAVN Division bypassed the town and moved south along Highway 13 to block any relief effort launched from Chon Thanh. The communists had decided that An Loc, with its close proximity to Saigon, would be proclaimed as the capital of the Provisional Revolutionary Government, but even if they had been able to seize the town, they would never have been able to hold it. American air power would have made such an eventuality impossible.^[48]

ARVN soldier with M72 LAW anti-tank rockets during the defense of An Loc

By 13 April, An Loc was surrounded and under a combined artillery, armored, and infantry attack by the 9th PAVN/NLF Division. North Vietnamese forces advanced on the town through a deluge rockets, bombs, and napalm delivered by U.S. and South Vietnamese aircraft supported by massed artillery, tank, and small arms fire. Inside the town, the contingent of U.S. advisors became essential to the defense, serving as a separate staff organizing fire and air support, logistics, and intelligence. Colonel William Miller, the senior U.S. advisor, was not happy with General Hung's continuous reluctance to launch counterattacks and his reliance on U.S. air power to defeat the North Vietnamese. His hesitation and lack of motivation prompted Miller to report that: "He is tired - unstable - irrational - irritable - inadvisable - and unapproachable."^[49] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 581 pixelsFull resolution (3048 × 2214 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 581 pixelsFull resolution (3048 × 2214 pixel, file size: 2. ... The M72 LAW (Light Anti-Tank Weapon, also referred to as the Light Anti-Armor Weapon or LAW) is a portable one-shot 66 mm anti-tank weapon, designed in the United States by Talley Defense Systems, produced by Nammo Raufoss AS in Norway. ... is the 103rd day of the year (104th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... A simulated Napalm explosion during MCAS Air Show in 2003. ...

The communist attacks persisted and PAVN forces eventually battered their way into the town, seizing the airfield and reducing the ARVN perimeter to about a square kilometer. During another assault on the 21st, PAVN tanks actually forced their way through the defense perimeter but were held at bay and then destroyed by anti-tank weapons and helicopter gunships. North Vietnamese infantry did, however, manage to seize most of the northern sector of the town, where they began digging in (often right across the street from the ARVN defenders). The initial shock of ARVN troops instilled by North Vietnamese armor was soon abated when they discovered that, because the supporting infantry failed to advance with the tanks, they became easy prey for anti-tank weapons.^[50] On other occasions, the opposite would occur, with massed infantry assaults moving forward without armored support. This failure of tactical coordination was one of PAVN's prime weaknesses during the offensive, and one that the allies were quick to exploit.

North Vietnamese T-54 tank knocked out in An Loc by U.S. Army AH-1 Cobra helicopter gunship

As a result of his failure to seize the town quickly, the commander of the 9th Division was officially reprimanded and local command was handed over the senior officer of the 5th PAVN/NLF Division.^[51] Besides the lack of coordination, the major difficulty for the North Vietnamese was the rain of ordnance delivered upon them by incessant air strikes, which further reduced manpower and made resupply difficult. After the failure of the assault on 21 April, the battle devolved into a siege, with the North Vietnamese pounding An Loc and its defenders with 1,200 to 2,000 mortar, rocket, and artillery rounds per day.^[52] An Loc was completely surrounded and could only be resupplied by air, a situation made more difficult by the loss of the airfield. Resupply was accomplished, however, by 448 aerial missions which managed to deliver 2,693 tons of air-dropped food, medical supplies, and ammunition.^[53] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 418 pixelsFull resolution (5451 × 2845 pixel, file size: 6. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 418 pixelsFull resolution (5451 × 2845 pixel, file size: 6. ... The Bell AH-1 Cobra is an attack helicopter. ... is the 111th day of the year (112th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Celebration at An Loc: Lieutenant General Cao Van Vien (second from left); Brigadier General Le V