The First Battle of Saigon fought during the Tet Offensive was the coordinated attack by the NVA and VC, by which they attacked South Vietnam's Capital Saigon from all sides. 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 United States, South Vietnam, New Zealand, Australia North Vietnam, National Liberation Front Commanders William Westmoreland Võ Nguyên Giáp Strength 50,000+ (estimate) 85,000+ (estimate) Casualties USA/AUS/SKOR: 1,536 dead, 7,764 wounded, 11 missing, ARVN: 2,788 dead, 8,299 wounded, 587 missing, Total... January 30 is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... June 8 is the 159th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (160th in leap years), with 206 days remaining. ... 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). ... Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnamese: Thành Chí Minh) is the largest city in Vietnam, located near the delta of the Mekong River. ... Official language Vietnamese Capital Saigon Last President Duong Van Minh Last Prime Minister Vu Van Mau Area  - Total  - % water 173,809 km² N/A Population  - Total  - Density 19,370,000 (1973 est. ... Official language Vietnamese Capital Saigon Last President Duong Van Minh Last Prime Minister Vu Van Mau Area  - Total  - % water 173,809 km² N/A Population  - Total  - Density 19,370,000 (1973 est. ... The Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRVN), or less commonly, Vietnamese Democratic Republic (Vietnamese: Việt Nam Dân Chủ Cá»™ng Hòa), also known as North Vietnam, was proclaimed by Ho Chi Minh in Hanoi, September 2nd1945 and was recognized by the Peoples Republic of China and the... A Viet Cong soldier, heavily guarded, awaits interrogation following capture in the attacks on Saigon during the festive Tet holiday period of 1968. ... General William Westmoreland William Childs Westmoreland (March 26, 1914 – July 18, 2005) was a U.S. Army General who commanded American military operations in the Vietnam War at its peak from 1964 to 1968 and who served as US Army Chief of Staff from 1968 to 1972. ... Vo Nguyen Giap General Vo Nguyen Giap (born 1912) is a Vietnamese four-star general, who was the military leader of the Viet Minh guerrilla group under Ho Chi Minhs political leadership, and of the Peoples Army of Vietnam (PAVN) in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. ... 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... Combatants Viet Cong South Vietnam United States Commanders Gen. ... Combatants Army of the Republic of Vietnam Vietnam Peoples Army Commanders Maj. ... Combatants Viet Cong South Vietnam United States 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 North Vietnam United States Commanders Nguyen Huu An Col. ... Combatants Australia New Zealand United States North Vietnam Commanders Maj Harry Smith Nguyen Thanh Hong Strength 108 (not including supporting personnel/reinforcements) 2,500 (Disputed) Casualties 18 dead 24 wounded At least 245 dead 750 wounded (Captured documents and prisoner interrogations suggest there were 500-800 dead and around 1... The battle of Dak To was a major battle of the Vietnam war that took place between November 3 and November 22, 1967. ... Khe Sanh was a United States Marines military base in the Republic of Vietnam (the south) constructed near the border with Laos and just south of the border with North Vietnam which became the scene of a large offensive operation by the Peoples Army of Vietnam (PAVN, also known... Combatants United States Viet Cong Commanders Lt. ... Combatants Vietnam Peoples Army Army of the Republic of Vietnam Commanders Gen. ... Combatants United States, South Vietnam, New Zealand, Australia North Vietnam, National Liberation Front Commanders William Westmoreland Võ Nguyên Giáp Strength 50,000+ (estimate) 85,000+ (estimate) Casualties USA/AUS/SKOR: 1,536 dead, 7,764 wounded, 11 missing, ARVN: 2,788 dead, 8,299 wounded, 587 missing, Total... Tet 1969 refers to the attacks mounted by principally North Vietnamese forces in February 1969 in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. ... Combatants United States North Vietnam Commanders Melvin Zais Uncertain Strength est. ... The Easter Offensive (also known as the Nguyen Hue Offensive) was a military campaign in the Vietnam War. ... Combatants Vietnam Peoples Army Army of the Republic of Vietnam Commanders General Van Tien Dung General Hieu Strength 40,000 5,000 Casualties 3 Divisions destroyed 30% of total strength The Battle of Xuan Loc was the last major battle of the Vietnam War. ... The Secret War (1962-1975) was the Laos front of the Second Indochina War. ... pwtha This iconic image shows South Vietnamese civilians scrambling to board a United States military helicopter during the U.S. evacuation of Saigon. ... Combatants United States, South Vietnam, New Zealand, Australia North Vietnam, National Liberation Front Commanders William Westmoreland Võ Nguyên Giáp Strength 50,000+ (estimate) 85,000+ (estimate) Casualties USA/AUS/SKOR: 1,536 dead, 7,764 wounded, 11 missing, ARVN: 2,788 dead, 8,299 wounded, 587 missing, Total... NVA is a three-letter abbreviation for North Vietnamese Army (also known as the Peoples Army of Vietnam) Nationale Volksarmee, the National Peoples Army of the former German Democratic Republic (East Germany) Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie, Belgian political party. ... A Viet Cong soldier, heavily guarded, awaits interrogation following capture in the attacks on Saigon during the festive Tet holiday period of 1968. ... Official language Vietnamese Capital Saigon Last President Duong Van Minh Last Prime Minister Vu Van Mau Area  - Total  - % water 173,809 km² N/A Population  - Total  - Density 19,370,000 (1973 est. ... Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnamese: Thành Chí Minh) is the largest city in Vietnam, located near the delta of the Mekong River. ...

Background

In 1968 the NVA and VC Launched the Tet Offensive. They attacked South Vietnam from all sides. North, South, East, West, this was made done largely by the undercover VC. 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ...

The Plan

Saigon was the main focal point of this offensive, but a total takeover of the capital, by military units, was not intended or feasible. They rather had six main targets in the city which 35 battalions of VC were to attack and capture, these were The Headquarters of the ARVN, President Thieu's office, The American Embassy, A Vietnamese Air base and their Naval Headquarters, and the National broadcasting station.

The Battle

Attacking from all sides of the capital Saigon, the NVA, and VC launched 35 battlions at Saigon. Sapper Bns and the local forces attacked the Presidential Palace, The National Radio Station, The US embassy and other principal targets. The 5th VC Division launched an attack on the military bases at Long Binh, and Bien Hoa. The NVA 7th Division launched an attack on the US 1st Infantry Division, and the 5th ARVN Division at Lai Khe. The VC 9th Division attacked the US 25th Infantry Division at Cu Chi. The airport of Tan Son Nhut went through a heavy barrage of rocket and mortar fire beginning at 3 a.m. followed by a 3 bn assault. They encountered the ARVN 8th ABN who happened to be waiting for transport. The US 3/4th Cavalry from the 25th Division raced from their base at Cu Chi to help rescue the airfield that was under attack. The 1/18th Infantry A/1/4th Cavalry from the 1st Infantry Division also helped at the airfield. In the mean while the local VC took control of the National Radio Station for 6 hours and during that time played a recording of Hồ Chí Minh announcing their liberation and "General Uprising" but it couldn't get through, because when they attacked and captured the National Radio Station the power had been cut off as soon as the station was attacked. The US Embassy was attacked by 19 VC Commandos, even though the attacks in Saigon had been taking place for over an hour the Guards were not informed so they didn't fortify their position. The VC blew a hole in the Embassy's compound wall and in the process killed Several Mp's and entered the compound. The few remaining guards withdrew into the embassy and locked the doors. Even though the VC commandos had ample supplies of explosives, both of their officers in charge were killed in the initial attack so the VC just milled aimlessly around the grounds. Eventually the US reinforcements came and six hours later from the initial attack the Embassys Compound was retaken. Heavy fighting continued in the Cholon District and around the Phu Tho Racetrack for several days. Finally, the 199th Brigade, with heavy air support secured the area.^[1] It has been suggested that Gendarmerie be merged into this article or section. ...

Aftermath

By early February, the Communist high command realized that none of their military objectives were being met, and they halted any further attacks on fortified positions. Sporadic fighting continued in Saigon until March 7. Some sections of the city were left badly damaged by the combat and U.S. retaliatory air and artillery strikes in particular. The Chinese district of Cholon suffered especially, with perhaps hundreds of civilians killed in the American counter attacks.

Notes

1. ^ The United States in Korea and Vietnam: A Study in Public Opinion.

References

• James R. Arnold (1990). The Tet Offensive 1968. Praeger Publishers. ISBN 0275984524.