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derivative filename/jpeg
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363-04057 to 363-04066.pdf
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Digital Object Identifier
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363-04057 to 363-04066
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Title
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Article about the South Vietnamese counter-offensive after the Tet Offensive
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Description
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Original title: "operation", Keever's title: "Amidst Peace Talks, Allies Use Smaller Unit to Fight Communists." Article draft about the South Vietnamese and Allied Forces counter-offensive after the North Vietnamese Tet Offensive earlier in the year during rumblings of potential peace talks. The article ends with a promise to Hank (Editor) to write more strategy stories in the near future. Written for the Christian Science Monitor
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AI Usage Disclosure
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Draft transcripts were automatically generated via Google Document AI and are currently under review. Please report significant errors to Archives & Special Collections at archives@unl.edu.
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Transcript
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- Page 1
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soze sag
yy ljp
operation 1 (normass/deepe)
BIEN HOA, SOUTH VIETNAM, APRIL
largest military operation to date in the Vietnam war,
this week,
10
Tho
launched early
represents in massive form a modulation, but not a
change in Allied strategy here.
This operation, along with the breaking of the siege
indicates to reliable sources
of Khe Sanh along the demilitarized zone,
here,
Strategic
the Allies have regained the momentum of the post-Tet war-a
significant development as Vietnam ponce talks appear "talks to begin
talking" apear appear under about to begin.
more reuter
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- Page 2
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zozo sag
yy 1jp
operation 2 (normass/deepe)
The massive military operation,
in the war,
setting a new tone if not a trend
represents a de-conventionalization of Allied military power,
as well as a new scope in coordinating and marshalling the greatest
number of Allied troop resources in a single corps area.
Specifically, the operation is in significantly designed to:
1. to accelerate and coordinate the Allied strategic and tactical
offensive in the 11 provinces around Saigon, which are the pivot points
to the military defense of the capital. The operation, if militarily
successful, would attempt to relieve the political-psychological
state of near-depression in the pit saigon in the wake of the Communist
Tet offensive and more recently the looming, peace talks which raise
spectres of uncertainty in the capital.
more reuter
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- Page 3
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2020 sag
yy 1jp
operation 3 (normass/deepe)
Authoritative sources here believe the Communists have suffered a shatte
ROUND
military defeat during and following the Communist Tot offensive and that
the Allies have held the military initiate since initiative since then.
In fact, these sources believe the Communists have suffered so heavily
they can not launch a second wave of sensational attacks into saigon,
duplicating gh their Tet formula, without significant reinforcements
from North Vietnam-the reinforcements they will be able to get faster
within the reduction of bombing over American bombing over the North.
==more reuter
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- Page 4
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2020 seg
yy 1jp
operation 4 (normass/deepe)
2. to spray, rather than the concentrate,
Allied maneuver battalions
the /
and paramilitary units in order to counter the Communists across the
spectrum of their unit formations, from the squads in the ham
000h hamlet, the platoons in many villages up to their main force
The strategy here is still General William C. Westmoreland's
search-and-destroy operation--but the target, instead of being
battalions.
predominantly against Communist main force units, compris comprises
foousing on the whole array of the Communist military formation.
more reuter
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- Page 5
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2020 sag
Jy 1jp
operation 5 (normass/deepe)
3. Within the main force war, the Allied power is swinging in step
with a double-trend in Communist strategy, first, to fragment their
large units, from regiments into battalions and from battalions
into apo soparate companies, and second, to glue the this fret
gr fragmented main force strength around the mix urban centers,
of returning to their former jungled base areas along the border
frontiers.
one Allied
"We were surprised the Communists ordered their units to
break up and stay in a belt along the cities,"
source explained. "They have been taking tremendous losses as we
moved our troops and firepower against them.
fragmenting to meet their fragmented units,
cover more ground than before."
instead
So,
and in doing so we oän
the Allies are now
Later, the operation is expected to attempt blocking the five
mmmmmm Communists use in moving the
corridors of supply the
their men and supplies into the outer Saigon perimeter.
==ore reuter
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- Page 6
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2030 sag
Jy lip
operation 6 (normass/deepe)
The military operation is named Toan Thang, a Vietnamese
lable meaning certai "mmmm, "Complete Victory." A/
total or of 90 Allied maneuver battalions are committed to the batta
Vietnamese), in addition to more than
battle (
American,
50,000 Vietnamese paramilitary troopers called Regional and Popular
Forces. The area of operation involves all eloven provinces in the
tactical area called Three Corps by the Vietnamese command and Field
Force Two by the American command.
==more reuter
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- Page 7
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zozo sag
yy 1jp
operation 7 (normass/deepe)
The operation is under the direction of Vietnamese corps
commander,
General Le Nguyen Khang, and American Field Force commander,
Lt. General Fred Weyand, who daily review thx and orchestrate the
their troop movements.
"There's very close Vietnamese and American coordination,"
reliable source explained.
"This isn't the first time, but it is
one
the first time on such a continuing basis.
There's a daily review by
should
the two generals--where should they concentrate their troops,
the Americans and Vietnamese attack jointly,
and if so where and how.
And there's a continuing integration of intelligence."
==more reuter
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yy 1jp
operation 8 (normass/deepe)
One reliable source explained:
"This operation doesn't look too sexy as far as the blue arrow
boys are conson concerned," concerned.
There's not a massive
blue arrow aimed at a blue goose-egg, wheret the enemy is concentrated.
Buy
we are moving
in terms of the fragmented enemy strength,
everywhere--and we don't have to go too far to find them.
this operation gave our troops the sense of an offensive
a means to get a handle on alot of scattered units.
we'll involve the Vietnamese Regional
Also,
and was
In this operation,
and Popular Forces to a greater
degree, plus Vietnamese National Police as well."
#more reuter
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- Page 9
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Jy 1jp
operation 9 (normass/deepe)
Operation Toan Thong-Complete Victory--is an extension of the
56-battalion Que Quyet Ta mang
Thang Resolved to in--which had
PROUND SY
Tuyet Thang và th
previously been the largest operation of the
56 battalions (
American,
Vietnamese) onded last week with a
27-day scorecard total of 23,6581 REPEAT 2.658
Communists KHED. 298 AlliED
Killed.
(05 us
193 VIETNAMESE); 13.94 Allic D
WOUNDED (922 US, 472
VIEIN Amese)
More thAN
500
AND Prisoners
'Communist suspects
were seized
; 994
WEApons
Seized.
==more router
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- Page 10
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zcze sag
Jy 1jp
operation 10 (normass/deepe)
Quyet Thing was
named by General
Khang and brought peals
since he stole the name
of criticism and derision from Radio Hanoi,
of a Communist operation launched during the decisive battle of Dien
Bien Phu fourteen years ago. The operation was also mildly criticized
by some Western correspondents because I alleging it was more public
relations gimmickry, than a traditional kind of military operation.
However,
reliable sources at the corps headquarters/hore
ignore their quibbles as irrelevant to the when considering the scope
and changing strategy involved in the operation.
(HIITle three or four strategy type stories in the next
based on some fabulous interviews on my weekend to trip.
ave them into a three or four-part series, but they
I might h
could be run separately as
detailed and ponerent Viet
Also, I think we need to do a more
reaction piece on peace overtures,
int netting some of the effects in the provinces. Regards Bev).
==end reuter
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Date
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1968, Apr. 10
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Subject
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Vietnam (Republic). Quân lực; Khe Sanh, 2nd Battle of, Vietnam, 1968; Vietnam War, 1961-1975; Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Peace; Vietnam--Foreign relations--United States
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Location
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Biên Hòa, South Vietnam
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Coordinates
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10.9641; 106.8564
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Size
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20 x 26 cm
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Container
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B10, F6
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Format
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dispatches
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Collection Number
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MS 363
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Collection Title
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Beverly Deepe Keever, Journalism Papers
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Creator
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Keever, Beverly Deepe
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Copyright Information
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These images are for educational use only. To inquire about usage or publication, please contact Archives & Special Collections.
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Publisher
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Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries
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Language
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English
