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derivative filename/jpeg
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363-05388 to 363-05394.pdf
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Digital Object Identifier
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363-05388 to 363-05394
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Title
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Article about encirclement operations around Saigon
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Description
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Original title: "offensive", Keever's title: "Communists Unleash Slow-Motion Offensive Around Saigon", Article draft about encirclement operations around Saigon, for the Christian Science Monitor, page 1-7
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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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zcze sag
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offensive 1 (normass/deepe)
BIEN HOA, SOUTH VIETNAM,
SEPTEMBER 4--The Communist third offensive
into Vietnam's major cities is already unraveling in slow-motion.
The
battle for Saigon is now in progress-but is being fought miles outside
the capital. Thus far, the Communists are suffering severe casualties
and substantial tactical defeats in the ground war.
Some Communist big-unit formations are already in a slow-motion
Other big-unit
march towards the capital and other major cities.
"hard-hat" units are already in position close to Saogn.
Saigon.
Communist
Terrorist, sabotage and tx commando units are already in Saigon or are
continuing to infiltrate into the capital at an unknown rate.
more reuter
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offensive 2 (normass/deepe)
this
Third Corps
This is the view of American field officers at the
headquarters commanding the eleven provinces around Saigon-situated 10
situated 18 miles north of Saigon.
The view that the Communist third-offensive is underway is not
necessarily the the top-level official assessment of the country
countrywide situation. Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu has stated
that Communist acceleration of military activity since August 18 is not
the third offensive--because "it is not strong enough." The American
official command is also reluctant to quality define past developments
as the third offensive for the same resons. reason.
third offensive, the Communists have lost the war,"
American officer explained.
lieve
"If this is the
one low-level office
officers at the
The Vietnamese government's high command
quality qualify military developments of the first of a two-h two-phase
offensive, the first phase running from August 15 to September 15 and
marked by flanking attacks outside the cities, the second phase running from
September 15 onway onwards, marked by continuous fighting in the urban
centers.
Significantly,
MORE Reuter.
the Viet Cong radio broadcasts seem to agree
with American field commanders here--that the offensive hes began
more rea
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offensive
(normass/deepe)
The most tentative thumbnail assessment of what has happened during the
first two weeks of the Communist offensive is this: The Allies are succeeding
in interdicting and defeating the Communist big-unit formations in
battle-but the Allies are unable to seal and totally secure the major
cities from infiltration of small-unit terrorist, sniper, sapper and
commando units. The sources are confident the "Communist big-unit hammer
blow into Saigon will turn into a little tap," but they are clearly
worried about continuous, low-level fighting and terrorism in the cities.
"T
"Man,
if the Communists turn 2000 snipers, lose in Saigon,
c Vietnamese citizens,
shooting the
don't know what would happen. But, instead,
the Communists will send their regiments hammering in--and they'll be cut
down. But little units will slip in."
more reuter
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- Page 4
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zcze sag
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offensive 4 (normass/deepe)
In fact, none of the Allied sources in Saigon seem prepared to
guess how much residual strength the Communists have had in the capital
for some time, how many fifth-columnists, terrorists, political cadre
Months.
or weapons caches have been in Saigon for some time.
However,
shadowy Communist presence is being felt in the capital.
ee
At the tactical der
a
UAQUE
The strategic dif defense of Saigon is organized in three) ever-widening
circles 1 expanding from the center, with the greatest concentration
of Allied forces in the second circle from where the Communist set up their
rocket positions to harrass the city. Beyond these three circles The
A reaching near the Cambodian border-the Allies rely mainly on
recommess sonnessians reconnaissance missions for spotting the Communists,
and then calling in air and artillery to smash them.
During the past week,
Communist big-unit formations have moved
through the outer defense screen, more than twenty miles from the city.
One principal evidence of this was the three-day battle last week between
the U. S. Army 101st Airborne and the North Vietnamese 101st Regiment.
Americans cafe claimed a body count of 103 North Vietnamese, many of whom
became trapped in an encirclement by heliborne American troops. The battle
took place at = Trang Bang, which lies astride a major Communist
infiltration route--and where another battle took place during the May
offensive.
==more reuter
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offensive 5 (normass/deepe)
"The Communists are just following the same pattern as in May,"
"They are rolling in from the border
one informed source explained.
Pretty
areas. They have pushed through our outer defense screen.
We can just
soon we'll see more action closer and closer to Saigon.
keep following their movements through the second layer of our defense
system. They use the
troops along
towar
pile-on-theory just to keep pushing their
de Saigon.
The three Communist divisions in the area are the 5th, 7th and 9th.
Elements of the 7th Division are reported to be moving down the Song
areas
Be river
into the wooded "the "catchers-mitt"
the
area,
3iles
with the Ally
The 9th divison, division has broken contact after
north of Saigon, .
participating in the Tay Na Ninh actions beginning August 18. That
unit is considered to be have withdrawn into Cambodia, where they
+
will ove further south,
only
then cut into the narrow "parrot's beak"
The 5th Division is still active
miles directly west of Saigon.
area,
in Tay Ninh province near the Cambodian border, where they engage American
units and armor convoys on a harassing basis.
==more reuter
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offensive 6 (normass/deepe)
The "function in life" of these three main divisions during the
major thrust of the expected escalation of activity in the cities will be
to tie down American and Vietnamese divisions to prevent
their
reinforcing Saigon. These Communist divisions are mainly North Vietnamese in
troop strength and command strength.
Closer into Saigon, in the second layer of defense, three Communist
automus autonomous regiments,
more Southern in composition,
also considered om to be moving towards the city,
in a good enough position to springboard into the city.
are
or are already
These autonomous
regiments-called the Dong Nai, Cuu Long 2 and Quyet Thang đo
generally north of Saigon city and are only a good night's march away
from major airports and military installations in the area.
Communists battalions to the southern part of the city are
Other
considered
PIERCING
to be attempting to not move north-but have had difficulty in moving
through the battalions of the U. S. Army 9th Division, which has engaged
a number of them.
These units, called "regional" or "provincial" battalions,
composed more of "local boys" who know the terrain;
are
"The es Communists
can't gain many points sending North Vietnamese divisions into Saigon," one
source explained. These units are expected to bear the brunt of the
Saigon fighting.
more reuter
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- Page 7
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offensive 7 (normass/deepe)
"We expect the Communists to try a prolonged offensive of the May-type,"
one informed source explained. "They'll try to stick one battalion into
order it to hold until it is completely
one region of Saigon or its fringes,
chewed up,
and then they will send in another battalion to do the same thing.
They'll try to keep continuous pressure on the city-maybe for four or five
wook week while using rockets and terrorists to give the world of
the impression of greater strength than they actuall have."
end router
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Date
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1968, Sep. 4
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Subject
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Vietnam War, 1961-1975; Guerrilla warfare; Mặt trận dân tộc giải phóng miền nam Việt Nam; Tet Offensive, 1968; Tactics; Siege warfare
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Location
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Biên Hòa, South Vietnam
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Coordinates
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10.9574; 106.8427
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Size
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20 x 26 cm
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Container
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B10, F39
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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
