ldjsurvey
Document
them "new criminal acta of aggression." Another domestic service commentator on the 3d, aaylng the raids will not aucceed/fn frightening the people of the" DRV, points out that Vietnam ia helped by lta socialist friends and that sore andplanes are being destroyedesult.
Moscow promptly reports theCongan Son Hhut airfield and. installations in Saigon< pointing to the resulting "panic" in the American comoandl/Andorrespondent, Shchedrov, cites the NFLS* atatement that the raids were carried out in "retaliation" for/<he attacks on Hanoi and the bombing of the DRV "civilian population." ecember Moscow domestic service accountreys conference by Dang Quang Minh, th* head of the NFLSV's mission/In Moscow, to publicize the Front's "black book". "chemicalxarfare" in South Vietnam, also quotes his as referring to the raLft near Hanoi aa proof of. escalation and as saying^hat the raid on Tan Son Nhut airfield was "revenge" fortrike.
VC CLaijas Victory JtS "First Round" of Dry Season Campaign
Hanoi and Front/sedia continue to describe the southern insurgents as responding/triumphantly to tha NFLSV Central Commlttea Presidium'sctober>dpp*al for defeat of the allied dry season offensive. IBERATION PRESS AGENCY communique carried by VNA on thaickseries of alleged communist victories In the month sincet claimsasualties in that period, and/asserts that "we have won the first round" against the dry season offensive. It pictures an allied debacle in Tay Ninh and heavy allied reverses in the highlands and near the demilitarized zone.
OPERATION ATTLEBORO
Media exert particular efforts to depict Operation Attleboro In Tay Ninh Provinceajor victory for the comunists. HAN DAN editorial onh hails this "glorious and highly aignificant victory" of the Viet Cong, says the campaign "broke thef ?aany.esulted in0 eneay casualties, and displayed the "excellent and well coordinated fighting" by the hree types of forces. An LPA roundup of the campaign carried by VNA onh and statementsepresentativeegional "Liberation Armed Forces Command" quoted by LPA and carried by VNA on thehorough apulinfl ofallied forces in the opora-tion.
confj^ttal
BLOC SURVEY
86
The most comprehensive discussion of operation Attleboro appearsengthy conDentary under the pseudonym "Quyet Thang" broadcast by Liberation Radioecember. The author claims that Attleboro, "the largest military operation thusonstituted the "biggest, bitterest and. defeat. He says that the allies had sought to destroy insurgent main forces andand to pacify the Tay Hinh area, but that In fact the VC waged deep and continuous attacks on allied positions. Apparently sensitive over reports of heavy communist casualties, Quyet Thang claims that the allies "failed toingle platoon" of the Insurgents and adds, in describing various engagements, that "all of the guerrillas werehat "our side was unharmed."
The author stresses the successful coordination "among the different battlefields" and says that the three types of forces fought in "smooth coordination" and displayed "good mutual support." Some defensiveness seems evident, however, in the claim that the Viet Cong won its engagementsignified manner" and waged "continuous" battlesminor scale" while setting the stage for "stajor battles whenever favorable."
The author notes approvingly that regular and guerrilla units cooperate in "deeply penetrating" disputed areas to promote mass uprisings. Citing engagements in the Tay Hinh campaign in which insurgents allegedly "lured the enemy out of his bases" and then attacked, he declares that "this way is, however,hat communist forces must "penetrate deeply" into allied territory and attack enemy bases, logistic centers,and urban areas. He asserts that "we must attack the enemy not only when he advances or pauses but also when hend that the insurgents must always "prooote the offensive spirit."
Unlike earlier Front comment which flatly ridiculed the assignment of ARVN forces to pacification work, this article observes aoberly that thisevelopment of "strategicut it goes on to say that pacification efforts "have been frustrated."*
U.S. TROOPS IN DELTA
Some concern over the assignment. forces to delta areas seams evidenthe Truong QUAN DOI NKAN DAN article broadcast to the Southecember. It declares that the delta "continues to be
Cor.-ent on ARVN pacification effcrrs is discussed in the BLOC
SURVEY of
Original document.
Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic: