As they moved closer to La Chu, PAVN resistance increased and it was obvious that this was a major PAVN base. On the afternoon of 29 January, the main body of the southern wing, the 804th Battalion, the 1st Sapper Battalion, the 815th and 818th Battalions of the 5th Regiment, the southern wing command group, and various supporting units descended from their mountain staging area and headed for the T Trch River, which stood between the attacking force and Hu. The 1/5 Marines commander Major Robert Thompson ordered Company B up to relieve Company A and the advance continued slowly until it was halted by PAVN flanking fire from the Dong Ba Gate (162837N 1073459E / 16.477N 107.583E / 16.477; 107.583). Of course, the U.S. Marines were proud of their achievement in retaking the territory of the city. [28][9]:50405, After watching Cronkite's editorial report, President Lyndon Johnson is purported to have said, "If I've lost Cronkite, I've lost Middle America. To understand why, Mark Bowden's searing "Hue 1968: A Turning Point of the American War in Vietnam" takes us deep into the bloodiest single battle of that bitter conflict, tracking Americans . [4]:17374 This was easier said than done as the PAVN-VC were well dug-in and firing from virtually every building in the Citadel. This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History. The 806th Battalion, which was dug into a cemetery along Highway 1 near the western corner of the Citadel, dispatched a group of soldiers to capture the An Hoa Bridge, driving off the RF detachment guarding the bridge and opening a line of communication with the other PAVN-VC in the Citadel. 1/7th Cavalry then dug in to night defensive positions. [9]:34749 On 9 February 5/7th Cavalry resumed their advance with artillery support from PK-17 and naval gunfire; they overran Lieu Coc finding PAVN bodies and fighting positions. This is called lance corporal ingenuity and Pfc. In spite of the beating they took in November, they will continue to assert they repelled the initial attack and fought well thereafter. At 10:45 on 11 February Company B, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines was airlifted aboard Marine CH-46s into Mang Ca, but enemy fire forced several of the helicopters to return to Phu Bai. The heavy damage was the result of the artillery, air, and mortar pounding the area received for 25 days while the Viet Cong/NVA held the area. The Tet Offensive was a military campaign . Because of enemy mortaring of the LCU ramp in southern Hu, the allies had stopped all river traffic to the city. [In urban combat] you may want to know that one of the things youre supposed to do is isolate the city, said Christmas. The convoy was then turned around and sent towards Hu. Few returned. [4]:216 Until the last week of the battle, the ARVN, U.S. Marines and 1st Cavalry each fought separate, largely uncoordinated battles without a unified command structure, no overall strategy and competing demands for logistics, air and artillery support. Company D was also engaged by PAVN in the village of Lieu Coc and forced to withdraw. At the Chanh Tay gate (162826N 1073340E / 16.474N 107.561E / 16.474; 107.561) on the west wall of the Citadel, a six-man PAVN sapper team dressed in ARVN uniforms killed the guards and opened the gate. The 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry was to arrive in the landing zone first, followed by the 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry to be inserted near PK-17. MAIL: PO Box 7311, Richmond, Virginia 23221, Lt. Gen. G. R. (Ron) Christmas, USMC (Ret.). As LaHue later wrote: "Initial deployment of forces was made with limited information. The ARVN 3rd Regiment launched a night attack along the southern wall of the Citadel. Unable to enter the Citadel, the two battalions established their night positions outside the southeast wall of the Citadel. [12]:7577, On 23 February a company from the 5/7th Cavalry, boarded helicopters and flew to the docks near Mang Ca, where it joined a platoon of armored personnel carriers from Troop A, 3rd Squadron, 5th Cavalry Regiment, on loan from the 9th Infantry Division which had just arrived in the Phu BaiHu region after redeploying from Long Khnh Province to northern I Corps by sea. The enemy was 35 meters away and we were launching RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades) at each other, said Christmas. This was an operational area that actually required two complete regiments to secure. After a day of attacks the Marines withdrew to their night defensive positions. Attacking in a southeasterly direction, the two battalions would then attempt to close the PAVN-VC supply line into Hu. The Airborne attempted a frontal assault on the graveyard but were unable to force their way through the PAVN positions and found themselves unable to advance or retreat and called for assistance. [14]:28, On the night of 1/2 February PAVN sappers successfully brought down the Bach Ho (railroad) bridge across the Perfume River, restricting movement from the south towards the Citadel, but failed to destroy the An Cuu Bridge over the Phu Cam Canal. [34][35] Both battles were fought in close quarters in an urban setting where the enemy ensconced itself in the midst of civilians. and, more recently, The Finish: "The Killing of Osama bin Laden", and Hue 1968: A Turning point of the American war in Vietnam. [24], The PAVN-VC's actions were based on a series of orders issued by the PAVN High Command and the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam (PRG). VIETNAM Hue is home to a plethora of intricate imperial structures, such as the Meridian Gate Matthew Pike Writer 26 October 2021 View From 1802 to 1945, Hue was the capital of Vietnam and home to the Nguyen dynasty. Apart from the headquarters staff and a handful of support units, the only combat units in the Citadel were the division's 36-man Reconnaissance Platoon and its reaction force, the elite Hac Bao (Black Panther) Reconnaissance Company. The content and opinions expressed in these presentations are solely those of the speaker and not necessarily of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. This was the seat of the Nguyen dynasty. This could mean going through the same holes and breaches that you have been through. The sweep continued until 25 February. Vietnamese young boys and girls fill sandbags. On 24 February, the 5/7th Cavalry, rejoined its detached company and the armored cavalry platoon from the 3/5th Cavalry, near the western corner of the Citadel. Hu, the ancient imperial capital city of Vietnam, had a population of nearly 140,000, making it the third largest city in the Republic of Vietnam, commonly known as South Vietnam. The 804th Battalion and the 1st Sapper Battalion remained south of the canal near the An Cuu Bridge while the 810th Battalion began preparing to sneak west across the Perfume River by raft and boat to Gia Hoi Island. This summer's almost certain standoff will either end in real give-and-take negotiations or terrible escalation; and for every means we have to escalate, the enemy can match us, and that applies to invasion of the North, the use of nuclear weapons, or the mere commitment of one hundred, or two hundred, or three hundred thousand more American troops to the battle Artillery shells began raining down near the ferry landing and fighter-bombers soon joined the attack, which killed at least 12 PAVN-VC and scattered the rest. Lying on a plain backed by foothills of the Annamese Cordillera (Chane Annamitique) and situated 5 miles (8 km) from the South China Sea coast, Hue is traversed by the broad, shallow Huong River (Hue River, or Perfume River ). With the building secured the Marines then methodically cleared out the spider-holes, shooting their occupants. Hue became the imperial capital of a unified Vietnam for the first time in two centuries and retained this status until 1945. The United States and other allied nations fought on the side . Hu was also a base for United States Navy supply boats. 12 February - 5 March 1968 - Operation "HUE CITY." Citadel Fortress of Hue. Both battles also had insurgents and other forces utilizing snipers, significantly increasing the combat potential of the combatants, while the Marines also constituted the advanced fighting elements of the US forces deployed in both Hu and Fallujah. [4]:197, On 13 February Companies A and C, 1/5 Marines left Mang Ca and moved south along the eastern wall of the Citadel, while Company B remained in reserve. The 804th Battalion of the newly created 4th Regiment was reported to be near Ph Lc District, 30 kilometers (19mi) southeast of the city. "[29][30] This account has been questioned in a book on journalistic accuracy. In the early morning of 31 January, after the rocket bombardment of the airfield and the initial attack on the Truoi River Bridge, Task Force X-Ray received reports of strikes all along Highway 1 between the Hi Vn Pass and Hu. Retired Sgt. The Battle of Hue was one of the bloodiest and longest battles of the Vietnam War. But as the intensity of the battle increased, the policy was eliminated. There are endless must-see historic sites, especially those that are UNESCO World Heritage designated. On 27 February the entire battalion attacked the hill but the PAVN had withdrawn during the night, leaving behind 14 dead. In Fallujah, Sunni insurgents turned mosques into fortresses, in a similar way to how PAVN-VC forces utilized Buddhist temples in Hu. A 75mm recoilless rifle knocked out one of the supporting tanks. [12]:27 The 1st Division's units were spread throughout I Corps, two battalions of the 3rd Infantry Regiment were west of Hu, one on a routine sweep mission and the other undergoing training at the Van Thanh center, while the remaining two battalions of the regiment were searching for the PAVN-VC near the coast southeast of Hu. The PME was planned in honor of the 50th anniversary of the battle and it also honored Vietnam Veterans Day, which is March 29. All told, the PAVN-VC hit some 18 targets from bridges, CAP units, and company defensive positions. That young Marine of yours, that corporal who has always been the joy of everybody and always has a joke, gets killed next to you. The Best Things To Do In Hue, Vietnam. Country Maps. [12]:6970, By 20 February the 1/5 Marines advance had stalled and after conferring with his commanders Thompson decided to launch a night attack against three PAVN strongpoints that were blocking further movement with the entire battalion attacking at daybreak. Task Force X-ray including 1/5 and 2/5 Marines (2,500) and 1st ARVN Battalion. However, the shock of the Tet Offensive, coming so soon after General William Westmoreland's "End in view" tour of the U.S. in November 1967, undermined the credibility of Westmoreland and his strategy within the Johnson Administration. In the battle for the tower, six men died and 50 were wounded. [9]:356 A pontoon bridge had been built across the Phu Cam Canal, restoring the road access that had been lost when the An Cuu Bridge was blown up. [9]:288 That evening VC sappers succeeded in blowing up the An Cuu bridge, cutting the road link to Phu Bai. The battle was one of the longest and bloodiest of the war, and the battle negatively affected American public perception of the war. Hue City Vietnam - Etsy Check out our hue city vietnam selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. On the night of 23 February the PAVN attempted another counterattack, but were forced back by artillery fire. During the Battle of Hue City, most of the civilians hid out in buildings, according to Christmas. [4]:20810, To the west, the South Vietnamese forces continued to meet stubborn resistance. The Cavalry had finally captured the PAVN's main support base, but were still 8km from the Citadel. 2/5 Marines killed 18 PAVN or VC and captured one, at a cost of three Marines killed and 13 wounded. [4]:176, Shortly after 15:00, Company F, 2/5 Marines made a helicopter landing into southern Hu. More than half the company's 147 men had been wounded or killed in that day's fighting. The PAVN's Department of Warfare gives figures of 2,400 killed and 3,000 wounded from 30 January until 28 March. [4]:223 Delaying the counterattack until a clear strategy was developed and the necessary forces assembled might have reduced casualties among the ARVN, U.S. forces and civilians and shortened the battle. An Ontos was brought forward to blast an entry into the building, but was disabled by a B-40 rocket. Over the next month, they were gradually driven out during intense house-to-house fighting led by the Marines and ARVN. Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. On 4 January 1968, MACV J-2 (military intelligence staff) received a report that a Vietcong sapper team had obtained jobs at the Tan Son Nhut airbase from which they planned to attack MACV. [9]:475[13]:45, On 21 February following intensive radar-guided airstrikes and artillery strikes, the four Cavalry battalions launched a four-pronged attack from the north, west and south on Que Chu and La Chu. 6) Enjoy the Co Ha Gardens. At 03:00 on 21 February, three ten-man teams from 2nd Platoon of Company A launched their assault, quickly capturing the sparsely defended strongpoints which the PAVN had withdrawn from overnight. Victims included women, men, children, and infants. A native of Portsmouth, Ohio, then-First Lieutenant James K. Redding arrived in South Vietnam on January 7, 1968, and was assigned as the assistant American advisor to the 7th Airborne . Working from lists of "cruel tyrants and reactionary elements" previously developed by VC intelligence officers, many people were to be rounded up during the initial hours of the attack. [4]:213 Allied air and artillery support was restricted by the poor weather, supply difficulties and, initially, by restrictions intended to limit damage to Hu's historic structures. [9]:269, About 11:00, Company H, 2/5 Marines, crossed the An Cuu Bridge in an armed convoy. A Leaders Guide to Conducting Research Staff Rides, The Overlooked Irregular Warfare Expert the Pentagon Should Study Today, MWI Podcast: When Cities Become Battlefields, Frank Sobchak Joins MWI as Chair of Irregular Warfare Studies, Announcing the Modern War Institutes 202223 Senior and Research Fellows, Call for Submissions: Civil-Military Relations and Modern War, Call for Applications: MWIs 202223 Fellows Program. Company H withdrew so that air strikes could be launched and these knocked out mortar and machine gun positions killing 20 PAVN; however, one bomb fell short killing four Marines. During the night, the battalion called helicopter into the landing zone to take out the most badly wounded. The Battle of Hu (also called the Siege of Hu), was one of the bloodiest and longest battles of the Vietnam War. The enemy force, the forty sappers and an infantry company from the 800th Battalion that had been waiting in the graveyard northwest of An Hoa, did not return fire but crept away before they could be illuminated by the descending flares. Other PAVN troops split off and attacked the Hu railway station and a police headquarters facility near the Bach Ho Railroad Bridge. After a few minutes, the RF soldiers stopped shooting, and some began to wonder whether they had seen enemy troops or had been firing at shadows. The lightly armored dusters did not provide as much armor as a tank, but they were effective. By 22:15 that night, Tolson's command had agreed with III MAF on its designated area of operations in the Hu sector. Its all up in here, Christmas said, pointing to his head. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfMocPJZvfQ&t=40s. The Marines had inadvertently located the PAVN headquarters for the battle. 358 Battle Of Hue Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Images Images Creative Editorial Video Creative Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 358 Battle Of Hue Premium High Res Photos Browse 358 battle of hue stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Marine Corps Base Quantico. [12]:28, The Marine's Phu Bai Combat Base, 11 kilometers (6.8mi) south of Hu on Highway 1, included Task Force X-Ray, a brigade-size component of the 1st Marine Division built around the 1st and 5th Marine Regiments. Mr. Bowden undertakes this task with the talent and sensibility of a master journalist who is also a humanist and an honest man . You know where those decisions come from? Like previous case studies focusing on Stalingrad and Mosul, the Battle of Hue also plays an outsized role in the way the US military conceptualizes urban warfare. Meanwhile, 4km to the west of the city the PAVN 416th Battalion, 5th Regiment, as well as a local force company and a recoilless rifle company, swarmed into the villages of Thon Que Chu and Thon La Chu (162852N 1073014E / 16.481N 107.504E / 16.481; 107.504). He has been involved in urban operations training for two decades and is an urban operations subject matter expert and urban warfare historian, having participated in, planned, executed, and intensively instructed on urban operations for the past seven years. Inguyen Anh, whose regal name was Gia Long, founded the new citadel of Hue in 1802. [4]:191 The PAVN forces in the new city, worn down by more than a week of incessant combat and effectively cut off from their comrades on the other side of the river, began to slowly abandon the city, the 815th and 2nd Sapper Battalions moved to the southern side of the Phu Cam Canal, where the 818th Battalion was already in place. We walked them down the streets until they were out of the line of fire. None of that was available. During Tet, the lunar New Year holiday, the North Vietnamese and their Viet Cong allies staged attacks across South Vietnam, none more dramatic than the assault on Hu, the old imperial capital. The Marines then pushed into the Treasury building which the PAVN had hastily abandoned. Hue City,, Vietnam, 1968 The highway also provided access to the Perfume River (Vietnamese: Sng Hng or Hng Giang) at the point where the river ran through Hu, dividing the city into northern and southern parts. 4,856 civilians and captured ARVN personnel were executed by the PAVN-VC or went missing during the battle according to the South Vietnamese Government. Hue. At 22:00, South Vietnamese Regional Force (RF) troops stationed in a village a few hundred meters north of the An Hoa Bridge observed what appeared to be enemy figures moving past them in the dark. Upon their flashlight signals, the 800th Battalion and several teams from the 12th Sapper Battalion rushed through the gate and headed northwest towards Ty Lc Airfield. Trng then ordered the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Regiment and the Hac Bao Company to recapture the Imperial Palace and this was achieved against minimal resistance by late afternoon. Your email address will not be published. The 1st Regiment was stationed near Qung Tr 50 kilometers (31mi) to the northwest and the 2nd Regiment was another twelve kilometers farther up Highway 1 near ng H. [4]:168, Three USMC battalions were protecting Phu Bai Combat Base, Highway 1 and all western approaches to Hu. The Marines on the outskirts of the city were able to fend off the initial Tet Offensive attack and back the NVA up to the river, but within a few days the Marines were ordered to take back the entire city, which had become overrun by NVA. A forward fighting line was maintained directly opposite the Marines with a secondary line two blocks back. Required fields are marked *. The ambush destroyed several vehicles and threw the 1st Troop, 7th Cavalry, into confusion. (Eddie Adams/AP) The following maps were produced by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, unless otherwise indicated. You have to work out how to deal with it. Once again, NCOs must think outside of the box to accomplish the mission. Quantico Marines enrolled in Marine Corps University have also toured the city to learn from the history of the battle, a common way for Marines to learn leadership and learn from the Marines who came before them. Battalion and a heavy weapons company had some trouble crossing the canal outside the southeastern wall, but entered shortly thereafter. [12]:38, A company each from the 815th and 818th Battalions entered the western edge of the new city around 04:50, eighty minutes behind schedule. Meanwhile, the team of thirty sappers who had scaled the northwestern wall overpowered the guards standing watch at the An Hoa and Hau Gates, then opened their doors to the infantry company waiting outside. Urban Warfare Project Case Study #3: Battle of Hue, Special Operations Forces and Great Power Competition. Hu (Vietnamese: ()) is the capital of Tha Thin Hu province in central Vietnam and was the capital of ng Trong from 1738 to 1775 and of Vietnam during the Nguyn dynasty from 1802 to 1945. About mid-day, the PAVN continued to block any advance to the south. Everybody is a rifleman. We would progress in this way throughout the fight, said Downs. John Spencer is chair of urban warfare studies at the Modern War Institute, codirector of MWIs Urban Warfare Project, and host of the Urban Warfare Project Podcast. Unplanned by the North Vietnamese, their greatest success was the shock and negative impact of the battle and the entire Tet Offensive on U.S. public opinion. Hue City,, Vietnam, 1968 Me love you long time! The PAVN-VC lost somewhere between 1,042 and 5,133 killed, while Allied forces lost 668 dead and 3,707 wounded. The Marine Corps' military operations in urban terrain doctrine recognizes that tactical success does not necessarily translate to strategic victory the Battle of Hu in the Vietnam War, when Marines defeated an enemy that sought to put up a good fight but never expected to win. PAVN troops also seized the Tu Dam Pagoda, just south of the canal, which they soon converted to the main command post for the southern wing. [12]:34, At 03:40, ten minutes behind schedule, elements of the PAVN 164th Artillery Regiment fired a barrage of 122mm rockets into the new city from firing positions in the southwestern hills. After initially losing control of most of Hu and its surroundings, the combined South Vietnamese and American forces gradually recaptured the city over one month of intense fighting. [12]:29 The PAVN B5 Front created a special logistical and administrative zone known as the Hu City Front to manage the upcoming battle. [4]:195 On 11 February the Vietnamese Marines Task Force A comprising the 1st and 5th Battalions, began to be lifted by helicopter into Mang Ca to replace the Airborne, however due to poor weather this deployment would not be completed until 13 February. The human and material resources of the entire kingdom, which extended from the Chinese border to the Gulf of Siam, were rounded up for . The PAVN-VC forces rapidly occupied most of the city. The Hu City Sapper Unit and the 12th Sapper Battalion were also located in Base Area 114. He led the Marine push to capture the Citadel on the north side of the Hue river. Part One is entirely about the Battle of Hue. . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The articles and other content which appear on the Modern War Institute website are unofficial expressions of opinion. Take advantage of all the exciting benefits that membership offers including access to member-only publications. After failing to take Mang Ca and the MACV Compound in their initial assaults, the PAVN-VC did not attempt to seize them again, instead keeping them under fire and generally adopting a defensive posture, this tactical mistake allowed the ARVN and U.S. to bring in the reinforcements that would eventually clear the city. The Battle of Hue began early on January 31, 1968 and lasted until the first days of March, when US troops retook the city. Then, you need to select where you enter the city, then you can determine what you are going to use to take the city. As the Marines approached the base at 07:00 they were met by PAVN mortar and machine-gun fire; artillery fire was called in on the PAVN positions and the Marines entered the base at 08:50. Its pretty easy to get emotional, but what leaders get paid for is to stand above the emotion. To isolate the Hue fight and judge it in the context of the overall Viet Nam conflict is a mistake. His remaining Hac Bao platoon, made up of the most experienced soldiers, took up position at the centrally located Ty Lc Airfield to act as a rapid-reaction force. Y Young Ki Moon Hue city 1968 Usmc Marines Staff Sergeant Korean War In addition, in any combat fight, there are going to be innocent civilian bystanders. [12]:59, Also on 7 February, the North Vietnamese tried to bring their own air support into the battle, sending four Vietnam People's Air Force Il-14 transport aircraft from an airfield near Hanoi. RM JA01HR - Crowd at Ba Tang Cemetery where more than 400 victims of the 1968 Communist Tet Offensive lie in a mass grave, Hue, Vietnam, 1968. [9]:4244 H Ch Minh, Phm Vn ng, V Nguyn Gip and Ng nh Dim had all attended the lyce in the city. Another mistake was that he didnt move his snipers around and the NVA found the snipers and fired many RPGs at them. The main body of the 818th Battalion had left camp later than planned and had gotten lost on its way to the city. [12]:3839, In the early morning a U.S. Army helicopter was shot down over the city; the crew sought refuge with a group of ARVN in a small compound. Comments will be moderated before posting to ensure logical, professional, and courteous application to article content. [9]:290, Following the capture of the Treasury, Cheatham continued his methodical advance to the west leading with tear gas, M-48s and Ontos, followed by Mules and Marines, while PAVN-VC resistance lessened as its manpower and ammunition was depleted. The 815th Battalion had been delayed because South Vietnamese paramilitaries had ambushed the battalion at a river crossing three kilometers south of the city. New Hue was located on the southeast bank of the river. The 4th Battalion, 3rd Regiment, south of the river, crossed the river and assaulted the Thuong Tu Gate near the eastern corner of the Citadel. Beginning in February 1968, in the South Vietnamese city of Hue, 11 battalions of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), two U.S. Army battalions, and three U.S. Marine Corps battalions, for a total of 16 battalions, defeated 10 battalions of the People's Army of Vietnam and the Viet Cong. The year 1968 marked a crucial turning point in the Vietnam War. [12]:3436, At 04:00 the PAVN reached the Ty Lc Airfield, where 50 men of the Hac Bao reconnaissance company, reinforced by the 1st Division's 1st Ordnance Company, stopped the PAVN 800th Battalion. 7) Walk Around the Thai Hoa Palace. 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