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1M ★ ★ San Antonio CXPKISS/NEWS-SiMnfay, N»*. 10, !»*•‘Instant Victory’ Recipe Ideal, But Doesn’t ExistBy PETER BRAESTRUP tag. Last week, Thieu called] MILITARY SOURCES sayjlocal Viet Ceng political andw«hinoton POST news sekv.ce ••wuefjeld victories” aodsueh operations will make few otaer non • .military cadres whoSAIGON — A few days alter lwuie!J , ,:«.lt; tiia tir die, surrender or desert eachthe election, a small group ol civic progress to back up allied headlines ~ Me the «1st Air- m0Rlh through intensified po-men close to the winner will ar-,negotiators at the peace table borne division’s methodical jj^ worj-_ 1’ijis S( . callednegotiatorsrive-at Tan Son Nhut Airport, |(even as he demanded new con-onci of the generals at Pentagon^^ for Saigon.B participation predicted lasl^ month.ja| paftS)_ l3S( week, as he ao- ..... nounCed the bombing halt,President Johnson warned that hard fighting might lie ahead, U.S. military sources here say no letup in U.S. operations has been ordered by Washington, although, once more the enemy has been avoiding major contact.Indeed, U.S. and South Vietnamese commanders haveThey will lock around quietly for a few days, then fly home with their recipe for instant victory.”No one here claims to have such recipes to offer ni chard Nixon OC his emissaries. Indeed, the word “victory” has been passed since the Communist January offensive. But U.S. and South Vietnamese officials here can be expected to arpe that.. . - plans for a major dry seasonthe shape of any peace settle-' aig!!. in uie southern halfmeet at Pans mil be heavily of ffe «,untry. The end of theaffected by the changing military' and political realities of Vietnam.Apparently agreeing with this thesis, Hanoi and the Viet Cong have issued directives to their commanders here to keep up toe local pressure, particularly against ARVN and militia units despite the bombing haft. More tjjan 500 hamlet and village ‘'liberation committees” have been set up since summer in “contested” or Viet Cong - controlled ayeas, presumably to buttress future Viet Cong claims to ad-rtinlstrative control. About half t£e North Vietnam Army (NVA) troops have been pulled back to border base areas, but hit and run mortar attacks, minings and skirmishes continue. Everyday, both sides are still losing brave men. The war is not over.countrysouthwestern monsoon rains will soon dry up the rice paddies and make it easier for U.S. mechanized forces to operate.This campaign, among other things, embraces the contested Mekong delta, where half the nation’s population lives and few NVA troops have appeared.clean up around Hue — and infl let no dramatic losses on any one day. But, if it works, it will result in a weakening of the enemy’s ability to disrupt pacification, or wage a postwar political struggle.The military eampaip — aimed at hunting down enemy main and local force units in key areas — is being coordinated with President Thicu’s “special pacification plan,” also dubbed the Quick Fix.” First ordered last month “to take advantage of the enemy’s weaknesses,” the plan envisages establishing government control by Jan. 31 over 800 to 1,100 hamlets now among the 2.500 hamlets rated as “contested. With a total population of three million, these are the hamlets that the Viet Cong political cadres are expected to try to grab first, following a ceasefire. Most, but not all, preparationsTwo brigades of the U.S. 9th D|- are for ^ «qnick fix-. com. vision are now the only American ground troops in Fourth Corps (Delta), more U.S. forces arc exjjecied lo join them in helping re - equipped ARVN forces try to beat back long • entrenched Viet Cong battalions.Dry season campaigns have occurred before. This time, the allied focus will be on ‘‘dear and hold” operations, designed to exploit the recent decline inplete. The extra manpower needed comes largely from the Regional Forces (RF) and Popular Forces (PF) militia whose combined number have grown by almost 100,000 — or one - third — since January under Thleu’s general mobilization order.WHILE U.S. and regular ARVN battalions push out aness, and above all, lo broaden NOT ONLY THE Communistsjthe government of Vietnam pre-Intend to “fight while negotiat-'sence in long - contested areas.enemy big - unit aggressive- moving shield beyond the targetftamiets in each province, the RF and PF will fill in behind the regulars, (Every hamlet willMARTHA'S CAFENow Reopened Under Original OwnerHOME COOKED MEXICAN FOODour specialty!W. HUEBNER RD.f PHONE OX 6-0210IETWEEH IAICOCK FKEDEftlCKSaUftG RD.For In si cm? Strvlc* for any ik* flrowpOfNtn W*d, thru Sun. — S p.m. !• ?:30 p.m.Jut. I Sun. 11 P.m. I* 2 pm. fd«Mrf * fu«nfayt)get at least one militia platoon as permanent protective force, and a ten - man people’s self -defense1 group of part - time troops will be organized, armed and trained on the spot.Moreover, village and hamlet officials having fled to avoid as-sassination in the past must re* turn within one week after the hamlet is declared relatively secure.’1 Village councils and hamlet management committees must be elected or appointed, and money provided for modest self - help projects like small bridges or Irrigation dams.“The accent Is on security and self - government/1 said a U.S. official School - building can wait until next year,The government hopes totriple the number (1,100) ofPhoenix” program, aimed al the Viet Coiig backbone is regarded — belatedly — by Saigon as being as important to its postwar political survival as any military campaign against the NVA.THE GOVERNMENT hopes that under the increased miUla-17 pressure, 5,000 Viet Cong can be persuaded to rally to the government as Obanh” in the next three months. It hopes to almost double the number of people self defense” home guards to include 200,900 armed part - time sentries and #00,000 others enrolled but unarmed — all this lo free additional PF and HF from static defense duties.Can Thicu’s slow moving corruption • ridden administration, even with the aid of 5,300 U.S. pacification advisers and logisticians, pull off Quick Fox”? If it comes even halfway to its goals, say U.S. specialists, it will be an unprecedented GVN success. Much will depend on outside events. One factor is Saigon’s ability to look like a winner not a loser as the Paris talks go on. Uncertainty over the outcome of those talks — and thus over the future of South Vietnam — is almost certain to cut the number of Viet Cong raUiers” and may affect militia.A quick unconditional ceasefire would be highly welcome to most war weary Vietnamese — but Saigon, like the Viet Cong — has so far shown no enthusiasm for the idea. Any unilateral U.S.j withdrawal of combat troops is viewed by U.S. officials as both rash militarily and politically unwise however great its appeal at home.With Quick Fix” and the dry season campaign, the allies here intend to fight while their representatives negotiate. The enemy apparently intends to do the same — In his special fashion. It is a race against time for Thieu, Even if his own strength slowly increases U.S. patience with the Vietnam struggle can only be expected to decline further. There Js no recipe for instant victory, or even a face -saving infant solution.
Newspaper Details
San Antonio Express and News
San Antonio, Texas, US
Sun, Nov 10, 1968
Page 9
Full Page
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USA 07 Mar 2022
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