Tet truce during Vietnam War
Tuan Hoang tuannyriver at gmail.com
Wed Sep 9 18:22:39 PDT 2015
*Since the topic is somewhat related to the Tet Offensive, which in turn
could easily lead to all sorts of debates beyond the original subject, I
wish to ask for responses specifically on the questions below.*
Dear VSGers,
Throughout the Vietnam Conflict, was there ever a "truce" that there should
be no fighting during the Tet? That is, an official, semi-official, or
quasi-official truce? Or was it merely an assumed "understanding" that all
sides would desist from fighting in honor of the holidays?
Before the Tet Offensive, were there any major outbreaks or battles that
occurred very close to the Tet period (say, from the Lunar New Year's Eve
to the third day of the new year)?
Finally, I'd guess that security in South Vietnamese cities were generally
beefed up around Tet after 1968... What sorts of measures were taken? Was
ARVN affected greatly in terms of soldiers having to station in their
barracks instead of going home for a few days?
Thanks in advance,
~Tuan
Tuan Hoang
Pepperdine University
www.tuannyriver.com/about
Joe Berry joetracyberry at gmail.com
Wed Sep 9 21:28:53 PDT 2015
What I remember was that there was a Christmas truce in 1965 and some, including me, were calling for it to be open ended then.
Joe Berry
Joe Berry & Helena Worthen
Faculty of Labour Relations & Trade Union - Ton Duc Thang University
19 Nguyen Huu Tho Street, Tan Phong Ward, District 7, Hochiminh City, Vietnam
0935002920 (phone in case the postman want to contact)
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Marc Gilbert, Ph.D. mgilbert at hpu.edu
Sun Sep 13 15:00:26 PDT 2015
"Finally, I'd guess that security in South Vietnamese cities were generally beefed up around Tet after 1968... What sorts of measures were taken? Was ARVN affected greatly in terms of soldiers having to station in their barracks instead of going home for a few days?"
Interceptions of courier-carried Tet plans convinced the local U. S. commander to cancel Tet-related recreational leave in Saigon region. Unusually light cross-border family visits as Tet holiday approached helped convince some U. S. commanders in CTZ I to cancel leave, which became general there. Vietnamese nursing aides to American nurses in CTZ II told them not to go out that night and morning (initial fire thought to be fireworks there; only warning they received). Thus, culture mattered. Most questions about that and ARVN answered at the following sites.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tet_Offensive>
CANCEL S. VIET TROOP LEAVES FOR NEW YEAR<http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1969/02/06/page/26/article/cancel-s-viet-troop-leaves-for-new-year>
archives.chicagotribune.com/.../cancel-s-viet-troop-leaves-for-new-year
*
SAIGON, Viet Nam, Feb. 6 [Thursday] L - South Viet Nam's command said yester- day that all military leaves will he canceled for the Tet ... Short Tet Truce Likely
The Tet Offensive: Intelligence Failure in War<https://books.google.com/books?id=9IsYIhP_8G4C&pg=PA221&lpg=PA221&dq=Commander+in+Saigon+cancelled+tet+truce+leave&source=bl&ots=fSfNS6Idkn&sig=sHVcefa6Ur3ecPfxNoIhSugr3YM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CCEQ6AEwAGoVChMImbb5t_P0xwIVhTiICh2OVQ4O>
https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0801482097
James J. Wirtz<https://www.google.com/search?es_sm=122&biw=1359&bih=1281&tbm=bks&q=inauthor:%22James+J.+Wirtz%22&sa=X&ved=0CCIQ9AgwAGoVChMImbb5t_P0xwIVhTiICh2OVQ4O> - 1994 - History
access routes to Saigon. Starting at 0945 30 January, Saigon radio announced the cancellation of the Tet truce throughout the country and broadcast an urgent plea for all ARVN troops on leave to return to their units. ... The ARVN command structure was probably incapable of recalling these troops on short not
Tet Offensive - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tet_Offensive>
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tet_Offensive
*
Wikipedia
>From spring through the fall of 1967, the U.S. Command in Saigon was perplexed ... holiday, and the South Vietnamese military made plans to allow recreational leave for ..... In I Corps, the Tet Truce had been cancelled in appre
Chapter V: Three Enemy Offensives<http://www.history.army.mil/books/vietnam/mounted/chapter5.htm>
www.history.army.mil/.../c...
*
United States Army Center of Military History
Jan 17, 2002 - The next day the Tet truce was officially canceled throughout the country, ... At Thu Duc, a Saigon suburb, a cavalry task force of students and ... Colonel Otis ordered Troop B, commanded by Captain Malcolm Otis, to leave the
The Tet Offensive, 1968 - The Turning Point in the Vietnam ...<http://www.historywithoutindignation.com/archive/78-the-tet-offensive-1968-the-turning-point-in-the-vietnam-war>
www.historywithoutindignation.com/.../78-the-tet-offensive-1968-the-tu...
*
*
Sep 4, 2014 - A traditional truce which usually had been honored by the ... The South Vietnamese commanders allowed many of their soldiers to go on holiday leave during the Tet truce. ... At the Tan Son Nhut airport in Saigon, American MPs of the Army's ... In a cautious move, General Westmoreland, commander of the ...
CANCEL S. VIET TROOP LEAVES FOR NEW YEAR<http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1969/02/06/page/26/article/cancel-s-viet-troop-leaves-for-new-year>
archives.chicagotribune.com/.../cancel-s-viet-troop-leaves-for-new-year
*
SAIGON, Viet Nam, Feb. 6 [Thursday] L - South Viet Nam's command said yester- day that all military leaves will he canceled for the Tet ... Short Tet Truce Likely
Carl Robinson robinsoncarl88 at gmail.com
Mon Sep 14 04:21:15 PDT 2015
As I recall, both southern sides -- the Republic of Vietnam and the
National Liberation Front (NLF) -- publicly announced truces for major
holidays such as Christmas/New Year and then for Tet with the inclusive
dates. Most readily on radio, these were announced independently and
without any sort of consultation so were not always coincidental. For
their part, the Americans always agreed with the timing of the one
announced by the Saigon government.
And so things would go pleasantly quiet for a few days with both sides more
or less respecting their truces. No more artillery fire, air strikes and
skies almost empty of aircraft. Combined with start of the Dry Season in
the South, these breaks were a most pleasant time of the year and I took
full advantage with trips down to places where I'd normally be a lot more
nervous, such as Long Hai Beach near Vung Tau.
Carrying on from previous years, the communist side announced another
cease-fire for Tet 1968 and then massively violated it. After that, no
one believed their truce announcements any more although things were
relatively more quiet during subsequent holiday periods.
Best regards,
Carl Robinson
USOM/USAID '64-68
Associated Press, Saigon. '68-75.
Paul Schmehl pschmehl at tx.rr.com
Mon Sep 14 16:27:00 PDT 2015
The Viet Cong attacked during Tet in previous years as well. For example,
this document -
www.vietnam.ttu.edu/virtualarchive/items.php?item=16710104002 - records a
bombing attack on the Kinh-Do Theatre in Saigon on the third day of Tet in
Feb 1964. There were other attacks during Tet, because the communists felt
it would have a greater impact during that time.
I recall reading about another attack during Tet, but I can't seem to
locate it at this time.
I haven't studied (and don't know) if the communists specifically broke any
truces they had announced, and I'm not aware of any study that covers that.
Paul Schmehl (pschmehl at tx.rr.com)
Independent Researcher
David Marr david.marr at anu.edu.au
Mon Sep 14 17:35:34 PDT 2015
I was in Vietnam during Tet Quy Mao (1963). Standing outside at Giao Thua, listening to what I thought was fireworks, I heard some splat noises nearby. Spent bullets from ARVN rifles. I hastily retreated to a porch.
David Marr
ANU
From: Vsg [mailto:vsg-bounces at mailman11.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of Carl Robinson
Sent: Monday, 14 September 2015 9:21 PM
To: Tuan Hoang <tuannyriver at gmail.com>
Cc: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg at u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: [Vsg] Tet truce during Vietnam War
As I recall, both southern sides -- the Republic of Vietnam and the National Liberation Front (NLF) -- publicly announced truces for major holidays such as Christmas/New Year and then for Tet with the inclusive dates. Most readily on radio, these were announced independently and without any sort of consultation so were not always coincidental. For their part, the Americans always agreed with the timing of the one announced by the Saigon government.
And so things would go pleasantly quiet for a few days with both sides more or less respecting their truces. No more artillery fire, air strikes and skies almost empty of aircraft. Combined with start of the Dry Season in the South, these breaks were a most pleasant time of the year and I took full advantage with trips down to places where I'd normally be a lot more nervous, such as Long Hai Beach near Vung Tau.
Carrying on from previous years, the communist side announced another cease-fire for Tet 1968 and then massively violated it. After that, no one believed their truce announcements any more although things were relatively more quiet during subsequent holiday periods.
Best regards,
Carl Robinson
USOM/USAID '64-68
Associated Press, Saigon. '68-75.