Word: arvn
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...capital of Long Khanh province. The Communist attack began Wednesday with a 2,000-round barrage of rockets and artillery and mortar fire, followed by a ground assault supported by tanks. According to Western analysts, Xuan Loc's nearly 6,000 defenders-including units of the 18th ARVN Division, which has its headquarters there-held their ground well...
...scattered Communist attacks in the Delta accomplished Hanoi's first aim: ARVN troops clearly must remain where they are. The second aim, however, may be more difficult to attain. "The Delta is South Viet Nam's most secure area, militarily and, even more important, psychologically," reported TIME'S McWhirter after a visit to the area. "The ARVN units there have benefited by being far removed from the most traumatic effects of the rout in the north. Their morale is thus relatively high. They are led by General Nguyen Khoa Nam, a hardworking, incorruptible soldier of modest means...
However, morale of most ARVN officers and line troops in the Saigon area remains shattered. Even if morale miraculously improves, time-at least two weeks, probably much more-is needed to regroup and refit the units that fled from Military Regions I and II. Since ARVN officers are not known for their organizational abilities, some of the units may never be reconstituted. Of the original 14,000 men in the once acclaimed Marine Division, which fled Thua Thien province, 8,000 escaped to Vung Tau near Saigon. Only 4,000 are still around, the others have melted away...
...mounting opposition to the President last week was made by a 26-year-old South Vietnamese air force lieutenant named Nguyen Thanh Trung, who tried-literally-to bomb Thieu out of office. Shortly after taking off from Bien Hoa airbase for an early morning bombing run in support of ARVN troops in Military Region III, Trung radioed his commander that he would have to turn back because his F-5 had engine trouble. Instead of returning to base, he headed for the white, modern Independence Palace, Thieu's presidential residence at the end of Thong Nhut Boulevard in downtown...
...many South Vietnamese, Thieu's determination to hang on in Independence Palace was more ominous than the bombing. The reclusive President had lost almost all that remained of his popularity and credibility by his inept handling of the ARVN retreat from the Highlands. That was apparent by the trouble that Nguyen Ba Can, the new Prime Minister whom Thieu had charged with organizing a "fighting Cabinet," was having in recruiting new ministers. By week's end, the new Cabinet was nearly formed, but contained no new major figures capable of inspiring new confidence in the government. Nonetheless...