Word: thien
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Remember Con Thien. Despite the customary verbal niceties, the debate was bitter and sarcastic, and widened even further the gulf between supporters and critics of the Administration's Viet Nam policies. Unfortunately, it also overshadowed an effective speech by Kuchel about his recent visit to Viet Nam. The Californian, who considers himself an "armed dove," left as a supporter of Johnson's policies, and returned even more firmly convinced that they are correct. "Other than Red China, North Korea and North Viet Nam," he said, "every country over there hopes to God we don't turn around...
...last clear days before the monsoon to wreak unusually heavy damage on North Viet Nam. To the south, the enemy shied away from major actions and, bowing to the superiority of U.S. firepower along the Demilitarized Zone, broke off the lengthy siege of the Marine base at Con Thien. Though Con Thien is not yet home free, its relief was a psychological boost to the entire U.S. effort in Viet...
...artillery duels in history, North Vietnamese army gunners have rained as many as 900 rounds of big artillery and mortar shells a day on the Marine stronghold two miles south of the DMZ. Last week, as they poked their heads out of their muddy dugouts, the Marines at Con Thien noticed an unusual absence of the harsh hiss of incoming shells. U.S. aerial reconnaissance found out why: in groups of 10 and 15, North Vietnamese regulars were spotted making their way northward out of the DMZ, leaving behind some abandoned gun emplacements. Plagued by problems of supply and outgunned...
General William C. Westmoreland called Con Thien "a Dienbienphu in reverse," but he added that the Reds would probably be back. Even so, Con Thien represented a U.S. victory. The Marines had taken the best that the Communists could throw at them and had held their ground and fought back valiantly and effectively. Their showing can only have given some pause to Hanoi's war strategists...
...effective is the U.S.'s monthold choke-and-destroy bombing strategy? U.S. air experts pointed to the silent cannon facing Con Thien as one example. The artillery shells that the Communists had been firing at the Marines weigh about 21 Ibs. to 107 Ibs. apiece. If the trains do not run and the trucks cannot pass, shells of that size simply do not find their way south in sufficient numbers to enable the North Vietnamese gunners to match muscle with U.S. Marines...