Declassified!

This is coolbert:

Here is an excellent web site that contains a large amount of declassified documents about the siege of Khe Sanh in 1968. http://members.easyspace.com/airdrop/

The siege of Khe Sanh has always raised some questions in my own mind as to what was the real intent of the North Vietnamese.

Was this a deception, as claimed by General Giap?

A deception to deceive the Americans as to the true battle to be shortly fought, the Tet Offensive?

Or was this an actual attempt to create another Dien Bien Phu (DBP)?

Do to the Americans what was done to the French.

Attack and destroy the defenders at Khe Sanh [USMC].

Such a blow, combined with the Tet Offensive, would surely knock the U.S. out of the war. A one-two punch with devastating consequences.

Demoralize U.S. public opinion so much that the American public would immediately demand U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam, resulting in a communist victory. My own perception is that Giap was hoping for a one-two punch.

One was the Tet Offensive, with the subsequent general uprising of the population in the south he had hoped for.

Second would be an assault and victory over the Marine force at Khe Sanh. Such a victory over the best forces the U.S. has would indeed be a very demoralizing blow.

IN THE AFTERMATH OF TET AND KHE SANH, IT IS NOTEWORTHY THAT GIAP WAS RELIEVED OF COMMAND? YOU DECIDE!

coolbert.