TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1968 THE MICHIGAN DAILY PAGE' TBREE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1968 THE MICHIGAN DAILY ?AGE THREE Allies Assess Effects of Communist Offensive 14 Mls To DMZ SOUTH Sosth Boundar IT A O a ,. Highway~y .©Marines Fight 4 re' VOff Attack VNiethamesenamesA Diiin mtlratc861 Kiv SNH// LO By PETER ARNETT Associated Press News Analysis SAIGON-What did the Com- munist high command hope to achieve in its attacks on 35 South Vietnamese population and ad- ministration centers in the first days of the lunar new year? To what degree were the ob- jectives attained and what has been the impact of the recent events of the war? The answers to these questions and an assessment of the enemy's intentions in the Khe Sanh bat- tleground in the northwest, are being carefully examined and de- bated in Saigon. For the first time, the U.S. Command. seems to be assessing the Communists as tacticians, rather than just fanatical hordes pouring across the border to be- come cannon fodder for U.S. guns. Three broad theories are being put forward as to the Communist objectives. The first is that the attacks were an escalation of the Com- munist war effort, an obvious ex- tension of a strategy that climbed into gear in late 1967 with haras- sing actions against district towns that built up into a challenge against the Vietnamese capital itself. This purely military effort was designed to disrupt temporarily the allied stance, and parallel con- tinued fighting along the borders. This theory would classify the Communist objective as attained. The second theory, favored at this time by U.S. and Vietnamese official spokesmen, possibly be- cause it puts the best light on recent events, declares that the Communists were counting upon popular uprisings in the cities they attacked. The Communists committeed a gross error of judg- ment, according to this theory. The third theory is that the Communists were intent upon damaging the prestige of the Sai- gon government in American eyes. attempting to show the United States that the South Vietnamese government is incapable of de- fending even its biggest cities, and that the Communists are the ones who call the tune in Vietnam. The adherents. of this theory see the Communist push as the first phase of the "final push." The softening up phase is design- ed to prove to the United States that continued support of the Saigon government would be doomed to continual failure. Supporters of this third theory believe the Communists might well feel the objective is partly attain- ed, even though the U.S. Com- mand would deny it. A major problem in assessing Communist objectives is that the intelligence haul has been poor in recent days. No high level Red cadre has been captured, docu- ments have been vague and out of date. The most experienced observers believe that the Communists probably included part of each of the theories in their major objec- tives and that no one theory would apply. There seems little doubt that the Communist high command would have welcomed a popular uprising against the government in Vietnam's major cities. Many prisoners have said they were told that the public could be expected to aid them. The Communist offensive ap- pears to be the first to include an- nounced military and political as- pects. In the battle for Dak To last November, and the earlier fighting along the demilitarized zone, the Communists seemed to be seeking purely military objec- tives. The current offensive has ob- vious political ramifications. The Communist radios have been , broadcasting the formation of "a unified front for the people, for democracy and peace," and cre- ated revolutionary councils in Saigon and the northern city of Hue. Some here believe that the Communists see in the creation of this political organization a car- rot that they can wave in front of a United States eager to grasp at anything that will end the Vietnam war. To this end, Communist broad- casts have proclaimed that "Na- tionalists and Democrats" are members of the new front enabl- ing the United States to accept this organization as a possible alternative to the Communist National Liberation Front. MAP O1 KITE SANH area shows deployment of troops, recent clashes around Marine base. J U.S, South Vietnamese, .Attack Hue Resistance! whites Meet To Stem Orangeburg Boycott PLAN EXTRA MEETING: Vance Attempts To Ease RIft with South Koreans I ORANGEBURG, S. C. P) - The first day of a Negro economic SAIGON (k)-South Vietnamesez warplanes pounded the walledt Citadel of Hue yesterday and U.S.! Marines and South Vietnameser troops closed in on the fortressg for an assault to wipe out the lastk major pocket of Communist re-I sistance in the ancient imperiali city. The Vietnamese air force took1 advantage of clearing weather tor bomb and strafe the die-hard Communist forces that have held the Citadel for two weeks despitet South Vietnamese efforts to drive< them out. U.S. Marine reinforce-{ Thant Seeks British AidI To End War2 LONDON (P) - U.N. SecretaryX General U Thant flew in fromE Moscow last night seeking Brit-( ain's help to head off a runawayt escalation of the Vietnamese warI apd get peace talks started. I Thant's stop in London to con-1 fer with Prime Minister Harold Wilson was the third in a quickly arranged tour that took him to India before his call in Moscow. He will return to New York today. India's Prime Minister Indirat Gandhi, according to diplomats here, assured the secretary gen- eral of her government's constant readiness to back any worthwhile attempt inside or outside theI $ United Nations for peace talks.f Nominally, the Vietnamese war is ,not U.N. business. But as sec-t retary general, Thant is entitledI to concern -himself with abouti any issue that could threatent world peace.= Each of the three countries he has visited at a time of intensi- fying conflict in Vietnam has a significant role to play in the peacemaking and peacekeeping process. India presides over the Inter- national C o n t r o 1 Commission which is supposed to supervise peace arrangements throughout' former Indochina.j ments were called in and entered the Citadel for the first time. The Communist North Vietna- mese regulars and Viet Cong guerrillas fired a hail of .50 cali- ber bullets at the raiding planes. Communist forces are holding out in the sbutheast third of the 2% square mile fortress, once the home of Vietnamese emperors and now a pile of ruins. Widespread Fighting There were other actions around the country in the second week of the Communist offensive, in- cluding some fighting in the out- skirts of Saigon. The Marine base at Khe Sanh, anticipating a major Communist attack, received the usual sporadic enemy shelling. But the only sustained action reported was in Hue, 400 miles northeast of Saigon. Marines Join Fight AP correspondent George Mc- Arthur reported that four com- panies of U.S. Marines have cross- ed the Perfume River in landing craft to join the fight for the Ci- tadel. An undisclosed number of Vietnamese marines also have moved into position to link up with the Leathernecks and with South Vietnamese troops who have been fighting in the walled fortress since Jan. 31. Odds in Allies' Favor The total number of allied tfoops grouping for the all out assault was not disclosed but it was believedthey would greatly outnumber the enemy force still holding out there. The Commun- ists were thought to have the remnants of an original 2,000 man fprce still in the Citadel. On the south side of the river, the section of Hue where U.S. Marines have been pushing for- ward for days, the enemy resis- tance was reported practically ended except for isolated inci- dents involving snipers. World News Roundup MILWAUKEE, Wis. - A con- troversial Roman Catholic priest was fined $500 yesterday and warned that he risked a six month jail term should his civil rights work again lead to his ar- rest. The Rev. James E. Groppi, the white cleric who helps lead Mil- waukee's long running open hous- ing demonstrations, indicated the sentence would not stop his ac- tivities. WASHINGTON - Under the impact of the Communist offen- sive in South Vietnam, Ameri- cans' support of the U.S. war ef- fort spurtedfrom 61 per cent in December to 74 per cent this month, the Louis Harris poll re- ported yesterday. The over all support of the war was well below the peak of 83 per cent reached last July but Even the secure area of the boycott prompted businessS city faced major problems of civic leaders to hold closedd struggling back to life after al- meetings yesterday and po most two weeks of severe fighting, sweeping civil rights demand There still was no electricit or the wake of racial violence.. waterBoestilwasntetrcitso Bankers gathered for pri water. Bodies lay on the streets, talks on employment prac and there were fears of disease. and a newly formed biracial c U.S. planes again attacked sus- mittee met in closed session pected troop concentrations, gun Boycott in Effect emplacements, and supply lines in How successful the boycott support of the Marines at the could not be immediately de Khe Sanh area in the northwest mined. There were few Neg corner of South Vietnam. among shoppers in the busi Moonsoon weather over North district during the day. Vietnam Sunday limited U.S. pi- More than 600 National Gua lots to 75 missions, some of them men remained on duty with against important air installations, tries posted about the campu but bad weather ruled out most South Carolina State Col damage assessments. scene of an outburst Thur g a T HIHeu Claims Need For More Troops MY THO, Vietnam (A') - Pres- tion for pacification teams in ident Nguyen Van Thieu yester- countryside. day toured four Mekong Delta In Bac Lieu wher at least cities hit by the Viet Cong offen- In B r L ieu a lhs sive and said more U.S. troops are homes burned, Tien said the needed if the Vietnam war is to Cong "intentionally burned e ended soon. houses of the people." "We can hold them, the Com- He said the burning of h munists," Thieu said, "but to end was an attempt by the Viet C the war faster is another matter." "to create the impression am There now are more than 500,000 the people by burning and ati U.S. troops in South Vietnam. ties that they are stronger t the national government." SFive to One Ratio Thieu visited several ref Thieu said the Communist at- shelters and talked with pro tacks on population centers n cial officials about their plan South Vietnam showed that one taking care of the homeless Viet Cong battalion in a city "de- civilian casualties. Thieu was mands at least five times as many that there were more than 10 troops on our side to destroy civilians needing relief in the them." ta, and that more than 1 He said the Communists "can homes had been destroyed. do that because they have no re- He also was told that 6,33 sponsibilities, they don't have to vilian casualties were recorde protect roads, bridges and out-w posts and they don't have to wor- the delta, and that 1,771 of t ry about hurting people." had died. Commenting on Thieu's state- ment in Washington, White House s press secretary George Christian Wednesday&Thursday said: "You can properly assume Depart that the level of forces is always STUDENT LA under consideration. I don't know of any discussion for increasing the authorization of troop levels. THE CAVE We haven't reached that author- by MJC ization level yet, We're still some thousands away from that level." THE BR He referred to President John- b son's authorization of 525,000 b troops for Vietnam. February 14th & 15th Arena Th Twelve Hour Tour On a 12 hour helicopter tour of the delta cities of Can Tho, My Tho, Bac Lieu and Soc Trang, Thieu said the Communists might m eE F launch a second wave of attacks But he said the Viet Cong "could go back to the countryside and spoil the pacification pro-!+ gram and meanwhile stay around the cities to fix our troops." He referred. to a Communist strategy that would force gov- ernment troops to guard the P ayer cities instead of providing protec- and door ender s in vate tices om- 1. was eter- roes ness rds- sen- us of lege, sday the 1,000 Viet the uses Cong nong ,oci- than ugee vin- s for and told 0,000 del- 5,000 0 ci- d in hem night that left three Negroes dead and 37 injured. State patrolmen opened fire on a group of Negroes near the S.C. State campus. The troopers said' the Negroes injured one officer with a brickbat and then started shooting at the officers, who had accompanied a fire department crew to extinguish fires set by, } the Negroes. The other two killed were college students Henry Smith, 18, of Marion, S. C., and Samuel Hammond, 18, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Smith will be buried Tuesday at Marion and Hammond on Wednesday at Fort Lauderdale. Colleges Closed Classes at S.C. State and ad- joining Claflin College, both pre- dominantly Negro institutions, were suspended indefinitely. About 800 Negroes in a Sunday' meeting voted for a boycott of white owned businesses to bring pressure for racial changes and immediate withdrawal of the Na- tional Guard. The troops were called in to back up about 200 state police of- ficers.{ Meanwhile merchants said al nightly curfew clamped en the town since Friday night by theI governor already has taken a heavy economic toll. Negroes be- gan their no buying campaign yesterday. About half the town's population is Negro. Request Restitution for Dead Included in Negro demand; made Sunday were suspension of police officers "responsible for the police brutality" and restitution by the state to families of the dead and injured together with greater integration of jobs in city Iand county governments and full scale integration of the schools. Last week's racial violence cli- maxed a series of Negro student demonstrations after a Feb. 5 sit in at a segregated bowling alley. A hearing will be held Thursday in U. S. District Court at Charles- ton on a Justice Department suit demanding desegregation of the bowling alley. SEOUL (M)-U.S. special en Cyrus R. Vance had a three h talk yesterday with Presid Chung Hee Park and otherI rean officials aimed at shoring a rift between the two allies. Vance scheduled another m ing with Korean officials tod the day he was supposed to turn to Washington, indica that the talks have not been tirely smooth. ivoy A former deputy secretary of our defense, Vance came here as dent President Johnson's special envoy Ko- to deal with the worst crisis since up the Korean War. Presidential press secretary Shin Bumshik said eet- Vance handed Park another let- day, ter from Johnson. re- Tension flared Jan. 21 with a ting 31 man North Korean commande en- raid aimed at assassinating Park. It grew to fever pitch two days Farmers Extend Boycott In Price Raising Effort later when North Korean patrol boats seized the U.S. intelligence ship Pueblo off the coast of North Korea. Since then, the Americans and North Koreans held a series of five talks at Panmunjom truce village on the Pueblo incident from which both the South Ko- reans and the Communist Chinese allies of North Korea were barred. The talks were expected- to re- view the U.S. defense posture, efforts to release the Pueblo crew, more military aid from the United States to South Korea and other American aid. The U.S. Embassy said only that the talks include a "free, friendly and candid exchange of views." A spokesman for Park said, only that the meeting was conducted in a "sincere atmosphere." The Park government reacted to Johnson's first letter last Thursday by saying South Korea's interests lie in security and de- fense and not in a one shot appro- priation for military hardware. This referred to the $100 million Johnson is asking Congress to appropriate in special military as- sistance to South Korea' DES MOINES, Iowa (P) - A 35 state grain market boycott by the National Farmers Organization (NFO) was extended to meat yes- terday in the second phase of an all commodity withholding action aimed at boosting prices. The meat embargo was called one month after the NFO in- structed its members to hold corn, oats, wheat, rye, soybeans and sorghums off the market until prices reached predetermined levels. The final phase of the action, a milk sales boycott, is planned at an as yet unscheduled date, said NFO president Oren Lee Staley. The organization urged its members to hold all livestock from packing houses until prices rise as much as six cents a pound. The militant farmer group! wants cattle prices increased from 26 to 32 cents per pound, hog prices up from 19 to 23 cents and sheep from 23 to 29 cents. The grain boycott was called Jan. 11. Staley said the meat em- bargo was timed to hit gains in grainprices before they reached a level harmful to' cattlemen in need of feed. "We were watching the grain supply in elevators as we had an- ticipated doing," said Staley. "Now we are ready for a holdout perhaps as long as the 43 days of the 1964 action." Prices have risen slightly dur- ing the grain boycott. Market specialists say that in addition to the embargo this is explained by increased exports, grains stored under government loan, a big signup for the 1968 acreage diver- sion program and the Vietnam war. Information For Service Day Representatives from: VISTA, The PEACE CORPS, PAVLA, and Others wvII discuss their programs and provide applications 7:00 P.M. Tonight, Feb. 13 NEWMAN CENTER--331 Thompson SOCIAL ACTION COMMITTEE 4:10 P.M. tment of Speech BORATORY THEATRE presents OF SALAMANCA GUEL CERVANTES & I OKEN HEART 'JOHN FORD Admission Free eatre, Frieze Building PRESENTS National Theatre of Canada in SHAKESPEARE'S MIdm Night's Dream" with yes Iand ,oemaker t - t S~ U Thant was above the February. 1967 ure of 70 per cent. fig- RECOMMENDED FOR CHILDREN Ages 6 through 12 SATURDAY, FEB. 14, 10 A.M. & 2 P.M. SUNDAY, FEB. 25, 2 P.M. iwm l hifdre 's ~ "I'm the biggeest pushover that ever lived." MUSKET Feb. 14-17 SOLD ust screwed U in TRUEBLOOU THEATRE (State & Huron) Please send check and order form below to CHILDREN'S THEATRE, U-M DEPT. of SPEECH, ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN 48104 r-----------------------------1 "THE ELVES & THE SHOEM AKER" Performance: I enclose $ for: I _____Children's Tickets (50c) Peormane10 DOUGLAS RAIN MARTHA HENRY as Bottom as Titania Directed by JOHN H IRSCH Designed by LESLIE HURRY SOLE U.S. ENGAGEMENT ! 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