Friday, March 8, 1968 THE MICHIGAN DAILY Page Nine Friday, March 8, 1968 THE MICHIGAN DAILY VIETNAM STALEMATE: Indecisive War Taxes Troops Justice Dept. Investigates Draft Sabotage Pamphlets, k _ ___ .__-__ __ _ _ . __ ,. . 1 _ __ _ _: __m_..® _ __ By WILLIAM L. RYAN and PETER ARNETT SAIGON (A') - It is hard to escape the conclusion that the military situation in Vietnam has come to a critical yet indecisive stage. The Communists still press the initiative they seized with the first shots of the winter spring offensive, fired at the border town of Los Ninh in late October. Thousands of U.S. troops are 0 bogged down in the stalemate of the Khe Sanh and demilitarized zone sectors. Bloody battles are expected in these regions, and there is little reason to expect that these engagements will be any more conclusive than those of the past. The Khe Sanh situation is developing into one in which allied prestige is laid on the line. Cities The Communist offensive has forced the allies to the defensive in Vietnam. U.S. troops are squeezed around cities. The coun- tryside is open to Viet Cong recruiters who,- say informed sources, quickly fill ranks de- pleted by allied firepower in battle. A senior U.S. officer commented recently that it was not the time for an allied offensive because an offensive posture "might give the enemy opportunity to penetrate our lines." Gen. William C. Westmoreland conceded last weekend: "The Viet Cong - North Vietnamese attacks have indeed taxed the flexibility' and mobility of our forces." More Troops One Westmoreland answer to the current situation, as to similar crises in the past including the dark days of early 1965 when the Vietnamese army was in danger of being wiped out, is to ask for more U.S. troops, "With additional troops we could more effectively deny the enemy his objectives," he said. The first U.S. combat troops were committed to forestall a mil- itary defeat. Today, three years and 500,000 troops later, the enemy is again in a position to threaten the cities. The most experienced observers see Westmoreland needing at least five more divisions immed- lately to win back the initiative. If enemy capability continues to in- crease at the rate of the past three years, even the new U.S. troop deployment could be nulli- fied within a year, these observers say. ARVN Gen. Westmoreland says he bases hopes for a U.S. troop com- mitment on modernization and increased capability of the ARVN, the South Vietnamese army. But information from a dozen battle areas indicates ARVN perform- ance ip recent weeks has been unevent at best. . "In most cases their back was to the wall," said one U.S. adviser. "They generally fought well in the city of Ben Tre." That is in the delta, and the South Vietnamese were fighting for their own town. In Ben Tre, Vinh Long, My Tho and Can Tho in the delta, fighter bombers and artillery had to be used to blast enemy troops out of large areas. Reluctance One possible reason for Viet- namese reluctance to mix with the enemy was the absence of half the ARVN forces on Tet leave. W h a t units remained fought well. A small armed group in the Mekong Delta town of Tra Vinh moved in on a Viet Cong company that had occupied the province headquarters without firing a shot and killed them all. A regional force company near the WASHINGTON UP) - The Jus- tice Department is investigating a pamphlet distributed by antiwar groups which blueprints a nation- wide campaign of harassment against the more than 17,000 mem- bers of local draft boards. But while confirming existence of the pamphlet, a department spokesman said yesterday: "We know of no activity being taken or planned to implement the plan of the publication." The Selective Service System said, in addition to confirming that the pamphlet is being dis- tributed, that instructions have been circulated on how to make fire bombs and other destructive devices. The Selective Service spokesman did not detail these in- structions. The News said federal, state and local police were alerted after the pamphlet came into the pos- session of officials. The spokesman said he was un- aware of any actual harassment of draft board members other than a few incidents previouslyj reported. Selective Service has asked the Justice Department to appeal a recent federal court ruling in Philadelphia that a local board must make public on request the names and addresses of its mem- bers. Original Sound Track from ""THE GRADUATE"" including."Sounds of Silence" and "Scarborough Fair/Canticle" performed by Simon and Garfunkel Ph. 662-0675 MUSIC S Just past the AA Bank 417 E. Liberty I The New York Daily News re- ported the pamphlet originated in Toronto and has been distrib- uted to 327 groups opposed to the Vietnam war. *SATYRAN4 I NC. BOOTS 0 LEATHER CUSTOM + UNUSUAL CLOTHING 213 S. State, 2nd Floor ECONO-CAB The Student's Friend: Econo-Car has the wheels at the lowest price! ALL BRAND NEW 1968 CARS -Associated Press U.S. MARINES check ammunition at one of many storage areas in Vietnam. The recent Viet Cong offensives have increased the need for firepower and better defensive earthworks around all allied bases. 438 W. Huron NO 3-2019 r. Saigon race track beat off an attack by a North Vietnamese battalion. U.S. infantrymen term- ed it a skillful and courageous performance. Pacification There is no question the Com- munist offensive damaged the pacification program - latest in the countryside. If pacification was a major objective-in the of- fensive, as some suggest, the Communists could claim a success almost by default. In 13 provinces, the Vietnamese regular battalions assigned to pro- tect pacification regions were pull- ed out to help defend cities and district towns, U.S. officials re- ported. Throughout the country nearly half the 555 Revolutionary Development teams assigned to work in and protect top priority hamlets also were pulled out. U.S. officials say the pacification pro- gram suffered seriously in 13 of the nation's 44 provinces, moder- ately in 16, and slightly in 15. Security Vacuums Security vacuums were created by withdrawal of regular ARVN battalions and Revolutionary De- velopment teams. The Commun- ists are actively recruiting and propagandizing against the Sai- gon government in such areas, and to refill those vacuums with government influence may take months. The Communists, perhaps de- liberately, bypassed priority paci- fication regions but by hammer- ing at administrative urban cen- ters disrupted effective govern- ment functions. People were cut off from towns. Communists could Contrary to Rumor roam at will among the popula- tion. In coastal Binh Dinh Province, cradle of the pacification pro- gram, U.S. officials are openly depressed. The Communists there are known to haveentered ham- lets conside-red to be pacified, de- stroying laboriously built schools and clinics. "It's all gone down the drain," said one American, recounting the inroads made in the Phuoc dis- trict, long a pacification show- case. Seventeen of inh Dinh's 31 Revolutionary Development teams a = - - m m m - mm ---= - College Relations Director c/o Sheraton-Park Hotel, Washington, D.C. 20008 IPlease senU nie a Sheraton Student I.D.soIcan saveup 'to20%on SSheraton rooms. eNamn Address Reservations with the special low rate are confirmed in advance (based on availability) for Fri., Sat., Sun. nights, plus Thanks- I giving (Nov. 22-26), Christmas (Dec. 15-Jan. 1) and July I through Labor Day! Many Sheraton Hotels and Motor Inns offer student rates during other periods subject to availability at time : of check-in and may be requested. Sheraton Hotels Motor Inns 155 Sheraton Hotels & Motor Inns in Major cities t 1I 7 - IS STILL ALIVE ! NIEW POLITICS FOR COMMITTED PEOPLE WHO WANT A STRONG INDEPENDENT VOICE IN ORDER TO: -OPPOSE the war against Vietnam -OPPOSE social and economic racism -SUPPORT the efforts of students to control their lives. The NEW POLITICS PARTY is getting on the '68 ballot to run candidates for President, U.S. Congress, Sheriff & Regents. THE GOAL-20,000 signatures by May 1. We need people to peti- tion, type, write, etc. FOR INFORMATION, TRANSPORTATION & PETITIONS Call 761-0059 or 971-2856. INTERNSHIPS IN SOUTHERN EDUCATION The Southern Education Foundation is seeking a small group of young persons interested in educational plan- ning. A one year non-credit program combining ad- ministration, study and a broad look at educational change is available to those between 23 and 33 with at least two years post-baccalaureate experience re- lated to education. The internship is designed to identify young leadership for Southern education, con- cerned with Negro educational opportunity, the end of the dual school system, relationships between educa- tion and urban problems, questions of compensatory education and regional planning for problems of race and education. Assignments can be in the field of elementary, secondary or higher education, or a com- bination. Training is provided to help outstanding young leaders find significant careers related to rapidly changing educational problems. Further information is available from Mrs. Virginia Frank, Southern Edu- cation Foundation, 1501 18th Street, N. W., Wash- ington D. C. 20036. "" WEEKEND PETITIONING Friday-4:00-7:00 Saturday-11:00 Sunday-12:00 Come down to our office- 109 Miller or call and we'll pick you up. presents NORMAN MAILER Interested in Engineering Council? Would you like to be: A JUNIOR OFFICER A MEMBER-AT-LARGE First of Series on Disillusioned Society- Visions of Utopia SATURDAY, MARCH 9 R800 P.K R wekhm Aulitor rium it I