Page 354 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

Popular resentrnent against Cornrnunisrn becarne greater
and deeper, The provincial adrninistration seized the opportunity to
organize an anti - C o rrrrnuni st popular rnovement ca1led rrLetrs Rise
Up And Destroy Cornrnunisrntr. A rnass rneeting was held Feb 16 at
the provincial adrninistration headquarters, At this rneeting leading
civic, political and religious representatives worked out a crash pro-
grarn of self-defense, rehabilitation of the city and refugee relief'

A giant defense perirneter was set up around the city
with, arnong other things, eight solid sandbagged and concrete bun-
kers. Several streets becarne restricted areas and the populace had
to rnake Long detours to go in and out of their horrres on shopping,
rnarketing and other business trips, CheckPoints were rnanned by
part-tirne rnilitiarnen as well as full-tirne regular troops' Unused
railroad equiprnent was also disrnantled to buid bunkers, pillboxes
and watch-towers. The populace energetically engaged in a carnpaign
of building sandbagged shelters against enemy shellings. This acti-
vity reached such a pitch that the blackrnarket prices of sand and
bags soared with each passing day. Travel restrictions were irnposed
on the people to the point where each ciij.zen had to apply for a special
pass to enable hirn to go frorn one district to another, even between
those a few kilorneters apart.

This carnpaign backfired in sorne cases, since it affected
business and econornic activities o{ local people adversely. Bureau-
cracy added to these and other difliculties. These problerns were sol-
ved gradually as the situation irnproved and returned to cornplete
norrTlalcY.
The Quang Ngai offensive served to boost the rnorale of
the people because the Cornrnunists conducted it in violation o{ the
Tet truce and thereby su{fered the highest number of casualties ever.
Young rnen volunteered for the rnilitary service. Conscription calls
were answer ed.by LOO/a for the first tirne in the war. Most if not all
of the local arrned units also reached fu1l strength for the first tirne.
Replacernents were easier to corne by' Draftdodging was virtually
non existent. The people took the enerny carnpaign of terror shellings
and sneak attacks in stride and as a way of life. Fewer and fewer tears
were shed over the dead. Anger and hatred filled the peoplers hearts
for the enernyis wanton acts of terrorisrn. Stories told of teenage
girls and old people volunteering for rnilitia serwice' The line was
definitely drawn betweenfriend and foe.Each and every citizen felt
he had gotten the opportunity to do sornething to help his fellow

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