Originally published in 1998 by the U.S. Army Center of Military
History "Combat Operations: Taking the Offensive" chronicles the
onset of offensive operations by the U.S. Army after eighteen
months of building up a credible force on the ground in South
Vietnam and taking the first steps toward bringing the war to the
enemy. The compelling story by George L. MacGarrigle begins in
October 1966, when General William C. Westmoreland believed that he
had the arms and men to take the initiative from the enemy and that
significant progress would be made on all fronts over the next
twelve months. Aware of American intentions, North Vietnam
undertook a prolonged war of attrition and stepped up the
infiltration of its own troops into the South. While the insurgency
in the South remained the cornerstone of Communist strategy, it was
increasingly overshadowed by main-force military operations. These
circumstances, according to MacGarrigle, set the stage for
intensified combat. The North Vietnamese and Viet Cong units
retained the advantage, fighting only when it suited their purposes
and retreating with impunity into inviolate sanctuaries in Laos and
Cambodia. With Westmoreland feeling hamstrung by political
constraints on his ability to wage war in the vast hostile areas
along the border, 1967 ended with a growing uncertainty in the
struggle to secure the countryside. Relying on official American
and enemy primary sources, MacGarrigle has crafted a well-balanced
account of this year of intense combat. His volume is a tribute to
those who sacrificed so much in a long and irresolute conflict, and
soldiers engaged in military operations that place great demands on
their initiative, skill, and devotion will find its
thought-provoking lessons worthy of reflection.
General
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