James H Willbanks Knihy

The author, a distinguished military historian and director at the US Army Command and General Staff College, brings a wealth of knowledge to his works. His publications delve into critical events of the Vietnam War, including Operation Lam Son 719 and the Tet Offensive, providing insightful analyses of military strategies and their implications. Through his writing, he explores themes of military leadership and the complexities of war, contributing significantly to the understanding of Vietnam's historical context.

In late January 1968, some 84,000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops launched a country-wide general offensive in South Vietnam. The bitter fighting that raged in Hue for more than three weeks drew the attention of the world. Hue was the ancient capital of Vietnam, and as such, had been previously avoided by both sides; it had not seen any serious fighting prior to 1968. All that changed on the night of January 31 that year when four North Vietnamese battalions and supporting Viet Cong units simultaneously attacked and occupied both parts of the city straddling the Perfume River. The Communist forces dug in and prepared to defend their hold on the city. US Marines and South Vietnamese soldiers were ordered to clear the city, supported by US Army artillery and troops. A brutal urban battle ensued as combat raged from house to house and door to door. Eventually, the Marines and the South Vietnamese forces retook Hue, but it was a bloody fight and resulted in large-scale destruction of the city. This illustrated volume details one of the longest and bloodiest battles of the Tet Offensive, which led to a sea change in US policy in Vietnam.