Internal Radio Messages between Major and General

MJ1 wrote:You define command structure, so I shall assume that these orders are given to the unit. Of course if The Major thinks he has command he might give orders as well and then the units will have to decide how to proceed.

So totally up to the two of you how things are commanded and ordered.

Radio Message to Major Tuu Phan Nguyen: I am issuing orders to units outside the city other than units located at PK 17, which are under your command.

Hue has fallen to NVA forces. Remaining AVRN forces are holding Mang Ca compound, MACV compound still holding. Send relief efforts from PK17, prioritize relief of Mang Ca compound.

Comassion wrote:Hue has fallen to NVA forces.  Remaining AVRN forces are holding Mang Ca compound, MACV compound still holding.  Send relief efforts from PK17, prioritize relief of Mang Ca compound.

"Yes Sir."

Sir,

Am encountering some resistance on Rte 1. Am proceeding to deal with it.

Where are you encountering resistance? Nearby units may be able to assist.

Comassion wrote:Where are you encountering resistance?  Nearby units may be able to assist.

At 66/27. Enemy is dug in astride the road. Am using artillery and bringing up the additional battalion that you sent me.

Request status of your progress.

Comassion wrote:Request status of your progress.

Sir,

Progress is slow on the road. Enemy is deeply dug in, and my battalions are not progressing as quickly as desired.

Americans are at our base demanding supplies. They are an obnoxious and arrogant lot and I am tempted to refuse them. What are your orders?

Share the supplies while ensuring you keep enough to sustain your operations. We need a breakthrough soon, and ensuring that the Americans are able to spill their own blood in that effort will save ARVN lives.

The Black Panthers in Hue City appear to be a lost cause unless you can break through today. There are units located at the Training camp that are pinned, those may become your priority soon, but for now keep trying to eradicate the forces in front of you.

Sir,

We are continuing to encounter opposition on Rte 1. I am continuing to try to break through. The enemy is showing signs of cracking, but they have provided greater opposition than I had expected.

We are starting to run short on supplies. I feel confident that we will break through, but may not have supplies to do much afterwards unless you can provide additional supplies.

Major Nguyen

I have units available to coordinate an attack today to clear Route 1. I am turning them over to your command. Work with the Americans to hit the enemy hard and drive them out of those positions. The Americans are using helicopters - if you deem it feasible, have them land behind the enemy forces and trap them so that they can be eliminated.

The Americans are moving their HQ to join yours in order to better facilitate coordination of our efforts in your sector. Once this takes place you will be able to communicate directly with Major Cheatham.

Comassion wrote:The Americans are moving their HQ to join yours in order to better facilitate coordination of our  efforts in your sector.  Once this takes place you will be able to communicate directly with Major Cheatham.

That sounds good. But if those Americans are their typical arrogant selves, this could be a problem.

Major Nguyen

That is why I am making them move to you rather than the other way around.

Sir,

I am pleased to report that my men managed to drive the enemy away from Route One. Things were a bit in doubt for a while, as the Americans made typical nuisances of themselves. Still, in spite of their interference, we managed to prevail.

There are sounds of a fire fight in the area of the Van Xa Airfield. I will send a battalion to investigate unless I receive more direct instructions from you.

Two battalions of the 3rd regiment have shown up on Route One and have placed themselves under my command. Unfortunately, they are low on supplies. I am generally getting low on supplies. What is the use of having the smelly Americans as allies if they can't even spend all their American dollars to make sure that we are supplied? Could you please tell them to give us supplies, unless they want the filthy northerners to overrun us and drive their ugly American butts out of the country?

Major Nguyen

Your breakthrough came at the same time the Americans broke through in the south, which I find suspicious. The NVA may be intentionally re positioning - ensure that you protect your supply lines as you advance to the city.

I have had to evacuate the Mang Ca compound and my HQ is in disarray - you are in a better position than I to judge what to do with your forces. The Americans are planning an attack on Hue from the south today, so this may be an opportune time for you to attack as well. I have received no word from the Bac Hao inside the city - I believe they may be overrun by now, but their positions south of the airfield should nonetheless be a priority if you can make headway into the city.

I will pass on your request for supplies to the Americans.

Sir:

I am happy to report that we have driven the enemy away from the Van Xa airfield with many losses to them. We will have a nice big body count to report to the Americans - that always seems to make them happy.

My supply situation is getting desperate. Several of my units have no supplies remaining, and the few units that do have supplies only have enough for one more engagement. What is the use of putting up with the smelly Americans if they cannot even provide us with sufficient supply? They're stinking factories are too busy making Chevrolets for all the stupid American families to drive around their absurdly large country.

Reports have come to me that the enemy has blown numerous bridges along Rte 1, and that this is limiting supply transfers. But now that we have the airfield secured, the American should be able to fly us in supplies, if all their airplanes are not too busy ferrying movie stars all around Hollywood.

Major Nguyen

Excellent, continue to work on securing your supply situation - hold off on attacks in case those last supplies are required to secure further supplies.

The Bac Hao inside the city are still holding out, but neither of us are in a good position to free them. I have established a foothold on the southeast end of Hue, and am planning a major push further inside the city.

Sir:

The smelly Americans are now all over PK17. They are asking lots of impertinent questions, and getting ready to make impossible demands on my troops, asking us to clear the roads even though they do not have supplies to offer. It is typical: filthy Americans expect us to do all the fighting while they stay back in their fancy officer clubs and smoke their stinky American cigars.

They say they are going to try to fly supplies in, but I'll believe it when I see it. So far, they have not provided us with any real supplies or support - they have just taken our supplies from us! I never should have given them supplies when they came roaring into our compound demanding them!

In the meanwhile, they crow over the number of the enemy that were killed as if that ever meant anything. Curse them and their stinking body counts!

If we lose Hue, it will be all the Americans' fault!

My mother wanted me to be a doctor. Curse the day I chose to be a soldier instead!

Do you have any orders of how I should deal with them, or any messages I can give to LTC Cheatham? Assuming I can manage to stay in his presence long enough to give the messages without vomiting from his horrible American aftershave, that is.

Major Nguyen

Comassion wrote:Excellent, continue to work on securing your supply situation - hold off on attacks in case those last supplies are required to secure further supplies.

The Bac Hao inside the city are still holding out, but neither of us are in a good position to free them.  I have established a foothold on the southeast end of Hue, and am planning a major push further inside the city.

Regarding the cow situation, keep the milk in pails for now.

I have requested additional supplies for you from HQ, we shall see what comes of it.  

As for the Americans, the fighting in the city is likely to be the most brutal that we face.  See if you can work out an arrangement with Cheatham whereby we use ARVN units to clear Route 1 and keep the roads and supply lines open while the Americans are responsible for assaulting and taking the city.  Tell them that their superior urban warfare skills will be invaluable in that situation.

Yes sir. I have buttered up the filthy Americans. They are so stupid that no doubt they will believe every word.

Now if you excuse me, I must go wash the taste of stinking American butt off of my lips.

Major Nguyen

Comassion wrote:Regarding the cow situation, keep the milk in pails for now.

I have requested additional supplies for you from HQ, we shall see what comes of it.  

As for the Americans, the fighting in the city is likely to be the most brutal that we face.  See if you can work out an arrangement with Cheatham whereby we use ARVN units to clear Route 1 and keep the roads and supply lines open while the Americans are responsible for assaulting and taking the city.  Tell them that their superior urban warfare skills will be invaluable in that situation.

Sir,

That filthy dog Cheatham is asking for information about ARVN troops in Hue. I told him I would relay the question. But I'd be careful about revealing too much if I were you: if the Americans think we are strong, they won't try so hard. Better to let their men die than to let ours.

Of course they do not give us supplies as yet. They claim that they have no information, but how can that be so given that America is such a rich nation? It is clear that they want to eat all the supplies while they let us do all the dying.

I do wish the Americans would go attack someone. PK17 is starting to smell bad with so many of them around.

Major Nguyen

Inform the Americans that we still have an isolated unit at the southern end of the airfield - their relief should be the first priority on entering Hue. They no longer have sufficient supplies to launch any further attacks of their own, so they are stuck there until they can be reached.

We also have gained a foothold in the southeast corner of the city, and we have sufficient strength there to press onward. I am going to use it as a staging point to re-take the Imperial Palace and stop these damned news reports.

Those are the only forces in or near Hue that you should inform the Americans of.

Make sure that the grass is cut by the dull blade.

Sir,

There's nothing much to report. All is quiet. I am still short on supplies. The Americans are still sitting with their fat American butts around my base. They still smell bad.

Major Nguyen

I have requested additional supplies to be delivered to PK-17 - use them to continue to advance to the city, and use all but your last reserves now. This is the time to push forward. I am beginning an offensive in the city that will sweep the enemy before us - you must work to enter the city from the north and relieve the Bac Hao at the airfield, as well as conduct an encirclement that will trap the NVA in the city and make it a graveyard for them.

The price of defiance is high. Green textiles have been spotted by the riverbank.