- Title: SOUTH VIETNAM: VIETNAM STRUGGLES BACK TO LIFE AFTER VIETCONG TET OFFENSIVE
- Date: 11th March 1968
- Summary: HUE -- DAMAGED BRIDGE ACROSS PERFUME RIVER; DAMAGE BUILDING; PRESIDENT THIEU AND OFFICIALS TOURING CITY; PEOPLE WELCOMING HIM. IN SAIGON - PREMIER LOC LAYS FOUNDATION STONE; MAYOR VAN KICKS OFF FUND RAISING CAMPAIGN BY MAKING GENEROUS DONATION. Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 26th March 1968 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: HUE AND SAIGON, SOUTH VIETNAM
- Country: Vietnam
- Topics: Defence / Military
- Reuters ID: LVAAU9VS4QEVA63UORVI7CS0P8HX
- Story Text: THE WAR-SCARED CITY OF HUE IS NOW KNOWN AS THE "FORBIDDEN CITY". EIGHTY PER CENT OF THIS FORMER IMPERIAL CAPITAL ARE NOW IN RUINS CAUSED BY THE 25 DAYS OF FIERCE BATTLES ENDED ON FEB. 24 WHEN IT FELL TO ALLIED TROOPS.
LAST WEEKEND (MAR 9), PRESIDENT NGUYEN VAN THIEU VISITED THE CITY TO ASSESS THE DAMAGE. HE WAS HEAVILY PROTECTED BY ARMED TROOPS FOLLOWING AN AMERICAN MILITARY REPORT THAT MORE NORTH VIETNAMESE TROOPS ARE MOVING TOWARDS THE CITY FROM THE DEMILITARISE ZONE.
THE BATTLE FOR THE HUE COST THE NORTH VIETNAMESE AND VIETCONG TROOPS 4,423 MEN KILLED. ALLIED FORCES LOST 482 KILLED AND 2,203 WOUNDED.
AT LEAST 3,000 CIVILIANS WERE KILLED IN THE CONFLICT.
IN SAIGON ON MAR 7, PRIME MINISTER NGUYEN VAN LOC LAID THE FOUNDATION STONE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF 1,000 HOUSES FOR DISTRIBUTION TO VICTIMS OF THE TET OFFENSIVE.
DURING THE PAST WEEK, WAR REFUGEES CONTINUED TO POUR INTO GOVERNMENT RELIEF CENTRAL AT AN AVERAGE RATE OF 14,000 A DAY. OFFICIALS PUT THE NUMBER OF REFUGEES IN SOUTH VIETNAM AT 700,000.
FOLLOWING THE SAIGON GOVERNMENT'S APPEAL FOR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF GIFTS HAVE BEEN FLOODING INTO THE CAPITAL.
A TOTAL OF 19 COUNTRIES AND A NUMBER OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS HAVE RALLIED TO SOUTH VIETNAM'S AID CALL.
SAIGON'S MAYOR, VAN VAN CUA, YESTERDAY (SUNDAY), KICKED OF A FUND RAISING CAMPAIGN TO HELP THE 700,000 REFUGEES NOW HOMELESS.
THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS FIVE ?ILI]IN PIASTERS (ABOUT 41.5 MILLION DOLLARS) TO MAKE GOOD THE VIETCONG DAMAGE. PRESENTLY, IT HAS 700 MILLION PIASTERS (ABOUT 5.8 MILLION DOLLARS) TO MEET CONTINGENCY.
TO MEET THIS TARGET, THE GOVERNMENT HAS URGED THE PEOPLE TO CONTRIBUTE GENEROUSLY TO THE CAMPAIGN. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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