ABSTRACT
The Easter Offensive brought to the surface the long-standing unease about pacification, serving as a reminder of the program's fragility. Civil Operations and Revolutionary Development Support's (CORDS) own reports and documents on the status of pacification prior to the 1972 offensive brought to light numerous problems. The ultimate political goal of pacification, winning hearts and minds, was largely intangible, making a clear verdict difficult to reach. North Vietnam's Politburo, hoping to end the political and territorial losses sustained in South Vietnam, timed the offensive to coincide with the departure of Americans forces from South Vietnam. The incursion caused large numbers of enemy soldiers and political cadres to rally and led to the capture of vast amounts of weaponry and rice. CORDS revised Hamlet Evaluation System again in 1971 to reflect the changing character of the war, giving greater weight to political factors that affected security.
