ABSTRACT
The arrival of the US 25th Division gave the American-South Vietnamese allies an always qualitative and sometimes quantitative superiority on the battlefield. This was apparent to all concerned, and American commanders were eager to press forward without delay with military operations. The 25th Division command was very aware of the importance of the political struggle in Hau Nghia and allocated considerable resources in that direction. With the exception of the Tet Offensive, the big-unit war for the 25th Division peaked in intensity during the first five months of 1967. Search and destroy missions tended to increase in size and duration. After considering the US military campaign, it will be possible to analyze the American and South Vietnamese political effort during this same period, an effort that also utilized force as its major component.
