ABSTRACT
As the shock of the Tet Offensive dissipated, Americans at CORDS and MACV, surprisingly insulated from domestic events in the United States, grew more optimistic regarding the overall situation in South Vietnam. The jolt of Tet, on one hand, combined with ARVN's good showing, on the other, appeared to jar the Thieu regime out of a lethargic stupor. The central position of force and coercion for the political struggle in Hau Nghia was rarely, if ever, more clear than during the Accelerated Pacification Campaign. Although the 25th Division continued to be active in neighboring provinces, Hau Nghia received the most attention, with all of 2d Brigade and part of 3d Brigade assigned there. Unfortunately for all concerned, military collaboration in Vietnam was made much more burdensome by an understandable but regrettable set of attitudes held by American combat soldiers toward both friend and foe.
