Urban Brawl: An Analysis of the Battle of Hue City Tet Offensive, Vietnam 1968 PROJECT ALBERT BY: SEAN TOOLAN, MIDSHIPMAN 1/c, USN USNA CLASS OF 2005 PROJECT MENTOR: SARAH KNIGHT, MITRE CORPORATION

SPECIAL THANKS SARAH KNIGHT, MITRE CORP. JOHN WASSER, PROJECT ALBERT DR. GARY HORNE, PROJECT ALBERT ALL OF THE MITRE CORPORATION- PROJECT ALBERT TEAM

OVERVIEW HISTORICAL BACKGROUND HISTORICAL QUESTIONS DATA FARMING RESULTS FURTHER AREAS OF STUDY FOR THE BATTLE FURTHER AREAS OF STUDY FOR MANA

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND HUE- THE SACRED IMPERIAL CAPITAL OF VIETNAM TET OFFENSIVE 1968 ATTACK BEGINS AT MIDNIGHT JANUARY 30-31, 1968

31 jan – 9 feb 1968 NVA SEIZES ALL OF HUE WITH EXCEPTION OF ARVN HQ AND MACV COMPOUND USMC & ARVN REINFORCEMENTS FIGHT OUTNUMBERED HOUSE-TO-HOUSE US ARMY REINFORCEMENTS ARRIVE, HEAVY GUNFIRE APPROVED

9 feb – 25 feb 1968 ALLIED FORCES DRIVE NVA FROM SOUTH HUE ALLIED FORCES PUSH INTO CITADEL, EVENTUALLY TAKING IT REMAINING NVA ATTEMPT TO FLEE FROM CITY

OUTCOME OF BATTLE HUE SECURED, RETURNED TO S. VIETNAMESE CONTROL BLOODIEST ENGAGEMENT OF VIETNAM WAR CASUALTIES- ENEMY=5113 KILLED & 89 CAPTURED, ARVN = 384 KILLED & 1800 WOUNDED, USMC = 142 KILLED & 857 WOUNDED, USA=74 KILLED, 507 WOUNDED

HISTORICAL QUESTIONS IMPACT OF HEAVY GUNFIRE SUPPORT (TIMING, POLITICS) WHAT IF NVA PRESSED NUMBERS ADVANTAGE? IMPACT OF COMMS IMPORTANCE OF PERFUME RIVER MAIN BRIDGE EFFECT OF ARMOR URBAN COMBAT LESSONS

MANA COMBAT MODEL SETTINGS 40 MEN (1 PLATOON) = 1 AGENT AVERAGE SIZES OF UNITS ARE ASSUMED (EXACT NUMBERS WERE NOT FOUND TO BE DOCUMENTED) ALLIED FORCES HAVE BETTER CAPABILITIES (ASSUMING SUPERIOR TECHNOLOGY)

MANA COMBAT MODEL

DATA FARMING RESULTS

SCENARIO 1 – HEAVY GUNFIRE SUPPORT

SCENARIO 2 – NVA STRATEGY/COMMS IMPACT

SCENARIO 3 – THE “BRIDGE” SCENARIO

SCENARIO 4 – ARMOR IMPACT

URBAN COMBAT LESSONS- !!INTERESTING FIND!!

CONCLUSIONS HEAVY GUNFIRE WOULD HAVE SAVED ALLIED LIVES AND HAD GREAT IMPACT-MORE CASUALTIES ON BOTH SIDES MORE NVA CASUALTIES WITHOUT CONCENTRATED ASSAULT & ALLIED FORCES ARE ABLE TO PREVENT MORE CASUALTIES DESTROYING THE BRIDGE WOULD HAVE HAD MEANT MORE CASUALTIES ON BOTH SIDES, ALLIED FORCES MAY STILL HAVE PREVAILED COMMS=NO GREAT DIFFERENCE IN THIS BATTLE ARMOR SAVES LIVES

FURTHER AREAS OF STUDY FOR THE BATTLE WHAT IS THE MEANING OF CLUSTERING? WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF LOCATION AND PLACEMENT? WHAT IF THE NVA IS ABLE TO CONCENTRATE FORCES AND SEIZE ARVN AND MACV HQ’S?

FURTHER AREAS OF STUDY FOR MANA EASIER-TO-USE APPLICATIONS MORE LIFE-LIKE MOVEMENT(NOT SO MUCH EMPHASIS ON WAYPOINTS) BETTER WAY TO DEVELOP BASE CASE SCENARIOS ABILITY TO SIMULATE FASTER IS NEEDED VERY GOOD WORKING MODEL OVERALL GREAT VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF COMBAT DYNAMICS

“FORTUNE FAVORS THE BRAVE.”-TERENCE ( b.c.) “The Battle of Hue City was an urban brawl between two armed and largely adolescent tribes, a street fight of fast action and merciless bloodletting.” -John Laurence