The Battle of Khe Sanh in the Vietnam War

The Battle of Khe Sanh in the Vietnam War The Siege of Khe Sanh occurred during the Vietnam War.  The fighting around Khe Sanh began January 21,  1968,  and concluded  around  April 8, 1968. Armies and Commanders Allies: General William WestmorelandColonel David LowndsApprox. 6,000 men North Vietnamese: Vo Nguyen GiapTran Quy HaiApprox. 20,000-30,000 men Battle of Khe Sanh Overview In the summer of 1967, American commanders learned of a build-up of Peoples Army of North Vietnam (PAVN) forces in the area around Khe Sanh in northwest South Vietnam. Responding to this, the Khe Sanh Combat Base (KSCB), located on a plateau in a valley of the same name, was reinforced by elements of the 26th Marine Regiment under Colonel David E. Lownds. Also, outposts on the surrounding hills were occupied by American forces. While KSCB possessed an airstrip, its overland supply route was over the dilapidated Route 9, which led back to the coast. That fall, a supply convoy was ambushed by PAVN forces on Route 9. This was the last overland attempt to resupply Khe Sanh until the following April. Through December, PAVN troops were spotted in the area, but there was little fighting. With the increase in enemy activity, a decision was needed regarding whether to further reinforce Khe Sanh or abandon the position. Assessing the situation, General William Westmoreland elected to increase the troop levels at KSCB. Though he was supported by the commander of the III Marine Amphibious Force, Lieutenant General Robert E. Cushman, many Marine officers disagreed with Westmorelands decision. Many believed that Khe Sanh was not necessary to the ongoing operations. In late December/early January, intelligence reported the arrival of the 325th, 324th, and 320th PAVN divisions within striking distance of KSCB. In response, additional Marines were moved to the base. On January 20, the PAVN defector alerted Lownds that an attack was imminent. At 12:30 a.m. on the 21st, Hill 861 was attacked by about 300 PAVN troops and KSCB was heavily shelled. While the attack was repulsed, the PAVN soldiers did manage to breach the Marine defenses. The attack also revealed the arrival of the 304th PAVN division in the area. To clear their flank, PAVN forces attacked and overran Laotian troops at Ban Houei Sane on January 23, forcing the survivors to flee to the U.S. Special Forces camp at Lang Vei. During this time, KSCB received its last reinforcements: additional Marines and the 37th Army of the Republic of Vietnam Ranger Battalion. Enduring several heavy bombardments, the defenders at Khe Sanh learned on January 29 that there would be no truce for the upcoming Tet holiday. To support the defense of the base, which had been dubbed Operation Scotland, Westmoreland initiated Operation Niagara. This action called for the massive application of aerial firepower. Utilizing a variety of advanced sensors and forward air controllers, American aircraft began pounding PAVN positions around Khe Sanh. When the Tet Offensive commenced on January 30, the fighting around KSCB quieted. Fighting in the area resumed on February 7, when the camp at Lang Vei was overrun. Fleeing from the scene, Special Forces units made their way to Khe Sanh. Unable to resupply KSCB by land, American forces delivered needed materials by air, dodging an intense gauntlet of PAVN anti-aircraft fire. Ultimately, tactics such as the Super Gaggle (which involved the use of A-4 Skyhawk fighters to suppress ground fire) allowed helicopters to resupply the hilltop outposts while drops from C-130s delivered goods to the main base. On the same night that Lang Vei was attacked, PAVN troops assaulted an observation post at KSCB. In the last week of February, fighting intensified when a Marine patrol was ambushed and several attacks were launched against the 37th ARVNs lines. In March, intelligence began noticing an exodus of PAVN units from the vicinity of Khe Sanh. Despite this, shelling continued and the bases ammunition dump detonated for the second time during the campaign. Pressing out from KSCB, Marine patrols engaged the enemy on March 30. The next day, Operation Scotland was ended. Operational control of the area turned over to the 1st Air Cavalry Division for the execution of Operation Pegasus. Designed to break the siege of Keh Sanh, Operation Pegasus called for elements of the 1st and 3rd Marine Regiments to attack up Route 9 towards Khe Sanh. Meanwhile, the 1st Air Cavalry moved by helicopter to seize key terrain features along the line of advance. As the Marines advanced, engineers worked to repair the road. This plan infuriated the Marines at KSCB, as they did not believe they needed to be rescued. Jumping off on April 1, Pegasus met little resistance as American forces moved west. The first major engagement occurred on April 6, when a day-long battle was waged against a PAVN blocking force. Fighting largely concluded with a three-day fight near Khe Sanh village. Troops linked up with the Marines at KSCB on April 8. Three days later, Route 9 was declared open. Aftermath Lasting 77 days, the siege of Khe Sanh saw American and South Vietnamese forces suffer. In the end, there were 703 killed, 2,642 wounded, and 7 missing. PAVN losses are not known with accuracy but are estimated at between 10,000 to 15,000 dead and wounded. Following the battle, Lownds men were relieved and Westmoreland ordered the base occupied until he left Vietnam in June. His successor, General Creighton Abrams, did not believe that retaining Khe Sanh was necessary. He ordered the base destroyed and abandoned later that month. This decision earned the ire of the American press, who questioned why Khe Sanh had to be defended in January but was no longer needed in July. Abrams response was that the then-current military situation no longer dictated that it be held. To this day, it is unclear whether PAVN leadership in Hanoi intended to fight a decisive battle at Khe Sanh, or if operations in the area were meant to distract Westmoreland in the weeks before the Tet Offensive. Sources: Brush, Peter. Battle of Khe Sanh: Recounting the Battles Casualties. HistoryNet, June 26, 2007. Unknown. The Siege at Khe Sanh. PBS.

Hillary Clinton - Position on Illegal Immigration

Hillary Clinton - Position on Illegal Immigration Hillary Clintons position on illegal immigration has shifted over time. In her campaign for president in 2016, her most recent bid for election to public office, Clinton said she supported a path to citizenship for millions of people living in the United States illegally because it would be impractical to deport them all. If we take what we  know to be the realities that we confront - 12 to  14 million people here - what will we do with them? I hear the voices from the other side of the aisle. I hear the voices on TV and radio. And they are living in some other universe, talking about deporting people,  rounding them up. I dont agree with that and I dont think its practical, Clinton has said. She has said, however, that those who have committed crimes and pose a violent threat to public safety while living in America illegally should not be permitted to stay here. Clinton has said she favors humane, targeted, and effective enforcement of the laws against illegal immigration in the United States. During the 2016 presidential campaign, she defended President Barack Obamas controversial executive action  on immigration, which would have  allowed as many as five  million people living in the United States illegally temporary,  quasi-legal status and work permits. And she opposed the idea of building a massive wall along the U.S. border with Mexico and supported the rights of a growing number of refugees and asylum seekers to tell their stories. We need comprehensive immigration reform with a path to full and equal citizenship, Clinton said in January 2016. If Congress wont act, Ill defend President Obama’s executive actions - and Ill go even further to keep families together. Ill end family detention, close private immigrant detention centers, and help more eligible people become naturalized. Obamas program, called  Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents, was essentially put on hold  by a June 2016 U.S. Supreme Court ruling. Clinton Opposed Banning Muslims Clinton has also voiced opposition to a policy put in place by Republican President Donald Trump to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the United States. Trump said his proposal was meant to prevent terrorist attacks on the homeland. But Clinton called the idea dangerous. â€Å"It goes against everything we stand for as a nation founded on religious liberty,† Clinton said. â€Å"He’s turned Americans against Americans, which is exactly what ISIS wants.† Clinton Mocked Trumps Border Wall But Supported a Fence On the campaign trail in 2016, Clinton openly derided Donald Trumps idea to build a tall wall along the length of the U.S. Mexico border. Hes talking about a very tall wall, right? A beautiful, tall wall. The most beautiful, tall, wall, better than the Great Wall of China, that would run the entire border, that he would somehow magically get the Mexican government to pay for. And, you know, its just fantasy. Clinton did, however, voter in favor of legislation to build a fence along 700 miles of the border, a bill called the Secure Fence Act of 2006. ... Where it was necessary, we did support some fencing, where it was necessary, we did add border patrol agents, Clinton said. Clinton Apologized for Saying  Illegal Immigrants Clinton apologized in 2015 for using the term illegal immigrants, which is considered dehumanizing. She used the term while speaking about securing the United States border with Mexico.  Well, I voted numerous times when I was a senator to spend money to build a barrier to try to prevent illegal immigrants from coming in, Clinton said.   She apologized when asked about her use of the term, saying:  That was a poor choice of words. As Ive said throughout this campaign, the people at the heart of this issue are children, parents, families, DREAMers. They have names, and hopes and dreams that deserve to be respected, Clinton said.   Clintons Shifting Position on Immigration Clintons position on immigrant hasnt been as consistent as it seems. She has come under fire from some Hispanics over her support of candidates who are viewed as unfriendly to establishing a pathway to citizenship.  As first lady under President Bill Clinton, she was  on record  as supporting the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, which expanded the use of deportation and limited conditions under which it could be appealed. She has also opposed the idea of giving drivers licenses to people living in the United States illegally, a position that drew some criticism. They are driving on our roads. The possibility of them having an accident that harms themselves or others is just a matter of the odds, Clinton has said. Clinton said during her run for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination that she supported granting citizenship to people living here illegal if they meet certain conditions including paying a fine to the government, paying back taxes, and learning English. And she has also said children who cross the border illegally from Central America should be sent back as soon as it can be determined who responsible adults in their families are, because there are concerns whether all of them should be sent back. But I think all of them who can be should be reunited with their families. †¦ We have to send a clear message, just because your child gets across the border, that doesn’t mean the child gets to stay. So, we don’t want to send a message that is contrary to our laws or will encourage more children to make that dangerous journey.†