1972 Spring Offensive Maps:

The Spring Offensive

Invasion across the DMZ

Invasion from Cambodia

1972 Spring Offensive

The 1972 Spring Offensive (sometimes called the Easter Offensive or the Nguyen Hue Campaign) was a huge, three-pronged attack by PAVN forces designed to strike a decisive blow against the Republic of Vietnam. Within weeks of the start at the end of March, large conventional battles were being fought simultaneously on three major fronts. The DRV hoped to discredit Nixon's Vienamization program and cause a faster withdrawl of the remaining 65,000 U.S. troops.

The three attacks were to come across the DMA toward Hue, from Cambodia toward Saigon, and through the Central Highlands toward Kontum and the coast in Binh Dinh Province. The PAVN thrusts initially were successful., especially in the north, but ARVN finally held them off north of Hue and at Kontum. ARVN forces beseiged at An Loc held out until the seige was broken in July.

The U.S. help was limited largely to advisors and massive air power. Nixon resumed bombing of North Vietnam with B-52s in May to assist the South Vietnamese. ARVN launched a counteroffensive in Quang Tri Province in June and eventually took it back. With that, the 1972 Spring Offensive of North Vietnam had failed, even though PAVN controlled more territory in South Vietnam than before. The success of South Vietnamese forces in confronting the North Vietnamese attacks was given as proof that Nixon's Vietnamization policy had worked.

Resources:

Kolko, pp. 422-430

Langguth, pp. 596-603

Web Site: Department of the Army, Vietnam Studies, The Enemy Spring Offensive of 1972

Web Site: Lewis Sorley, "Courage and Blood: South Vietnam's Repulse of the 1972 Easter Invasion"