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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
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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
HISTORICALBACKGROUND • 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)
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 (190-158 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