Description: There were several reasons why Giap launched Eastertide when he did: almost all the U.S. ground froces were withdrawn, after the rout in Laos it was assumed the South Vietnamese would crumble under a PAVN attack, and a defeat at this time would humiliate Nixon and possibly force him from office. On March 30 the PAVN, with a definate advantage, attacked the newly formed 3d ARVN Division. The PAVN front consisted of the 304th and 308th Divisions with the 325th, 320th, 312th, and 324B in reserve. The 3d ARVN Division was driven back and its 56th Regiment surrendered. Eventually the Division was forced into the city of Quang Tri. On 1 May Quang Tri was abandoned and the 3d ARVN Division ceased to exist. President Thieu fired the I Corps commander and sent Gen. Truong, the best general in South Vietnam, to Hue. He used the Marine Division to defend the north and northwest and sent the 1st ARVN Division to defend the west. Then on June 28, Truong, along with reinforcements from the Airborne Division, set out to retake Quang Tri Province. The ARVN were assisted by senior U.S. adviser in I Corps Maj. Gen. Koresen. The U.S. also provided massive firepower, including bomber strikes and naval gunfire. The counterattack routed six PAVN divisions and retook Quang Tri City on September 16. By the end of October I Corps had been stabilized and one prong of the Easter offensive had been halted.

Unit: 3d ARVN Division (reinforced by 2 marine brigades, four ranger groups, and one armored brigade)

Vietnam Center & Sam Johnson Vietnam Archive