GENERAL RICHARDSON AND GENERAL VAN MINH WITH FLAG HOLDERS: TAKEOVER CEREMONY: SIGN "FAREWELL GENERAL RICHARDSON ": MEDALS BEING PINNED ON GENERAL RICHARDSON: GUARD: US TROOPS MARCH AWAY: VIETNAMESE TROOPS MARCH IN: DAMAGED BUILDING SAIGON: WRECKED TANKS: AIR SHOT SAIGON: VIETNAMESE TROOPS THROUGH SWAMP: CARRYING EQUIPMENT THROUGH WATER: STREETS OF SAIGON: POLICE AND SOLDIERS CHECKING PAPERS.




Initials JPC/VS/CT/BJ



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Background: VIETNAMESE ARMED FORCES HAVE OFFICIALLY TAKEN OVER THE DEFENCE OF SAIGON FROM THE AMERICANS. IN A RECENT CEREMONY AT BIEN HOA, NEAR SAIGON, LT. GENERAL NGUYEN VAN MINH ASSUMED RESPONSIBILITY FROM THE AMERICAN COMMANDER MAJOR-GENERAL WALTER B. RICHARDSON.

GENERAL RICHARDSON HAS COMMANDED THE FORCES PROTECTING SAIGON FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS. HE WAS COMMANDER DURING THE 1968 TET OFFENSIVE, IN WHICH LARGE FORCES OF VIET CONG AND NORTH VIETNAMESE TROOPS ENTERED THE CITY AND BATTLED FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS BEFORE BEING FINALLY BEATEN BACK.

GENERAL MINH WAS FORMERLY COMMANDER OF AN INFANTRY DIVISION IN THE MEKING DELTA, AND HIS TROOPS WERE CONSIDERED AS EQUAL TO THE BEST VIETNAMESE SOLDIERS IN VIETNAM. HE HAS AT HIS DISPOSAL THE ELITE RESERVE TROOPS. ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE SEPARATE COMMANDERS, GENERAL MINH HAS OVERALL AUTHORITY OVER ALL, INCLUDING ARMY, MARINE, POLICE, OR ALLIED TROOPS.

GENERAL CREIGHTON ABRAMS, COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE AMERICAN FORCES IN VIETNAM, AND LT. GENERAL DO CAO TRI, III CORPS MILITARY COMMANDER, WERE ALSO PRESENT IN THE CEREMONY.

GENERAL RICHARDSON RECEIVED DECORATIONS FROM GENERAL ABRAMS AND GENERAL TRI.

AFTER THE CEREMONY THE AMERICAN TROOPS MARCHED AWAY, AND THE VIETNAMESE TROOPS MARCHED FORWARD.

THE VIETNAMESE HAD ASSUMED COMMAND.

SAIGON STILL BEARS THE SCARS OF THE MASSIVE TET OFFENSIVE OF FEBRUARY 1968, AND TODAY AREAS OF THE SUBURBS STILL LIE IN RUINS. MILITARY VEHICLES LOST BY THE ALLIES CAN STILL BE SEEN WHERE THEY WERE ABANDONED.

NOW THE NATIONAL POLICE AND ARMY CO-OPERATIVE TO CHECK THROUGHOULY ALL INFILTRATION ROUTES. THESE INCLUDE THE MAIN HIGHWAYS, PARTICULARLY THOSE LEADING TO THE DENSELY POPULATED MEKONG DELTA, WHERE NEARLY 7-MILLION PEOPLE LIVE. THEY ALSO HAVE TO WATCH CANALS AND PADDY FIELDS. THE COMMUNISTS TRY TO INFILTRATE THE CAPITAL IN SMALL GROUPS OF TWO OR THREE SINGLY, OFTEN WITHOUT WEAPONS, AMMUNITION OR IDENTIFICATION OTHER THAN LEGITIMATE SOUTH VIETNAMESE IDENTITY CARDS. THE WEAPONS ARE OFTEN CARRIED IN BY WOMEN - MAKING THE WHOLE TASK OF PREVENTION OF INFILTRATION VERY DIFFICULT.

SAIGON IS THE MOST DENSELY POPULATED CITY IN THE WORLD, WITH TWICE AS MANY PEOPLE AS TOKYO. TROOPS AND POLICE CHECK ALL THE ROADS LEADING TO THE CITY CONSTANTLY, CHECKING PAPERS OF THE THOUSANDS WHO ENTER THE CITY EVERY DAY.