THE BATTLE FOR HUE - CASUALTY AND DISEASE RATES DURING URBAN WARFARE

Renewed nationalism with the ending of the Cold War has precipitated n umerous conflicts between regions or countries that were formerly unit ed. Hostilities between some ethnic and nationalistic factions have re ached the point where regional security is threatened and United Natio ns-sanctioned military operations may be required. Because some U.N. o perations could require the forcible removal of an entrenched faction from an urban setting, the present investigation seeks to determine th e levels of medical casualties that might be sustained during urban wa rfare. Casualty rates and illness incidence were examined for U.S. Mar ine forces participating in the retaking of the city of Hue during the Tet offensive in 1968. The casualty rates were analyzed for different phases of the urban assault and contrasted with a different period of the Vietnam Conflict, and with the high intensity battle for Okinawa during World War II. Rates of casualties during the retaking of Hue we re highest during the two phases of the operation that required close- quarter fighting. The house-to-house fighting south of the river yield ed a wounded rate of 37.9 per 1,000 strength per day, while the fighti ng in the inner city yielded a rate of 44.4. Rate of wounded during th e ''mopping-up'' phase was 5.8. The rate of illness incidence was stab le over the month-long operation and showed no concomitant increase wi th battle intensity.''