The War: The General's Biggest Battle

No single battle of the Viet Nam war has held Washington — and the nation — in such complete thrall as has the impending struggle for Khe Sanh. Nor was the mood last week one of cockiness, even in official quarters. The forward outpost of Lang Vei was already lost—ground down under the treads of Soviet tanks. Nearly two weeks after the Communists staged their well-timed attacks against the South's major cities at a reported cost to them of 27,706 dead, U.S. intelligence officers were ominously warning that the chances of a...