The battle of Hue was fought in the south of Vietnam on the Perfume River, which flows from the southwest to the northeast and eventually to the south China Sea. The city was divided into two parts, Old Hue, with the Imperial Palace and a three square mile Citadel, and New Hue, which was located on the southeast bank of the river. Both cities were important cultural and religious centers. At the time of the battle, the city had a population of 140,000.
The Revolutionary Museum was built on the grounds of the former Diem regime, and features artillery pieces, two small planes, and a Russian tank used during the 1975 assault on Saigon. This museum is free to visit, and is open from 0800 to 1330. It closes on Mondays. A quiet park adjoins the museum, and the building has a cafe.
The attackers used mortars, American rockets, and M-48 tanks with fused shells to penetrate the thick walls of the city. They also used M-50 Ontos tracked vehicles, armored and antitank vehicles equipped with six 106-millimeter rifles. The Ontos vehicles maneuvered more quickly and easily than the tanks, and could reach tight spaces.
Huey Long was a flamboyant member of the United States Senate and earned the loath of many of his fellow senators. He frequently used the filibuster to make a point of principle, and cast aspersions on his fellow senators. He loved the bully pulpit.