World: Defeat in the Highlands

The Viet Cong defeat at Kannack, though heartening to U.S. and government forces, was scarcely a turning point in the war. The Viet Cong still roam virtually at will through South Viet Nam's central highlands, and recently have turned to a new, diabolical tactic. They are burning down whole villages, forcing the inhabitants to seek refuge in government-controlled sea-coast cities—and thus to overcrowd them.

Down from the smoky plateaus above the South China Sea crept column after column of refugees, carrying with them their tools, their pigs and the elders of their tribes.

Over the past six months, more than 125,000 refugees have...