On 31 January 1968 the PAVN and Vietcong conducted a widespread and well-coordinated assaults on towns and cities across South Vietnam. Thousands of PAVN/VC fighters overran the city of Huế, while five battalions of PAVN attacked Quang Tri City. 2nd Brigade's 1/5 Cavalry, alongside the 1/12 Cavalry, quickly responded and moved into the village of Thon an Thai, just east of Quảng Trị City. They launched a heavy aerial rocket attack against the PAVN, forcing them to break off the Quảng Trị attack and disperse. Quảng Trị City was liberated within the next ten days. On 2 February 2 Brigade's 2/12 Cavalry was tasked with sealing off the western approaches to the city of Huế, while the ARVN and Marines cleared out the PAVN/VC forces inside the city. After 25 days of fierce block-by-block fighting, the ARVN/Marine force succeeded in liberating the city. During the battle for Hue, the PAVN/VC suffered more than 8000 casualties.