 Despite the optimistic Australian assessments of Viet Cong capability , rather than having left Phuoc Tuy the communists were more likely reinforcing and consolidating in preparation for future operations , avoiding battle with the Australians in order to preserve their strength . Regardless , D445 Battalion had suffered heavy casualties and posed a diminished threat , while the headquarters of the Viet Cong 5th Division was located near the northern border , west of the May Tao mountains , with its fighting formations widely dispersed . The Viet Cong 275th Regiment was reported to have moved north to War Zone D for retraining and refitting , and the Viet Cong 274th Regiment had moved from its scattered locations in the north @-@ west Hat Dich to replace it in the north @-@ east of the province , and was now operating in unfamiliar terrain . Meanwhile , casualties , illness and poor local recruitment meant they were now largely reliant on reinforcements from North Vietnam . Unsure of the next move , the Viet Cong 5th Division adopted a cautious posture , with only the 1st Battalion , 275th Regiment remaining in the May Tao mountains while the 274th Regiment dispersed east of Route 2 for the remainder of the month . 
