▁coun tr ys ide ▁to ▁watch ▁for ▁the ▁re - entry ▁of ▁the ▁mission , ▁and ▁even ▁the ▁American ▁cons ulate ▁in ▁Zur ich ▁called ▁the ▁U PI ▁news ▁b ureau ▁in ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁confirm ▁the ▁story . ▁ ▁" Bel ief ▁in ▁the ▁story ▁was ▁increased ," ▁a ▁U PI ▁dispatch ▁noted , ▁" because ▁there ▁are ▁no ▁week - end ▁newsp apers ▁in ▁Switzerland ▁and ▁television ▁does ▁not ▁start ▁broadcast ing ▁until ▁ 6 ▁p . m ." . ▁French ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Georges ▁Pom pid ou ▁and ▁his ▁cabinet ▁res igned ▁in ▁an ▁apparent ▁political ▁man eu ver ▁to ▁get ▁a ▁mand ate ▁of ▁appro val ▁from ▁the ▁incoming ▁National ▁Assembly . ▁The ▁Battle ▁of ▁Ap ▁Gu ▁ended ▁after ▁two ▁days ▁in ▁South ▁Vietnam ' s ▁T ay ▁Nin h ▁Province ▁as , ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Battalion ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 6 th ▁Infantry ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Army ' s ▁ 1 st ▁Infantry ▁Division ▁over c ame ▁an ▁attack ▁by ▁the ▁much ▁larger ▁ 9 th ▁V iet ▁Cong ▁Division . ▁ ▁The ▁batt alion ▁commander , ▁L t . ▁Colonel ▁Alexander ▁M . ▁Ha ig , ▁would ▁win ▁the ▁Dist ingu ished ▁Service ▁Cross ▁for ▁his ▁hero ism ▁in ▁flying ▁into ▁gun fire ▁and ▁def ending ▁against ▁multiple ▁assault s ▁against ▁the ▁American ▁enc amp ment ; ▁Ha ig ▁would ▁rise ▁through ▁the ▁ranks ▁quickly , ▁becoming ▁a ▁general ▁two ▁years ▁later , ▁and ▁ret iring ▁as ▁a ▁four - star ▁general ▁in ▁