Viet Cong Attacked

SAIGON -- Exploding shells and bombs from U.S. Stratofortresses shook this city last night as they blasted at known and suspected Viet Cong and North Vietnamese positions in the countryside surrounding the city.

The barrage was in response to enemy morter and rocket attacks on Siagon, Da Nang, and 50 provincial and district capitals, believed to be part of a Communist spring offensive.

Observers believe the objective of the enemy attacks is more political than military--an attempt to wring concessions at the Paris peace talks by a revived show of force.

U.S. officers said that, while about 200 allied soldiers had been killed in the past 48 hours, the enemy had lost five times that number. South Vietnamese President Thieu said that the offensive was completely foiled and "not a hamlet or a village has been lost to the communists."