 The objective of the campaign was the defeat of the approximately 40 @,@ 000 troops of the People 's Army of Vietnam ( PAVN ) and the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam ( NLF , also known as Viet Cong ) who were ensconced in the eastern border regions of Cambodia . Cambodia 's official neutrality and military weakness made its territory effectively a safe zone where Vietnamese communist forces could establish bases for operations over the border . With the US shifting toward a policy of Vietnamization and withdrawal , the US sought to shore up the South Vietnamese government 's security by eliminating the cross @-@ border threat . 
 The objective of the campaign was the defeat of the approximately 40 @,@ 000 troops of the People <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>Army of Vietnam ( PAVN ) and the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam ( NLF , also known as Viet Cong ) <a href='null_relcl' title='2'><mark>who</mark></a><a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>were</mark></a> ensconced in the eastern border regions of Cambodia . Cambodia <a href='null_genetive' title='4'><mark>'s</mark></a>official neutrality and military weakness made its territory effectively a safe zone where Vietnamese communist forces could establish bases for operations over the border . With the US shifting toward a policy of Vietnamization and withdrawal , the US sought to shore up the South Vietnamese government <a href='null_genetive' title='5'><mark>'s</mark></a>security by eliminating the cross @-@ border threat . 
The objective of the campaign was the defeat of da approximately 40 @,@ 000 troops of the People  Army of Vietnam ( PAVN ) and the National Front fa the Liberation of South Vietnam ( NLF , also known as Viet Cong ) was ensconced in the eastern border regions of Cambodia . Cambodia  official neutrality and military weakness made its territory effectively a safe zone where Vietnamese communist forces could establish bases ffaoperations ova tdaborder . With thdaS shifting toward a policy of Vietnamization and withdrawal , the US sought to shore up the South Vietnamese government  security by eliminating thedaoss @-@ border threat .