PRELUDE

Since Vietnam was divided between North and South after the Geneva Accords of 1954. There was a sinking feeling amongst both belligerents that war in the region would not end, it would just be an interlude period for the next brutal conflict between North and South and by proxy, the capitalist west, and the communist East. In the political tumult that South Vietnam endured, North Vietnam observed a significant opportunity to extend its influence in the region. With the construction of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, supplies and weapons could be transferred to proxy guerillas within South Vietnamese territories. With North Vietnam taking a more hardline stance and relying on unconventional tactics, South Vietnamese troops were placed on edge for an attack.

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The first task North Vietnam needed to do to ensure the guerillas in the south have enough power projection to contest South Vietnam’s monopoly of force was to infiltrate the border and deliver weapons, supplies, and reinforcements. This was done via ship through the Mekong River in inconspicuous fishing craft and personal riverine boats that would present themselves as innocent civilian ships during the day while quickly dashing towards safe zones with arms during the night. The Truong Son supply route was done with great effect with construction and forest clearance for a road through the Mu Guia pass completed ahead of schedule in November. Sufficient foilage was maintained to ensure camouflage on the road. North Vietnamese infiltration has been largely successful with nearly 5,000 NVA troops posing as volunteers crossing the path and linking up with Viet Cong safehouses where they would begin planning their attack toward key infrastructures and stations important for South Vietnam.

By contrast, the South Vietnamese forces were spread thin, securing villages and towns against the ongoing insurgency by the Viet Cong. New airbases were built across the country, specifically in Binh Thuy and Bien Hoa to extend the range of the ROVAF in counter-insurgency operations, The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Corps were tasked with monitoring the Iron triangle region near Saigon as well as the Pleiku insurgency zone in the north. Activity has been sporadic with the Viet Cong conducting hit-and-run attacks but nothing of major significance, leading to units of the ROV growing complacent. By the end of 1961 however, Ranger units and South Vietnamese intelligence gathered early warning of an assault by the Viet Cong near Pleiku and alerted the nearby garrisons.

THE VALLEYS OF DEATH

The A Shau valley near the DMZ has become the site of a large confrontation between the Viet Cong and the forces of the Republic of Vietnam. Two battalions of the Viet Cong launched a raid toward the South Vietnamese garrison in A Shau, several kilometers away from the city of Hue. The fruits of months of work scouting the area, gaining informants and sympathizers as well as establishing the necessary logistics, the surprising discipline of these units surprised the South Vietnamese garrison, quickly taking multiple towns, outposts, and bases. The South Vietnamese attempted a defense but were unable to prevent a loss of the local civil guard paramilitaries due to their commanding HQ being destroyed by the assault. Reinforcements from Hue in the shape of ARVN infantry counterattacked the Viet Cong, shelling their positions and pushing forwards while suffering trickle back from Viet Cong ambushes while they advanced. Unbeknownst to the South Vietnamese until much later, the assault was conducted by units from the North Vietnamese Army posing as the Viet Cong.

THE LONG ATRITION

Insurgency warfare is not an easy business, and especially not a quick affair. Hit-and-run attacks, raids, assassinations, robberies, and light infantry attacks help to attrition the enemy, but not beat the enemy in full. North Vietnamese premier Le Duc Tho ordered the deployment of nearly 3,000 men to support the Viet Cong against the South Vietnamese in a hastily planned operation to intensify the attrition against the enemy. This poor planning ended up being what cost the North Vietnamese the harshest with most military operations in conjunction with NVA units ending in failure or indecisiveness. Compared to A Shau at least which was considered a victory for the North Vietnamese as not only the units present were destroyed, even threatened the garrison at Hue and presented a flanking position and gathering of new recruits for the cause. Near the Iron triangle, the Viet Cong faced a far more determined enemy even despite its multiple disadvantages in terms of morale and cohesion. From 1960 to 1964, Viet Cong assaults continued across South Vietnam in a bid to weaken the South Vietnamese’s ability to respond to all sectors with the same force. The ROVAF proved to be the South Vietnamese’s greatest asset, with new airbases extending the reach of the airforce allowing them to rain fire against the rebels and pushing them back to the mountains.The supposed failure by Le Duc Tho’s escalation by sending 3,000 volunteers was largely attributed to their lack of planning and rash decision which resulted in military defeats against the ARVN. Nevertheless, the ARVN is evidently overextended with the added threat of the North Vietnamese army as well, the war is shaping up to be leaning in favor of North Vietnam.

THE GULF OF TONKIN INCIDENT

While on a routine intelligence patrol on August 2nd 1964. The American destroyer USS Maddox was approached by 3 Vietnamese torpedo boats from the North Vietnamese Navy. The Maddox fired warning shots at the Vietnamese which then responded with machine gun fire and torpedoes. During the scuffle at sea, a scout plane from the aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga was shot down while artillery from the destroyer claimed the lives of 4 Vietnamese sailors and wounded 6. Two days later on August 4, 1964, destroyer USS Turner Joy joined Maddox on another intelligence gathering mission. That evening, the destroyers fired upon bearings gathered through radar they thought were North Vietnamese vessels incoming. Unknown to the ships at the time, no Vietnamese vessels were present at the time on August 4th and it was a false alarm, nevertheless, they sent their after action reports to the US Navy which confirm belligerent actions between US and North Vietnamese forces.

Casualties:

North Vietnam: 1,800

Viet Cong: 3,560

South Vietnam: 2,945

Civillians: 10,000

Infrastructure in regions: Hue, Cochinchina, Cambodian border and Pleiku moderately damaged, increased unrest and rebel activity.