Battle of Hoa Binh

Warbox
conflict=Battle of Hoa Binh
partof=First Indochina War
date=November 10, 1951-February 25, 1952
place=Hoa Binh, Vietnam
result=Viet Minh strategic victory
combatant1=
*flagicon|France France

*flagicon|South Vietnam State of Vietnam
combatant2=
commander1= Jean de Lattre de Tassigny
Raoul Salan
commander2= Vo Nguyen Giap
strength1=
strength2=
casualties1=436 killed,
458 missing
2,060 wounded.
casualties2=3,455 killed,
307 captured
7,000 wounded.The Battle of Hoa Binh was fought during the First Indochina War. It occurred from November 10, 1951 to February 25, 1952, when French Union forces attempted to lure the Viet Minh out in the open and fight on French terms.

Prelude

Following the string of victories during the early months of 1951, the French command under General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny sought to go back on the offensive. After the French victory at the battle of Dong Trieu, de Lattre had drawn up a plan to test his offensive strategy.

Hoa Binh was selected by General de Lattre for the offensive, capital of the Muong tribe located 62km from Hanoi. Hoa Binh was an area of strategic significance for many reasons. For the Viet Minh, the control of Hoa Binh would allow them free movement in the valleys north of Hanoi as well as the flow of arm supplies. As part of his plan de Lattre's forces would take Hoa Binh, where Giap's regular divisions would be forced to confront superior French firepower and eventually destroyed.

Battle

Phase I & II

On November 10, 1951, Operation Tulipe was launched with the objective of seizing Cho Ben Pass and extend French control beyond Provincial Route 21.

After the French "Task Force North" and the 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion (1st BEP) had linked up west of Cho Ben, they both continued the thrust while other mobile groups were moving in from the south and the east. At this point, the Viet Minh were forced to abandoned Cho Ben, but heavy fighting occurred between the French and elements of the Viet Minh that included the "64th Regiment" and "164th Regional Battalion". By the end of the day, the French Union forces had achieved their objective with "Mobile Group 2" and 1st Colonial Parachute Battalion (1st BPC) reaching their target north of Cho Ben.

With the completion of the first phase, de Lattre planned his next move. Realising the difficult task of phase two, de Lattre divided French Union armies into three operational groups, together they would capture Hoa Binh by land, sea and air. "Mobile Group 7", as part of Group North, would move southward along the Black River with a riverine unit. Group South, which consists of "Mobile Group 3", would link up with paratroop battalions in Hoa Binh. "Mobile Group 2" would form an operational liaison group for the other two Mobile Groups.

By the early hours of November 14, both Operational Group North and South had reached their initial objectives. On the morning of November 14, the "1st Colonial Parachute Battalion", the 2nd Colonial Parachute Battalion (2st BPC) and the "7th Colonial Parachute Battalion" (7th BPC) captured Hoa Binh with ease against little or no resistance from the Viet Minh.

"Mobile Group 3" took the lead in the clearing operations along Colonial Route 6, while "Mobile Group 3" linked up with the three paratroop battalions after crossing the Black River. By November 22, the operation was over with the French Union troops suffering light casualties.

Giáp's counterattack

On November 21, General Vo Nguyen Giap decided to deal with the French by ordering his "304th" and "312th Divisions" from the Red River. The two divisions were ordered to prepare for Hoa Binh.

French bases at Ap Da Chong, Ap Phu To, Dan The, La Phu, Rocher Notre-Dame, Xom Bu and Tu Vu were places where General Giáp's regular divisions would initiate the first challenge. The "304th" and "312th divisions" were in position to isolate the Ap Da Chong and cut French communication lines and other strongpoints. Due to the build-up of Viet Minh forces in the area, elements of the "1st Colonial Parachute Battalion" were ordered to reinforce Thu Phap. Between December 10 and December 14, there were heavy engagements between the French Union and Viet Minh forces. First, the VM "88th Regiment" pounded Tu Vu but were driven off by two Moroccan companies supported by tanks. Then the "165th" and "209th Regiments" of the Viet Minh "312th Division" infiltrated Ba Tri and Ba Vi, where they faced "Mobile Group 4". The "5th Colonial Parachute Battalion", with support from Sherman tanks, were sent in to remove the Viet Minh. However, a company from the 5th BPC were ambushed by the "165th Regiment" and heavy casualties were suffered as a result.

On January 11, 1952, General de Lattre died at the Neuilly military hospital due to cancer. At the same time, Vo Nguyen Giap began to concentrate his troops on Hoa Binh and Colonial Route 6 as the "304th", "308th" and "312th Divisions" were being redeployed with fresh reinforcements.

From the end of 1951, the buildup of Viet Minh presence around Colonial Route 6 were noted by French military intelligence. The Viet Minh made no secret of their presence as they regularly attacked French convoys, and conducting sapper attacks on French positions. The new commander of French Union forces, General Gonzales de Linares, planned to take back Colonial Route 6 piece by piece.

Between January 10 and January 29, the French Union armies managed to clear Dong Ben, Xom Pheo, Bai Lang, Xuan Mai, Kem Pass and Ao Trach under heavy Viet Minh pressure. Each time, French forces relied upon artillery and close air support to inflict damages on the Viet Minh. On January 30, the Viet Minh went back on the offensive at Suc Sich, where they battled with a company from the 8th Colonial Parachute Battalion.

Although the French army still held Hoa Binh and Colonial Route 6, areas under true French control only extended from Hanoi to Xuan Mai. And manning French outposts between Don Goi and Hoa Binh put heavy pressure on French manpower, where 20,000 troops are tying down. As a result of this, when the Viet Minh "316th" and "320th Divisions" moved in to replace the other divisions, General Salan decided to withdraw the remaining French forces. And by February 25, 1952, the evacuation of French troops from Hoa Binh was completed.

Aftermath

From the beginning, French Union forces sought to draw the Viet Minh out to fight on French terms, however, they subsequently went on the defensive as General Vo Nguyen Giap continued to put heavy pressure on French positions. Although suffering heavier casualties than the French, the Viet Minh came out victorious.

Media links

* [http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2dwgx_bao-dai-decore-des-heros-03011952 Bao Dai honors VNA veterans of Hoa Binh] (French newsreels, January 3rd, 1952)

External links

* [http://www.historynet.com/magazines/vietnam/3024816.html?page=1&c=y The Hoa Binh Campaign]