[David]

FIRST INDOCHINA WAR--OTHER:
March 31, 1946 (28th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Dog [Binh Tuat]): The Chinese turn over their responsibilities in northern Indochina to the French, per a February 28, 1946 Franco-Chinese agreement.

March 31, 1954 (27th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Horse [Giap Ngo]) (Fall): Dien Bien Phu: Shortly after midnight, paratroopers begin a counterattack of hand-to-hand combat in the general direction of E2 and during the fight are reinforced with two tanks and more men from another company. By morning, they own the summit once again. At 0530, French counterattacks have regained Huguette 7, too. The enemy still occupies Dominique 2 and Eliane 1.

At dawn, a sally is made from Isabelle to break through the Communist blocking position at Ban Kho Lai and Ban Nhong Nhai, but by 0900 the Legionnaires are pinned down and by 1150 they're fighting for their lives. Instead of supporting the main effort at Dien Bien Phu, the Legionnaires of Isabelle have to divert arty to cover their troops' withdrawal. They return to the strongpoint, but at the cost of 15 dead and missing, and 50 WIAs. No breakthroughs to the main fortress will be possible from now on. Isabelle with its 1809 men, 11 105mm howitzers and three tanks, is alone.

Ammunition is low at the main fortress and fresh troops are desperately needed, for a counterattack is planned for the afternoon. The weather is improved and the fortress's defenders await the air drop of reinforcements, which don't appear. Still, at noon, the paratrooper counterattack on Eliane and Dominique begins. After intense fighting, D2 is retaken at 1430 and E1 is also regained, and enemy counter artillery starts hitting the reconquered hills. At 1500 Bigeard reports that all objectives have been taken but that now reinforcements are essential. There are none and he must voluntarily give up the hard-won gains of the day or lose his remaining troops and the terrain within a few hours. "I've got no reserves for you," he tells his commanders in the field. "If you can't hold it, pull out." And at 1530, they do. D2 is quickly overrun again, D5 is abandoned, as it's overshadowed by D2, and troops are set for a final stand on D3. E1 is now outflanked and at 1800 troops are ordered to pull back to E4.

By evening, ammunition reserves are barely sufficient for another day's fighting and the fortress has exhausted its hand grenades and 81mm mortar shells. Intelligence reports that General Giap has arrived in the valley and personally taken over command of the battle from General Hoang Van Thai, obviously meaning to finish off the hill positions that night. As night falls, an overwhelming number of enemy troops begin to attack E2. The fort's commander tells Bigeard that he's free to judge for himself whether the remnants of Dominique and Eliane can be held for the night. "Mon colonel," says Bigeard, "as long as I've got one man left alive I'm not going to let go of Eliane [which now means E2]"

Meanwhile, at Huguette 7, where the noncom who closed the breach the night before is still holding on with the survivors of the defense (remnants of one platoon), the defenders decide to surprise the Viet Minh and pull out from the northern and central portions of the stronghold, withdrawing into the two southern bunkers that are still intact. At 2300, like clock work, the Viet Minh shell the abandoned northern bunker and enter the central portion of the strongpoint in which there is little room for maneuver. At this moment, French artillery plasters the area with high explosives.

INTERBELLUM:
March 31, 1956 (20th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Monkey [Binh Than]): Prince Souvanna Phouma becomes prime minister in Laos.

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
March 31, 1965 (29th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Defense): Marine Corps air support for Operation Quyet Thang 512 in I Corps runs into heavy fire.

March 31, 1965 (29th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Defense): Rolling Thunder update: 60 planes from the Coral Sea and the Hancock hit the radar station at Mui Ron Point.

March 31, 1967 (21st day of the 2nd month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Operation Junction City update: Battle of Ap Gu. A/1/26 and C/1/26 land at LZ George and go out on search and destroy missions, while B/1/26 remains at the battalion perimeter near the LZ in reserve. At 1300, first contact is made by the recon platoon, with the point man being hit and the platoon leader mortally wounded after having reported the action to the battalion, which sends in supporting artillery fire and air strikes. B Company heads in to support the platoon, but without sufficient preparation it, too, is soon heavily engaged, with its leader wounded and in mild shock. The Blue Spaders commander arrives and elects to stay with his units. A Company is sent in and soon gains fire superiority over the enemy. Intense and accurate arty and air strikes allow the Americans to eventually be extracted with 7 KIA and 38 WIA, with contact broken at 1705. Meanwhile, the division commander calls for reinforcements and at 1555 the first element of the 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry, minus C Company, lands at LZ George under heavy sniper fire and occupies positions to the west and northwest of the 1st of the 26th. The two battalions coordinate defensive plans, improve their fighting positions, establish listening posts, and send out ambush patrols, while friendly harassment and interdiction artillery and mortar fires are placed in the area around the perimeter during the night.

March 31, 1967 (21st day of the 2nd month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): HMAS Hobart comes under enemy fire north of Cape Falaise.

March 31, 1968 (3rd day of the 3rd month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Tet Counteroffensive): LBJ announces an end to air strikes into North Vietnam above the 20th parallel and makes another offer to the North Vietnamese to negotiate; as well, he says that he will not run for office again. To Johnson's surprise, Hanoi agrees to talk, though they won't agree to practically anything else over the next four years.

March 31, 1970 (24th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Dog [Canh Tuat]) (US Winter-Spring 1970): "A Few Words From Dustoff '96'"

March 31, 1971 (5th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Boar [Tan Hoi]) (US Counteroffensive, Phase VII): RAAF No. 2 Squadron dust-off helicopter is hit by ground fire and 1 crew member is fatally wounded.

March 31, 1971 (5th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Boar [Tan Hoi]) (US Counteroffensive, Phase VII): In Kontum Province, a large NVA force attacks Fire Base 6, penetrating the perimeter and engaging in hand-to-hand combat with American and ARVN troops.

March 31, 1972 (17th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Rat [Nham ty]) (US Cease-Fire): Nguyen Hue/Easter Offensive: In MR 1, enemy attacks increase in intensity. All firebases along the perimeter of the ARVN 3rd Division are under heavy artillery fire. The ARVN 56th, 57th and 2nd Regiments and the Marine battalions are in contact with attacking forces. Nui Ba Ho is evacuated late in the evening.

Late March, 1975 (2nd month, Year of the Hare [At Mao]): Ho Chi Minh Campaign: In quick succession, the major ports in II Corps are falling to the lightly resisted Communist advance. Hampered by South Vietnamese shelling of Qui Nhon, Pioneer Commander, Greenville Victory, Korean-flag LST Boo Heung Pioneer, and three tugs are unable to load evacuees at this city, which falls on the 31st. The speed of the South Vietnamese collapse and the enemy's quick exploitation of it are limiting the number of refugees rescued from Tuy Hoa (which also falls on the 31st) and from Nha Trang. With the south's defenses rapidly unraveling, Hanoi decides to launch a massive general offensive during April. To bolster its southern forces it sends its First Corps (minus the 308th Division, which remains in Hanoi as a general reserve division) from Thanh Hoa across the DMZ toward Da Nang, allowing the Second Corps to rush south toward Saigon. In the Central Highlands, the three divisions that had captured Ban Me Thuot - the 10th, 316th and 320th- are grouped into the Third Corps under General Dung. This corps pushes to the coast and then heads south toward Saigon.

THIRD INDOCHINA WAR:
March 31, 1983 (17th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Boar [Guy Hoi]): Vietnamese troops and artillery assault a refugee camp on the Thai-Cambodian border, forcing thousands of Cambodians into Thailand and causing Red Cross doctors to abandon the camp hospital. An attack on the Khmer Rouge stronghold at Phnom Malai begins with a massive artillery barrage.