Timeline, November 30th

[David]

FIRST INDOCHINA WAR:
November 30, 1945 (Year of the Rooster [At Dau]): Saigon: Field Marshal Count Terauchi, commander of the Japanese Army of the South, surrenders his sword to Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten, commanding Allied Southeast Asia Command, at a formal ceremony. (The formal surrender document had been signed on September 12, 1945)

November 30, 1952 (Year of the Dragon [Nham Thin]): The village of Dien Bien Phu falls to the Communists when a Laotian light infantry battalion evacuates the valley in the face of advancing Viet Minh divisions and withdraws into nearby Laos.

November 30, 1953 (Year of the Snake [Quy Ti]): Operation Castor update: General Navarre issues Directive 739, making the final decision "to accept the battle in the Northwest under the following general conditions: The defense of the Northwest shall be centered on the air-land base of Dien Bien Phu which must be held at all costs....In view of the remoteness of the northwestern theater of operations [from his main bases] and the logistical obligations of the Viet-Minh, it is probable that the battle will be fought according to the following scenario: The *movement phase,* characterized by the arrival of the Viet-Minh units and their supplies in the Northwest; whose duration may extend over several weeks. An *approach and reconnaissance phase,* in the course of which enemy intelligence units will make efforts to determine the quality and the weaknesses of our defenses and where the [enemy's] combat units will proceed with the positioning of their means of attack. That phase may last between six to ten days. An *attack phase*lasting several days (according to the means employed) and which must end with the failure of the Viet-Minh offensive...[t]he mission of the Air Force shall be, until further orders, given priority and with the maximum of means at its disposal, to the support of our forces in the Northwest...."

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
November 1964 (Year of the Dragon [Giap Thin]) (US Advisory): The Viet Cong have killed 21 South Vietnamese government officials and 66 other South Vietnamese, and have abducted 52 government officials and 200 other South Vietnamese. There have been 60 VC attacks, 1391 acts of terrorism, 247 acts of sabotage and 109 forced propaganda sessions.

November 30, 1965 (Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Defense): Operation Dagger Thrust update: A US Navy and Marine ARG/SLF team strikes a suspected Viet Cong infiltration base on Cape Ke Ga southwest of Phan Thiet, but without success.

November 30, 1966 (Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Operation Fairfax begins.

November 1967 (US Counteroffensive Phase III): Information on Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 7/17th Cavalry, for the month.

November 30, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI): Operation Toan Thang II update: American forces make contact with the enemy.

November 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI): Information on 155th AHC activities for the month.

November 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI): Information on D/7/1st Cavalry activities in Chau Doc Province for the month.

November 30, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI): The 135th AHC moves to Bear Cat and starts operations with the Thai forces.

November 30, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI): Operation Meade River update: The 3/5th Marines reach Phase Line Bravo, while BLT 2/26 and the 2/5th Marines ambush and fire on enemy troops attempting to evade the tightening cordon.

November 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI): Information on A/7/17th contact during the month.

November 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI): Information for the month on 61 AHC at LZ English.

November 30, 1972 (Year of the Rat [Nham Ty]) (US Cease-Fire): Per The History Place, the last American troops leave South Vietnam; 16,000 Army advisors and administrators remain in South Vietnam.

November 1972 (Year of the Rat [Nham Ty]) (US Cease-Fire): In Laos, the Pathet Lao agree to meet with government representatives and discuss a cease-fire.