Timeline, April 18th

[David]

FIRST INDOCHINA WAR:
April 1953 (2nd and 3rd months, Year of the Snake [Quy Ti]): Laos: Infiltrating across the northwestern highlands, ten battalions from the Viet Minh's 308, 312 and 316 Divisions swarm across the Laotian border, overwhelming the French at Sam Neua. The 304 Division, meanwhile, captures the Laotian border town of Nong Het and heads for the Plain of Jars, while a third column, composed of elements of three Viet Minh regiments, goes from Dien Bien Phu toward the Laotian royal capital at Luang Prabang.

April 18, 1954 (15th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Horse [Giap Ngo])(Fall): Dien Bien Phu: At 0200, after every unit that can be scraped together has been thrown in, the breakthrough to Huguette 6 has completely bogged down and the rescue force is beginning to take very heavy casualties. At dawn, part of the force pulls back toward a bunker system now being set up by the engineers in the airfield drainage ditch, called "Opera," while another part withdraws west beyond H1, where the engineers are installing a new small holding position. At 0730, even Bigeard has to admit that the attempt to rescue H6 has failed and the garrison there will have to attempt their own breakout, if possible.

At 0800 the Legionnaires and French and Vietnamese paratroopers of H6 climb out on a broad front and, under cover of their own hand grenades and the remaining automatic rifle fire from H6, jump over the Communist trench and the heads of the Viet Minh and begin racing to the French first line 300 meters away, abandoning their wounded and all heavy equipment to the enemy. French heavy mortars fire over their heads to keep the enemy machine-gunners pinned down, but still, when the captain collects his men at 1040 on H2, there are 106 dead and 49 wounded.

It's clear that Huguette 1 will be the next enemy target, so the decision is made to relieve the company stationed there with a force from Claudine that has seen relatively light action thus far. At nightfall, the relief force starts off, at first using the trench or "subway" system the French have constructed between various combat strongpoints and underground CPs. They pass through H2 and finally emerge from cover in the open trench the Legionnaires have been digging toward H1 and soon are under enemy fire. Elsewhere at the fortress, enemy shells destroy a 155mm gun and kill part of its crew, while other shells heavily damage two 105mm's.

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
April 18, 1966 (28th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive): Rolling Thunder update: Two A-6A Intruders from the Kitty Hawk hit the Uongbi power plant near Haiphong, knocking out one-third of North Vietnam's electric power production. The Rolling Thunder route packages are now redesignated as six areas: the coastal regions are permanently assigned to the US Navy while the Air Force covers the interior.

April 18, 1968 (21st day of the 3rd month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase IV): The 155th AHC stages at Cheo Reo for a combat assault for the Phu Bon MACV Advisory Team.

April 18, 1968 (21st day of the 3rd month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase IV): A fight west of Polei Kleng in Kontum Province.

April 18, 1968 (21st day of the 3rd month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase IV): Combined forces of Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and ARVN units take part in a CA west of Da Nang. The 282nd leads the assault and inserts more than 900 ARVN troops.

April 18, 1968 (21st day of the 3rd month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase IV): Khe Sanh: The 26th Marines withdraw to Dong Ha and Camp Carroll.

April 18, 1969 (2nd day of the 3rd month, Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Tet69/Counteroffensive): The 22nd ARVN Division begins Operation Dan Thang 69 in Binh Dinh Province.

April 18, 1969 (2nd day of the 3rd month, Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Tet69/Counteroffensive)(Zaffiri): Operation Massachusetts Striker update: In the morning, armed with 90mm recoilless rifles that were flown in during the night, Alpha and Charlie companies again attack up opposite sides of the main ridge. In heavy fighting, both companies push up to the top of the north end of the ridge where the recoilless-rifle teams knock out four or five NVA bunkers. As the companies consolidate their positions on the ridge and prepare to attack the main body of the mountain, the NVA launches a strong counterattack and pushes them back down the ridge. Both companies medevac their wounded and then dig in below the mountain. The North Vietnamese make repeated ground attacks and probes against the American positions all night long.

April 18, 1970 (13th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Dog [Canh Tuat]) (US Winter-Spring 1970): 8 RAR conducts cordon and search of Ap Bac Hamlet.

April 18, 1971 (23rd day of the 3rd month, Year of the Boar [Tan Hoi]) (US Counteroffensive, Phase VII): The US launches its heaviest bombing raids on North Vietnam since the November 1968 moratorium.

April 18, 1972 (5th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Rat [Nham Ty]) (US Cease-Fire): Nguyen Hue/Easter Offensive: In I Corps, the NVA begins its third major attempt to take Quang Tri, starting attacks-by-fire and infantry-armor probes. All ARVN and marine units report contact and indirect fire. At 1830 hours, a coordinated enemy attack is launched against the western sector of the 3rd Division and all positions report movements of enemy tanks. Within three hours, the USAF responds with tactical air and B-52 missions diverted from elsewhere and the enemy attack is completely disrupted, providing ARVN units a chance to go on the offensive and fully initiate the counterattack, QUANG TRUNG 729. But nothing happens; at daybreak, the troops, none of whom have been rotated for relief since the offensive began, make no significant effort to leave their trenches and move forward.

Near An Loc, ARVN Rangers set an ambush on an enemy line of communication near Tong La Chan Base, killing one NVA. On his body is found a handwritten report from the 9th NVA Division's political commissar addressed to COSVN HQ, analyzing the initial failure of the 9th NVA Division and attributing it to two major reasons: the effective and devastating intervention of U.S. tactical air and B-52 strikes; and ineffective coordination between armor and infantry forces. The report also contain plans for the new major attack on An Loc set to begin the next day, predicting the downfall of the city within a matter of hours.

April 18, 1975 (19th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Dragon [At Mao]): Ho Chi Minh campaign: Foreseeing Saigon's fall, the US Navy assembles 12 ships under Commander Task Force 76 off Vung Tau. The task force is joined by Hancock and Midway, carrying Navy, Marine, and Air Force helicopters; Seventh Fleet flagship Oklahoma City; three amphibious ships; and eight destroyer types for naval gunfire, escort, and area defense. The Enterprise and Coral Sea carrier attack groups of Task Force 77 in the South China Sea provide air cover while Task Force 73 ensures logistic support. The Marine evacuation contingent, the 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade, consists of three battalion landing teams, four helicopter squadrons, support units, and the deployed security detachments.

THIRD INDOCHINA WAR - SINO/VIETNAMESE WAR:
April 18, 1979 (22nd day of the 3rd month, Year of the Goat [Ky Mui]): Peace talks between China and Vietnam begin in Hanoi. Vietnam claims that China still occupies more than ten enclaves (totaling some 23 square miles) inside Vietnam. China claims that Vietnam continues to make cross-border raids.

April 18, 1979 (22nd day of the 3rd month, Year of the Goat [Ky Mui]): Vice-President Pen Sovan of Kampuchea claims that the Pol Pot regime killed close to 3,000,000 people. Pol Pot himself is said to be in Thailand at this point.