Timeline, October 3rd

[David]

FIRST INDOCHINA WAR - THE BEGINNING:
Early October 1945 (Year of the Rooster [At Dau]): Saigon uprising: Negotiations between the British and the Viet Minh continue after the truce, but the only concrete result is that British and Japanese troops are allowed "free and unmolested passage" through zones occupied by the insurgents.

FIRST INDOCHINA WAR:
October 1949 (Year of the Ox [Ky Suu]): Up until now, Le Huu Tu (bishop of Phat Diem) and Pham Ngoc Chi (bishop of Bui Chu), have been autonomous "prince-bishops," thanks to a 19th Century agreement between a Vietnamese priest and the King of Annam. They wield both temporal and spiritual power, raising taxes and militias among the roughly 800,000 Catholics (population as of 1945) in these two bishoprics. In each village, dominated by a fortified church, the local priest not only takes care of his flock's salvation but also administers public affairs and leads the self-defense force. Bishop Tu, "a prickly nationalist who had his own arsenals and even a personal radio station to stay in contact with the Vatican," had become an advisor to Ho Chi Minh in 1945, but had quickly become worried by rising Viet Minh influence in the area, and instead increased the size of the self-defense groups and raised mobile regional forces which he led in person, a move which Bishop Chi quickly copied. Now that the Viet Minh have assembled seven battalions of regulars to occupy Phat Diem and Bui Chu, Bishop Tu asks discreetly for French assistance. In order to protect the bishop's nationalist credentials, however, some mock fighting is arranged between the French forces tasked with occupying the bishoprics and the Catholic militias. In effect, the area stays relatively autonomous as French forces withdraw rapidly and leave the bishops in charge of the area's defense, after providing weapons for two Autonomous Mobile Groups, nominally part of the Vietnamese Armed Forces but under local control. This allows the bishops to keep all their future options open by recognizing the Bao Dai government while ignoring its authority and also maintaining political and commercial relations with the Viet Minh.

October 1953 (Year of the Snake [Quy Ti]): The French conduct Operation Seagull, a multi-regiment operation that "badly maul(s)" the 320th People's Army Division in the limestone hills around Phu Nho Quan.

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
October 1964 (Year of the Dragon [Giap Thin]) (US Advisory): Bad weather and operational problems hinder the resumed 34A actions against North Vietnam, which are conducted only sporadically between now and December.

October 3, 1966 (Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Operation Decatur begins.

October 3, 1966 (Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Operation Bathurst update: SAS patrols are inserted into the Nui Thi Vai hills area.

October 3, 1966 (Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): SoD McNamara discusses the use of naval gunfire against North Vietnam.

October 1970 (Year of the Dog [Canh Tuat]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VII): By early October, the allies are convinced, from various enemy actions and intelligence sources, that the NVA plans to strangle Phnom Penh and overthrow Lon Nol's government. There is also evidence that the NVA will continue its aggression against South Vietnam and rebuild its bases along the Cambodian border adjacent to III and IV Corps Tactical Zones. The key to both operations appears to be an intensified resupply and reinforcement operation in southern Laos during the dry season which will last from mid-October to mid-April 1971. Air strikes against entry points into North Vietnam from southern Laos are intensified.

October 3, 1970 (Year of the Dog [Canh Tuat]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VII): 7 RAR begins phases 3 and 4 of Operation Cung Chung 111.

THIRD INDOCHINA WAR - OTHER: October 3, 1987 (Year of the Hare [Dinh Mao]): Australians hold a Welcome Home March for their Vietnam veterans in Sydney.