Timeline, February 18th

[David]

INTERBELLUM:
February 18, 1956 (7th day of the 1st month, Year of the Monkey [Binh Than]): While visiting Peking, Cambodia's Prince Norodom Sihanouk renounces SEATO protection for his nation. Note that Cambodia was not a member of SEATO - the Geneva Agreements of 1954 excluded Laos, Cambodia and South Vietnam (the countries SEATO was supposed to protect from Communist aggression) from membership, so when the US set SEATO up, it turned to the UK, France, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Thailand and Pakistan (who later withdrew).

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
February 18-20, 1965 (17th through 19th days of the 1st month, Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Advisory): In South Vietnam, General Khanh is thrown out in a coup and a civilian, Phan Huy Quat, becomes nominal premier. The changes force LBJ to delay the start of a major new bombing campaign, the successor to Flaming Dart I and II, which was to have begun on the 20th.

February 16, 1966 (29th day of the 1st month, Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive): A patrol from C/1/5, 25th Infantry Division is ambushed near Cu Chi by a VC rifle company.

February 18, 1968 (21st day of the 1st month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Tet Counteroffensive): MAG-16 update.

February 18, 1968 (21st day of the 1st month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Tet Counteroffensive): The first of a series of three Tet-68 attacks occurs against the Australian Fire Base Andersen, which was deliberately set up in War Zone D on a low bull-dozed hill astride a VC main avenue of communication. Following a 150-round mortar barrage, two waves of VC attack the base, resulting in 8 Australian KIA and 22 WIA.

February 18, 1968 (21st day of the 1st month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Tet Counteroffensive): 7 RAR begins cordon-and-search Operation Dandenong in the village of Suoi Nghe.

February 1968 (1st and 2nd months, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Tet Counteroffensive): Khe Sanh: Life at the base has turned into long hours of boredom punctuated by fierce barrages of sometimes more than 1000 rounds per day and sudden ground attacks on the base and its outposts. To keep his men sharp in case of an all-out attack, an ever-present threat, the commander has to keep them occupied. He spreads word that the enemy might be tunneling beneath the plateau to emerge suddenly in the midst of the base (though the deep ravines scoring the sides of the plateau effectively prevent such a maneuver) and organizes teams of "tunnel ferrets" to detect any tunnel making.

February 18, 1969 (3rd day of the 1st month, Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI): A rescue mission following the crash of an Army UH-1 in a hostile area about 25 miles southwest of Tuy Hoa in II Corps.

February 18, 1970 (13th day of the 1st month, Year of the Dog [Canh Tuat]) (US Winter-Spring 1970): Battle of the Long Hai Hills.

SINO-VIETNAMESE WAR:
February 18, 1979 (22nd day of the 1st month, Year of the Goat [Ky Mui]): The provincial capital of Mon Cai falls to the Chinese. In Phnom Penh, Vietnam and Kampuchea sign a treaty of peace, friendship, and cooperation.