Timeline, February 17th

[David]

HISTORICAL:
February 17, 1859: The fall of Saigon...to the French (however, it wasn't all that cut and dry; the French leader lacked equipment for riverine operations, his men suffered severely from tropical diseases, and Vietnamese Catholics failed to rally to him. Not until 1861, when the Saigon garrison was relieved and the French brought in reinforcements from China were Saigon and the three adjacent provinces really brought under French control).

INTERBELLUM:
February 17, 1954 (15th day of the 1st month, Year of the Horse [Giap Ngo]): US offers to train RVN troops and LTG John W O'Daniel is sent to South Vietnam to replace MG Thomas G Trapnell as MAAG chief.

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
February 17, 1965 (16th day of the 1st month, Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Advisory): Battle of Mang Yang Pass update.

February 17, 1966 (28th day of the 1st month, Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive): Operation Double Eagle update.

February 17, 1967 (9th day of the 1st month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): ARVN 2nd Division begins Operation Lien Ket 81 in Quang Ngai Province.

February 17, 1967 (9th day of the 1st month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): 1 ATF conducts Operation Bribie. Main Force Unit: 6 RAR.

February 17, 1968 (20th day of the 1st month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Tet Counteroffensive): In II Corps, 155th AHC lift ships escorted by a light gun team fly 124 combat sorties in support of the Phu Bon Province Senior Advisor.

February 17, 1968 (20th day of the 1st month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Tet Counteroffensive): Operation Tran Hung Dao II begins in the Saigon area.

February 17, 1969 (2nd day of the 1st month, Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI): Operation Toan Thang III begins in III Corps.

February 17, 1970 (12th day of the 1st month, Year of the Dog [Canh Tuat]) (US Winter-Spring 1970): Several Army units are hit by friendly fire artillery.

THIRD INDOCHINA WAR/SINO-VIETNAMESE WAR:
February 17, 1979 (21st day of the 1st month, Year of the Goat [Ky Mui]): Following a heavy artillery bombardment along the 480 mile border with Vietnam, 85,000 Chinese Army troops invade Vietnam, their targets being Lao Cai, Cao Bang and Lang Son, which would place them less than 100 miles from Hanoi. Vietnam now faces a two-front war. The invasion is first met by 100,000 Vietnamese paramilitary troops, mostly village militia, who harrass the advancing Chinese columns. Regular divisions assigned to the north and economic construction divisions there provide a second line of defense until PAVN's main force units can be rushed up fro Laos and the south.