Timeline, December 7th

[David]

FIRST INDOCHINA WAR
December 7, 1946 (Year of the Dog [Binh Tuat]): Lao provinces that were annexed by Thailand in 1941 are returned to Laos.

December 7, 1946 (Year of the Dog [Binh Tuat]): A command from General Giap is intercepted that fixes December 12 as the date on which " the military preparations for action are to be finished."

December 7, 1953 (Year of the Snake [Quy Ti]): Operation Castor update: Another offensive sortie is made from the Dien Bien Phu garrison along Route 41, this time in strength to discourage another ambush. All of GAP 1 (the 1st and 6th Colonial Parachute Battalions), reinforced with recoilless rifles and mortars, with air support, deploys in the direction of Ban Him Lam and pushes forward to Ban Na Loi.

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
December 7, 1966 (Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Operation Canary update: The US 173rd airborne is involved beginning this date, according to this source (Note: Scroll down to 29); I don't know where Operation Duck comes in. It is said that Operation Canary/Duck is a two-phase highway security operation along Highway 15 from Phu My to Long Binh and from Phu My to Bear Cat for elements of the 199th Light Infantry Brigade and the 9th Infantry Division.

December 5-7, 1967 (Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Operation Pershing update: On the 5th, a LRRP team inserted the previous day in the lower Suoi Cay Valley spots and ambushes three VC wearing green uniforms, killing one and capturing the others. On later interrogation, it is discovered that the patrol had intercepted a high-ranking VC delegation from the Binh Dinh Communist provincial HQ: the dead man was identified as a battalion EO and one of the two captives was a senior VC intelligence captain fresh from a two-year course of study in the Soviet Union, who provided useful information on enemy organization, intentions and operating techniques. On the 7th, the 40th ARVN Regiment joins the battle at Tam Quan.

December 7, 1967 (Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Operation Klamath Falls update: Operation Brush begins as 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne extracts from Binh Thuan and Lam Dong Provinces, but leaves a stay-behind force on the ground.

December 7, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI): Operation Meade River update: The 3/26th Marines launched its assault into the Northern Bunker Complex with a total of five companies There is heavy contact, but the terrain is difficult, and the NVA also occupy a fortified hamlet on their left flank, from which they inflict heavy casualties on the Americans. The Marines halt, dig in for the night, and call in prep fires.

December 7, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI): Operation Taylor Common update.

December 7, 1969 (Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Winter-Spring 1970): Operation Randolph Glen begins in Thua Thien Province.

December 7, 1969 (Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Winter-Spring 1970): Operation Yellow Ribbon begins west of Pleiku.

December 7, 1969 (Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Winter-Spring 1970): On the Laos-North Vietnam border, downed Boxer 22's navigator, Lt. Bergeron is rescued after two days on the ground.

THIRD INDOCHINA WAR:
December 7, 1978 (Year of the Horse [Mau Ngo]): Kampuchea, still avoiding mention of the Front for National Salvation, alleges that the USSR and Vietnam are conspiring to overthrow the Phnom Penh government. China denounces the Front as a Vietnamese tool to establish a puppet regime in Kampuchea, and warns that the effort will be expanded to include other Southeast Asia nations. Western observers report that Vietnam is invading the Parrot's Beak and Fish Hook areas in strength.

POSTBELLUM:
December 7, 2000 (Year of the Dragon [Canh Thin]): Vietnam and the United States hold "frank and serious" talks about Agent Orange at their first official discussions of Agent Orange during a meeting in Singapore.