Timeline, July 21st

[David]

HISTORICAL: July 21, 1883: Hiep Hoa (Prince Hong Dat), the brother of recently deceased Emperor Tu Duc, deposes Duc Duc, the heir, and becomes emperor.

PREBELLUM:
July 21, 1941 (27th day of the 6th month, Year of the Snake [Tan Ti]): France grants to Japan use of aerodromes and parking of troops on all its territory in Indochina. Japan obtains rice and "ati?res" first, but commits itself respecting French sovereignty.

FIRST INDOCHINA WAR?OTHER:
July 21, 1946 (23rd day of the 6th month, Year of the Dog [Binh Tuat]): In the first U.S. test of adaptability of jet aircraft to shipboard operations, XFD-1 Phantom makes landings and takeoffs without catapults from Franklin D. Roosevelt.

July 21, 1954 (22nd day of the 6th month, Year of the Horse [Giap Ngo]): The Final Declaration of the Geneva Conference on the Problem of Restoring Peace in Indo-China.

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
July 21, 1961 (9th day of the 6th month, Year of the Ox [Tan Suu]): General Lansdale reports to General Taylor on the military situation in South Vietnam and reviews considerations behind a suggested increase in South Vietnamese armed forces.

July 21, 1966 (4th day of the 6th month, Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Joint Operation John Paul Jones begins in Phu Yen Province.

July 21, 1967 (14th day of the 6th month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase III): In seven minutes, aircraft from the "Bonnie Dick" (the Bonne Homme Richard) shoot down three MiGs and claim a "probable" fourth during a raid on North Vietnam's Ta Xa petroleum storage area.

July 21, 1969 (8th day of the 6th month, Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Summer-Fall 1969): Operation Idaho Canyon begins in Quang Tri Province.

July 21, 1969 (8th day of the 6th month, Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Summer-Fall 1969): Operation Tight Squeeze begins in the Trapezoid.

July 21, 1970 (19th day of the 6th month, Year of the Dog [Canh Tuat]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VII): Firebase Ripcord: Fresh troops are inserted to strengthen Alpha Company, 2nd of the 506th, just prior to its extraction under fire around dawn. General Berry tells a surprised Colonel Harrison, "We're closing Ripcord. What do you need in the way of support?" Colonel Harrison requests an air cavalry squadron, an aerial rocket artillery battalion, and unlimited close-air support, all planned well in advance.

ONGOING OPERATIONS:
SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
July 1972 (5th and 6th months, Year of the Rat [Nham Ty]) (US Cease-Fire): Nguyen Hue/Easter Offensive:
- Operation Lam Son 72 (6/28-9/16/72) (18th day of the 5th month through 9th day of the 8th month): In Thua Thien Province, ARVN 1st Division troops at FSB Checkmate are subjected to heavy enemy attacks during which the fire base is overrun and retaken several times during the month; the South Vietnamese Airborne Division and Marines continue advancing on Quang Tri City; the three provinces south of the Hai Van Pass were able to maintain reasonable control despite the low strength of friendly forces.

- The Chu Pao Pass area is cleared and the highway between Kontum and Pleiku opens to commercial traffic in early July. However, the enemy continues to harass traffic with sporadic attacks by fire and Route QL-14, although open, remains insecure.
- A total of six enemy regiments are reported in northern Dinh Tuong Province, about 65 km southwest of Saigon. After taking Kompong Trabek, NVA forces, probably elements of the 9th Division, supported by local Khmer Rouge units, are tightening control over Route QL-l from the Parrot's Beak area to Neak Luong on the Mekong River. By July 2 (22nd day), only two towns in the area remain under National Khmer control, Neak Luong and Svay Rieng. The series of heavy engagements between the NVA and South Vietnamese troops in the Elephant's Foot area in Military Region 4 continue; NVA continues to put pressure on QL-4, the supply route between the Delta's rice bowl and the nation's capital, while launching a series of coordinated attacks on the towns of Sam Giang, Cai Be and Cai Lay in Dinh Tuong Province from mid-May through mid-July; the attacks are driven back by territorial forces with strong support from U.S. tactical air and helicopter gunships.

THIRD INDOCHINA WAR:
July 1979 (6th month and supplemental month, Year of the Goat (Ky Mui]): The Vietnamese have consolidated control over all major Cambodian towns and cities. PAVN forces in Cambodia reach a high of 224,000 in 1979, and then stabilize at an average of 170,000 to 180,000 troops, including 11 combat divisions. Up to eight divisions operate along the border in the dry season (December to June) and pull back to established garrisons during the rainy season (July to November).

July 1981 (6th and 7th months, Year of the Rooster [Tan Dau]): The beginning of the rainy season forces the Vietnamese to pull back from the border town of Pailin, which they have occupied since May in response to Khmer Rouge advances at Phnom Malai.

July 1982 (5th and 6th months, Year of the Dog [Nham Tuat]): Some 20,000 PAVN troops are sent home in the first major troop rotation since 1978. Taking their place are fresh troops, many of them southern draftees sent to complete basic training in the forward bases of understrength divisions.

July 1983 (5th and 6th months, Year of the Boar [Quy Hoi]): The Khmer Rouge increase their attacks on PAVN garrisons during the rainy season.

June-July 1984 (5th, 6th and 7th months, Year of the Rat [Giap Ty]): PAVN rotates its troops again, sending home three brigades and replacing these with an estimated 14,000 fresh troops, many of whom are sent to reinforce the weakned 5th Division.

July 1985 (5th and 6th months, Year of the Ox [At Suu]): This year as the rainy season begins ten PAVN combat divisions remain in Cambodia, all of them understrength, some with as few as 5000 troops. Meanwhile, the non-Communist resistance is recovering from PAVN's most recent dry season offensive.

July 1986 (5th and 6th months, Year of the Tiger [Binh Dan]): During this summer, PAVN withdraws Divisional Group 98 from Cambodia, replacing some of the troops with fresh men.

July 1988 (5th and 6th months, Year of the Dragon [Mau Thin]): PAVN has moved the bulk of its combat troops inland, with PRK Cambodian troops increasingly deployed on the border.