Timeline, January 1st

[David]

FIRST INDOCHINA WAR:
January, 1947 (12th month, Year of the Dog [Binh Tuat]/1st month, Year of the Boar [Dinh Hoi]): General Giap's Viet Minh forces join Ho at Tan Trao. From the northern border jungles of Lang Son and westward to Truong Son (later to be known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail) the Viet Minh charter bases and hideouts. 15,000 French troops hunt Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Minh leaders with no success . French begin punitive raids on villages supporting the Viet Minh. General Giap adopts a policy of avoiding all-out confrontation and conforms with Mao Tse-tung's key principal on warfare, "always maintain the initiative".

January, 1950 (11th and 12th months, Year of the Ox [Ky Suu]): The newly-established People's Republic of China, followed by the Soviet Union, recognizes the Democratic Republic of Vietnam led by Ho Chi Minh. With Communist Chinese supplies now assured, General Giap declares that the guerrilla phase is now over: the counter-offensive had begun.

Early 1951 (11th and 12th months, Year of the Tiger [Canh Dan]): NVA launches a series of three set-piece battles against French strongholds in the Red River Delta, using Chinese-style human wave assaults in open terrain; the Vietnamese are massacred by superior French firepower. The NVA shelves its human wave tactics and focuses on expanding its regular forces.

January 1952 (late Year of the Dragon [Tan Mao]/early Year of the Hare [Nham Thin]): General de Lattre de Tassigny dies of cancer and is succeeded by General Raoul Salan. Salan orders the withdrawal of French forces from posts along the Black River between Hoa Binh and Viet Tri and finally Viet Binh. Giap's forces continually ambush French forces during the retreat and destroy many elements of the French rearguard. During the summer both sides settle down to re-group. The Viet Minh bring their divisions up to full strength and concentrate on training with new weapons supplied by China. The French prepare for an all-out offensive and receive some American supplies, small arms, tanks and aircraft.

Beginning of 1954 (11th and 12th months, Year of the Snake [Quy Ti]): American aid to France's military campaign now totals $1.1 billion. Australia gives small amounts of military and economic aid. France has lost 74,000 troops with another 190,000 bogged down.

INTERBELLUM:
January 1, 1955 (8th day of the 12th month, Year of the Horse [Giap Ngo]): Direct United States aid to South Vietnam begins.

January, 1956 (11th and 12th months, Year of the Monkey [At Mui]): Pathet Lao Congress establishes Lao Patriotic Front (LPF).

Early 1956 (Late Year of the Goat [At Mui]/early Year of the Monkey [Binh Than]): Roman Catholics in Nghe An Province in the North begin rioting; the NVA is used to bring this and other regions resistant to Ho's policies under control.

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
January, 1958 (11th and 12th months, Year of the Rooster [Dinh Dau]): Communist guerrillas attack a plantation north of Saigon.

January, 1959 (11th and 12th months, Year of the Dog [Mau Tuat]): North's Central Executive Committee issues Resolution 15, realigning its strategy in South as military, not political.

January, 1960 (12th month, Year of the Boar [Ky Hoi]/1st month, Year of the Rat [Canh Ty]): In Laos, Kou Abhay forms provisional government following coup attempt by army.

January, 1961 (11th and 12th months, Year of the Rat [Canh Ty]): Souvanna Phouma government recognized by Communist bloc; Prince Boun Oum's Vientiane government recognized by West; heavy fighting breaks out; North Vietnamese troops involved.

January 1 - February 7, 1965 (29th day of the 11th month, Year of the Dragon [Giap Thin], through 6th day of the 1st month, Year of the Snake [At Ti])(US Advisory): The VC mount a series of attacks across South Vietnam. They briefly seize control of Binh Gia, a village only 40 miles from Saigon. Two hundred South Vietnamese troops are killed near Binh Gia, along with five American advisors.

January 1, 1966 (10th day of the 12th month, Year of the Snake [At Ti])(US Counteroffensive): Joint operation Jefferson begins.

January 1, 1966 (10th day of the 12th month, Year of the Snake [At Ti])(US Counteroffensive): Operation Marauder begins.

January 1, 1967 (21st day of the 11th month, Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo])(US Counteroffensive, Phase II): Operation Sam Houston begins.

January 1, 1968 (2nd day of the 12th month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui])(US Counteroffensive Phase III): Operation Yellowstone update: the battle of Fire Support Base Burt.

January 1, 1968 (2nd day of the 12th month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui])(US Counteroffensive Phase III: Battle of Tam Ky.

January 1, 1969 (13th day of the 11th month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than])(US Counteroffensive Phase VI): Operation Quyet Thang begins.

January 1, 1969 (13th day of the 11th month, Year of the Monkey {Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI): A phosphorus grenade explodes prematurely in a C&C ship during action near Bien Hao.

January 1, 1969 (13th day of the 11th month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than])(US Counteroffensive Phase VI): Operation Rice Farmer begins.

January 1, 1969 (13th day of the 11th month, Year of the Monkey {Mau Than])(US Counteroffensive Phase VI): POWs James Brigham, Donald Smith, and Thomas Jones are returned to U.S. control.

January 1, 1969 (13th day of the 11th month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than])(US Counteroffensive Phase VI): The Army Department reorganizes the 75th Infantry, with the lineages and honors of Merrill's Marauders and the 475th Infantry Regiment, to provide the lineage of the Army's LRRPs. (Special Forces had been given the other past Ranger lineages and honours, those of the 1st-6th Ranger Battalions, 1st Special Service Force, and the 1st-15th Ranger Companies) This would take effect in February.

January 1, 1971 (5th day of the 12th month, Year of the Dog [Canh Tuat])(US Counteroffensive Phase VII): The NVA increases its direct involvement in Cambodia by infiltrating 100 commandos near Phnom Penh and destroying almost the entire Khmer Republic Air Force at Pochentong Airbase.

January 1, 1972 (15th day of the 11th month, Year of the Boar [Tan Hoi])(US Consolidation II): Only 133,000 U.S. servicemen remain in South Vietnam. Two-thirds of America's troops have gone in two years. The ground war is now almost exclusively the responsibility of South Vietnam, which has over 1,000,000 men enlisted in its armed forces.

January 1974 (12th month, Year of the Ox [Quy Suu]/1st month, Year of the Tiger [Giap Dan]): Though they are still too weak militarily after losses in the 1972 Nguyen Hue (Easter) Offensive and other operations, as well as economically to launch a full-scale offensive, the North Vietnamese have rebuilt their divisions in the South and have captured key areas.

THIRD INDOCHINA WAR:
January 1978 (11th and 12th months, Year of the Snake [Dinh Ti]): The Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia continues, with PAVN (now bolstered with some former members of ARVN, although PAVN leaders complain about the "lack of motivation" in such troops) making strong advances against Khmer Rouge forces.

January 1, 1979 (3rd day of the 12th month, Year of the Horse [Mau Ngo]): Kampuchean guerrilla claim in radio broadcasts to have overrun the Mekong River town of Kratie, "effectively placing the country's north-east region under rebel control."