Timeline, February 6th

[David]

FIRST INDOCHINA WAR:
February 1950 (late Year of the Ox [Ky Suu]/early Year of the Tiger [Canh Dan]): US and Britain recognize Laos as an independent state in the French Union. Britain, US and Australia recognize Bao Dai's Government in South Vietnam. France's request for US military aid is largely unheard. Meanwhile, confident of Viet Minh success after the Communist victory in China, General Vo Nguyen Giap announces that the time of guerrilla warfare has passed and the counter-offensive against the French has begun. (OS, Sunraysia, TVW)

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
February 6, 1965 (5th day of the first month, Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Advisory): Camp Holloway comes under heavy attack during the night of February 6-7 with mortar, demolition, small arms and bazooka fire while saboteurs who have infiltrated the base place numerous satchel charges on and near parked aircraft.

February 6, 1966 (17th day of the first month, Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive): Operation Double Eagle update.

February 1966 (First and second months, Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive): The US Navy begins an air-dropped mining campaign against North Vietnam. (TVW)

February 6, 1966 (17th day of the first month, Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive): The Honolulu Conference begins, with LBJ, Secretary of Defense McNamara and Secretary of State Rusk, as well as the secretaries of agriculture and health, education and welfare, in attendance (the latter two brought by LBJ to stress the importance of the civilian side of the struggle in South Vietnam, notably the pacification programs and the need to produce social, political and economic reforms to eliminate support for the insurgents); also present are Gen. Westmoreland and Ambassador Lodge, as well as Chief of State Thieu and Premier Ky. Among the military topics discussed is how military progress should be measured, but Thieu and Ky, besides committing themselves to defeating the Communists on the battlefield, also agree to such broad principles as eradicating social injustice and making up a constitution, to be followed by elections by secret ballot. (OS, TVW)

February 6, 1967 (27th day of the 12th month, Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Operation Greenleaf begins in Binh Hoa Province, III Corps.

February 6, 1968 (9th day of the 1st month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Tet Counteroffensive): The 1/6 Infantry from the 198th Light Infantry Brigade, 23d Infantry Division conducts Operation Miracle, in Quang Nam Province, I Corps. (VHPA)

February 6, 1968 (9th day of the 1st month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Tet Counteroffensive): Tet-68 update in Tay Ninh, Song Be, Pleiku Province, Marble Mountain, and a RIF near Vinh Long. An assault force is hastily organized under senior Special Forces adviser, SFC. Eugene Ashley, Jr. to rescue trapped US Special Forces advisers at the Lang Vei camp.

February 6, 1973 (4th day of the 1st month, Year of the Ox [Quy Suu]): Operation End Sweep mine clearing begins off North Vietnam. (OS)

THIRD INDOCHINA WAR:
February 6, 1979 (10th day of the 1st month, Year of the Goat [Ky Mui]): Heng Samrin, president of the Kampuchean Revolutionary Council, calls on all citizens to oppose the Khmer Rouge, who claim 756 Vietnamese killed and 18 tanks destroyed between January 20 and February 2. It is believed that Chinese supplies are reaching antigovernment forces by way of Thailand. (TVW)

February 6 through March, 1982 (13th day of the 1st month through early 3rd month, Year of the Dog [Nham Tuat]): PAVN initiates the main thrust against Phnom Malai, with attacks from the north and east. While initially successful, PAVN soon faces tough Khmer Rouge resistance. Both sides begin taking excessive casualties and the Cambodians withdraw from the southern sector. However, PAVN's second task force has failed to get behind them as planned, and the two defending Khmer Rouge divisions infiltrate through the Vietnamese lines and strike at PAVN's supply lines. With the rainy season still several months away, PAVN will begin withdrawing in March, allowing the Khmer Rouge to retake all of the city. (OS)