Battle Of AP Back Essay, Research Paper

On July 7, 1954 Bao Dai, president of Vietnam appointed Ding Diem as

Prime Minister. Dai was a pro French president who did not have communist

beliefs for Vietnam. Diem was man who refused French rule and favored American

ideas. He was a Roman Catholic, thus causing him to be an opponent of communism

as well. He also maintained a link to the CIA through Colonel Edward Lansdale,

renowned expert on counterinsurgency. In April 1955 Diem launched an offensive

against his main rivals in the south (Coa Dai and Hoa Hoa sects well as the

powerful Binh Xuyen pirates) and declared himself president. Since the south was

a mainly Buddhist and Diem was Catholic, it caused him to be isolated from the

people. His fear of a coup and obsession with power caused him to distrust all,

but his own family. Between Diem and his family there was a spread of corruption

throughout the country. By the late 1950’s South Vietnam had degenerated into

repressive, undemocratic state, which left its people angry and isolated. 1957

sparked the first sign of trouble as guerillas launch attacks on government

agencies in rural areas. It was believed that the Vietnamese Communist launched

the attacks; also know as the Viet Cong (VC), who was of the Viet Ming party

that stayed behind. They had gone under ground a few years earlier in 1954. They

gained the support of North Vietnam and in 1959 began a policy to reunify

Vietnam with a large-scale infiltration of armed cadres into the south along the

Ho Chi Man Trail. Due to the resentment caused by Diem, a substantial part of

South Vietnam was taken over by the communist (VC). The US, under the leadership

of President John F. Kennedy, was convinced that the insurgency in South Vietnam

was part of a Sino-Soviet campaign to ensure the spread of Communism. The US

government sent aid to South Vietnam in the form of US supplied M-113 armored

personnel carriers, helicopters, aircraft along with pilots and mechanics to

train South Vietnamese personnel on their use. Also US Special Forces (green

berets) and Army advisors were deployed to boost the capability of the Army of

the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN). At the end of 1961, about 3,160 US service

personnel were in Vietnam. The number would rise to about 16,000 two years

later. Even the advantages of US military technology and advisors to South

Vietnam, after a short time the VC learned to operate around them. This was due

to the AVRN unit commanders, many of who were just political appointees, lacked

resolve. Thus allowing the VC to escape instead of risking heavy AVRN

casualties. The VC was engaging in new techniques ranging from the relocation of

villagers to more fortified areas to use of air and artillery strikes in rural

areas. This resulted in more alienation of the people from Diem’s cause,

ultimately leading to the peasant class assisting the VC. January 2, 1963 the

AVRN 7th Division was ordered to destroy a VC in the hamlet (AP) of Tan Thoi.

The plan was for AVRN infantry to be landed by helicopter to the north of the

hamlet, while two Civil Guard battalions supported by a company of M-113s

approached from the south through the neighboring hamlet of Bac. Originally it

was believed that the transmitter was guarded by an estimate of 120 VC. In

reality it was guarded by about 360. The AVRN attack went wrong from the very

start. After the infantry had landed at 0703 hrs, it was discovered that the

weather was not good enough for any more helicopter operations, due to a thick

ground fog. Further operations had to post-poned until 0930 hrs. The first clash

occurred at 0745 where the Civil Guard blundered into the VC section across

their route. After the loss of their company commander the South Vietnamese Army

went to the ground and called for much needed reinforcements. Helicopters were

landed 300 yards west of Bac and were supported by UH-1 gunships. It is said

that US pilots landed 200 yards from the hamlet into a VC ambush. As they came

in at about 1020 hrs they were hit by machinegun and rifle fire from hidden

foxholes. One of the CH-21 was shot down and another came in to recover the

aircrew. That helicopter and a UH-1 met a similar fate. The infantry on board

took cover in the paddy dikes. A call was made to the commander of the M-113s

ordering him to suggest an immediate advance on Bac, but the APCs were away to

the west beyond a series of canals. Some ARVN unit commanders had initially

refused to move. It was not until 1300 until the first APCs reached the battle

area. At 1430 hrs they charged the VC held positions, but the VC held their

ground using grenades to hold off the vehicles. An airborne division was to the

made available to the ARVN but were ordered the east of Bac to cut off the

retreat of the VC. The VC was resourceful enough to wait until nightfall to slip

away into the darkness leaving only 18 dead behind. America suffered only 3

fatalities, but the AVRN suffered over 80 due to the indecisiveness of their

leaders. Later after much conflict in South Vietnam, a coup was plotted and

carried out against Diem. He was assassinated due to his oppressive nature

against the Buddhist religion. America at this point could not back out of the

conflict and was committed by November 1, 1963.