Operation Chenla II

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Operation Chenla II

Date	August 20–December 3,1971
Location	Kompong Thom, Cambodia
Result	North Vietnamese victory

Combatants

Image:Flag of North Vietnam.svg North Vietnam

Image:Flag of the Khmer Republic.svg Khmer Republic

Commanders

Unknown

Brigadier General Hou Hang Sin

Strength

VPA 9th Division

2,500+

Casualties

Unknown

Decimation of the FANK Battalions

Vietnam War
Ap Bac – Binh Gia – Song Be – Dong Xoai – Ia Drang – Long Tan – Dak To – Tra Binh Dong –Ong Thanh – 1st Tet – Khe Sanh – 1st Saigon – Lang Vei – Hills 881 & 861 – 2nd Tet – Hamburger Hill – Binh Ba – Ripcord – FSB Mary Ann – Easter '72 – An Loc – Kontum – Phuoc Long – Ho Chi Minh – Buon Ma Thuot – Xuan Loc – 2nd Saigon – Barrell Roll – Rolling Thunder – Pony Express – Steel Tiger – Commando Hunt – Linebacker I – Linebacker II – Chenla I – Tiger Hound – Lima Site 85 – Tailwind – *Chenla II* – Cambodia

Operation Chenla II was launched on August 20, 1971 by the Cambodian military (or FANK) as an attempt to regain territories lost to the Communist forces.

Initially the Cambodians achieved their objective as FANK units were able to retake Barai on August 26 and Kompong Thmar on September 1. There was heavy fighting as the FANK 5th Brigade Group advanced towards Phnom Santuk while Tang Krasang was retaken on September 20. On October 5, three FANK brigades were committed to capture the areas around Phnom Santuk. The fighting there grew in intensity as the Cambodians and the Communist VPA forces engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Phnom Santuk was eventually retaken, and the first phase of Chenla II was declared over on October 25.

On the night of October 26, barely hours into the second phase of the operation, the Vietnam People's Army launched an assault on Cambodian positions along Route 6 from the Chamkar Andong rubber plantation. At the same time, the FANK 14th Battalion at Rumlong was encircled and isolated. During the following days, the 118th, 211th and 377th Battalions were forced to retreat to Tang Kauk, while the 61st Infantry Brigade pulled back to Treal, held by the 22nd Battalion.

The Cambodian army counter-attacked on October 27 but was unsuccessful as more casualties were inflicted on them. The 9th Division of the Vietnam People's Army launched a final attack which ripped the Cambodian formations apart. The result was a crushing defeat from which the Cambodian Army would never recover.

[edit] References

Bowman, John S. (1989). The Vietnam War Day by Day. New York: Mallard Books. ISBN 0-7924-5087-6.
Sak Sutsakhan (1980). The Khmer Republic at War and the Final Collapse. Washington: U.S. Army Center of Military History.