On This Day
On This Day… The Viet Cong Won!
Written by: George Chittenden : 26 Jun 2019
It was on this day, 2nd January back in 1963 when the Viet Cong, who were also known as the National Liberation Front, won their first battle of the Vietnam War, the Battle of Ap Bac. On 28th December 1962 American intelligence had discovered a radio transmitter and around 120 Viet Cong soldiers in the hamlet of Ap Tan Thoi in Dinh Tuong Province.
The South Vietnamese and their US advisers planned to attack from three directions using two battalions, M113 armoured personnel carriers and helicopters. Their battle plans had been leaked to the enemy though, and the Viet Cong were waiting. During the battle that followed five American helicopters that were ferrying troops were riddled by gunfire and destroyed.
The Americans and their allies were pinned down and could not break the Viet Cong’s line of defence. Eventually under the cover of darkness the Viet Cong withdrew from the battlefield, having won their first major victory.
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