Monday, March 4, 2024

May, 1950: DongKhe, the Beginning of the end of French Indochina

 The French Indochina War had been going on since 1946. By the spring of 1950, The French High Command was feeling very confident. The Communists of Mao in China did not cross the border; the Communists in Cochinchina had been virtually destroyed; and General Alessandri in Tonkin was preparing his planned offensive against the Viet Minh and their General Giap. But lurking in the jungle covered mountains of the region of the Chinese border that ran along Route Coloniale 4, General Giap had his surprise ready to spring. The first exposure to the new Viet Minh regulars had given the French a bloody nose at a small isolated French Post of Pholu earlier. But the French commanders refused to believe what they had seen. Trained VM regular soldiers with heavy equipment that even their famed paratroopers couldn't defeat. Concern may have risen in some officers' minds but not enough.

May 27-28, and it all exploded in the faces of the French. Giap had moved several battalions from their training camps in Red China, just across the border. Their plan was to destroy the French post at DongKhe on RC4. DongKhe was a very important French position, both physically and as a symbol. It had been the base from where numerous convoys to Cao Bang were formed. It was a large and supposedly strong position as well, known throughout Indochina. But the French had been struggling with maintaining the various bases along the narrow, deadly highway for months. Recently they gave up trying, pulling back from the smaller posts, but keeping Cao Bang (at the northern end), DongKhe, ThatKhe, and Langson. They would be suppled by air so that the French could maintain the 'closure" of the border area with Red China. 

There were two companies of Moroccan Tabors at DongKhe, dug in their bunkers and trenches at the bottom of a small valley surrounded by miles of jungle covered mountains. Giap had maneuvered five battalions against this post...

View from the south, with the subposts at 1) Pagoda in south (bottom), and 2) Nord 'Montmartre' in north on the large limestone outcropping, and 3) the Citadel (right edge)...

View from the north, across Nord. with the actual town seen at top edge...
View from the east with the Citadel at lower left, and the Partisan Quarters almost center with Nord to the right, and the post Airfield at top edge of photo...
View of Nord 'Montmartre' from the north, with Moroccans at their bunker, and Viet Minh at the northern base, preparing for their assault...
Looking over the Citadel towards the west...
View along the southern perimeter of DongKhe...
The Vehicle Park at the center of the base with the western perimeter beyond and the hospital in upper right...
The very important Bastion located at the NW corner of the Post...
The Partisans have taken up their positions just north of the Vehicle Park...
The opening VM artillery barrage is about to begin...









Saturday, February 17, 2024

Overview of the Battle of Beatrice, Dien Bien Phu

 I'm fortunate in having a permanent 8'x7' table in my basement 'WarRoom'. This enables me to turn to a game whenever I would like to, and leave the setup as well. This particular recreation lasted over a period of about a week. In game terms, each turn represented 15 minutes, with each figure representing 5 real men. In addition to the table setup, there were a number of player aids such as 

1) VM Artillery Results to keep track of destruction elsewhere in DBP...  3) French Artillery Boards for each of the 105mm, 120mm and 155mm batteries present at DBP. These make bookkeeping much easier for a campaign, no matter the length, just store them away for future reference.



2) Casualty Collection Boards to keep lost figures...

3) French Artillery Boards for each of the 105mm, 120mm and 155mm batteries present at DBP. 

These make bookkeeping much easier for a campaign, no matter the length, just store them away for future reference.

The results of the struggle for this campaign look like this:

Destroyed: Airfield Beacon and Tower    Damaged:   1x Morane 'Cricket' 

                    3x C47s                                                    1x Bearcat

                    4x Morane 'Crickets'                                1 3/4 ton

                    3x Bearcats                                              1x 105mm

                    2x Ambulances                                        2x 120mm

                    2x Jeeps

                    1x 3/4 ton truck                                        KIA/WIA French artillery crews- 25 men

                    4x 2 1/2 ton trucks                                                 10 on 105mm

                    1x 105mm                                                               4 on 155mm                                                                       1x 155mm                                                               1 on 120mm

                    7x 120mm                    

Casualties in fugures/men

                    3/13 DBLE initial strength at 89/445        Viet Minh initial strength in 5 battalions at 646/3230

                        KIA = 43/215                                1st Battalion (11Btn/141Rg) KIA?WIA = 68/340

                        WIA = 31/155                                2nd Battalion (428Btn/141Rg) KIA/WIA = 63/315

                        POW = 15/65                                 3rd Battalion (130Btn/209Rg) KIA/WIA = 69/345

                       Total   =89/445                                4th Battalion (166Btn/209Rg)KIA/WIA = 47/235

                                                                                5th Battalion (16Btn/141Rg)KIA/WIA = 67/335

                                                                                                    Total                          = 314/1570

Historically, the Foreign Legion 3/13 DBLE was for all practical purposes wiped out. Around 100 escaped into the jungle but the battalion itself was eliminated from the board. Viet losses are harder to determine as the 'official' records range from 500 KIA (French estimates) to 193 KIA/137WIA (Military History Institute of Vietnam). At the usual 3-1 WIA-KIA ratio, the later seems questionable. So perhaps somewhere in the middle? Could be 250 KIA, 750 WIA? The Game results not far off. All in all, it was a very enjoyable simulation.

Thursday, February 15, 2024

Beatrice: The Second Assault

Following a short and inefficient artillery barrage, two fresh VM battalions swept out of their approach trenches. Then after the French missed most of their opening shots, the VM drew the Charismatic Leader Card, which gives the player a free activation for ALL units! This could be vital if the VM assault troops can move inside the expected French artillery barrage. Note there are only two Legionaire riflemen and a MMG facing this front..

The only result on the west side is a single VM Shaken! The French luck this round is terrible!  But the VM commander realizes at the end of the Turn that a dramatic error has crept into the attack. The Battalion in the west was supposed to attack B2 (upper-center)and not B1 where it appears to be headed (bottom and center)! Someone will pay for that gaffe!

Finally, shots but no hits are exchanged over at B3...
Turn 20 started with a bang (ha) as the first card drawn was French and they chose the commander on B1. He succeeded in making contact through his battalion with the awaiting French artillery. Two companies of 120mm mortars responded. One fired on prepared area to the East of the stronghold and the VM took casualties. Some of the VM were more fortunate as they had reached inside the barrage...
On the NE quadrant, the French barrage succeeded also in bringing down the VM. The Viet commander began redeploying his men to their right to assault the correct target, but the forward elements on the left were out of contact and continued their advance (left and center)...
Then very unexpectently, the "Coffee Break" was drawn after only the one French activation card! The luck returned to the French!

Turn 21 saw French artillery and defensive fire (even though it was only two riflemen and one MMG) slaughter the VM. The Viets completely missed with their return fire...
Furthermore, the Viets who mistakenly assaulted B1 were now nearly wiped out. The only good news here for the VM is a 81mm mortar took out the LMG in the destroyed bunker. The rest of the assault company is now poised to begin their attack on the correct position....
On B3, one can say that the Legion is certainly not shy. Undercover fire from the LMG, the lone Legionaire rushes forward and guns down one of the two Viets in front of the captured command bunker. The LMG pins the other. Perhaps the Legion can regain B3!

VM inside B1 take down two of the Legion at point blank range (one survivor of the 'lost' company seen at right gets a Shaken) while the 2nd company approaches. Turn 22 ended so quickly that French artillery was not called in!
At B2, as the remainder of the 'lost' company pour through the wire, supporting VM 81mm mortar get a Shaken on an important LMG (and again, no French artillery!)...
On B3, the lone French LMG finally gets the VM next to him while the Viet officer goes to guide the 3rd Company which has been redirected towards the stronghold...
Turn 23 saw the French fail to call in close artillery (this time because of failed radio connection!) and as a result the Viets 2nd company got closer...
On B2, the Viets captured a LMG and others made it to the trench. Unfortunately French fire took down three VM who hadn't quite made it to the stronghold...
On B3, the Legion LMG didn't get to activate, so did not begin his withdraw to friendly B4...
By Turn 24 (6 hrs of fighting), B1 is in seriously trouble. Even with  French barrage called on the outer trenches, t he 2nd VM company is well within the stronghold and has even assaulted the Command Bunker (top center). Hidden beneath the top shell smoke, is the lone Legion rifleman still fighting (although now Shaken by friendly fire!)...
Back at B2, things for the French took an upswing as artillery was finally called in successfully. A French counterattack w/n the stronghold has eliminated all but one Viet from the 1st company.
B3 has finally fallen. The lone Legion LMG made it to B4! (top center, between the two kepi blancs)
Turn 25: On B1, while a LMG tries to hold back the overwhelming VM, the Co, radio and MMG try to withdraw to B2. Note a Viet has already reached the bunker at the top right of photo, so they may be cut off..
Back on B2, w/o artillery fire, the Legionaires are hard-pressed to hold back the VM coming through the wire. On B4, the Co has now ordered the men to withdraw to B3 for a final stand. Their 82mm mortar is destroyed by incoming VM mortar fire...
On B1 on Turn 26, one lone Legionaire is manning his LMG and refusing to give up, making the VM pay dearly. (center/photo) The Radioman, Co, and MMG have been cut off, but inflicted further casualties on the Viets...
At B2, a Viet remains in the trench next to two others in the destroyed bunker. The French rolled well and inflicted numerous casualties and Pin/Shaken. As they fought, most of the 4th company has left B4 and is deploying in B2. The MMG in the destroyed bunker left of center was instrumental in raking the Viets flank. You can also just make out the Viet company commander at the bottom looking over the slim remnants of his force. He needs the 3rd Company who have been held up in the approach trenches...
The time ran out for the French Co on B1 on Turn 27 as he was KIA. The lone LMG was also Shaken which could lead to him being taking as a POW if he doesn't get activated before the VM next turn. Viets engaged the other two French in pointblank range...
The French counterattack has virtually destroyed the VM in B2. If the French draw the right activation next turn, they could end Viet resistance in that stronghold...
Turn 28 saw the VM trying to coordinate the final assault from three different companies as part of two separate battalions. The western most company, on its own began to push on while in the east, a company occupying B1 has moved its assault engineers to the front trench prior to its attack. Unfortunately the company moving up to B3 had missed an activation due to en early end to the last turn...
The remnants of the proud 3/13 DBLE also, were reorganizing B2 for the expected assault...
Turns 29-34 went by very quickly. With fewer cards in the deck, the "Coffee Break" would come up much faster. It made the decisions each side made regarding which unit to activate more challenging. You never knew when the turn would end.

It began with a brief VM barrage brought down on B2. No sooner had the last French MMG taken position in the bunker (top, near Yellow Cap), the a direct hit smashed it. The team was lucky to survive with light wounds. (Every time the French suffer a casualty, they roll a 6x to determine seriousness; 1-2 Light; 3-4 serious; 5-6 KIA. A 1-2 and the figure remains on station. while the WIA are taken to the company aid station. Only one Legionaire was KIA!
The Viet Assault engineers rush out and set their bangalores to tear the wire separating B1 from B2, while the VM await in the trenches. Ironically, this particular time, 0015 hours, was historically, when the last radio on B2 went dead. The French in this game are still holding...
French artillery fire was finally called down north of B2, catching the VM again and inflicting numerous casualties...
The Viets were extremely lucky this round as they pulled two activations then the Charismatic Leader to give all their units the free activation. the Viets north of B2 (bottom-right of photo) used it to their advantage. The Viets in B1 also rushed forward...
The Viets (marked with blue on their bases) swarmed into the trenches of B2 but failed miserably when they opened fire, missing four pointblank shots and only getting one Shaken. French fire (inc more artillery) devastated them. Meanwhile the company coming from B1 (left/photo) are filling the trenches of abandoned B4...
At the end of Turn 34, the Viets here are taking losses as well...
Turn 35 sees the 'Blue" btn bringing up btn troops to try to keep the pressure on...
The French commander is able to order two rounds of artillery brought down on B4, inflicting casualties on the Viets. The French then were able to get two platoons a free action  that further hurt the VM (in addition to the Charismatic Leader, the other cards are a) MG, b) Lt/NCO get up to ten figures in one platoon, c) Pla Lt gets two platoons, and Captain who gets an entire company free activation) ..
The VM finally get an activation over at B3. Lucky for the French this turn ended when it did...the very next card was the VM Charismatic Leader Card!
Turn 36 and the "Blue Btn troops are reaching the wire as a handful of their compatriots are clinging to the stronghold...
The second round of the French artillery strikes empty ground...
The VM on B3 are using their own bodies to cross the wire (all their engineers are casualties)...
Turn 37 and only the Btn troops are left in the north, just coming through the wire...
Disaster for the French; actually two. A barrage of two rounds is called in, but in the first only one lands on target dropping one Viet. Then VM 81mm smashes the Command Bunker and the last French radio goes silent. Only 30 minutes later than history...
At Turn 38, the end is near with only 11 Legionaires remaining on Beatrice. Viets have reached the trenches in two spots, while yet mor VM approach now from B1...
Turn 39 and the French are down to 8 men. I didn't hel them that the VM pulled the Charismatic Leader again...
On Turn 40, the final French surrendered, all six of them. One was Pinned, one Shaken, and all were surrounded. Beatrice had fallen. General Giap's first assault has been successful and the 3/13 DBLE is no more...