Operation Chenla II

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Operation Chenla II

Part of Cambodian Civil War, Vietnam War

Map showing the areas under Communist control.
| Date| 20 August – 3 December 1971

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Location|

Kompong Thom, Cambodia

Result|  North Vietnamese victory
Belligerents
North Vietnam
Viet Cong
Khmer Rouge|  Khmer Republic
Commanders and leaders
Trần Văn Trà|  Hou Hang Sin
Strength
20,000+|  25,000+
Casualties and losses
Unknown (Cambodian sources claimed 3,500+ killed during Phase I)|  decimation of 10 FANK Battalions

* v
* t
* e

Military engagements during the Vietnam War

Guerrilla phase

* Laos
* Biên Hòa
* Đồng Khởi
* Staley–Taylor Plan
* Chopper
* Palace Bombing
* Sunrise
* Shufly
* Ấp Bắc
* Go Cong
* Hiep Hoa
* 34A
* Long Dinh
* Kien Long
* Quyet Thang 202
* USNS Card
* Nam Dong
* An Lao
* Binh Gia
* Camp Holloway
* Dương Liễu – Nhông Pass
* Qui Nhơn
* Ka Nak
* Sông Bé
* Ba Gia
* Dong Xoai

American intervention 1965

* Starlite
* Piranha
* An Ninh
* Plei Me
* Hump
* Gang Toi
* 1st Bau Bang
* Ia Drang
* Bushmaster II
* Harvest Moon

1966

* Marauder
* Crimp
* Van Buren
* Masher/White Wing
* Double Eagle
* Mastiff
* Suoi Bong Trang
* New York
* Harrison
* Cocoa Beach
* Utah
* Silver City
* A Sau
* Oregon
* Texas
* Lincoln
* Fillmore
* Jackstay
* Buddhist Uprising
* Xa Cam My
* Georgia
* Birmingham
* Davy Crockett
* Austin IV
* Paul Revere
* Crazy Horse
* El Paso
* Hardihood
* Wahiawa
* Lam Son II
* Hawthorne
* Hill 488
* Nathan Hale
* Jay
* Macon
* Hastings
* Minh Thanh Road
* John Paul Jones
* Prairie
* Colorado
* Duc Co
* Long Tan
* SS Baton Rouge Victory
* Amarillo
* Byrd
* Sunset Beach
* Seward
* Thayer, Irving and Thayer II
* Attleboro
* Deckhouse IV
* Shenandoah
* Atlanta
* Paul Revere IV
* Geronimo
* Tan Son Nhut airbase
* Fairfax
* Firebase Bird

1967

* Deckhouse V
* Cedar Falls
* Desoto
* Gadsden
* Sam Houston
* Pershing
* Enterprise
* Tra Binh Dong
* Bribie
* Junction City (1st Prek Klok
* 2nd Prek Klok
* Ap Gu
* Suoi Tre
* 2nd Bàu Bàng)
* Francis Marion
* Lejeune
* Union
* Baker
* Manhattan
* The Hill Fights
* Beaver Cage
* Con Thien/DMZ
* Hickory
* Prairie II
* Prairie III
* Prairie IV
* Buffalo
* Kentucky
* Kingfisher
* Crockett
* Malheur I and Malheur II
* Kole Kole
* Barking Sands
* Union II
* Dragnet
* Akron
* Billings
* Concordia
* The Slopes
* Hong Kil Dong
* Diamond Head
* Coronado
* Coronado II
* Hood River
* Suoi Chau Pha
* Benton
* Coronado IV
* Swift
* Dragon Fire
* Wheeler/Wallowa
* Coronado V
* Kunia
* Bolling
* Medina
* Shenandoah II
* Ong Thanh
* 1st Loc Ninh
* MacArthur
* Dak To
* Osceola
* Lancaster
* Coronado IX
* Neosho
* Santa Fe
* Essex
* Kien Giang 9-1
* Napoleon
* Phoenix
* Manchester
* Saratoga
* Yellowstone
* Muscatine
* Badger Tooth
* Auburn

Tet Offensive and aftermath

* New Year's Day battle of 1968
* McLain
* Khe Sanh
* Ban Houei Sane
* Lang Vei
* Coronado X
* Tet Offensive
* Da Nang
* US Embassy
* Cholon and Phu Tho Racetrack
* Tan Son Nhut Air Base
* Joint General Staff Compound
* Bien Hoa and Long Binh
* Hue
* Quảng Trị
* Bến Tre
* Coburg
* Lo Giang
* Hop Tac I
* Coronado XI
* Houston
* Patrick
* Tam Kỳ
* Truong Cong Dinh
* Lima Site 85
* Quyet Thang
* My Lai Massacre
* Walker
* Carentan
* Pegasus
* Cochise Green
* Toan Thang I
* Burlington Trail
* Scotland II
* Delaware
* Allen Brook
* May Offensive
* Dai Do
* West Saigon
* Landing Zone Center
* An Bao
* South Saigon
* Concordia Square
* Kham Duc
* Coral–Balmoral
* Jeb Stuart III
* Nevada Eagle
* Mameluke Thrust
* Toan Thang II
* Robin
* Binh An
* Thor
* Pocahontas Forest
* Quyet Chien
* Somerset Plain
* Phase III Offensive
* Duc Lap
* Champaign Grove
* Vinh Loc
* Thượng Đức
* Maui Peak
* Henderson Hill
* Sheridan Sabre
* Meade River
* Hat Dich
* Speedy Express
* Taylor Common
* Fayette Canyon

Vietnamization 1969–1971

* DMZ Campaign (1969–1971)
* Bold Mariner
* Dewey Canyon
* Toan Thang III
* 2nd Tet
* Iron Mountain
* Massachusetts Striker
* Wayne Grey
* Purple Martin
* Ben Het
* Maine Crag
* Atlas Wedge
* Frederick Hill
* Geneva Park
* Montana Mauler
* Oklahoma Hills
* Washington Green
* Virginia Ridge
* Apache Snow
* Hamburger Hill
* Lamar Plain
* Pipestone Canyon
* Binh Ba
* Montgomery Rendezvous
* Utah Mesa
* Campbell Streamer
* Idaho Canyon
* Nantucket Beach
* Fulton Square
* LZ Kate
* Toan Thang IV
* Randolph Glen
* Green River
* Texas Star
* FSB Ripcord
* Cambodian campaign
* Pennsylvania Square
* Clinch Valley
* Elk Canyon
* Pickens Forest
* Wolfe Mountain
* Chicago Peak
* Firebase O'Reilly
* Chenla I
* Imperial Lake
* Jefferson Glenn
* Tailwind
* Son Tay Raid
* Snuol
* Cuu Long 44-02
* Lam Son 719
* Finney Hill
* Middlesex Peak
* FSB Mary Ann
* Caroline Hill
* Long Khánh
* Chenla II
* Nui Le

1972

* Easter Offensive
* Cambodia and Mekong Delta
* 1st Quang Trị
* Loc Ninh
* An Lộc
* Mỹ Chánh Line
* Kontum
* Thunderhead
* 2nd Quang Trị
* The Vinh wiretap

Post-Paris Peace Accords (1973–1974)

* War of the flags
* Cửa Việt
* Hồng Ngự
* Tong Le Chon
* Trung Nghia
* Ap Da Bien
* Quang Duc
* Tri Phap
* Svay Rieng
* Iron Triangle
* Duc Duc
* Thượng Đức
* Phú Lộc
* Phước Long

Spring 1975

* Ban Me Thuot
* Hue–Da Nang
* Phan Rang
* Xuân Lộc
* Fall of Phnom Penh
* Fall of Saigon
* Mayaguez incident

Air operations

* Farm Gate
* Chopper
* Ranch Hand
* Pierce Arrow
* Barrel Roll
* Pony Express
* Flaming Dart
* Iron Hand
* Rolling Thunder
* Steel Tiger
* Arc Light
* Combat Skyspot
* Tiger Hound
* Shed Light
* Thanh Hoa
* Bolo
* Popeye
* Yen Vien
* Niagara
* Igloo White
* Commando Hunt
* Giant Lance
* Menu
* Patio
* Freedom Deal
* Proud Deep Alpha
* Linebacker I
* Enhance Plus
* Linebacker II
* Homecoming
* Tan Son Nhut Air Base
* Babylift
* New Life
* Eagle Pull
* Frequent Wind

Naval operations

* Yankee & Dixie stations
* Gulf of Tonkin
* Market Time
* Vung Ro Bay
* Game Warden
* Double Eagle
* Stable Door
* PIRAZ
* Sea Dragon
* Deckhouse Five
* Bo De River, Nha Trang, Tha Cau River
* Sealords
* Đồng Hới
* Pocket Money
* Custom Tailor
* End Sweep
* Paracel Islands
* East Sea

Lists of allied operations

* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973–74
* 1975

Operation Chenla II or Chenla Two was a major military operation conducted by the Khmer National Armed Forces (FANK) during the Cambodian Civil War from 20 August until 3 December 1971.

## Background[edit]

During the days of Prince Norodom Sihanouk's rule in Cambodia in the 1960s, the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and their Viet Cong (VC) allies were able to use base areas in Cambodian territory in order to provide logistical support for their combat troops within South Vietnam. Following the March 1970 coup led by the pro-U.S. General Lon Nol, the PAVN aggressively expanded their control over the provinces of northeastern Cambodia, coming dangerously close to the capital Phnom Penh.

Initially, the small, largely untrained and poorly-equipped FANK was not up to the challenge, especially against the larger and more experienced PAVN/VC forces. However, by the summer of 1971, and with massive American and South Vietnamese assistance, the FANK grew into a force of more than one-hundred thousand men.

During the period between September 1970 and June 1971, the FANK won its first victories after they successfully dislodged elements of the PAVN 9th Division along Route 13 and in some parts of the Mekong Delta.

By April 1971, Marshal Lon Nol decided to renew the offensive against the PAVN/VC forces, taking advantage of the high morale among the FANK troops following the partial success of Operation Chenla I. For the FANK everything was at stake, as many reserves and prestige were invested in the operation. The FANK High Command's main objective was to reopen all of Route 6 and to secure the road between Kampong Cham and the isolated garrison at Kampong Thom. A FANK task-force of ten infantry battalions – again including a large percentage of Khmer Krom troops – gathered into three brigade groups supported by armour and artillery was assembled for the operation, which relied heavily on U.S. air support to soften an estimated two PAVN divisions in the region.[1][2]

## Operation[edit]

Operation Chenla II was launched on 20 August 1971, again catching the PAVN/VC by surprise. Initially, the FANK task-force commanded by Brigadier-General Hou Hang Sin achieved their objective, as the FANK were able to retake Barai on 26 August and Kompong Thmar on 1 September. But as FANK formations were advancing towards PAVN/VC-held territory along Route 6, they were heavily exposed to attacks without adequate protection from their flanks. There was heavy fighting as the FANK 5th Brigade Group advanced towards Phnom Santuk while Tang Krasang was retaken on 20 September. On 5 October, three FANK brigades were committed to capture the areas around Phnom Santuk. The fighting there grew in intensity as the Cambodians and the PAVN engaged in heavy hand-to-hand combat. Phnom Santuk was eventually retaken, and the first phase of Chenla II was declared officially concluded on 25 October, although real military success had not yet been secured.

Victory celebrations had hardly started at Phnom Penh when on the night of 26 October, barely hours upon the conclusion of the consolidation efforts of the second phase of the operation, the PAVN 9th Division, reinforced by the VC 205th and 207th Regional Regiments, launched an all-out assault on the Cambodian positions located along Route 6 from the Chamkar Andong rubber plantation.[1] 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 FANK launched an unsuccessful counter-attack on 27 October, and the Cambodian corridor along Route 6 was crushed by PAVN/VC troops after weeks of heavy fighting. Elements of the PAVN 9th Division then launched a final attack which ripped apart several FANK and Khmer Krom battalions, causing the disorganized Cambodian troops to abandon several key positions on 1 December. The operation was terminated two days later.

## Aftermath[edit]

For the PAVN/VC forces the battle ended with a decisive victory, as they were able to secure their strongholds in northeastern Cambodia without having to expand their control inside Cambodian territory. On 8 December 1971, North Vietnamese propaganda boasted that "By October, that is, in two months, the operation was stalemated and 4,500 enemy troops were annihilated and hundreds more captured. The 2nd and 43d Brigades were badly battered. Ten battalions and seven companies of infantry and a tank company were mauled, 39 combat vessels were sunk or set afire, nine aircraft were downed and seven 105mm artillery pieces, many vehicles and large quantities of military equipment were destroyed".2 The official PAVN history claims that 10,000 enemy troops were killed or dispersed and 4,700 weapons captured.[3]

Indeed, the final attack on FANK positions during the month of December virtually wiped out ten infantry battalions (including the sacrifice of the best Khmer Krom battalions) and resulted in the loss of another ten battalions-worth of equipment, which included two howitzers, four tanks, five armoured personnel carriers, one scout car, ten jeeps, and about two dozen other vehicles.[1][2] Militarily and psychologically, the damage suffered during Operation Chenla II was a big one from which the Cambodians would never recover. From then on, the Republican government focused on consolidating its hold over the key urban centers, the main garrisons and the lower Mekong-Bassac river corridors, thus leaving most of the countryside virtually open to Khmer Rouge recruiting drives.[1]

## See also[edit]

* Battle of Kampot
* Cambodian Civil War
* Khmer National Armed Forces
* Khmer Rouge
* Weapons of the Cambodian Civil War

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c d Conboy, Kenneth; Bowra, Kenneth (1989). The War in Cambodia 1970-75 Men-at-arms series 209. Osprey Publishing Ltd. p. 7\. ISBN 978-0850458510.
2. ^ a b Conboy, Kenneth (2011). FANK: A History of the Cambodian Armed Forces, 1970-1975. Equinox Publishing (Asia) Pte Ltd. p. 10\. ISBN 9789793780863.
3. ^ Military History Institute of Vietnam (2002). Victory in Vietnam: A History of the People's Army of Vietnam, 1954–1975. trans. Pribbenow, Merle. University of Kansas Press. p. 288\. ISBN 0-7006-1175-4.

## Bibliography[edit]

* John S. Bowman, The Vietnam War, Day by Day, Mallard Books, New York 1989. ISBN 0-7924-5087-6
* Sak Sutsakhan, The Khmer Republic at War and the Final Collapse, U.S. Army Center of Military History, Washington D.C. 1980. – available online at Part 1Part 2Part 3 Part 4.
* Royal College Of Defence Studies 1975 Course – The War in Cambodia Its Causes And Military Development And The Political History Of The Khmer Republic 1970 – 1975.

## External links[edit]

* 1-FANK Order of the Day, 5 October 1971[permanent dead link]
* 2-Quan Doi Nhan Dan On Blows to Nixon's Khmerization Scheme[permanent dead link]

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