316th Division (Vietnam)

308th had surrounded a French air-land base on the Plain of Jars.^[2]

Battle of Điện Biên Phủ, the 316th's first action was on 15 March 1954 probing the French strongpoints at Dominique 5 after the capture of Strongpoint Beatrice by the 312th Division.^[2]: 403 Further south Battalion 888 of Regiment 176 was tasked with isolating Strongpoint Isabelle from the central French position in the valley.^[2]: 474 On 27 March the 98th and 174th Regiments were assigned the task of capturing the Eliane 1 and 4 strongpoints.^[2]: 454 The attack on Eliane commenced at 5pm on 30 March and the 320th succeeded in capturing Eliane 1 within 3 hours, but were unable to secure Eliane 2 in a fierce battle. Eliane 1 was recaptured by a French counterattack on 31 March but had to be abandoned again that day and was recaptured by the French on 10 April.^{[2]: 465–70} On 31 March Regiment 98 was relieved by Regiment 102 of the 308th Division.^[2]: 473 On the night of 31 March Regiment 102 again attempted to take Eliane 2 but was beaten back and then replaced by Regiment 98 on 3 April.^{[2]: 479–80} On 11 April Regiments 98 and 174 attempted to recapture Eliane 1 but were forced back.^[2]: 505 Following the failure of these attacks the Viet Minh resorted to choking off the French strongpoints by digging trenches and saps and, in the case of Eliane 2 a mine gallery under the hill.^[2]: 510 For the final assault on the French positions on the night of 6/7 May, Regiment 174 was tasked with taking Eliane 4 while Regiment 98 would make another attempt to take Eliane 2.^[2]: 601 At 6:45pm Regiment 98 began their attack and were held back by French artillery fire from Strongpoint Isabelle until Viet Minh counter-battery fire took effect. At approximately 9:30pm the Viet Minh exploded a mine under Eliane 2 and after some hesitation Regiment 98 renewed its attack at 11pm and by 5am on 7 May had finally succeeded in capturing Eliane 2.^{[2]: 601–4} The 174th Regiment's attack on Eliane 4 commenced at 9:30pm and lasted throughout the night and the French were finally overrun at 9:30am on 7 May.^{[2]: 605–8} Total estimated losses among the 316th Division at the Battle of Điện Biên Phủ are 1250 killed.^[4]

Hà Tĩnh Provinces.^[5]

Campaign 275.^[5]: 363 During the Battle of Ban Me Thuot on 10 March the Division's 174th Regiment attacked and captured the Mai Hac De district in western Ban Me Thuot, they were forced back by an Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) 23rd Division counterattack and airstrikes, but the Division counterattacked an by the morning of 11 March controlled most of the city.^[5]

3rd Corps comprising the Division, 10th and 320th Divisions, the 675th Artillery Regiment, the 312th Anti-aircraft Regiment, 198th Sapper Regiment, 273rd Tank Regiment, 545th Engineer Regiment and the 29th Signal Regiment under the command of Major General Vũ Lăng.^{[5]: 394–5 [6][7]}

Saigon^[7]: 94 By 15 April the Division occupied positions near Dầu Tiếng Base Camp in preparation for the assault on Saigon.^[5]: 400 By late April the Division blocked Route 1 and Route 22 to fix the ARVN 25th Division in place.^[5]: 415 On 29 April the Division attacked the ARVN 46th and 49th Regiments, 25th Division at Phuoc Hiep, Trảng Bàng and Go Dau Ha.^[5]