Battles of Khai Phat and Na Ngan

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Battle of Khai Phat - Na Ngan
Part of the
Cao Bằng Province, French Indochina
Result Viet Minh victory
Belligerents

Provisional Government of the French Republic France

Việt Minh
(Armed Propaganda Unit)Commanders and leaders French Fourth Republic Unknown French Officers North Vietnam Võ Nguyên GiápStrength Unknown 34 soldiers (Tran Hung Dao platoon)Casualties and losses 2 French officers killed
1 armoury guard wounded
Remainder surrendered None

The Battle of Khai Phat-Na Ngan (or Phai Khat-Na Ngan)[1] was the first battle ever fought by the People's Army of Vietnam. Taking place in December 1944, it involved a series of raids by the Viet Minh Armed Propaganda Unit (Tran Hung Dao platoon) on French outposts at Khai Phat and Na Ngan. Personally led by Vo Nguyen Giap, the force consisted of 31 men and 3 women armed with two revolvers, seventeen rifles, one light machine gun, and fourteen breech-loading rifles dating from the Russo-Japanese War.[2] The first raid was on Khai Phat outpost, in which the commander was killed and its armoury seized, making the colonial troops surrender without a fight.[3] The second took place the following day at Na Ngan where another officer was killed. These raids gave the Viet Minh its first victory, and defectors from the garrisons bolstered their ranks.[4][5]

Background

In 1940, Japan had

Tran Hung Dao Platoon.[2]

Battle

In late December, two outposts in

colonial soldiers. At 5 pm on December 25, Viet Minh troops dressed in French uniforms entered Khai Phat and seized its armoury, wounding the guard and killing the French commander in the process,[3]
making the unarmed garrison promptly surrender. This was repeated the following day at Na Ngan, with the commander also being killed and the garrison surrendering after a short fight.

Aftermath

The Viet Minh seized 40 rifles, 2 sidearms and 3000 piastres[6] during these raids. They also captured 37 prisoners (including a French NCO),[7] most of whom either defected or were released to go home. The minor victory gave the Viet Minh its first experience in combat and was the first of many battles against the French.

References

  1. ^ Wise, Edward Taylor (May 1991). Vietnam in turmoil : the Japanese coup, the OSS, and the August revolution in 1945 (Masters of Arts thesis). University of Richmond. p. 67.
  2. ^
    ISBN 1-85702-107-X
    .
  3. ^
    ISBN 978-1426996115
    .
  4. ISBN 978-1-4575-6856-5
    .
  5. ^ Giáp, Võ Nguyên (1964). Từ Nhân dân Mà Ra. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House. pp. 164–170.
  6. ^ Direction Générale des Études et Recherches, Rapport 1 Juin 1945, Indochine nouveau fonds, c. 122, d. 1106, Centre des Archives D'Outre-Mer, Aix-en-Provence.
  7. ^ Sûreté, Rapport 10 Janvier 1945, Fonds conseiller politique 161, Centre des Archives D'Outre-Mer, Aix-en-Provence.
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