Areas of intense activities by Vietnamese, Lao and Cambodian patriotic forces
- Title:
- Areas of intense activities by Vietnamese, Lao and Cambodian patriotic forces
- Alternate Title:
- Areas of intense activities by Vietnamese, Lao and Cambodian patriotic forces
- Collection:
- Persuasive Maps: PJ Mode Collection
- Creator:
- Unknown
- Date:
- 1971
- Date 2:
- 2024-04-25
- ID Number:
- 2347.02
- File Name:
- PJM_2347_02.jpg
- Style/Period:
- 1960 - Present
- Subject:
- Other War & Peace
- Measurement:
- 22 x 15 (centimeters, height x width)
- Notes:
- This is one of two foldout maps illustrating a very unusual English-language propaganda pamphlet published by the North Vietnamese in Hanoi in 1971. It focuses on a series of battles in February and March of that year in which the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN, the South Vietnamese) staged an invasion of Laos, supported by American air power, in an effort to disrupt the Ho Chi Minh Trail resupply routes of the North Vietnamese.
"Operation Lam Son 719," as it was called, was a disaster. Notwithstanding the U.S. air support, the enemy PLAF (Peoples Liberation Armed Forces of South Vietnam) turned back the offensive before it could reach its critical road juncture objective in Laos and inflicted devastating losses on ARVN troops as they retreated through Laos back into Vietnam along Highway 9. See generally Sander 2014. In the end, it was a rout, with many of the "men who are considered South Vietnam's best soldiers" fleeing "in panic." New York Times, March 22, 1971, p.1. ("2,000 Retreat From Laos, Pursued by Hanoi Units . . . Almost All Helicopters Utilized in Rescue Effort . . . Saigon Troops, in Desperation, Scramble for U.S. Helicopters").
The North Vietnamese pamphlet, "From Khe Sanh to Chepone," provides extensive detail about these events in some 89 pages of text and tables, plus additional photographs and the two foldout maps. One map, ID #2347.01, shows in detail the area east of "Tchepone" where the "PLAF attack with armour support" imposed heavy losses on ARVN troops. An inset map on this page shows where Route 9 crosses the border between Khe Sanh in Vietname and Chepone in Laos. The second map, ID #2347.02, covers all of South Vietnam and uses shading to show the (very extensive) "Areas of intense activities by Vietnamese, Lao and Cambodian patriotic forces."
The language throughout speaks of "provocations" by the Americans and their "Saigon puppets," all "punished" by the "patriot forces" who "wiped out" enemy troops and "decimated" armored vehicles and aircraft. At the end of the operation, "On March 21 and 22, after encircling the A Luoi survivors . . . , the patriots mowed them down . . . . Only a small number of Saigon soldiers managed to reach the frontier on foot." At the same time, after "a smashing attack" with "lightening action" south of Huoi Sane, "the patriots . . . put out of action hundreds of enemy troops and seized or destroyed a large quantity of weapons and war material . . . . This was the last battle of that 43-day campaign in Laos." (p. 36)
Whether or not the reported numbers of casualties and destroyed equipment are accurate, the pamphlet describes the end of the campaign in idiomatic language almost identical to that of the New York Times: "A true stampede began for the enemy forces having escaped from the disaster. Typical of that total debacle was the sight of Saigon soldiers trying to cling to the choppers' skids and being kicked down by American airmen! Masters and valets only thought of saving their own bacon! The Americans ended by plastering the choppers' skids with grease to prevent the Saigon soldiers from hanging on to them, leaving the poor devils in the lurch! A fine picture of 'Vietnamization' indeed!" (p. 36)
Interestingly, the collection includes another English-language propaganda map and booklet published in the same year, ID #2244.
For further information on the Collector’s Notes and a Feedback/Contact Link, see https://persuasivemaps.library.cornell.edu/content/about-collection-personal-statement and https://persuasivemaps.library.cornell.edu/content/feedback-and-contact - Source:
- From Khe Sanh to Chepone. "Viet Nam Courier," Foreign Languages Publishing House (Hanoi 1971).
- Format:
- Image
- Rights:
- For important information about copyright and use, see http://persuasivemaps.library.cornell.edu/copyright.