Military Region 2, Laos Dien Bien Phu, North Vietnam
Result
Victory for Kingdom of Laos
Belligerents
North Vietnam Pathet Lao
Kingdom of Laos Forces Armées Neutralistes Thailand
Commanders and leaders
Võ Nguyên Giáp Vũ Lập
Vang Pao Kouprasith Abhay Souvanna Phouma
Units involved
312th Division 316th Division 866th Independent Regiment 10 Dac Cong battalions Artillery units Engineer units 60 PT-76 tanks Ten battalions
Battalion of Volunteers 24 Battalion of Infantry 12 Battalion of Volunteers 26 Auto Defense Choc militia Battalion of Infantry 21 Battalion of Infantry 21 Special Guerrilla Unit 1 Special Guerrilla Unit 2 Mobile Group 23 Brown Battalion Special Guerrilla Unit 4 Forces Guerrilla Northwest RLAF T-28 Trojans Thai mercenary pilots Neutralist forces Special Requirement 9 3 AC-47 Spookys USAF air support 1 BLU-82 Air America C-130s B-52 Stratofortresses
Strength
Over 16,000 North Vietnamese About 1,500 Pathet Lao
5,000—6,000
Casualties and losses
Heavy
Heavy
v
t
e
Military engagements of the Laotian Civil War
North Vietnamese invasion
Hotfoot
1960 Laotian coups (Battle of Vientiane)
Battle of Ban Pa Dong
Battle of Luang Namtha
Momentum
Pincushion
Battle of Lak Sao
Hardnose
Wapi
1964 Laotian coups
Triangle
Unity
1965 Laotian coups
Star
Battle of Nam Bac
Battles of Nakhang
1966 Laotian coup d'état
Ban Naden raid
1967 Opium War
Sone Pet
Battle of Ban Houei Sane
Battle of Lima Site 85
Pigfat
Junction City Jr.
Toan Thang
Left Jab
Off Balance
About Face
139
Diamond Arrow
Snake Eyes
Maeng Da
Honorable Dragon
Tailwind
Counterpunch
Tchepone
Copper
Silver Buckle
74B
Lam Son 719
Desert Rat
Xien Dong
Phoutah
Phiboonpol
Sayasila
Phou Khao Kham
Sourisak Montry VIII
Bedrock
Thao La
Z
Maharat
Sinsay
Strength I
Strength II
Fa Ngum
Black Lion
Phou Phiang II
Black Lion III
972
Maharat II
Phou Phiang III
1973 Laotian coup d'état attempt
Hin Heup
Air operations
Booster Shot
Millpond
Barrel Roll
Steel Tiger
Pony Express
Tiger Hound
Project 404
Commando Hunt
Raindance
Menu
Campaign 139 (14 September 1969–25 April 1970) was a major military offensive of the People's Army of Vietnam, launched against its Royalist enemies during the Laotian Civil War. Larger than previous invading forces, Campaign 139 was also a combined arms expedition containing tanks, artillery, engineers, and Dac Cong sappers. As such, it was a decided escalation in the war. It was also an exceptional rainy season offensive by PAVN, which usually withdrew during the wet season.
Launched on 14 September 1969 with 60 tanks, 26 PAVN and 10 Pathet Lao battalions, plus supporting units, Campaign 139 drove from the Lao/DRV border into the strategic Plain of Jars in Military Region 2 of the Kingdom of Laos. The 16,000 plus invaders were opposed by a force of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) sponsored hill tribes guerrillas some 5,500 to 6,000 strong. Hmong general Vang Pao's L'Armee Clandestine had just overrun the Plain during Kou Kiet, and the general elected to hold on. However, despite the best efforts of the guerrillas in a series of defensive clashes on and around the Plain, backed by massive air power, on 11 February 1970 the communists forced entrance to the Plain by capturing the crucial intersection of Routes 7/74. Having forced their way onto the Plain, the communists pushed their way across it to besiege the crucial main guerrilla base at Long Tieng. They overran the nearby refugee center at Sam Thong on 18 March 1970, and temporarily occupied the high ground overlooking the Lima Site 20A airstrip at Long Tieng used for resupplying the guerrillas. United States support of the irregulars was escalated, with the first B-52 Stratofortress Arc Light in northern Laos on 17 February, and the first ever use of the BLU-82 super-bomb on 22 March. On 18 March, irregular reinforcements were flown in from other military regions of Laos; so was a Royal Thai artillery battalion of mercenaries. Though the newly arrived guerrilla units were generally poor quality, they sufficed to fend off the exhausted PAVN. By 25 April 1970, the communists had fallen back onto their home ground near Dien Bien Phu, North Vietnam.
During the fighting, political negotiation between the Royal Lao Government and the Pathet Lao allies of the Vietnamese were attempted, to form a ceasefire agreement. Prime Minister Souvanna Phouma took advantage of his standing as a Neutralist to let it be privately known that Laos was willing to cease operations against the Ho Chi Minh Trail in southern Laos if the fighting was halted on the Plain. Hmong General Vang Pao quietly explored the option of moving his tribesmen and their guerrillas from the battlefield south to the Thai/Lao border. Campaign 139 ended with the Royalists scarcely able to defend the kingdom, which faced imminent defeat.
Campaign139 (14 September 1969–25 April 1970) was a major military offensive of the People's Army of Vietnam, launched against its Royalist enemies during...
for attack by offensives by the People's Army of Vietnam during Campaign139 and Campaign 74B. Defended by Auto Defense Choc troops led by Major Cher Pao...
eventually pushed back by the PAVN/Pathet Lao Campaign139. On 2 February 1971 the PAVN/Pathet Lao launched Campaign 74B temporarily capturing the Plain of Jars...
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battalions. On 11 February 1970, a PAVN and Pathet Lao offensive (part of Campaign139) opened. By the 20th, control of the Plain of Jars was secure. RLG forces...
Pathet Lao battalions.: 255 On 11 February 1970, these units launched Campaign139, and by the 20th the Plain of Jars had been taken. Royal Lao forces withdrew...
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attacked by People's Army of Vietnam forces in March 1970 as part of Campaign139, causing US personnel and their allies to withdraw. Royalist forces retook...
communists with Kou Kiet. However, the communists fought back with their own Campaign139, which largely regained lost ground. Vang Pao countered with Operation...
August–30 September 1969: Kou Kiet, in MR 2 13 September 1969–25 April 1970: Campaign139, in MR 2 20 September 1969–9 March 1970: Operation Diamond Arrow, in...
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Global Information
North Vietnam
Pathet Lao
Kingdom of Laos
Thailand
3 AC-47 Spookys