The War of Resistance: My Expedition, My Country

Ban Chai, located 107 kilometers east of Phnom Penh, on the eastern bank of the Mekong River, is the capital of the Ban Chai region. Following the defeats in Saigon and other areas, the South Vietnamese (Indochina) Liberation Organization dispersed its forces, most of which retreated into Cambodia. The 101st, 102nd, 103rd, 107th, and 111th Divisions were scattered across the jungles of Ban Chai, Kandal, and Tay Ninh. After Ng Yuan Gia's secret return, he took over command of the armed forces in eastern Cambodia. The campaign against Ban Chai was part of Ng Yuan Gia's counterattack.

After a part of the 107th Division of Le Yuanjiang and the Independent 311th Guerrilla Brigade (regiment level) commanded by Nguyen Ching Quoc captured the French 11th Battalion Camp in Gongzai Mi, they had broken through the barrier east of Ban Chai. Banam (217th Army Aviation Base) had been occupied. The coast of Ban Chai Lake had long been an activity area for the People's Army guerrillas. Ban Chai's transportation supply and lifeline had been cut off. Now it could only rely on the northbound road through Zhuge Lao and around a large bay to get in touch with Phnom Penh.

Crucially, the 21st Brigade, entering the dense forests of Chai Tran, and the 13th Brigade stationed at Ban Chai, along with other subordinate units, faced a siege by five divisions of the People's Army guerrillas. Charles de Gaulle's 5th Division, along with its 7th Brigade, parts of the 7th Artillery Regiment, and the 15rd Armored Regiment, were deployed along the Tso Tsok (Kuangbore Bridge) line, guarding the main artery from Phnom Penh to Saigon. Chai Tran was defended by parts of the French 33th Division, which would also be deployed northward to form a pincer attack with the 11st Brigade, effectively encircling the guerrilla base in eastern Cambodia.

Now, all this has been broken. Charles de Gaulle knows that the encirclement plan for eastern Cambodia formulated by the colonial governor's office has lost its meaning. After obtaining the approval of the governor, Charles de Gaulle will complete the final mission as the commander of the 7th Division and the supreme commander of eastern Cambodia to ensure that Ban Chai will not be captured.

Upon learning that a regiment of the Foreign Legion had been airlifted to Ban Chai, Charles de Gaulle's 6th Air Group dispatched 24 aircraft to carry out airstrikes against enemy concentrations around Ban Chai, particularly at Gongzaimi. On August 8th alone, the French launched 5 sorties, virtually destroying the former 30th Battalion's camp. With the support of the air force, the Ban Chai temporary field airfield saw dozens of transport flights daily, bringing in large quantities of defensive supplies and significantly improving the defenses.

Now, what de Gaulle had to consider was whether the 7th Division headquarters, as well as the main 7th Brigade and the 33rd Armored Regiment needed to be withdrawn from Zuozuo, starting from Bredo along the highway line, to capture Banan and open up the Banchai Nan line.

Brigadier General Fernando, commander of the 7th Brigade, approached General de Gaulle, expressing his displeasure at the general's hesitation. He had learned of de Gaulle's resignation and that the new commander of the 7th Division, barring any unforeseen circumstances, would be Major General Roland, a senior staff member at the Governor-General's Office. He had a close personal relationship with General Roland and was eager for him to take over as soon as possible, hoping to secure a promotion to Major General and become Chief of Staff of the 7th Division.

However, the French military system was a chaotic mess, consisting of former colonial troops, the Viking French Corps, and Free French forces like Charles de Gaulle's that participated in the Allied war against Germany. Domestically and internationally, the Free French Corps, with the support of the Allies, effectively held the final say in the French military. Even if Lieutenant General Charles de Gaulle resigned as commander of the 7th Division, he might still be appointed Deputy Chief of Staff of the French Army, potentially returning to the rank of supreme military commander in Indochina.

The actual French military strength in South Vietnam and Cambodia consisted of the 1st French Army, comprising the 1st, 7th, 11th, and 35th Divisions, the 31st Army Air Corps, the 15th Artillery Brigade, and the 3rd Army (Foreign Legion). These were all units from mainland France. In addition, there were the 15th, 23rd, and 34th French colonial armies, as well as the puppet South Vietnamese National Guard and the Royal Cambodian Guard. This totaled over 40 troops, but the actual combat forces were the 1st, 15th, and 34th Armies. The 23rd Army was primarily used to defend South Vietnam's key economic zones, including its harbors. The air force consisted of the 6th Air Force, comprising approximately 130 fighters and 48 transport bombers.

The French army's helicopters and armed helicopters were mainly imported from the United States, and there were very few of them. Because the 7th Division was the main force, the 1st Army allocated most of the helicopters to them to form the 31st Army Aviation Wing. As a result, one-third of them were lost in Banan, which made Governor Latteludo very angry. He ordered Charles de Gaulle not to transfer the remaining helicopters away from the main force without confirming the important development of the battle.

Charles de Gaulle was displeased by Fernando's attempts to force his abdication. Having led the Free French Legion from Africa all the way to Berlin, despite being affiliated with the US and British Allies, he held considerable prestige. Had it not been for the Viking regime, even if France had sided with the Allies, he might have become France's first military president. Consequently, the current French civilian government was wary of him. To gain further prestige, de Gaulle voluntarily relegated himself to the East to participate in the colonial wars, something the French government was eager to see. Governor-General Lattelude, who had served as Minister of Defense during the Viking regime, was appointed to take over as Governor-General and concurrently command the 1st Army, a clear attempt to suppress de Gaulle and prevent him from achieving too many victories.

Latte Rudo agreed to Charles de Gaulle's resignation, but did not dare to embarrass him. Fernando and his ilk did not dare to offend Charles de Gaulle directly. Seeing the cold look in Charles de Gaulle's eyes, Fernando quickly lowered his head.

Charles de Gaulle certainly wouldn't bother with this little Camille, who was on a completely different level. After a cold glance, he said to him, "Brigadier General Fernando, the 7th Brigade is the elite of our army. The Governor has handed it over to you. You should know your place. It's your duty as a soldier to obey your superiors. Remember, I am still the Chief of Staff of the 1st Army and Commander of the 7th Division. Without my orders, the 7th Brigade shall not be mobilized in any way. I don't want to see the elite of the French army suffer huge losses in this battle!"

De Gaulle waved Fernando out of his office. The deputy division commander and the chief of staff entered together and, at de Gaulle's suggestion, sat across from him. Chief of Staff Brigadier General Ronaldona produced a draft battle plan and handed it to de Gaulle. Then, as de Gaulle reviewed and asked questions, he explained the plan's key points to the two men.

On August 8, Wu Yuanjia had completed the integration of the Eastern Cambodian Army. Five divisions and several independent guerrilla units were replenished. Although the number of troops did not increase much, the large amount of weapons and ammunition captured from the French army made the Eastern Cambodian People's Army unprecedentedly powerful!