The War of Resistance: My Expedition, My Country

Wu Yuanjia finished speaking and asked Chief of Staff Li for further instructions. Chief of Staff Li nodded and took over the topic, saying, "Commander Wu Yuanjia's arrangements are excellent, and all aspects have been taken into consideration. As long as the enemy moves, we are confident that we can destroy them! I'll also tell you one more piece of news. The troops on the 7th will also send a task force back. However, they will not participate in the battle in Ban Chai. Instead, they will go straight to Chai Zhen and use a surprise attack to occupy Chai Zhen, the node leading to Saigon, forcing the enemy to move in this direction to alleviate the difficulties of fighting on the front line in Ban Chai. At the same time, other People's Army guerrillas on the front lines of Xining and Long An will also launch an offensive to contain the enemy. We have enough time to prepare for the battle in Ban Chai. Do you have the confidence to win this battle?"

Wu Yuanjia stood up again and asked loudly: "Do you have confidence?!"

"Yes!" Everyone immediately stood up and answered loudly, in unison and passionately!

At 8:10 AM on August 9, General Nguyen Van Giang, commanding the 107th Division and the 112th, 113th, and 311th Detachments, fired the first shots of the Battle of Ban Chai. Dozens of artillery pieces from the 112th Artillery Detachment launched a fierce bombardment of the enemy garrison at Ban Chai. Following this, the 112th Armored Detachment, backed by two French tanks and eight armored vehicles, charged towards the outskirts of Ban Chai. For a moment, the roar of artillery and the air filled with smoke. The curtain had been raised on the largest modern war in eastern Cambodia.

While commanding his various units to repel the enemy's advance, Major General Marathosluk, commander of the Banchai Garrison, requested reinforcements from Charles de Gaulle. Charles de Gaulle was not only the commander of the 7th Division but also the Chief of Staff of the French 1st Army, effectively the supreme commander of the mobile forces in eastern Cambodia. The French 35th Division and part of the 3rd Corps in Phnom Penh were under his command. Even parts of the 6th Air Force in Phnom Penh were under his command.

Upon receiving word that Ban Chai had begun the battle, Charles de Gaulle immediately ordered the Phnom Penh Air Force to deploy, not only for air support but also for aerial reconnaissance. Soon, the reconnaissance report arrived. According to the Air Force's reconnaissance, the People's Army guerrillas attacking Ban Chai should have more than 2 troops, meaning they had concentrated 70% of their forces in Ban Chai. This was clearly good news for the French army.

Charles de Gaulle quickly summoned Fernando and his men, believing this was a golden opportunity to eliminate the main forces of the People's Army in eastern Cambodia, and even in South Vietnam. Fernando was eager to capitalize on this opportunity and gain further experience for his promotion. He brazenly declared to de Gaulle, "General, I believe the main forces of the 7th Division should be mobilized immediately. The 15th Brigade and the Ban Chai Garrison Command have approximately 1 men. Using their established positions, they can hold out for two weeks or even a month. The 7th Brigade and the 33rd Armored Regiment should use this opportunity to pin down the enemy, advance westward along the highway, capture Banan, and then advance northward along the route to counter-encircle the enemy from the south."

The Chief of Staff also agreed with Fernando's opinion and further added: "The 21st Brigade has just arrived at Donglibei. Since there are not many enemies on the northern front, they should immediately turn south and launch a pincer attack on the enemy from the north."

Charles de Gaulle agreed with this and nodded. "Chief of Staff, make arrangements immediately. Ensure the 21st Brigade's operations remain secret and their movements are not exposed until they reach the north of Ban Chai. Also, instruct the 11th Division's troops in Phnom Penh to immediately move deeper into the so-called eastern Cambodia base area to contain the enemy."

Then, he once again looked at the enemy and our own situation on the topographic map and ordered the deputy division commander: "Mr. Major General, you must immediately rush to Phnom Penh and order the 35th Division to withdraw a part of the Mekong River to the east to provide the enemy with large-scale reinforcements."

Finally, as if he had made up his mind, he said to Fernando in a deep voice, "Brigadier General Fernando, I order you to immediately lead the 7th Brigade, the 33rd Armored Regiment, and the directly affiliated artillery units to advance secretly towards Banan as quickly as possible. Remember, upon arrival, do not expose yourself and wait for orders!"

De Gaulle waved his hand again, summoning his adjutant and giving him the order: "Contact the Governor immediately. I want more Foreign Legion troops to land in Banchai. We must hold it to the death. At the same time, send a telegram to Major General Maradoslu. If necessary, abandon the outer positions, show weakness to the enemy, and hold them back!"

Fernando happily rushed back to his base and, with great fanfare, assembled all the units for a vigorous operation. The 7th Brigade was the main force of the 7th Division, as its designation indicated. It was a rare reinforced brigade in the French Army, with over 7000 men, equipped with a tank battalion, an artillery battalion, three infantry battalions, and a supply battalion. It was no exaggeration to say that it was the first brigade of the French Army in Indochina. In fact, the 3th Division was a peculiar unit. Although it also consisted of three brigades, its total strength exceeded 7 men, making it a behemoth compared to the other divisions, which had less than 2 men. Its combat effectiveness even surpassed that of army-level units such as the 1.3th and 15th Armies. This was also the reason why the Governor-General spared no effort to assign the only Army Aviation Wing to the 35th Division.

At this point, the 15th Brigade and the Ban Chai Garrison at Ban Chai were locked in a fierce battle with Nguyen Yuan Giang's 107th Division. In a real battle, the Garrison Command's puppet troops and the French colonial forces were practically ineffective. The 15th Brigade, with over 4000 men at full strength, along with a battalion from the 15th Artillery Regiment, became the mainstay of Ban Chai's defense. Of course, a single regiment of the Foreign Legion was also highly effective, but at that time, its organization was very small, barely equivalent to a battalion of the regular French Army.

Major General Maradoslu summoned Brigadier General Angelus, commander of the 15th Brigade, to his headquarters and handed him General de Gaulle's telegram. Angelus reviewed it and whispered, "The general's instructions clearly have flaws. Although we have nearly 5000 men, only a little over 2 are actually in combat. The enemy's attacking force is no less than . If we retreat to the city, I'm worried about a collapse."

Maradoslu was also torn about this. He had no choice but to carry out General de Gaulle's orders. Otherwise, if the war went wrong, he would be held accountable. He thought for a moment and decisively ordered, "Move the Foreign Legion east. The terrain east is suitable for defense, so we will give up the eastern perimeter. I think the Foreign Legion should have no problem defending here for a week. Besides, the Governor-General, upon receiving the General's request, will undoubtedly airlift more Foreign Legion troops and place them in the east to fight the People's Army to the death. This will greatly reduce the pressure on other fronts."

Angelus nodded and said, "I'll do as you say, Commander. I'll rush back and rearrange the arrangements."