The War Before the War, page 12
“That’s outrageous.”
“That’s Vietnam. As long as the French control the Vietnamese military, they can do and say whatever they want. They’re not going to let an American congressman infect the military with the truth.”
“So, what are we supposed to do? How do we find the truth?” said John.
“You need to go North. The French are building a new line of defensive fortifications to defend Hanoi and Haiphong Harbor. They’re very proud of it. They are sure to bring it up. When they do, ask to tour it. If they take the bait, you can fly to Hanoi. The farther from Saigon that you go, the less control the French wield, and the more you’ll see of how things really are. The important thing is to let it be their idea.”
“Alright. We can do that. But you also said the farther we go from Saigon, the more dangerous it will be.”
“That’s correct. So, how much are you willing to risk to find the truth?”
“There’s a great deal at stake if America enters this war. Better we know what we are getting into. The truth is worth the risk.”
The waiter returned with their meal. Everyone was about to dig in when Bobby and Patricia stopped to offer a silent prayer. John ignored them by buttering a roll and sprinkling pepper on his stew. Granier was unsure what to do. It had been many years since he had prayed and never in a restaurant. He waited until the two Kennedys finished and crossed themselves. They started eating with relish. Granier chewed the first spoonful of Lobster stew. “Well? What did I tell you?” said John. “Good, huh?”
Granier nodded. It was a lie. The flavor was overpowering. He had been impressed with the Kennedys’ desire to find the truth about Indochina. This trip wasn’t just a publicity stunt to get John elected to the Senate. The problem was that Granier wasn’t sure how he felt about what was happening in Indochina. He had always been a soldier and didn’t need to worry about the politics behind American military operations. Now, working for the CIA, things were different. What he said and did affected the decision-makers. He had to be more careful. He had influence, and influence was a two-edged sword. He liked simple things, mechanical things. This was neither.
When the meal was done, everyone gathered their coats in preparation of leaving. John and Bobby were excited about the trip and talked to each other rapidly. Patricia took advantage of the moment and moved over to Granier. “I hope this isn’t going to be a problem… me tagging along. I didn’t exactly make a good impression the first time we met,” she said.
“I won’t worry about it. I rarely make a good impression anytime,” he said. “You’re a strong woman. I’m sure you’ll do fine.”
“Anyway, I’m glad you’re going. I would do anything to protect my brothers,” she said with a caring smile.
CHAPTER NINE
Ho Chi Minh was suffering from another cold brought on by the rainy season in the mountains. Living in the northern villages did not suit him. He needed a city where he could get a variety of fruits and vegetables to strengthen his aging body. It seemed he would get over one illness only to be plagued by another. “How are you feeling, Uncle?” said Giap as he entered Ho’s quarters.
“We have far more important matters to discuss than my health,” said Ho wiping his nose with a well-worn handkerchief.
“I can think of nothing more important than your health.”
“I’m fine. You have news?”
“I have thoughts and conclusions.”
“Let’s hear them.”
“It is time to change our strategy from defensive to offensive. We should attack the French in strength.”
“We have already discussed this. Our men need more training before they grapple toe-to-toe with the French.”
“Uncle, I understand your caution, and I appreciate it. But our men are ready. A major victory will show the Chinese and the Soviets we are worthy of their support. It will demoralize the French and show them that their defeat in Indochina is inevitable.”
“And what about the Americans?”
“The Americans are the biggest reason we should strike now. We must show them that supporting Colonialism is a doomed strategy. Even with American weapons, armor, and aircraft, the French will fail.”
“And if they decide to commit troops?”
“The Americans will not commit troops while the Chinese side with us. They do not want to see the war expanded.”
“You don’t know that.”
“And neither do you, Dear Uncle. You fight a ghost that doesn’t exist. It prevents our victory.”
“And our defeat.”
Giap took a moment to calm down before continuing. He knew Ho wasn’t feeling well, and he didn’t want to put undue strain on him. “I know you hold the Americans in high esteem. But they are humans just like we are. They are not invincible. If they come, we will defeat them. But no matter what, let’s get on with it while we have the momentum. It is our time.”
Ho sighed. He felt tired and worn out. He knew his weariness was affecting his judgment. Giap, a younger man, seemed to have all the energy in the world and was ready to fight. “Where would you attack?” said Ho, resigned.
Giap had won, but he felt far from happy about it. He felt ashamed that he had raised his voice against his mentor. Ho, more than anyone, was responsible for Giap’s success as the leader of the Viet Minh. He knew he must press his attack against Ho even though everything inside him wanted to defend the man. “The French fortresses in the North along Colonial Route 4. We will break them so weapons and supplies can flow from China. Our initial assault was met with great success. We should finish them before they change their strategy.”
“Promise me you will not fight unless you can win,” said Ho, reminding Giap of Mao’s philosophy.
“I promise, Uncle. I promise.”
“Very well. Set our nation free, General. Destroy the French and the Americans be damned if they try to stop us.”
Lieutenant Colonel Pierre Charton was a short but serious officer much loved by the men under his command. His no-nonsense approach, combined with his foul mouth, often put him at odds with his fellow officers and commanders. He had been placed in charge of one of the most challenging posts in all of Indochina – the fortress of Cao Bang. It was the northernmost point on Colonial Route 4 and represented the end of French civilization in Southeast Asia. Anything beyond the fort was considered enemy territory. The 2,600 soldiers that made up the garrison were a combination of colonial troops, mostly Moroccans, and Foreign Legionnaires. The Legionnaires were made up of a large number of German recruits fleeing Allied justice for war crimes.
Earlier in the year, the fortress at Dong Khe had been attacked and overrun by Viet Minh forces annihilating the 300-man garrison and cutting off Cao Bang’s supply line. Fortunately for the French, a battalion of paratroopers was able to quickly retake the Dong Khe fortress and resupply Cao Bang before it fell. But the writing was on the wall – Cao Bang was too vulnerable to defend against a sustained Viet Minh attack. While the French inflicted more casualties on the Viet Minh in most of the battles they fought, the Viet Minh could replace their losses with new recruits. The French, on the other hand, were running low on replacements. The more the French fought, the weaker they became. More and more, the French forces turned to defense rather than offense. They hedged their losses as much as possible, but it wasn’t enough. They simply did not have enough troops to control all of Vietnam, especially in the north.
In September, Dong Khe was again attacked by an overwhelming force of Viet Minh – five infantry battalions and one heavy weapons battalion. The fortress fell in less than a day. Only twelve of the 300 soldiers in the garrison survived. Cao Bang was again cut off. The French believed that Giap would attack with the full weight of his army as soon as his troops and artillery could be repositioned. The French Air Force could pin down the Viet Minh for a short time, but even the aerial bombing and strafing could not hold back the red tide indefinitely. The Viet Minh were coming, and the French knew it.
The orders to abandon the garrison came in late September. “So, that’s it. They’re pulling the plug,” said Charton handing the message to his Executive Officer, Major Pelletier. “We need to move out before the 30th. We are to rendezvous with Colonel Page’s relief column from Lang Son.”
“We’re not taking RC3?” said Pelletier surprised.
“RC3 is not capable of supporting heavy equipment.”
“I don’t understand the problem. The orders say we are to destroy our artillery and vehicles and to proceed on foot.”
“Damn the orders. Napoleon did not give up his cannon. I shall not give up mine. The men will travel by truck with the artillery in tow. It will be faster than going on foot. We will take as many of the Thai partisans as wish to go with us.”
“And their families? They will slow us down.”
“Nobody is to be left behind.”
“Of course. So if we are to travel on RC4, what will we do when we come to Dong Khe? The Viet Minh have overrun it.”
“We’ll retake it and wait for the relief column. Once they arrive, we’ll head back to That Khe and then Lang Son. We’ll be over eight thousand strong at that point. I doubt even Giap will want to mess with us. And if he does, we’ll be happy we brought our artillery with us.”
The column of vehicles and pedestrians stretched more than two miles. It took almost three hours to leave the protected walls of the Cao Bang garrison. The French left the fortress at Dong Khe and its stores ablaze, leaving nothing of value for the Viet Minh. Unfortunately, the smoke rising from the fort revealed the French retreat to the Viet Minh watching from the surrounding mountains. The Viet Minh stayed hidden in the forest as they paralleled the column on both sides of the road.
Although the rainy season was over, the roads between the two fortresses had not yet been repaired. The trucks struggled with the heavy loads, and many got stuck in the mud. They were quickly abandoned, and the artillery gun barrels were destroyed with high explosives, making them useless. Charton had given strict orders that the column must keep moving. Stragglers were to be left behind once the trek began. The French and the civilians knew that the Viet Minh were near and watching. Unprotected, stragglers would not last the hour once the tail of the column disappeared in the distance.
Page’s relief column from Lang Son held 3,000 Moroccan and Tabor colonial troops, plus 500 paratroopers from the Foreign Legion’s 1st Parachute battalion. Before starting, Page sent out intelligence units to capture prisoners in hopes of discovering what they might face. The news was shocking and consistent. Giap had a massive force assembled and planned to attack before the relief column could reach the protection of That Khe fortress. They were advancing into a trap, but they had little choice. They were the cavalry expected to save Charton’s garrison. It would be rude to be late. Instead, Page requested air support to pave the way between the fortresses. He also used the 155mm guns at Lang Son to lay down an artillery barrage in the forest that paralleled the road. The trees made aerial recon photos almost useless. They had no idea what kind of damage, if any, they had inflicted on Giap’s forces. But they couldn’t wait any longer. Using the early morning mist as cover, the relief column set out for That Khe.
The aerial and artillery barrages had done the trick, or at least, so it seemed. The relief column made it to That Khe just before sundown and entered the protection of its walls for the evening.
In the meantime, Charton’s column had suffered multiple assaults from Viet Minh ambushes along the road. The French forces fought to protect their artillery, while the Thai partisans fought to protect their families. The assaults were short in duration but heavy in effect. Machineguns firing from the tree line raked the column, killing and wounding dozens. With the injured needing medical attention, the column slowed to a crawl. Charton was seeing his command destroyed piecemeal as the Viet Minh continued to spring their ambushes and harassing assaults that nipped at the rear guard.
Unable to retreat to Cao Bang and still too far to reach Dong Khe, Charton’s column was forced to spend the night on the road. They slept little as the Viet Minh used the darkness to carry out a series of assaults. Tracer rounds streaked across the open road, and Viet Minh mortar shells exploded, lighting up the sky. French aircraft flying over the battlefield dropped parachute flares all night long. Unfortunately, they had a negative effect as they lit up the French positions, creating targets from their silhouettes. Charton finally called off the aircraft, believing that his unprotected soldiers were better off shielded by the darkness like the Viet Minh. It was a hellish night for the French and Thai partisans on Colonial Route 4.
Around midnight, just as everyone inside the garrison at That Khe was dozing off, the Viet Minh opened fire on the garrison with their heavy mortars hidden in the trees. The French in the fortress could not determine the location of the enemy mortars. There was little the garrison could do except take the punishment. Shells rained down all night. Casualties were unusually heavy because of the cramped conditions inside the walls. It seemed that wherever a shell exploded, it found a body to pepper with shrapnel.
When morning broke, the devastation on Charton’s forces was revealed. Hundreds of French troops had died in the night. Many of the Thai partisans and their families had abandoned the road and made their way into the surrounding forest. The Viet Minh were waiting for them. Young and old were massacred, and their bodies were displayed to remind the survivors still in the column that there was no way out. Morale plummeted.
Charton had had enough. He gave the order to destroy his precious artillery and burn the trucks. The column would leave the road and go west into the hills on foot. He figured it couldn’t be any worse than traveling on the road, and it would put distance between his forces and the Viet Minh. They would move in the same direction toward Dong Khe. Hopefully, Page’s relief column could retake the fortress, and Charton’s column could emerge from the hills and join them. They would have time to tend to their wounded and rest before starting toward That Khe and eventually, Lang Son.
Giap ordered his troops to hold their assaults on Charton’s forces. “Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake,” he told his commanders. The Viet Minh watched from the eastern tree line as Charton’s column left the road and disappeared over the first hillside to the west. The Viet Minh knew where they were headed, and they would be waiting. The Viet Minh troops had learned to travel light and move quickly, even in the densest forests and jungles. Catching up with the French column would be less than challenging. What Giap wanted now was for the two French columns to combine so that he could concentrate his forces. With luck, the French would oblige.
By morning, the soldiers in Page’s relief column were exhausted from a sleepless night in the That Khe garrison. Once again, they set out early in hopes of reaching the garrison at Dong Khe by the afternoon. With luck, Charton’s column would arrive before nightfall, and they would be able to attack the fortress from two sides.
Less than a mile out of That Khe, Page’s relief column was assaulted by wave after wave of Viet Minh troops emerging from the forest on both sides of the road. Air and artillery strikes were immediately called in. The Viet Minh had learned through experience, that the only way to defeat the French aircraft and artillery was to grab the enemy by the belt. If the Viet Minh fought close, the French troops couldn’t use their aircraft and artillery for fear of being hit by friendly fire. It leveled the playing field. Page’s column took heavy losses and was forced to fall back toward That Khe. But unlike previous battles, the Viet Minh did not disengage. Instead, they pushed harder and stayed entangled with their enemy. While the artillery and aircraft could attack any enemy forces that had not yet closed the gap with the French troops, they could not drive a wedge between the two combatants once entangled. Page’s soldiers continued to take heavy losses until they had reached the That Khe fortress. The riflemen inside were able to fire from the walls and pick off the Viet Minh. Now it was the Viet Minh’s turn to take heavy casualties. They broke off and retreated toward the safety of the tree line. French aircraft strafed and bombed the fleeing enemy, increasing the body count until the Viet Minh disappeared under the forest canopy.
Once safely inside the fortress at That Khe, Page and his officers quickly revamped their strategy. The Viet Minh had overwhelming numbers and seemed much more willing to fight the French forces. Even if they could reach the fortress at Dong Khe, retaking it would be nearly impossible. Page also received a radio call from Charton advising Page that Charton’s column had abandoned their vehicles and were now on foot west of the road. Page decided to link up with Charton’s column in the hills west of the fortress, then escort them back to That Khe, where they would spend the night under even more crowded conditions.
In the early afternoon, there was a lull in the fighting. Page decided to use the opportunity to leave the fortress and head west into the foothills. His force had been whittled down to less than 2,500 troops still capable of fighting. Unrestrained by the need to stay on the road, his men spread-out in three-wide sweeping lines. It was safer and ensured that their force could not be overrun by the Viet Minh. If they came into contact with the enemy, Page’s troops could quickly consolidate their forces, and the lines could support one another. Surprisingly, the Viet Minh assaults were few and far between. More like reconnaissance skirmishes meant to collect information, not to hurt their enemy in any meaningful way. Page did not understand why Giap had broken off his attack, but he was grateful he had.
