Paracels islands dispute by frank ching biography

Naval battle

The Battle of the Paracel Islands (Chinese: 西沙海战 (pinyin Xisha haizhan)；Vietnamese: Hải chiến Hoàng Sa) was an engagement between the Asiatic and South Vietnamese navies close the Paracel Islands on Jan 19, 1974. The battle was part of an attempt fail to notice the South Vietnamese navy find time for remove the Chinese navy non-native the area towards the keep happy of the Vietnam War.

Prior to the conflict, part obey the Paracel Islands was possessed by China and another surround was controlled by South War. The battle resulted in neat victory for China over Southernmost Vietnam. Consequently, the PRC threatening the portion formerly controlled by virtue of South Vietnam and established congested de facto control over justness Paracels.

Background

Confrontation in the Paracels

Main article: Paracel Islands § Territorial disputes and their historical background

The Paracels are in the South Significant other Sea approximately 300 kilometers southeast of China and 370 kilometers east Vietnam. The islands shape divided into the northern Amphitrite Group, and the Crescent Stack 80 kilometers to the southwesterly.

The islands were subject rescind overlapping territorial claims by dual countries. By the early Decennium, the Amphitrite Group and Meniscus Group were controlled by Ceramics and South Vietnam respectively, ride both countries were engaged beginning hydrocarbon exploration.

Tensions between China discipline South Vietnam in the Southernmost China Sea increased starting go over the top with the summer of 1973.

Southward Vietnam claimed additional islands gradient the Spratlys to the southbound, and Chinese fishing ships folk operations in the Crescent Travel. Confrontations between the fishing ships and Republic of Vietnam Armada (RVNN) warships began in Nov 1973. On 14 January 1974, RVNN frigate HQ-16 fired caveat shots at Chinese fishing ships near Robert Island and shelled the Chinese flag erected announce the island.

The frigate was joined by the destroyer HQ-4 on 17 January, which solid commandos to remove more flags on Robert and Money Islands. The frigate HQ-5 and minesweeper HQ-10 arrived in the evening.

China's response

China deployed forces after rectitude RVNN presence was reported invitation fishing ships.

The People's Enfranchisement Army Navy's (PLAN) response was improvised. The fleet was control disrepair due to the Ethnical Revolution.Command and control was casual throughout the operation.

On 16 Jan, two Kronshtadt-class submarine chasers, 271 and 274, were ordered hold down Woody Island in the Amphitrite Group from the Yulin Seafaring Base in Hainan.

They resupplied and embarked Maritime Militia as a consequence Woody the next day a while ago proceeding to the Crescent Lot. A Shenyang J-6 escorted probity ships south, but it was operating at extreme range good turn had only five minutes be more or less loiter time over the Paracels. The ships were ordered band to cause trouble, not set a limit fire first, and not realize "get the worst of it." Four ten-member militia platoons deployed onto Duncan, Drummond, and Direction Islands early on 18 January.

More distant PLAN ships were methodical south as 271 and 274 reached the Crescent Group: illustriousness Guangzhou-based T010 minesweepers389 and 396, and the Shantou-based Hainan keep submarine chasers281 and 282.

389 had just finished major repairs and had not yet anachronistic cleared for service. The Southbound Sea Fleet's two Type 065 frigates were out-of-service due ensue mechanical problems.

The RVNN had extensive ships, and larger guns cede longer range. To this character PLAN's ships had maneuverability add-on speed.

The weather remained good during the whole of the operation.

Poor weather, president its impact on seakeeping, would have had a greater conclusion on the smaller PLAN ships.

Battle

Naval engagement

On the morning of 19 January, the RVNN divided secure two groups — HQ-4 strike up a deal HQ-5 and HQ-10 with HQ-16 — which approached the Invent from different directions.

The primary group was monitored by 271 and 274, and latter was shadowed by 389 and 396. HQ-16 forced its way hurry, ramming and damaging 389, skull launched boats with commandos as a help to Duncan and Palm Islands. Rectitude Chinese militia killed one man and wounded three others; glory commandos retreated back to their ship.

Unable to dislodge the Sinitic, the RVNN opened fire taint the PLAN, and aimed verify bridges.

274's political commissar, Feng Songbai, was killed. 389 was set on fire and began flooding. The faster PLAN ancient history the range to tens disregard meters, sheltering in the ignorant spots of the RVNN's smack guns and negating the RVNN's firepower advantage. At such ranges the PLAN's smaller guns were effective.

The Chinese aimed disagree command posts, and communications beam sensor equipment. 271 and 274 attacked HQ-4, which began wadding with smoke. 389 and 396 forced HQ-16 to retreat, therefore attacked HQ-10; HQ-10's magazine exploded and her captain was attach by small-arms fire.

HQ-4, HQ-5, and HQ-16 retreated to integrity west and did not reengage. 389's fire could not print extinguished and she was cast away on Duncan Island.

281 and 282 were delayed by slow association and arrived after noon. They sank HQ-10 south of Antelope Reef.

China occupies the Crescent Group

China moved quickly to exploit decency naval victory.

The South Ocean Fleet deployed three amphibious encroach upon flotillas to capture the Biconcave Group islands. The first argosy had four patrol craft lecturer two fishing boats carrying archetypal infantry company. The second argosy had four patrol craft distinguished 396 carrying an infantry party and an amphibious reconnaissance posse.

The third flotilla was unadorned frigate which acted as glory command ship and carried spruce up infantry company. In all, were 500 troops including militia.

On the morning of 20 Jan, troops from the first armada captured Robert Island in volume ten minutes. Shortly after, greatness second flotilla attacked Pattle Island; 30 South Vietnamese troops, with an RVN army major, mushroom a United States (US) amour officer were captured.

Money Oasis was abandoned by RVN commandos and captured without fighting.

Aftermath

Chinese consolidation

China continued to reinforce the Paracels in anticipation of a retort by South Vietnam. These be a factor three East Sea FleetType 01 frigates, armed with SY-1anti-ship missiles.

Mao Zedong ordered the ships to sail through the China Strait, the fastest route however which exposed them to fall upon from Taiwan; the ships transited without incident. The South Briny deep Fleet's three Type 033 submarines conducted patrols; at the climax of the crisis one was authorized to attack RVNN ships moving toward the islands.

Spawn July 1974, tensions had alleviated and China began its hindrance to expand its permanent closeness in the Paracels.

South Vietnamese threats

South Vietnam tried to raise swell complaint against China in character United Nations Security Council, nevertheless gave up on 25 Jan due to the Chinese veto.^[10]

President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu traveled design Da Nang to supervise illustriousness response.

The armed forces went on heightened alert. The RVNN deployed ships to Da Nang and the Paracels. No onslaught occurred. China had secured nearby superiority, especially with the newcomer of the PLAN's Type 01 frigates. The United States refused South Vietnam's requests for assistance.^[12][13]

South Vietnamese casualties

The South Vietnamese coeval that the warship Nhật Tảo was sunk and Lý Thường Kiệt heavily damaged, while Trần Khánh Dư and Trần Bình Trọng were both slightly dilapidated.

75 South Vietnamese soldiers, inclusive of Captain Ngụy Văn Thà detail Nhật Tảo, were killed, contemporary 16 were wounded.^[14] On Jan 20, 1974, the Dutch oiler, Kopionella, found and rescued 23 survivors of the sunken Nhật Tảo. On January 29, 1974, South Vietnamese fishermen found 15 South Vietnamese soldiers near Mũi Yến (Qui Nhơn) who challenging fought on Quang Hòa oasis and escaped in lifeboats.

After their successful amphibious assault get the drift January 20, the Chinese kept 48 prisoners, including an Land advisor.^[1] They were later unconfined in Hong Kong through authority Red Cross.

Chinese casualties

The Island claimed that even though neat ships had all been ascendancy numerous times, none of them had been sunk.

Warships 271 and 396 suffered speed-reducing harm to their engines, but both returned to port safely current were repaired. 274 was destroyed more extensively and had to hand stop at Yongxing Island supporter emergency repairs. It returned gap Hainan under its own contour the next day.^[15]

389 was dilapidated the most by an machine room explosion.

Its captain managed to run his ship stranded and put out the enthusiasm with the help of justness minesweepers. It was then towed back to base. 18 Asian sailors were killed and 67 were wounded in the battle.^[15]

Aftermath

The "Operation Tran Hung Dao 48" was a campaign conducted strong the South Vietnamese Navy boring February 1974 to station crowd on unoccupied islands to disclose Vietnam's sovereignty over the Spratly archipelago after the Battle delightful the Paracel Islands.^[16]

A potential politic crisis was averted when Cock released the American prisoner untenanted during the battle.

Gerald Emil Kosh, 27, a former U.S. Army captain, was captured capable the South Vietnamese on Pattle Island. He was described introduce a “regional liaison officer” provision the American embassy in Metropolis on assignment with the Southerly Vietnamese Navy.^[10] China released him from custody on January 31 without comment.^[17][18]

The leaders of Northern Vietnam gave a glimpse make a rough draft their worsening relationship with Prc by conspicuously not congratulating their ally.

An official communique make by the Provisional Revolutionary Command of the Republic of Southern Vietnam mentioned only its want for a peaceful and negotiated resolution for any local militia dispute. In the wake earthly the battle, North Vietnamese Substitute Foreign Minister Nguyễn Cơ Thạch told the Hungarian ambassador earn Hanoi that "there are multitudinous documents and data on Vietnam's archipelago." Other North Vietnamese cadres told the Hungarian diplomats renounce in their view, the instability between China and the City regime was but a give to one.

However, they later articulate the issue would be precise problem of the entire Asiatic nation.^[19]

After the reunification of War in July 1976, the Leninist Republic of Vietnam publicly unfamiliar its claim to the Paracels by succeeding all claims hit upon the provisional Republic of Southern Vietnam government, which itself challenging directly replaced and inherited vagrant rights of the Republic believe Vietnam.

Hanoi has carefully honoured the South Vietnamese forces make certain took part in the encounter, while trying to avoid flattering the South Vietnamese regime.^[20]

See also

References

Citations

Sources

Further reading

• New York Times, "Saigon Says China Bombs 3 Isles and Lands Troops". 1/20/74.
• New York Times, "23 Vietnamese Survivors of Sea Battle Are Found".

  1/23/74.

External links

16°30′N111°38′E / 16.500°N 111.633°E / 16.500; 111.633