50 years of national reunification: April 2, 1975: Liberation of Nha Trang city

Liberation Army tanks enter Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa), April 2, 1975. Photo: VNA archive

In Khanh Hoa, faced with the strong offensive spirit of our army and people, civil servants and police in Nha Trang city fled. On the morning of April 2, Division 10 (Army Corps 3) approached the north of Nha Trang city. At 3:00 p.m., the division formation with tanks leading the way entered to liberate the city. The city's people enthusiastically welcomed the Liberation Army. Along with the airport and Nha Trang city, the rural areas of Vinh Xuong, Dien Khanh districts and Dien Khanh citadel were also liberated.

In Da Lat, the enemy troops stationed there had withdrawn, but the 812th Regiment (Military Region 6) developed slowly, only reaching Duc Trong on the morning of April 2. Students and revolutionary masses spontaneously occupied some areas in the center of Da Lat and organized guards to protect some important facilities in the town such as the Department of Geography, the Atomic Institute, the power plant, etc.

At Chon Thanh - Route 13, the enemy troops fleeing from this military sub-region were all stopped by us. The Liberation Army units completed their assigned tasks. The local armed forces and the people coordinated with the main force to surround and capture the fleeing enemy. We liberated the Chon Thanh military sub-region, capturing and destroying many enemy vehicles and weapons.

On the same day, Military Region 7 and Army Corps 4 at Vinh An base received orders from the Regional Command to deploy forces in two directions: east and southwest of Saigon. In the east, Army Corps 4 was assigned the task of attacking and liberating Long Thanh.

In Can Tho, on April 2, the 2nd Regiment, 4th Division (Military Region 9) heavily damaged a battalion of the 33rd Regiment, 21st Division of the puppet army. On the same day, the enemy sent two more battalions as reinforcements, but then lost morale and retreated to Thoi Lai. The 2nd Regiment pursued, burned two M113 vehicles, and sank two warships on the O Mon - Thoi Lai River. On the night of April 2, the 10th Regiment and the Tay Do Battalion of Can Tho province attacked and destroyed two enemy companies and surrounded the Mot Ngan sub-region.

At Long Chau Ha, on April 2, the 101st Regiment attacked the command post of the 31st Regiment, 21st Division of the puppet army, causing heavy damage to the enemy. After that, the unit destroyed the remaining sub-region and two posts. We controlled a section of the Ha Tien - Rach Gia inter-provincial road.

Also in the Southwest, in early April 1975, Group 232 was supplemented with forces equivalent to the corps level, including divisions 3, 5, 9, region 8 and reinforced with a number of tank, artillery, and engineer units, preparing to cross the Vam Co Dong River to enter Saigon from the west and southwest.

The Politburo and the Central Military Commission assessed: We have destroyed and disintegrated more than 35% of the enemy's strength, for the first time removed from combat two enemy corps, destroyed and captured more than 40% of their weapons and technology. Our goal is to surround and pressure Saigon, mainly in Tay Ninh, destroy Route 4, quickly concentrate forces in the East, and wait for a favorable opportunity to attack important targets in Saigon.

Thu Hanh (Vietnam News Agency)

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/nhan-vat-su-kien/50-nam-thong-nhat-dat-nuoc-ngay-241975-giai-phong-thanh-pho-nha-trang-20250402065525575.htm