50 years of national reunification - March 24, 1975: The Central Highlands was basically liberated

Liberation Army entered and captured Hoa Binh airport in Buon Ma Thuot town (1975). (Photo: VNA)

Early in the morning of March 24, 1975, the attack to liberate Tam Ky town began.

The fierce attack and the coordinated work of our infantry, artillery, tanks and armored vehicles quickly crushed the enemy's resistance. The enemy troops in Tam Ky were in complete chaos.

The commander of the 22nd Division, the 4th and 5th Regiments, and the 12th Special Forces Group of the puppet army abandoned their headquarters and fled.

By 10 o'clock the same day, our Ba Gia Regiment controlled the town.

At 11 o'clock, Regiment 31 captured the sub-region. Tam Ky town was completely liberated.

In the East of Tam Ky, battalions 70 and 72 together with district forces captured the communes of Ky Trung and Ky Phu.

Local people rose up to liberate coastal communes. In the North, the 38th Regiment cut Highway 1 at Chieu Dan.

Enemy war vehicles in Duc Lap fortified military sub-region fell into the hands of the liberation army during the Central Highlands Liberation Campaign. (Photo: VNA archive)

South of Ngãi, at 5:30 a.m. on March 24, the 2nd Infantry Division (Military Region 5) attacked the enemy at the Tam Ky blocking line.

In Quang Ngai, at 7:00 a.m. on March 24, Artillery Regiment 576 opened fire on the town. Two battalions of Brigade 52, battalions 403 and 406 of Military Region 5's special forces, local battalion 7 and town forces, supported by tanks and armored vehicles of Regiment 574, simultaneously attacked and captured Xiec hamlet, the airport, Ong Bo station, and Ba La crossroads.

Regiment 94 and local troops captured Nui Vo, destroyed O Song bridge, and cut off Highway 1 from Son Tinh to Binh Son.

On the evening of March 24, our army stormed into the town. At 11:30 p.m. on March 24, Quang Ngai town was liberated.

In Phu Yen, on March 24, Regiment 64 coordinated with two local army battalions of the province to attack and liberate Cung Son district, killing and capturing 6,000 enemies, and seizing and destroying 40 tanks. The enemy's plot to suddenly retreat was foiled.

In the Central Highlands, by March 24, Regiment 19 (Division 968) liberated Thanh Binh district; Regiment 271 liberated Kien Duc and Gia Nghia town; Regiment 12 (Division 3, Military Region 5) and a battalion of Regiment 95A liberated An Khe district; Division 10 and Regiment 25 destroyed and disintegrated Regiment 40 (Puppet Division 22) and 4 security battalions, liberating the military sub-region and Khanh Duong district.

At 11:00 a.m. on March 24, Regiment 64 discovered that the enemy in Cung Son was retreating. Together with Battalion 96, they boldly sent a company to block the enemy and simultaneously organized two attacks on the enemy. The enemy was confused and quickly destroyed, only a few were able to escape to Tuy Hoa.

On the night of March 24, in the Central Highlands, we successfully completed the pursuit of the retreating enemy on Highway 7, crushing the enemy's strategic intention to retreat to the plains.

At this point, the Central Highlands campaign was basically victorious, creating a strategic turning point for the General Offensive and Uprising, accelerating the process of disintegration and collapse of the enemy.

On Highway 20, Division 7 continued to advance to Lam Dong.

Liberation Army in the Central Highlands campaign. (Photo: VNA)

On March 24, in Quang Tri, local army units attacked and captured Huong Dien district capital, crossing the My Chanh River.

At 2:00 p.m. on March 24, Battalion 20 and local forces liberated Nghia Hanh district. At 5:00 p.m., Tu Nghia district was cleared of enemy troops.

On the Hue front, on the western flank, the 4th Infantry Regiment, Tri Thien Military Region and the 8th Quang Tri Battalion defeated the 5th Battalion of the 147th Marine Brigade south of the Bo River.

The enemy sent out the 4th Special Forces Battalion and a M113 tank battalion to counterattack fiercely. The battle here was fierce and tense.

At 5:00 p.m. on March 24, the enemy was forced to collapse An Lo Bridge before retreating. Regiment 4 switched to pursuing the enemy.

On March 24, Battalion 14, 812 Quang Tri crossed the O Lau River to attack the enemy in Phong Hoa, Phong Binh, pursuing the enemy when they left My Chanh to advance to Sia.

The 14th Battalion continued to attack Mang Ca Nho, located northeast of Hue city.

On the western front of Hue, the 6th Regiment and the 271st Infantry Regiment of the Tri Thien Military Region were ordered to march quickly straight to Hue, passed through the enemy's defense line, captured the two villages of Dinh Mon and Kim Ngoc, and prepared to cross the Huong River.

On the night of March 24, the enemy in Hue city fled. On the same day, the General Staff ordered the 1st Corps, which was stopping in South Quang Binh-Bac Tri Thien, to mobilize its forces to the south to prepare to participate in the battle as requested by the Ministry./.

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/50-nam-thong-nhat-dat-nuoc-ngay-2431975-tay-nguyen-co-ban-duoc-giai-phong-post1022265.vnp