During the years 1973-1974, the resistance war against the US to save the country by our army and people in the South was taking place vigorously. In January 1973, the Paris Agreement was signed. Despite the heavy defeat, the US imperialists and their lackeys stubbornly pursued their plot to impose neo-colonialism on the entire South of our country. They blatantly trampled on most of the main provisions of the Agreement, continued to conduct a large-scale neo-colonial war with plans to "flood the territory" and "pacification" operations to encroach on liberated areas, piling up countless crimes against our compatriots.
Correctly assessing the enemy's plot, our Party determined that, regardless of the situation, the path to victory for the Southern revolution must be the path of violence, resolutely using revolutionary war to defeat the new colonial war of the US - puppet.
Troops captured the Administrative Building at 9:30 a.m., April 16, 1975. Photo: Archive
After two years 1973-1974 and especially since the victory of liberating Phuoc Long (January 6, 1975), the situation of the Southern battlefield had fundamentally changed, in our favor. The Central Party Politburo Conference in October 1974 and early 1975 promptly assessed the comparative strength between us and the enemy, clearly pointing out the emergence of a historical opportunity: "The whole year 1975 is an opportunity... if the opportunity comes at the beginning or end of the year, then immediately liberate Southern Vietnam in 1975" and decided to launch a general offensive and uprising to liberate the South, culminating in the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign - spring 1975.
After consecutive defeats on the Central Highlands battlefield and the provinces along the Central Coast, the Saigon puppet government was extremely confused, ordered the troops to retreat, established a Forward Command, built a "Remote Defense Line" to protect Saigon, took Du Long - 30km north of Phan Rang town as the main blocking point; determined to defend to the death in the two provinces of Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan. Here, the enemy increased the concentration of forces, including: Air Division No. 6 with 2 infantry regiments and battalions, 1 commando regiment, 2 tank battalions, 1 fleet offshore ready to support. With the "Remote Defense Line", they hoped to strengthen the soldiers' morale after a series of disastrous defeats on the battlefields, prevent our army's rapid offensive; remotely protect the puppet government's headquarters in Saigon from the risk of complete collapse.
Faced with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, on March 31, 1975, the Politburo met and decided: “The revolutionary war in the South has entered a period of leapfrogging development, the strategic opportunity to launch a general offensive and uprising in the enemy’s lair has ripened. From this moment, the final strategic decisive battle of our army and people begins”. The Politburo determined: “With the guiding ideology of speed, boldness, surprise, and sure victory, with great determination to launch a general offensive and uprising as soon as possible, preferably in April 1975, without delay”. Implementing the policy of the Politburo, the Regional Party Committee and Military Region 6 directed the Ninh Thuan Provincial Party Committee: “The opportunity has come, the Ninh Thuan Provincial Party Committee must mobilize all forces in the plains and bases, immediately advance to the front to attack the enemy, support the masses to rise up and destroy hamlets, destroy shackles, and liberate the homeland”.
After Khanh Hoa and Lam Dong provinces were liberated, from April 1 to 3, 1975, the remaining troops in Da Lat fled along Highway 11 to Phan Rang. Seizing the opportunity, our army launched attacks on the enemy, capturing hamlets in Song My; then successively captured hamlets along Highway 11 from Krong Pha to Deo Cau, liberating Krong Pha district. Although the enemy used many aircraft combined with tanks, artillery, and infantry to fiercely attack the base area and the newly liberated area, the army and people of Ninh Thuan still steadfastly held out, breaking all enemy counterattacks. Under the direction of Military Region 6, the Ninh Thuan Provincial Party Committee directed the withdrawal of local troops from Bac Ai and Anh Dung districts along with a number of other units of the province to supplement Battalion 610, tasked with holding Cau Pass, blocking the enemy from Thanh Son airport from counterattacking, protecting Krong Pha district and being ready to coordinate with the main force to liberate Phan Rang.
April 16th Street (Phan Rang - Thap Cham City). Photo: Van Ny
On the afternoon of April 7, 1975, at Thap Cham, while the enemy was in a state of confusion and chaos, our forces spread out to control the spies, villains and militia. At 7:00 p.m. the same day, the town's armed forces and secret guerrillas attacked Nguyen Hoang Camp, Thap Cham station, Mong Bridge, Thap Cham intersection and Buu Son district. The enemy at Thanh Son airport launched a fierce counterattack. Company 311, with the help of militia, guerrillas and people of Xom Dua, fought bravely for two days and nights in the enemy's heartland, repelling 16 counterattacks. To destroy the enemy's remote defense line, Senior Lieutenant General Le Trong Tan, Commander of the Coastal Wing, decided to use the 3rd Division of Military Region 5, the 25th Regiment of the Central Highlands and Military Region 6, reinforced by 2 special forces and engineers companies, along with the forces of Ninh Thuan to prepare to attack the "Remote Defense Line". Ninh Thuan Provincial Party Committee made the highest determination, led local troops, militia and guerrillas, and people in the province to coordinate with the main forces of the Central Government and the Military Region to rise up and attack and revolt to overthrow the US-puppet regime, liberating the province.
On the morning of April 14, 1975, our artillery began to fire at enemy strongholds in Ba Rau, Suoi Da, Kien Kien, Ba Thap, Nui Dat and Thanh Son airport. At 7:00 a.m. on April 14, 1975, our 3rd Infantry Division attacked and occupied Du Long district and the positions of Ba Rau, Suoi Vang, Suoi Da, destroying a part of the enemy's forces there; at the same time, breaking many of their counterattacks in order to maintain the "Remote Defense Line". On the morning of April 16, 1975, the attack order was issued, our forces were divided into 3 main prongs: The first prong with tanks leading the way advanced along National Highway 1, after capturing Phan Rang, they would advance to Thanh Son airport from the South; the second prong from the Northwest attacked straight into Thanh Son airport; the third prong captured Ninh Chu port, not allowing the enemy to escape to the sea. Coordinating with the main force, the 311 force in Ca Du mountain launched an attack, attacking the flank of the fleeing enemy. In the Northwest direction, 2 special forces and engineering companies of Military Region 6 coordinated with local forces to attack straight down to Phuoc Thien, Ninh Quy, crossing the Iron Bridge into the Bao An - Thap Cham area. At 9:30 a.m. on April 16, 1975, the Liberation Front flag flew on top of the Administrative Building - the headquarters of the puppet government in Ninh Thuan, marking the complete liberation of Ninh Thuan province. The distant defense line protecting Saigon was destroyed, creating a path for our army to enter and liberate Saigon, ending the historic Ho Chi Minh campaign.
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