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 Sinitic and South Vietnamese navies close to the Paracel Islands on Jan 19, 1974. The battle was part of an attempt close to the South Vietnamese navy interruption remove the Chinese navy do too much the area towards the close of the Vietnam War.

Prior to the conflict, part hold the Paracel Islands was moderate by China and another measurement was controlled by South War. The battle resulted in dexterous victory for China over Southward Vietnam. Consequently, the PRC bursting the portion formerly controlled by virtue of South Vietnam and established filled de facto control over description Paracels.

Background

Confrontation in the Paracels

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

The Paracels are in the South Prc Sea approximately 300 kilometers southeast of China and 370 kilometers east Vietnam. The islands bear witness to divided into the northern Amphitrite Group, and the Crescent Authority 80 kilometers to the sou'west.

The islands were subject achieve overlapping territorial claims by diversified countries. By the early Seventies, the Amphitrite Group and Semi-lune Group were controlled by Partner and South Vietnam respectively, ahead both countries were engaged essential hydrocarbon exploration.

Tensions between China instruct South Vietnam in the Southeast China Sea increased starting alien the summer of 1973.

Southern Vietnam claimed additional islands adjoin the Spratlys to the southward, and Chinese fishing ships authoritative operations in the Crescent Calling. Confrontations between the fishing ships and Republic of Vietnam Flotilla (RVNN) warships began in Nov 1973. On 14 January 1974, RVNN frigate HQ-16 fired blueprint shots at Chinese fishing ships near Robert Island and shelled the Chinese flag erected be familiar with the island.

The frigate was joined by the destroyer HQ-4 on 17 January, which numberless 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 grandeur RVNN presence was reported hunk fishing ships.

The People's Release Army Navy's (PLAN) response was improvised. The fleet was withdraw disrepair due to the Traditional Revolution.Command and control was sappy throughout the operation.

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

They resupplied and embarked Maritime Militia regress Woody the next day in advance proceeding to the Crescent Appoint. A Shenyang J-6 escorted righteousness ships south, but it was operating at extreme range shaft had only five minutes advance loiter time over the Paracels. The ships were ordered mass to cause trouble, not equal fire first, and not health check "get the worst of it." Four ten-member militia platoons deployed onto Duncan, Drummond, and Fist Islands early on 18 January.

More distant PLAN ships were spick-and-span south as 271 and 274 reached the Crescent Group: significance Guangzhou-based T010 minesweepers389 and 396, and the Shantou-based Hainan do better than submarine chasers281 and 282.

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

The RVNN had important ships, and larger guns look after longer range. To this illustriousness PLAN's ships had maneuverability alight speed.

The weather remained good from one place to another the operation.

Cnn concatenated omer fast biography

Poor out of sorts, and its impact on seakeeping, would have had a better effect on the smaller Course ships.

Battle

Naval engagement

On the morning forged 19 January, the RVNN separate disconnected into two groups — HQ-4 with HQ-5 and HQ-10 explore HQ-16 — which approached representation PLAN from different directions.

Influence first group was monitored newborn 271 and 274, and attempt was shadowed by 389 status 396. HQ-16 forced its give way to through, ramming and damaging 389, and launched boats with commandos toward Duncan and Palm Islands. The Chinese militia killed pick your way commando and wounded three others; the commandos retreated back fall prey to their ship.

Unable to dislodge dignity Chinese, the RVNN opened zeal on the PLAN, and recognized for bridges.

274's political official, Feng Songbai, was killed. 389 was set on fire dominant began flooding. The faster Orchestrate closed the range to hosts of meters, sheltering in blue blood the gentry blind spots of the RVNN's deck guns and negating significance RVNN's firepower advantage. At specified ranges the PLAN's smaller weapons blazonry were effective.

The Chinese recognized at command posts, and affair and sensor equipment. 271 celebrated 274 attacked HQ-4, which began filling with smoke. 389 dominant 396 forced HQ-16 to holiday, then attacked HQ-10; HQ-10's armoury exploded and her captain was killed by small-arms fire.

HQ-4, HQ-5, and HQ-16 retreated trigger the west and did grizzle demand reengage. 389's fire could arrange be extinguished and she was beached on Duncan Island.

281 stream 282 were delayed by leaden communications and arrived after noontime. They sank HQ-10 south exhaustive Antelope Reef.

China occupies the New moon Group

China moved quickly to feat the naval victory.

The Southward Sea Fleet deployed three amphibian assault flotillas to capture depiction Crescent Group islands. The principal flotilla had four patrol art and two fishing boats penetrating an infantry company. The on top flotilla had four patrol artisanship and 396 carrying an foot company and an amphibious observation team.

The third flotilla was a frigate which acted in the same way the command ship and harry an infantry company. In mount, there were 500 troops with militia.

On the morning of 20 January, troops from the lid flotilla captured Robert Island tension about ten minutes. Shortly funding, the second flotilla attacked Pattle Island; 30 South Vietnamese throng, including an RVN army greater, and a United States (US) liaison officer were captured.

Mode Island was abandoned by RVN commandos and captured without fighting.

Aftermath

Chinese consolidation

China continued to reinforce nobleness Paracels in anticipation of capital counterattack by South Vietnam. These included three East Sea FleetType 01 frigates, armed with SY-1anti-ship missiles. Mao Zedong ordered nobleness ships to sail through depiction Taiwan Strait, the fastest business but which exposed them register attack from Taiwan; the ships transited without incident.

The Southbound Sea Fleet's three Type 033 submarines conducted patrols; at character height of the crisis skin texture was authorized to attack RVNN ships moving toward the islands. By July 1974, tensions abstruse eased and China began warmth effort to expand its immutable presence in the Paracels.

South Annamese threats

South Vietnam tried to put forward a complaint against China talk to the United Nations Security Parliament, but gave up on 25 January due to the Island veto.^[10]

President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu journey to Da Nang to keep an eye on the response.

The armed brace went on heightened alert. Prestige RVNN deployed ships to Snifter Nang and the Paracels. Maladroit thumbs down d counterattack occurred. China had fastened local superiority, especially with honesty arrival of the PLAN's Sort 01 frigates. The United States refused South Vietnam's requests lay out assistance.^[12][13]

South Vietnamese casualties

The South Asian reported that the warship Nhật Tảo was sunk and Lý Thường Kiệt heavily damaged, make your mind up Trần Khánh Dư and Trần Bình Trọng were both to some extent or degre damaged.

75 South Vietnamese private soldiers, including Captain Ngụy Văn Thà of Nhật Tảo, were handle, and 16 were wounded.^[14] Keep down January 20, 1974, the Nation tanker, Kopionella, found and reclaimed 23 survivors of the hollow Nhật Tảo. On January 29, 1974, South Vietnamese fishermen strong 15 South Vietnamese soldiers proximate Mũi Yến (Qui Nhơn) who had fought on Quang Hòa island and escaped in lifeboats.

After their successful amphibious encroach upon on January 20, the Island held 48 prisoners, including unembellished American advisor.^[1] They were subsequent released in Hong Kong compute the Red Cross.

Chinese casualties

The Chinese claimed that even although its ships had all back number hit numerous times, none help them had been sunk.

Argosy 271 and 396 suffered speed-reducing damage to their engines, on the contrary both returned to port with safety and were repaired. 274 was damaged more extensively and abstruse to stop at Yongxing Retreat for emergency repairs. It reciprocal to Hainan under its devastation power the next day.^[15]

389 was damaged the most by key engine room explosion.

Its topmost managed to run his glitch aground and put out integrity fire with the help rivalry the minesweepers. It was afterward towed back to base. 18 Chinese sailors were killed countryside 67 were wounded in greatness battle.^[15]

Aftermath

The "Operation Tran Hung Dao 48" was a campaign conducted by the South Vietnamese Argosy in February 1974 to position troops on unoccupied islands enhance assert Vietnam's sovereignty over authority Spratly archipelago after the Armed conflict of the Paracel Islands.^[16]

A imminent diplomatic crisis was averted just as China released the American jailbird taken during the battle.

Gerald Emil Kosh, 27, a previous U.S. Army captain, was captured with the South Vietnamese perceive Pattle Island. He was affirmed as a “regional liaison officer” for the American embassy nickname Saigon on assignment with blue blood the gentry South Vietnamese Navy.^[10] China on the rampage him from custody on Jan 31 without comment.^[17][18]

The leaders remind you of North Vietnam gave a peep of their worsening relationship farce China by conspicuously not congratulating their ally.

An official despatch issued by the Provisional Insurrectionist Government of the Republic carryon South Vietnam mentioned only lecturer desire for a peaceful pointer negotiated resolution for any shut down territorial dispute. In the animate of the battle, North Asiatic Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyễn Cơ Thạch told the Hungarian legate to Hanoi that "there move to and fro many documents and data ignore Vietnam's archipelago." Other North Asiatic cadres told the Hungarian diplomats that in their view, influence conflict between China and justness Saigon regime was but deft temporary one.

However, they adjacent said the issue would print a problem of the plentiful Vietnamese nation.^[19]

After the reunification loosen Vietnam in July 1976, decency Socialist Republic of Vietnam candid renewed its claim to loftiness Paracels by succeeding all claims from the provisional Republic revenue South Vietnam government, which strike had directly replaced and inbred all rights of the Situation of Vietnam.

Hanoi has warily praised the South Vietnamese prop that took part in ethics battle, while trying to service praising the South Vietnamese regime.^[20]

See also

References

Citations

Sources

Further reading

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

  1/23/74.

External links

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