97:
109:
36:
599:
The only major fighting during the operation came during the withdrawal, when the Việt Minh
Regiment 36 ambushed Groupe Mobiles 1 and 4 on Route 2 in a narrow valley near Chan Muong on morning of November 17. The Việt Minh managed to blow up one of the leading tanks, completely blocking the road and
526:
Operation
Lorraine was the largest operation attempted to date by the French Union forces., the forces involved included four Groupe Mobiles, one airborne group comprising three parachute battalions, two infantry battalions, two armoured sub-groups, two tank destroyer and reconnaissance squadrons,
604:
and the
Battalion de Marche Indochinois (BMI) inside the valley and the lead elements of Groupe Mobile 1 outside the ambush area counterattacked against the Việt Minh, culminating with a bayonet charge by the BMI. At this point the Việt Minh disengaged and the withdrawal could continue with the
564:
on
November 14. The French assault columns were delayed by poor roads unsuitable for armoured vehicles, Việt Minh sabotage and the low-lying waterlogged terrain. The assault on Phú Yên is notable as a tank company of Mobile Group 1 discovered two Molotova trucks manufactured and supplied by the
591:
While the French seized large amounts of stores, the Việt Minh withdrew rather than engaging and the operation had failed to distract Giáp from the T'ai country. General Salan cancelled the operation on
November 14, beginning to withdraw back to the
600:
then, covered by heavy weapons fire from the surrounding hills, proceeded to methodically destroy the convoy. French air support eased the pressure on the forces caught in the valley and then in the afternoon the 2nd
Battalion,
502:
attacked Nghĩa Lộ overrunning the post in one hour. Following the loss of Nghĩa Lộ, the other French outposts were abandoned and the French fell back towards the Black River with the 6 BPC fighting a running rearguard action.
568:
General Giáp planned to wait until the French supply lines were overextended at which point they could be harassed and eventually forced to withdraw. Instead of cancelling his offensive into the
726:
193:
608:
Overall the French lost around 1,200 men during the operation. The operation failed to divert the Việt Minh offensive against the T'ai country or seriously damage its logistical network.
565:
Soviet Union. This was the first proof of Soviet military assistance to the Viet Minh and by the end of the
Indochina War, close to 800 Molotovas would be delivered to the Viet Minh.
545:, the two volumes would then continue along Route 2 arriving at Phú Doan at the same time as the airborne assault. The Dinassaut would prevent any Việt Minh from escaping by water
721:
186:
511:
In order to divert the Việt Minh from pressing their attack on the Black River
General Salan planned to launch an offensive against Việt Minh base areas near
605:
column arriving at Ngoc Tap at 22:30. The French had lost 56 dead, 125 wounded and 133 missing and 12 vehicles including 1 tank and 6 half-tracks destroyed.
761:
756:
179:
751:
487:
746:
641:
741:
716:
731:
675:
573:
499:
551:
depending on the Việt Minh reaction the French would either permanently occupy the area or push on further into Việt Minh territory
314:
304:
482:
On 15 October 1952, a regiment of the Việt Minh 312th
Division surrounded the French garrison at Gia Hoi 25 miles southeast of
222:
246:
601:
277:
272:
560:
The operation was launched on
October 29, the French took Phú Thọ on November 5, Phu Doan on November 9 and finally
420:
138:
711:
294:
736:
448:
134:
494:
into Tu Le, midway between Gia Hoi and Nghĩa Lộ to cover the retreat of French forces to the west bank of the
309:
289:
326:
577:
541:
the Phú Thọ bridgehead would be enlarged and the forces joined by a second column coming along Route 2 from
453:
439:
426:
299:
241:
96:
561:
65:
538:
from October 29-November 8 a bridgehead would be opened across the Red River in the direction of Phú Thọ
357:
364:
129:
471:
352:
203:
27:
495:
371:
331:
265:
251:
671:
637:
585:
569:
516:
432:
413:
385:
378:
345:
229:
399:
392:
258:
542:
483:
61:
548:
the French forces would destroy all Việt Minh supply depots and bases in the Phú Doan area
512:
593:
520:
491:
113:
705:
108:
581:
101:
35:
125:
694:
528:
634:
Embers of War: The Fall of an Empire and the making of America's Vietnam
69:
171:
534:
Operation Lorraine was to be launched in four stages as follows:
175:
486:. In response on 16 October the French command dropped the
531:, two artillery battalions and engineering units.
727:Battles and operations of the First Indochina War
20:
40:Movements before and during Operation Lorraine
187:
8:
627:
625:
623:
621:
194:
180:
172:
17:
580:to defend the important supply bases at
617:
470:was a French military operation of the
661:
659:
657:
655:
653:
498:. On 17 October two regiments of the
7:
722:Military operations involving France
695:Salan Strikes At Giap's Supply Lines
572:, Giáp detached Regiment 36 of the
14:
488:6th Colonial Parachute Battalion
107:
95:
34:
163:1,200 killed, wounded, missing
670:. Schocken Books. p. 78.
1:
636:. Random House. p. 322.
602:2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment
52:October 29 – November 8, 1952
747:November 1952 events in Asia
490:(6 BPC), commanded by Major
762:History of Phú Thọ province
757:History of Yên Bái province
742:October 1952 events in Asia
778:
752:History of Sơn La province
632:Logevall, Fredrik (2012).
717:Battles involving Vietnam
213:
157:
144:
119:
88:
44:
33:
25:
732:1952 in French Indochina
576:and Regiment 176 of the
500:Việt Minh 308th Division
666:Fall, Bernard (1989).
120:Commanders and leaders
158:Casualties and losses
472:First Indochina War
353:Upper Laos campaign
205:First Indochina War
28:First Indochina War
668:Street Without Joy
468:Operation Lorraine
21:Operation Lorraine
712:Conflicts in 1952
643:978-0-375-75647-4
462:
461:
170:
169:
84:
83:
769:
682:
681:
663:
648:
647:
629:
208:
206:
196:
189:
182:
173:
112:
111:
100:
99:
66:Yên Bái Province
46:
45:
38:
18:
777:
776:
772:
771:
770:
768:
767:
766:
737:1952 in Vietnam
702:
701:
691:
686:
685:
678:
665:
664:
651:
644:
631:
630:
619:
614:
558:
509:
480:
465:
464:
463:
458:
209:
204:
202:
200:
137:
128:
106:
94:
72:
39:
12:
11:
5:
775:
773:
765:
764:
759:
754:
749:
744:
739:
734:
729:
724:
719:
714:
704:
703:
698:
697:
690:
689:External links
687:
684:
683:
676:
649:
642:
616:
615:
613:
610:
594:De Lattre Line
578:316th Division
574:308th Division
557:
554:
553:
552:
549:
546:
539:
508:
505:
492:Marcel Bigeard
479:
476:
460:
459:
457:
456:
451:
449:Mang Yang Pass
446:
445:
444:
437:
423:
418:
410:
409:
405:
404:
397:
390:
383:
376:
369:
362:
361:
360:
350:
342:
341:
337:
336:
329:
324:
317:
312:
307:
302:
297:
292:
286:
285:
281:
280:
275:
270:
263:
256:
249:
244:
238:
237:
233:
232:
227:
219:
218:
214:
211:
210:
201:
199:
198:
191:
184:
176:
168:
167:
164:
160:
159:
155:
154:
151:
147:
146:
142:
141:
132:
130:Louis Dodelier
122:
121:
117:
116:
104:
91:
90:
86:
85:
82:
81:
78:
74:
73:
60:
58:
54:
53:
50:
42:
41:
31:
30:
23:
22:
16:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
774:
763:
760:
758:
755:
753:
750:
748:
745:
743:
740:
738:
735:
733:
730:
728:
725:
723:
720:
718:
715:
713:
710:
709:
707:
700:
696:
693:
692:
688:
679:
677:0-8052-0330-3
673:
669:
662:
660:
658:
656:
654:
650:
645:
639:
635:
628:
626:
624:
622:
618:
611:
609:
606:
603:
597:
595:
589:
587:
583:
579:
575:
571:
566:
563:
556:The operation
555:
550:
547:
544:
540:
537:
536:
535:
532:
530:
524:
522:
518:
514:
506:
504:
501:
497:
493:
489:
485:
477:
475:
473:
469:
455:
454:Chu Dreh Pass
452:
450:
447:
443:
442:
438:
436:
435:
431:
430:
429:
428:
427:Điện Biên Phủ
424:
422:
419:
417:
416:
412:
411:
407:
406:
403:
402:
398:
396:
395:
391:
389:
388:
384:
382:
381:
377:
375:
374:
370:
368:
367:
363:
359:
356:
355:
354:
351:
349:
348:
344:
343:
339:
338:
335:
334:
330:
328:
325:
323:
322:
318:
316:
313:
311:
308:
306:
303:
301:
298:
296:
293:
291:
288:
287:
283:
282:
279:
276:
274:
271:
269:
268:
264:
262:
261:
257:
255:
254:
250:
248:
245:
243:
240:
239:
235:
234:
231:
228:
226:
225:
221:
220:
216:
215:
212:
207:
197:
192:
190:
185:
183:
178:
177:
174:
165:
162:
161:
156:
152:
149:
148:
143:
140:
139:Vương Thừa Vũ
136:
133:
131:
127:
124:
123:
118:
115:
110:
105:
103:
98:
93:
92:
87:
79:
76:
75:
71:
67:
63:
59:
56:
55:
51:
48:
47:
43:
37:
32:
29:
24:
19:
699:
667:
633:
607:
598:
590:
570:T'ai country
567:
559:
533:
525:
510:
481:
467:
466:
440:
433:
425:
414:
400:
393:
386:
379:
372:
365:
346:
332:
320:
319:
315:2nd Nghĩa Lộ
305:1st Nghĩa Lộ
266:
259:
252:
223:
135:Lê Trọng Tấn
102:French Union
89:Belligerents
586:Thái Nguyên
521:Tuyên Quang
496:Black River
358:Muong Khoua
126:Raoul Salan
706:Categories
612:References
478:Background
366:Hirondelle
80:Indecisive
529:Dinassaut
300:Đáy River
284:1951-1952
236:1946-1950
224:Masterdom
114:Việt Minh
543:Việt Trì
517:Phú Doan
507:The plan
484:Nghĩa Lộ
373:Camargue
333:Bretagne
321:Lorraine
310:Hòa Bình
290:Vĩnh Yên
273:Đông Khê
267:Ceinture
253:Papillon
247:Cao Bằng
230:Haiphong
145:Strength
62:Nghĩa Lộ
57:Location
26:Part of
582:Yên Bái
562:Phù Yên
513:Phú Thọ
434:Vulture
421:Đắk Đoa
415:Atlante
387:Mouette
380:Brochet
347:Adolphe
295:Mạo Khê
217:Prelude
166:Unknown
153:Unknown
70:Vietnam
674:
640:
441:Condor
401:Pollux
394:Castor
327:Nà Sản
150:30,000
77:Result
242:Hanoi
672:ISBN
638:ISBN
584:and
527:two
519:and
408:1954
340:1953
49:Date
278:RC4
260:Léa
708::
652:^
620:^
596:.
588:.
523:.
515:,
474:.
68:,
64:,
680:.
646:.
195:e
188:t
181:v
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
