Project CHECO Southeast Asia Report. The Bolovens Campaign, 28 July - 28 December 1971
Abstract
The steeply rising Bolovens Plateau overlooks verdant valleys on all sides and dominates the southernmost part of Laos. The Bolovens is strategically important because of its agriculture and location. Most of the population of this area live in rich, crop-producing valleys near the three market towns of Saravane, Attopeu, and Pakse. To the west of the Bolovens lies the Mekong River and the Thai border; to the South, Cambodia. To the east runs a portion of the Ho Cbi Minh Trail used by the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) as the lifeblood artery for supplyin Communist units fighting in South Vietnam and Cambodia. Fron 28 July to 28 December 1971, the Royal Laotian Government conducted a military campaign to regain control of this important territory. This was primarily a ground campaign, with the United States Air Force's role limited because (1) the campaign was, in large part, carried on during the wet season and bad weather restricted U.S. air support, (2) the targets were primarily dispersed, mobile, small units against which high speed and costly USAF tactical air (TACAIR) would not have been as efficient as the RLAF equipment, (3) campaign planners in Laos failed to coordinate air support requirements early enough with responsible Air Force units, and (4) the scheduling of U.S. TACAIR, which was needed to support operations in Vietnam, Cambodia, and other areas of Laos, was a problem. Competing demands for TACAIR, coordinating delays, the requirement to frag USAF TACAIR a day or more in advance, and its relatively short loiter time, generally militated against the use of USAF TACAIR in favor of the RLAF. However, on the few occasions that the enemy was massed and the military situation was critical and less fluid, the American Embassy effectively employed USAF TACAIR in the Bolovens campaign. Nevertheless, for pro-government forces the five-month campaign ended in frustration as the NVA, after initial setbacks, retained control of the area.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 08, 1974
- Accession Number
- ADA487178
Entities
People
- Adolf H. Zabka
- Donald G. Hukle
- Judith A. Skipworth
- Melvin F. Porter
- Paul T. Ringenbach
- Richard R. Sexton
Organizations
- Pacific Air Forces