La Bataille de Ia Drang

The Vietnam War at first opposed the North Vietnam Communist South Vietnam, nationalist. The latter, undermined by corruption and nepotism, is on the verge of collapse. It is then supported by the United States who send money, material and men. In the context of the Cold War, the U.S. Army is inspired by the ‘domino theory’, that is to say, if one of the countries of Southeast Asia fell to the communists, the others will follow as surely as falling dominoes. They intervene militarily, with the same motivation as South Korea, fifteen years earlier.

On 19 October 1965, two regiments of the Regular Army NVA (North Vietnamese Army-) attack the Allied camp Plei Me. The purpose of the enemy maneuver is to cut South Vietnam in two, between the Cambodian border to the coast.

Camp Plei Me in the Central Highlands, is occupied by twelve men of the U.S. and 350 Montagnards (one of four ethnic groups in South Vietnam, with the Khmer, Cham and Vietnamese) special forces. The siege of the camp lasts for several days. It is led by the 33th NVA Regiment. From Pleiku, forty miles north, a South Vietnamese column reinforcement arrives. The tomb itself in an ambush by the NVA 32nd Regiment. The artillery of the ‘First Cav’, landed by helicopter on a special landing zone (LZ Field Goal) allows to identify the column reinforcement South Vietnamese, and later break the siege.

“The Air Cav” against attack. The 1st Brigade was sent on and is responsible for flushing and reduce the enemy. Your Brigade (3rd) takes over early November. To flush out the enemy, the general staff decided to launch a reconnaissance in depth and force (Search and Destroy). The Battle of Ia Drang begins on November 14 …

This great battle will leave you little choice in the end: to die in battle, become a hero, survive at the price of glory or finish prisoner … In any case, this will be your actions will determine your fate.