Battle of Ap Bac

A relatively small engagement that had major media, political, and policy implications, the Battle of Ap Bac took place between Viet Cong and Army of the Republic of Viet Nam forces on January --, 1963.

Background
The month before, Vietnamese Army intelligence had reported a reinforced Viet Cong company in Ap Tan Thoi, 1,500 meters northwest of Ap Bac. The Vietnamese 7th Division planned an operation to trap the Viet Cong by landing the 11th Infantry Regiment to the north by helicopter while a provisional regiment of two battalion-size task forces of Civil Guards (later named Regional Forces) moved in from the south.

A unit of M113 (armored personnel carrier|M113 armored personnel carriers]], the 4th Mechanized Rifle Squadron, 2d Armored Cavalry, commanded by Captain Ba, was attached to the provisional regiment and was to attack from the southwest.

Three Vietnamese Ranger and infantry companies were in reserve, with artillery and air support on call.

Concept of operations
Soldiers in armored fighting vehicles, as well as helicopter-borne air assault, units, are expected to use the classic cavalry attack tactics, which are based on speed and shock.

Intelligence estimates of enemy strength were wrong. The Viet Cong main force was actually in battalion strength, supported with additional  machine guns, mortars, and several local guerrilla units.

The attack was no surprise, and the VC were in defensive positions along the Cong Luong Canal, from Ap Tan Thoi to Ap Bac. The defensive positions were concealed but had excellent fields of fire.