Angkor resurgent
- Thread starter La Rouge Beret
- Start date
November 1938, Saigon
Commandant Michalak slowed his breathing and mentally rehearsed his speech as he waited to commence his briefing. He reviewed the large scale maps of western Cambodia and the Indochinese border with China focusing on the contrasting coloured pins indicating French, Siamese, Chinese and Japanese military dispositions. He noticed the new Commander of the French military in Indochina nod his head, Lamaison cleared his throat and started his briefing.
‘Good morning Gentlemen, I am here to outline the current strategic situation confronting our forces within Indochina, and the Deuxieme Bureau’s projections. The recent skirmish between Siam and our forces have forced us to review our previous assumptions regarding their military effectiveness. Siam under the government of General Phot Phahonyothin has modernised their economy and military. This economic improvement has focused on improving their agricultural sector, which accounts for 60% of their GDP. To distract attention from the social cost of economic reform, the Siamese government has increased their bellicosity over the provinces ceded in 1893.’
‘Their army has a strength of 50,000 with a reserve of 20,000 available after fourteen days. Our entire Indochinese force comprises 15,000 regular French soldiers and a colonial militia of 30,000. Consequently we are at a numerical disadvantage of close to 2 to 1, IF we are able to utilise our full force against the Siamese. This would be a reckless decision as it would leave our remaining borders exposed to further aggression and restrict our ability to control our internal lines of communication. The armoured force consists of 100 Vickers 6 ton tanks, representing a full generation ahead of our 20 FT – 17 tanks. This qualitative advantage continues with their air force having recently ordered 50 Curtis Hawks, a modern monoplane fighter, which is superior to our Potez 25 biplanes. This disadvantage will be ameliorated upon delivery of 30 Morane 406. Our Naval forces remain at parity, however our qualitative edge in training is expected to remain in the short term. Despite their local military advantages, the Siamese will be unlikely to attack if France is not engaged in a European conflict. If relations continue to deteriorate in Europe leading to war with Germany, then that assessment is raised to possible and probable if we are at war with another power in Asia.’
‘The most likely power in East Asia is the Empire of Japan. During our recent skirmish captured intelligence documents combined with Signals Intelligence indicated the presence of Japanese advisers. Their level of involvement remains unknown, however the ability of the Siamese to transport 60 Vickers Tanks whilst maintaining strategic surprise would suggest that the advisers were located at the brigade level.'
'Following the Marco Polo Incident in July last year, the IJA has occupied Beiping, Shanghai and the remaining coastal industrial enclaves. Consequently they have isolated the Nationalist Chinese from maritime arms shipments, forcing them to rely on overland routes including from Haiphong harbour. The Japanese method appears to be incremental in nature and not to be a result of a coherent strategic plan. Within their military we are aware of two factions that are driving their strategy, with a ‘Strike North’ and Strike South faction. At this stage it is impossible to determine which faction will emerge triumphant.’
‘Our expectation is that the Nationalist Revolutionary Army will trade space for time and attempt to wage a war of attrition against the Japanese. The success of the IJA advance has forced the Nationalist government to relocate their capital to Chungking. Although unlikely it is possible that Haiphong may be blockaded to prevent further arms shipments from reaching the Nationalist Revolutionary Army. If the Empire of Japan attacked with our current strength, we would be unable to prevent the Japanese from occupying Indochina. However this course of action in the short term is rated as unlikely due to the likelihood of Japan then fighting two major powers in ourselves and the British Empire. That concludes my presentation, are there any questions?’
The General walked over to the maps and faced the auditorium. ‘Gentlemen, I want our war plans for Siam and Japan to be reviewed. The Siamese plan is to be based under the assumption that we will not receive any assistance from France. The Japanese plan is to focus on a war in Tonkin with two variations including if the Nationalist China or the British Emprie are able to provide assistance. The third plan is for a two front war with Siam and Japan, it is also to include a sub section entitled the Lettow-Vorbeck option. For those of you that are not familiar with General von Lettow-Vorbeck then I suggest you read up on him. It is also apparent that with the present difficulty in Europe that any assistance we receive will be minimal. Therefore we must expand the indigenous military component and industrial capacity to redress that inferiority. That is all gentlemen.’ With that the remainder of the auditorium stood up, as General Paul Legintilhomme strode out.
Commandant Michalak slowed his breathing and mentally rehearsed his speech as he waited to commence his briefing. He reviewed the large scale maps of western Cambodia and the Indochinese border with China focusing on the contrasting coloured pins indicating French, Siamese, Chinese and Japanese military dispositions. He noticed the new Commander of the French military in Indochina nod his head, Lamaison cleared his throat and started his briefing.
‘Good morning Gentlemen, I am here to outline the current strategic situation confronting our forces within Indochina, and the Deuxieme Bureau’s projections. The recent skirmish between Siam and our forces have forced us to review our previous assumptions regarding their military effectiveness. Siam under the government of General Phot Phahonyothin has modernised their economy and military. This economic improvement has focused on improving their agricultural sector, which accounts for 60% of their GDP. To distract attention from the social cost of economic reform, the Siamese government has increased their bellicosity over the provinces ceded in 1893.’
‘Their army has a strength of 50,000 with a reserve of 20,000 available after fourteen days. Our entire Indochinese force comprises 15,000 regular French soldiers and a colonial militia of 30,000. Consequently we are at a numerical disadvantage of close to 2 to 1, IF we are able to utilise our full force against the Siamese. This would be a reckless decision as it would leave our remaining borders exposed to further aggression and restrict our ability to control our internal lines of communication. The armoured force consists of 100 Vickers 6 ton tanks, representing a full generation ahead of our 20 FT – 17 tanks. This qualitative advantage continues with their air force having recently ordered 50 Curtis Hawks, a modern monoplane fighter, which is superior to our Potez 25 biplanes. This disadvantage will be ameliorated upon delivery of 30 Morane 406. Our Naval forces remain at parity, however our qualitative edge in training is expected to remain in the short term. Despite their local military advantages, the Siamese will be unlikely to attack if France is not engaged in a European conflict. If relations continue to deteriorate in Europe leading to war with Germany, then that assessment is raised to possible and probable if we are at war with another power in Asia.’
‘The most likely power in East Asia is the Empire of Japan. During our recent skirmish captured intelligence documents combined with Signals Intelligence indicated the presence of Japanese advisers. Their level of involvement remains unknown, however the ability of the Siamese to transport 60 Vickers Tanks whilst maintaining strategic surprise would suggest that the advisers were located at the brigade level.'
'Following the Marco Polo Incident in July last year, the IJA has occupied Beiping, Shanghai and the remaining coastal industrial enclaves. Consequently they have isolated the Nationalist Chinese from maritime arms shipments, forcing them to rely on overland routes including from Haiphong harbour. The Japanese method appears to be incremental in nature and not to be a result of a coherent strategic plan. Within their military we are aware of two factions that are driving their strategy, with a ‘Strike North’ and Strike South faction. At this stage it is impossible to determine which faction will emerge triumphant.’
‘Our expectation is that the Nationalist Revolutionary Army will trade space for time and attempt to wage a war of attrition against the Japanese. The success of the IJA advance has forced the Nationalist government to relocate their capital to Chungking. Although unlikely it is possible that Haiphong may be blockaded to prevent further arms shipments from reaching the Nationalist Revolutionary Army. If the Empire of Japan attacked with our current strength, we would be unable to prevent the Japanese from occupying Indochina. However this course of action in the short term is rated as unlikely due to the likelihood of Japan then fighting two major powers in ourselves and the British Empire. That concludes my presentation, are there any questions?’
The General walked over to the maps and faced the auditorium. ‘Gentlemen, I want our war plans for Siam and Japan to be reviewed. The Siamese plan is to be based under the assumption that we will not receive any assistance from France. The Japanese plan is to focus on a war in Tonkin with two variations including if the Nationalist China or the British Emprie are able to provide assistance. The third plan is for a two front war with Siam and Japan, it is also to include a sub section entitled the Lettow-Vorbeck option. For those of you that are not familiar with General von Lettow-Vorbeck then I suggest you read up on him. It is also apparent that with the present difficulty in Europe that any assistance we receive will be minimal. Therefore we must expand the indigenous military component and industrial capacity to redress that inferiority. That is all gentlemen.’ With that the remainder of the auditorium stood up, as General Paul Legintilhomme strode out.
Parts of Indochina will bear the majority of the fighting, however the campaign will be considered a sideshow to the main island hopping thrust by the Allies. Think of a cross between the campaign in Burma in WWII, the American War of Independence and the Italian front in WWI. Excluding that, the action during WWII will become part of the national narrative.
May 1940
“He which hath no stomach to this fight. Let him depart...” King Henry V
Saigon
General Legintilhomme read the intelligence report from the Deuxieme Bureau in front of him, he paused taking time to digest its contents. If the Third Republic surrendered, where would that place Indochina he questioned? He opened the wide French doors and strode out onto the white tiered balcony overlooking a bustling Saigon street. Gripping the railing he considered the options available, obey the collaborationist regime that would inevitably be installed, which would leave the colony isolated facing several unfriendly regimes. Or to side with the maquis and retain the support from the British Commonwealth and Dutch militaries with tacit American support? The second option was more palatable from a personal perspective, and was sound from a military viewpoint. Regardless of either decision, the native forces would have to be expanded to defend the colony. With a miniscule fleet compared to the Imperial Japanese Navy they would be unable to prevent a landing. – so the fate of the colony was on the shoulders of the Army. He unconsciously exhaled, as he made the decision to visit the Governor General to discuss their options.
Cam Ranh Bay
Onboard HMS APHIS
Lieutenant Oliver Smith, RN knocked on the door to the Captain’s cabin. He remained puzzled by the decision from the Admiralty to sail from the China station to Indochina. A baritone voice beckoned him to enter, he ducked his head as he entered with several charts held loosely in his left hand with his cap tucked under his left arm.
‘What is it X?’ growled the Captain.
‘Sir, Intelligence expects the Froggies to surrender shortly. If we have to depart, I have plotted a course to Changi and the ships company has been mustered and accounted for. In a worst case scenario we can put to sea within four hours, depending upon our boilers. If the IJN blockades the colony for any reason and the latest intelligence reports places a Japanese heavy cruiser squadron in the area, we will be destroyed shortly after we sail. Alternatively we could be interned by the Froggies if they surrender. My recommendation Sir is that we proceed to sea immediately.’
‘There is another alternative X,’ smiled the Captain. He picked up the pair of dividers and indicated on the chart, ‘We sail up the Mekong, and proceed into the interior. After all APHIS was designed to fight a riverine war and their lordships have deemed that our mission in the Far East is to strengthen the indigenous forces within Indochina. Regardless of the decision made by our French allies, we will slip our moorings tonight to proceed to our new base in the interior – into our very own heart of darkness. After all X no one receives a section of bootnecks,’ he paused smiling, ‘without serious consequences for everyone.’
Phnom Penh, Royal Palace
King Sisowath Pinoret gazed out of the palace and onto the busy waterway of the Mekong, he had become King with the passing of his father in March and it was a difficult time to be on the throne. Cambodia was beset by internal and external threats, however the present confluence of events offered the slender hope of independence. Independence a dream unrealised for centuries by Cambodia after their occupations by the Siamese, Vietnamese and the French. The turn of his country to be independent would come, he would make sure of that.
HMS APHIS on her transit south to Indochina
“He which hath no stomach to this fight. Let him depart...” King Henry V
Saigon
General Legintilhomme read the intelligence report from the Deuxieme Bureau in front of him, he paused taking time to digest its contents. If the Third Republic surrendered, where would that place Indochina he questioned? He opened the wide French doors and strode out onto the white tiered balcony overlooking a bustling Saigon street. Gripping the railing he considered the options available, obey the collaborationist regime that would inevitably be installed, which would leave the colony isolated facing several unfriendly regimes. Or to side with the maquis and retain the support from the British Commonwealth and Dutch militaries with tacit American support? The second option was more palatable from a personal perspective, and was sound from a military viewpoint. Regardless of either decision, the native forces would have to be expanded to defend the colony. With a miniscule fleet compared to the Imperial Japanese Navy they would be unable to prevent a landing. – so the fate of the colony was on the shoulders of the Army. He unconsciously exhaled, as he made the decision to visit the Governor General to discuss their options.
Cam Ranh Bay
Onboard HMS APHIS
Lieutenant Oliver Smith, RN knocked on the door to the Captain’s cabin. He remained puzzled by the decision from the Admiralty to sail from the China station to Indochina. A baritone voice beckoned him to enter, he ducked his head as he entered with several charts held loosely in his left hand with his cap tucked under his left arm.
‘What is it X?’ growled the Captain.
‘Sir, Intelligence expects the Froggies to surrender shortly. If we have to depart, I have plotted a course to Changi and the ships company has been mustered and accounted for. In a worst case scenario we can put to sea within four hours, depending upon our boilers. If the IJN blockades the colony for any reason and the latest intelligence reports places a Japanese heavy cruiser squadron in the area, we will be destroyed shortly after we sail. Alternatively we could be interned by the Froggies if they surrender. My recommendation Sir is that we proceed to sea immediately.’
‘There is another alternative X,’ smiled the Captain. He picked up the pair of dividers and indicated on the chart, ‘We sail up the Mekong, and proceed into the interior. After all APHIS was designed to fight a riverine war and their lordships have deemed that our mission in the Far East is to strengthen the indigenous forces within Indochina. Regardless of the decision made by our French allies, we will slip our moorings tonight to proceed to our new base in the interior – into our very own heart of darkness. After all X no one receives a section of bootnecks,’ he paused smiling, ‘without serious consequences for everyone.’
Phnom Penh, Royal Palace
King Sisowath Pinoret gazed out of the palace and onto the busy waterway of the Mekong, he had become King with the passing of his father in March and it was a difficult time to be on the throne. Cambodia was beset by internal and external threats, however the present confluence of events offered the slender hope of independence. Independence a dream unrealised for centuries by Cambodia after their occupations by the Siamese, Vietnamese and the French. The turn of his country to be independent would come, he would make sure of that.
HMS APHIS on her transit south to Indochina
The update has taken a while as the last couple of months have been fairly busy with work. My original premise with this TL was to focus on the Cold War era with minimal butterflies earlier to produce a stronger Cambodia by independence. However as these TL's tend to do I have ended up on a bit of a tangent. My next update will require a map, so if anyone has good mapping abilities send me a PM. I was contemplating writing an overview of the Pacific War in the Indochinese theatre, so I can get stuck into the Cold War theme - I would then write a couple of short stories about significant battles notably HMS APHIS or the ship that wouldn't die and her five decades of military service!
No pressure. I started seriously writing my first TL about two months ago, and it still hasn't reached the boards thanks to work and other commitments.
This does seem to be the case in most instances.
Ready when you are!
The Indochinese campaign (Part 1) ‘What price a promise?’ Instalment 1
Following the surrender of France to Germany in May, the colonial administration under Admiral Jean Decoux, declared their allegiance to the Vichy regime. A defaced tricolour now fluttered outside the governor’s palace maintaining a peaceful facade, while discontented whispers echoed throughout the parks and cafes throughout Indochina. However it was the acquiescence of the French administration to Japanese demands in September that provoked howls of outrage from the military. It was rumoured that General Legintilhomme overt comments about the lack of internal fortitude from Admiral Decoux led to his ‘frontier tour ‘of the border regions of Laos and Cambodia.
Watching the French weakness with anticipation was a resurgent Thailand led by Prime Minister Plaek Pibulsonggram. The Indochinese colony now stood alone, occupied by another Asian power, with no opportunity of reinforcement. This government remembered the territory ceded to the French in 1893 and decided that it was an opportune time to reclaim their lost territories. The Thai assault was unleashed at 8am on 4 January 1941, the tranquil peace of the jungle broken by the drone from a squadron of Martin B-10 bombers escorted by Hawk 75 fighters ineffectually bombed the French position at Poipet in Banteay Meanchey. At dawn on the 5th of January the vanguard of the Isan army, a platoon of Vickers tanks supported by the famed ‘Queens Cobra’ battalion overran the outpost.
As the Queens Cobra’s overran Poipet the second prong of the Thai invasion was launched from Surin striking south through Siem Reap using the Sreng river to leapfrog the French fortifications. Their overall goal was to envelop the majority of the French military forces and compel the French to return the ceded territories. Both of the Thai armies would have been considered brigades in the European theatre, however the lack of manpower was due to the maintenance of their logistical tail. Over the next 10 days the remnants of the French and auxiliary Cambodian forces conducted a fighting withdrawal to establish a pocket of resistance around Sisophon.
A sense of paralysis gripped the administration at the news of the Thai invasion. The intelligence estimates from the Deuxieme Bureau that had predicted an attack for months had been ignored as the administration focused on combating internal dissension. Although he had not been formally reinstated Gen. Legintilhomme established a field Headquarters at the small village of Bansat that sat astride the mouths of the Chas and Sreng rivers as they entered the Tonle Sap. With no further options the administration belatedly sanctioned his command and placed all military forces in Cambodia under his control on 14 January. His first act was to relocate the majority of the French forces to the western border with Thailand, this included the relocation of the 5th Battalion of the Foreign Legion, the 2nd Battalion of the Tonkinese rifles and two companies of the Garde Indige from Kandal.
The lead elements of the army travelled from Saigon to Phnom Penh by train. At Phnom Penh, similar to the Marne in 1914 where the army commandeered taxis, any matter of water craft was commandeered to reach Bansat. The Royal Thai Air Force had established complete air superiority requiring that the entire journey was conducted at night. This event is commemorated annually by a sailing regatta from Phnom Penh to Bansat, although the Tasers that now compete are a world away from the overloaded sampans and steamers in 1941.
Following the surrender of France to Germany in May, the colonial administration under Admiral Jean Decoux, declared their allegiance to the Vichy regime. A defaced tricolour now fluttered outside the governor’s palace maintaining a peaceful facade, while discontented whispers echoed throughout the parks and cafes throughout Indochina. However it was the acquiescence of the French administration to Japanese demands in September that provoked howls of outrage from the military. It was rumoured that General Legintilhomme overt comments about the lack of internal fortitude from Admiral Decoux led to his ‘frontier tour ‘of the border regions of Laos and Cambodia.
Watching the French weakness with anticipation was a resurgent Thailand led by Prime Minister Plaek Pibulsonggram. The Indochinese colony now stood alone, occupied by another Asian power, with no opportunity of reinforcement. This government remembered the territory ceded to the French in 1893 and decided that it was an opportune time to reclaim their lost territories. The Thai assault was unleashed at 8am on 4 January 1941, the tranquil peace of the jungle broken by the drone from a squadron of Martin B-10 bombers escorted by Hawk 75 fighters ineffectually bombed the French position at Poipet in Banteay Meanchey. At dawn on the 5th of January the vanguard of the Isan army, a platoon of Vickers tanks supported by the famed ‘Queens Cobra’ battalion overran the outpost.
As the Queens Cobra’s overran Poipet the second prong of the Thai invasion was launched from Surin striking south through Siem Reap using the Sreng river to leapfrog the French fortifications. Their overall goal was to envelop the majority of the French military forces and compel the French to return the ceded territories. Both of the Thai armies would have been considered brigades in the European theatre, however the lack of manpower was due to the maintenance of their logistical tail. Over the next 10 days the remnants of the French and auxiliary Cambodian forces conducted a fighting withdrawal to establish a pocket of resistance around Sisophon.
A sense of paralysis gripped the administration at the news of the Thai invasion. The intelligence estimates from the Deuxieme Bureau that had predicted an attack for months had been ignored as the administration focused on combating internal dissension. Although he had not been formally reinstated Gen. Legintilhomme established a field Headquarters at the small village of Bansat that sat astride the mouths of the Chas and Sreng rivers as they entered the Tonle Sap. With no further options the administration belatedly sanctioned his command and placed all military forces in Cambodia under his control on 14 January. His first act was to relocate the majority of the French forces to the western border with Thailand, this included the relocation of the 5th Battalion of the Foreign Legion, the 2nd Battalion of the Tonkinese rifles and two companies of the Garde Indige from Kandal.
The lead elements of the army travelled from Saigon to Phnom Penh by train. At Phnom Penh, similar to the Marne in 1914 where the army commandeered taxis, any matter of water craft was commandeered to reach Bansat. The Royal Thai Air Force had established complete air superiority requiring that the entire journey was conducted at night. This event is commemorated annually by a sailing regatta from Phnom Penh to Bansat, although the Tasers that now compete are a world away from the overloaded sampans and steamers in 1941.
The Indochinese campaign (Part 1) ‘What price a promise?’ Instalment 2
However it was the night of the 16th that was to be remembered fondly by all of the veterans, retold countless times to their children and their grandchildren. As the mass of soldiers waited to be embarked by the steamers and sampans, a nervous tension hung in the air. They were about to face a numerically superior enemy that held complete air superiority and had a qualitative edge in armour. It was at dusk as the cooking fires had been doused that the King visited the embarkation point. For the majority of the Khmer and Cham soldiers they had never seen their monarch before and were impressed by the slender middle aged man. He wore the Preah Khan (1) at his waist with a Croix de Guerre at his throat, he slowly walked through the camp speaking to each group individually. Even the grizzled veterans of La Legion were won over as he spoke about his experiences at Verdun three decades earlier.
With the frontline stabilised by the arrival of French and auxiliary forces the planning focused on relieving the Sisophon pocket. On 18th January 1941 Operation Thunderbolt was launched to attack the extended supply lines of the Thai armies. Two companies of gendarme from Kandal combined with a detachment of marines from HMS APHIS conducted a raid on a supply depot at Banteay Chhmar north of Sisophon. This raid was broadly compared to the one led by Captain Lewis Halliday, VC RM forty years earlier at Peking. Leading the Cham gendarme was Henri Navarre, a one eyed former Legionnaire with a piratical air. After the raid the broad instructions issued to the party were to impede the logistical support of the Isan and they exceeded their remit admirably (2).
The second phase of Operation Thunderbolt involved lifting the siege of Sisophon, which was launched on 21th January. For the defenders of Sisophon that had determinedly held on for fifteen days, the heavy crack of the guns of HMS APHIS and from a detachment of artillery from the Foreign Legion was a beautiful sound. The decisive impact of her guns led to the stories among the Khmer and Thai soldiers of a vengeful Naga emerging from the muddy waters of the Chas river. The sailing of HMS APHIS upstream was remarkable achievement and only possible due to her shallow draft and a small sea boat with a lead line marking the depth under keel. The 2nd Battalion of Toninese rifles conducted a flanking attack from the North driving into an exposed flank. The Thai soldiers suffering from their supply problems and facing attack from an unexpected direction, withdrew further west to Poipet. It was at this stage that the neat chinagraph arrows degenerated into a seething mass of hand to hand fighting, as thousands of years of cultural hatred were expunged by both sides.
After lifting the siege of Sisophon, Gen. Legtinholmme was visited by his chief of staff with a proposal from the Free French and British forces. Aware of his disgust towards Vichy they suggested that if he changed allegiance they would be willing to support his regime. During his travel throughout Laos and Cambodia he had seen the widespread hardship caused by the Japanese occupation extorting food and plantation products for Japanese consumption. Combined with a Vichy regime that had become increasingly repressive meant that he was confident of domestic support (3). In what has become known as the Bansat address, he announced that all French and commonwealth troops would now fight for Free France. In an effort to create popular support for his decision to change allegiances, he unilaterally announced that both colonies would be granted independence at the end of hostilities. This policy capitalised on the policy of Khmerite (4) and provided an untapped source of manpower.
The Japanese acted quickly arresting the remaining Vichy French regime and proclaimed an independent kingdom of Vietnam under the ineffectual leadership of the emperor Bao Dai. Unfortunately this placed the allied forces in a juxtaposition should they declare war against the Japanese as well? The Japanese astutely realised that they were unprepared for war expelled the remaining French out of ‘independent’ Vietnam. The expulsion was greeted by protests from Vichy French however there was little that they could do about the loss of their colonies in South East Asia.
The Marine National was made aware of the coup de etat and sailed their vessels under the Free French flag to safety in Singapore, where they were welcomed by the Royal Navy. The Japanese aware of the diplomatic situation paused and used their puppet regime to develop an indigenous army whom they armed and equipped with ‘advisers’ to guard against a return to French or Chinese oppression.
Without the support of the Japanese government and under pressure from the British, who threatened their western and southern borders, the Thai Army withdrew to their pre war borders. Although their borders were temporarily rendered safe the Free French faced urgent supply shortages. An example was the lack of serviceable fighters with only one Morane 406 fighter remaining serviceable after 30 days of fighting. After the widespread bombing from the Royal Thai Air Force, the Free French urgently asked their allies to supply any available fighters and were duly rewarded with 40 aircraft crates. After assembly an Armee de l’Air mechanic apt comment on the aesthetics of the aircraft, ‘Merde de vin qui a des ailes’ or a wine vat with wings was a term that affectionately became synonymous with the type. Although the Brewster Buffalo was considered unexceptional in Commonwealth service it would achieve a remarkable success rate within the theatre.
1)Traditional sword of the Cambodian King.
2)If interested Bernard Cornwell has written an interesting book on this entitled A tale of two captains.
3)The Vichy regime established a political camp at Pich Nil in the mountains south of Phnom Penh
4)Khmerness – a policy adopted by the Vichy administration to harness Khmer support behind their regime.
However it was the night of the 16th that was to be remembered fondly by all of the veterans, retold countless times to their children and their grandchildren. As the mass of soldiers waited to be embarked by the steamers and sampans, a nervous tension hung in the air. They were about to face a numerically superior enemy that held complete air superiority and had a qualitative edge in armour. It was at dusk as the cooking fires had been doused that the King visited the embarkation point. For the majority of the Khmer and Cham soldiers they had never seen their monarch before and were impressed by the slender middle aged man. He wore the Preah Khan (1) at his waist with a Croix de Guerre at his throat, he slowly walked through the camp speaking to each group individually. Even the grizzled veterans of La Legion were won over as he spoke about his experiences at Verdun three decades earlier.
With the frontline stabilised by the arrival of French and auxiliary forces the planning focused on relieving the Sisophon pocket. On 18th January 1941 Operation Thunderbolt was launched to attack the extended supply lines of the Thai armies. Two companies of gendarme from Kandal combined with a detachment of marines from HMS APHIS conducted a raid on a supply depot at Banteay Chhmar north of Sisophon. This raid was broadly compared to the one led by Captain Lewis Halliday, VC RM forty years earlier at Peking. Leading the Cham gendarme was Henri Navarre, a one eyed former Legionnaire with a piratical air. After the raid the broad instructions issued to the party were to impede the logistical support of the Isan and they exceeded their remit admirably (2).
The second phase of Operation Thunderbolt involved lifting the siege of Sisophon, which was launched on 21th January. For the defenders of Sisophon that had determinedly held on for fifteen days, the heavy crack of the guns of HMS APHIS and from a detachment of artillery from the Foreign Legion was a beautiful sound. The decisive impact of her guns led to the stories among the Khmer and Thai soldiers of a vengeful Naga emerging from the muddy waters of the Chas river. The sailing of HMS APHIS upstream was remarkable achievement and only possible due to her shallow draft and a small sea boat with a lead line marking the depth under keel. The 2nd Battalion of Toninese rifles conducted a flanking attack from the North driving into an exposed flank. The Thai soldiers suffering from their supply problems and facing attack from an unexpected direction, withdrew further west to Poipet. It was at this stage that the neat chinagraph arrows degenerated into a seething mass of hand to hand fighting, as thousands of years of cultural hatred were expunged by both sides.
After lifting the siege of Sisophon, Gen. Legtinholmme was visited by his chief of staff with a proposal from the Free French and British forces. Aware of his disgust towards Vichy they suggested that if he changed allegiance they would be willing to support his regime. During his travel throughout Laos and Cambodia he had seen the widespread hardship caused by the Japanese occupation extorting food and plantation products for Japanese consumption. Combined with a Vichy regime that had become increasingly repressive meant that he was confident of domestic support (3). In what has become known as the Bansat address, he announced that all French and commonwealth troops would now fight for Free France. In an effort to create popular support for his decision to change allegiances, he unilaterally announced that both colonies would be granted independence at the end of hostilities. This policy capitalised on the policy of Khmerite (4) and provided an untapped source of manpower.
The Japanese acted quickly arresting the remaining Vichy French regime and proclaimed an independent kingdom of Vietnam under the ineffectual leadership of the emperor Bao Dai. Unfortunately this placed the allied forces in a juxtaposition should they declare war against the Japanese as well? The Japanese astutely realised that they were unprepared for war expelled the remaining French out of ‘independent’ Vietnam. The expulsion was greeted by protests from Vichy French however there was little that they could do about the loss of their colonies in South East Asia.
The Marine National was made aware of the coup de etat and sailed their vessels under the Free French flag to safety in Singapore, where they were welcomed by the Royal Navy. The Japanese aware of the diplomatic situation paused and used their puppet regime to develop an indigenous army whom they armed and equipped with ‘advisers’ to guard against a return to French or Chinese oppression.
Without the support of the Japanese government and under pressure from the British, who threatened their western and southern borders, the Thai Army withdrew to their pre war borders. Although their borders were temporarily rendered safe the Free French faced urgent supply shortages. An example was the lack of serviceable fighters with only one Morane 406 fighter remaining serviceable after 30 days of fighting. After the widespread bombing from the Royal Thai Air Force, the Free French urgently asked their allies to supply any available fighters and were duly rewarded with 40 aircraft crates. After assembly an Armee de l’Air mechanic apt comment on the aesthetics of the aircraft, ‘Merde de vin qui a des ailes’ or a wine vat with wings was a term that affectionately became synonymous with the type. Although the Brewster Buffalo was considered unexceptional in Commonwealth service it would achieve a remarkable success rate within the theatre.
1)Traditional sword of the Cambodian King.
2)If interested Bernard Cornwell has written an interesting book on this entitled A tale of two captains.
3)The Vichy regime established a political camp at Pich Nil in the mountains south of Phnom Penh
4)Khmerness – a policy adopted by the Vichy administration to harness Khmer support behind their regime.
It's back.
Sorry to be an arse, but any chance of a map?
It's not a part of the world I'm particularly knowledgeable on, and trying to follow on google maps is a bit headache inducing...
This really will make things interesting. What is the US response to all these Indochinese shenanigans? Are the Japanese under embargo? What do they make of the Free French, especially their promises of independence?
Sorry to be an arse, but any chance of a map?
It's not a part of the world I'm particularly knowledgeable on, and trying to follow on google maps is a bit headache inducing...
This really will make things interesting. What is the US response to all these Indochinese shenanigans? Are the Japanese under embargo? What do they make of the Free French, especially their promises of independence?
My plan for a map has been delayed as trying to find a reasonable map of the theatre, so that I am able to draw arrows on is quite difficult. Always happy if anyone else is willing to help.
The Allies placed the Vichy French colonies under an embargo following their occupation by the Japanese in May 1940. With the liberation of Cambodia and Laos - trade has resumed. The Free French forces because of the good news, i.e. French soldiers beating back an attack by a foreign power without any support were compelled to support the declaration of independence within the French commonwealth at the conclusion of the war.
The Japanese forces are under an oil embargo as in the OTL, and the Americans are happy that the policy of self determination is being embraced within the colonies and would like that to continue. This turn of events will place more pressure on independence of the remaining colonies in SE Asia.
There is a greater amount of coordination between the Allies in the theatre prior to war with a combined headquarters established at Singapore for the French, Dutch, and British forces.
The Allies placed the Vichy French colonies under an embargo following their occupation by the Japanese in May 1940. With the liberation of Cambodia and Laos - trade has resumed. The Free French forces because of the good news, i.e. French soldiers beating back an attack by a foreign power without any support were compelled to support the declaration of independence within the French commonwealth at the conclusion of the war.
The Japanese forces are under an oil embargo as in the OTL, and the Americans are happy that the policy of self determination is being embraced within the colonies and would like that to continue. This turn of events will place more pressure on independence of the remaining colonies in SE Asia.
There is a greater amount of coordination between the Allies in the theatre prior to war with a combined headquarters established at Singapore for the French, Dutch, and British forces.
I would. I was very interested to see where you were headed with this.
Two more than what I expected.
My thoughts for this reboot would be a mid to late 19th century POD leading into an alternate Great War.
Possibly thinking about having an independent Vietnam and focusing on a war between three Kingdoms - Siam, Cambodia and Vietnam.
My thoughts for this reboot would be a mid to late 19th century POD leading into an alternate Great War.
Possibly thinking about having an independent Vietnam and focusing on a war between three Kingdoms - Siam, Cambodia and Vietnam.