Operation Brochet

Operation Brochet
Part of the First Indochina War

Location of the Red River Delta
DateAugust – October 1953
Location
near Nam Dinh, Red River Delta, French Indochina
Result Viet Minh victory
Belligerents

French Fourth Republic French Union

North Vietnam Viet Minh
Strength
~9,000 – 15,300 ~10,000
Casualties and losses
96 casualties[1] 10 dead[1]

Operation Brochet took place during the French Indochina War, between August and October 1953. A combined arms operation, Brochet involved 18 battalions of the French Expeditionary and Vietnamese National Armies fighting against the 42nd and 50th Viet Minh Regiments,[2] fighting in the southern reaches of the Red River Delta near Tonkin in North Vietnam.[3] The 1st and 2nd Parachute Battalions of the French Foreign Legion (BEP),[1][3] and the 1st and 3rd Colonial Parachute Battalions (BPC) took part,[4] as did forces of the Vietnamese National Army.[2] Their objective was to sweep the Delta and remove Viet Minh influence.[2]

Brochet enjoyed only limited success.[3] By October 11, 1 BEP had lost 96 men against only 10 confirmed Viet Minh war dead,[1] and despite French efforts between 5,000 and 7,000 of the Delta villages remained under Viet Minh control.[2]

  1. ^ a b c d Windrow, p. 245.
  2. ^ a b c d Windrow and Chappell, p. 39.
  3. ^ a b c Windrow, p. 195.
  4. ^ Windrow, p. 249.