 | The article's lead section may need to be rewritten. (October 2022) |
| Regional Force | |
|---|---|
| Địa phương quân | |
 | |
| Active | 1955-1975 |
| Disbanded | 30 April 1975 |
| Country | South Vietnam |
| Type | Territorial defence |
| Size | 300,646 (1972 authorized strength) |
| Nickname(s) | Ruff-Puffs (used by American forces) |
| Motto(s) | Bảo quốc, An dân (Protect the Nation, Safeguard the People) |
| Engagements | Vietnam War |
The South Vietnamese Regional Forces (Vietnamese: Địa phương quân, lit. "Local Army"), originally the Civil Guard, were a component of Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) territorial defence forces. Recruited locally, they served as full-time province-level forces, originally raised as a militia. In 1964, the Regional Forces were integrated into the ARVN and placed under the command of the Joint General Staff.[2][3]
The concept of Regional Forces was to counter the Viet Cong (VC) Local Force units, while the ARVN regular forces fought the better equipped VC Main Force units and the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN). Local militia came to play a very effective role in the war, as the style of small-unit warfare was better suited for guerrilla conflicts with most more familiar with the region and terrain.[2] Despite being poorly paid, these forces were much more capable at detecting infiltration and holding civilian areas.[4] Accounting for an estimated 2-5% of war budget, the Regional Force and the Popular Forces were thought to have accounted for roughly 30% of casualties inflicted upon VC/PAVN throughout the entire war.[5] Part of this derives in these units generally being more capable of engaging in small-unit, highly-mobile tactics which proved difficult for slow-moving equipment-heavy units.[4]
- ^ Lễ ra mắt Hội Địa phương quân Bắc Cali
- ^ a b Wiest, Andrew (October 2009). Vietnam's Forgotten Army: Heroism and Betrayal in the ARVN. NYU Press. pp. 75–85. ISBN 9780814794678.
- ^ Quang Truong, Ngo (1978). Territorial Forces (PDF). U.S. Army Center of Military History.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ a b Emerson, Gloria (1970-08-16). "'Ruff Puffs,' Vietnamese Militia, Hunt Enemy by Night". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
- ^ Krepinevich, Andrew (1986). The Army and Vietnam. Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 219–222. ISBN 9780801828638.
