by Lucky Lucan » Mon Jun 15, 2015 2:34 pm
Mèo Đen wrote:More likely how did they avoid a war with the NVA?
There were many clashes between the Cambodian Army and the NVA/NLF during the 1960s. Most of the fighting in the early years of the Khmer Republic was with the PAVN/NLF, the Khmer Rouge army was very small at the beginning of the war.
As for the US, relations deteriorated in the early 60s because of US support for rebel groups. There were also hundreds of complaints about border incidents and there were also incidents were US naval vessels strayed into Cambodian territory and the crews were captured. However, diplomatic relations were resumed in the late 60's - there was never any question of declaring war on the US.
The most serious incident occurred on 16–19 November when American
planes and artillery repeatedly attacked Dak Dam (located 4 miles inside
Cambodia), the Cambodian military post located there (which was destroyed),
and neighboring villages, including Bu Chric which was hit by B-52s. (This
appears to be the only time the Cambodian government specifically protested
the use of B-52s.) The American action was triggered when enemy artillery fire,
located near the town, hit the Special Forces camp at Bu Prang, located inside
Vietnam some 5 to 6 miles from Dak Dam. When American planes tried to
suppress the artillery fire, Cambodian forces responded with anti-aircraft rounds.
The American pilots then attacked the anti-aircraft guns and, in so doing,
inflicted substantial casualties on Cambodian military personnel. At least 25
Cambodians died, and a number of animals, civilian and military buildings
(including a school house), and vehicles (including an ambulance) were damaged
or destroyed.
...The Dak Dam attack upset Rives. Several months earlier he had privately
expressed the fear that such incidents would occur – and that they might be part
of a deliberate effort by American military forces to undercut improved relations.
“Rives is obviously perturbed – as we here have been before him,” reported the
Australian ambassador at that time, “by the possibility that the United States
military authorities in Viet Nam will follow a policy towards Cambodia which
was different to that of the White House and the State Department.” Now he
told the state department that he did “not quite see what I am expected to say to
the RKG in justification Nov. 16 and Nov. 17 attacks” since the Americans’ own
photographic evidence showed that a Cambodian military post, along with a
school and an ambulance, had been destroyed and numerous Cambodian
soldiers killed. Fearing that another break in relations was possible, he strongly
suggested that the President send a personal message to Sihanouk expressing his
distress over the incident. There was no presidential message, but the United
States did express its official regrets and sent solatium payments.
Much to Rives’ irritation, the border incidents continued. Between 26
November and 17 December Cambodia protested over 40 incidents. On 10
December Rives learned that three days earlier 300 artillery rounds had been
fired into Cambodia – the largest ever in a single day. Rives was especially upset
by a new, if smaller, attack on Dak Dam, which was “particularly dangerous in
view of past history.”
[quote="Mèo Đen"]More likely how did they avoid a war with the NVA?[/quote]
There were many clashes between the Cambodian Army and the NVA/NLF during the 1960s. Most of the fighting in the early years of the Khmer Republic was with the PAVN/NLF, the Khmer Rouge army was very small at the beginning of the war.
As for the US, relations deteriorated in the early 60s because of US support for rebel groups. There were also hundreds of complaints about border incidents and there were also incidents were US naval vessels strayed into Cambodian territory and the crews were captured. However, diplomatic relations were resumed in the late 60's - there was never any question of declaring war on the US.
[quote]The most serious incident occurred on 16–19 November when American
planes and artillery repeatedly attacked Dak Dam (located 4 miles inside
Cambodia), the Cambodian military post located there (which was destroyed),
and neighboring villages, including Bu Chric which was hit by B-52s. (This
appears to be the only time the Cambodian government specifically protested
the use of B-52s.) The American action was triggered when enemy artillery fire,
located near the town, hit the Special Forces camp at Bu Prang, located inside
Vietnam some 5 to 6 miles from Dak Dam. When American planes tried to
suppress the artillery fire, Cambodian forces responded with anti-aircraft rounds.
The American pilots then attacked the anti-aircraft guns and, in so doing,
inflicted substantial casualties on Cambodian military personnel. At least 25
Cambodians died, and a number of animals, civilian and military buildings
(including a school house), and vehicles (including an ambulance) were damaged
or destroyed.
...The Dak Dam attack upset Rives. Several months earlier he had privately
expressed the fear that such incidents would occur – and that they might be part
of a deliberate effort by American military forces to undercut improved relations.
“Rives is obviously perturbed – as we here have been before him,” reported the
Australian ambassador at that time, “by the possibility that the United States
military authorities in Viet Nam will follow a policy towards Cambodia which
was different to that of the White House and the State Department.” Now he
told the state department that he did “not quite see what I am expected to say to
the RKG in justification Nov. 16 and Nov. 17 attacks” since the Americans’ own
photographic evidence showed that a Cambodian military post, along with a
school and an ambulance, had been destroyed and numerous Cambodian
soldiers killed. Fearing that another break in relations was possible, he strongly
suggested that the President send a personal message to Sihanouk expressing his
distress over the incident. There was no presidential message, but the United
States did express its official regrets and sent solatium payments.
Much to Rives’ irritation, the border incidents continued. Between 26
November and 17 December Cambodia protested over 40 incidents. On 10
December Rives learned that three days earlier 300 artillery rounds had been
fired into Cambodia – the largest ever in a single day. Rives was especially upset
by a new, if smaller, attack on Dak Dam, which was “particularly dangerous in
view of past history.”
[/quote]
http://www.amazon.com/The-United-States-Cambodia-1969-2000/dp/0415326028