VENETIC

Defence of Dar

Cambodia

22 December 1978

On 21 December 1978, in response to Khmer Rouge massacres of border Vietnamese villages, Hanoi orders 2 Divisions of the People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN) to cross the Cambodian border and seize the provincial town of Kratie.

On 22 December, leading elements of the PAVN force approach the village of Dar, about 10 km from Kratie. Motorised infantry approach on foot, supported by PT-76 tanks.

Lying in wait for them is a Khmer Rouge force.

As more and more PAVN troops arrive, it is clear that the Khmer Rouge are going to have their work cut out for them.

The Khmer Rouge guarding the main road open fire at the lead vehicle in the column of BTR-152 armoured personnel carriers.

The Vietnamese machine gunner in the lead vehicle is killed in the gunfire.

Across the road, the PAVN infantry come under fire from a Khmer Rouge machine gun.

It is joined by rifle and automatic weapons fire from a Khmer Rouge squad that rakes the lead PAVN infantry.

Undeterred, the Vietnamese keep advancing, with the PT-76s rumbling forward towards the machine gun’s position.

The tanks destroy the machine gun team, then begin turning the Khmer Rouge defenders’ flank.

Back on the main road leading to Kratie, the Vietnamese column has been halted by heavy automatic weapons and RPG fire.

The RPG fire is inaccurate, but the small arms fire has killed another BTR-152 machine gunner.

And, even as their flank is being turned, the Khmer Rouge defending the edge of the paddy fields are causing heavy PAVN losses.

Then the two PAVN PT-76s erupt through the bushes, bearing down on the Khmer Rouge defenders. An RPG team frantically opens fire.

It’s a KO!

Their second shot misses the other PT-76, which fires back, killing the RPG team.

Then it starts shelling the rest of the defenders.

The defenders are now caught in crossfire, with more PAVN troops running up to replace the killed attackers.

Faced with certain destruction, the remaining Khmer Rouge hastily withdraw, successfully evading PAVN fire.

Exploiting the gap created by the PT-76s, more PAVN troops pour in through the breach.

However there are more Khmer Rouge hiding at the far end of the paddy field, who open fire.

The PAVN squad starts taking losses.

The Vietnamese return fire, and end up destroying the Khmer Rouge down the far end of the paddy field.

More PAVN infantry move forward, occupying the ground lost by the Khmer Rouge.

With small arms fire still flying along the main road, the PAVN Commander decides to commit the rest of his troops to exploit the collapsed Khmer Rouge centre.

Moving forward, the remaining PT-76 spots a Khmer Rouge bunker further along the road and rotates its main gun to open fire at it.

In doing so, the tank exposes itself to an unseen threat hiding in the courtyard of a nearby pagoda.

The RPG strike knocks out the Vietnamese PT-76.

Two of the tank crew manage to escape the burning vehicle.

Taking advantage of the resulting confusion among the PAVN units, the Khmer Rouge holding up the road column bug out, retreating up the road.

Seeing the size of the PAVN force converging on them, the Khmer Rouge holding the pagoda also decide to bug out.

Deciding that he has caused enough casualties to save his reputation, the Khmer Rouge commander orders a general withdrawal.

The PAVN force searches the village of Dar, eventually locating the Khmer Rouge command post.

The Vietnamese have seized their objective and the road to Kratie is now open, but the butcher’s bill imposed by the Khmer Rouge was a heavy one: two PAVN tanks and half a platoon killed, with the bulk of the Khmer Rouge force having withdrawn intact.