Campaign Toan Thang
| Operation Toan Thang | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Laotian Civil War and the Vietnam War | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
| North Vietnam |
Forces Armee Neutral Kingdom of Laos United States Thailand | ||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
|
312th Division 13th Dac Cong Battalion |
Paratroop Battalion 85 8th Special Requirements Royal Lao Air Force 20th Special Operations Squadron 21st Special Operations Squadron 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron Air America (transport support) | ||||||||
Operation Toan Thang (Operation Total Victory) was the first communist wet season offensive of the Laotian Civil War. Launched on 18 June 1969 and successful by the 27th, the assault by People's Army of Vietnam troops from the 312th Division and sappers of the 13th Dac Cong Battalion captured Muang Soui. Although the defenders outnumbered the assailants by three to one, the only hard surfaced airfield near the Plain of Jars would fall to the communists, depriving the defending Royal Lao Government of its only forward fighter-bomber base.
Operation Toan Thang was an effective riposte to the Royalist attacks of Operation Pigfat and the U.S. Air Force Operation Raindance. The Vietnamese victory at Muang Soui left them firmly in command of the war in northern Laos.