Only one ahvn regiment and three territorial battalions were stationed in the city. Starting at 0200 hours on the 10th, uavn armour and infantry seized most of the city by late afternoon. The 23rd Division commander, Brig Gen Le Trung Tuong, escaped by helicopter; his deputy and the province chief surrendered early on the 11th. Though the pavn had the advantages of numbers and surprise, the tendency of arvn troops with dependants to follow the example of their officers and care first for their families contributed to the rout.
Control of Ban Me Thuot permitted the PAVN to isolate major arvn garrisons at Pleiku and Kontum. Realizing that these positions had become untenable. President Nguyen Van Thieu ordered the immediate evacuation of the highlands and regroupment on the coast. An ill-planned retreat from Pleiku precipitated a panicky flood of both civilian and military personnel into lowland cities. Uncontested control of the central highlands and chaos in the cities paved the way for the pavn to seize Hue and Danang, late March. WST.
Bangladesh War see india-
PAKISTAN WAR (l97l).
Banzai charge. A final assault, aimed at inflicting the greatest possible damage on the enemy before dying with honour in battle, made by Japanese servicemen when facing certain defeat and possible capture; so called from the battle cry Tenno heika banzail (“Long live the Emperor!”). The largest banzai charge of World War II occurred on Saipan, July 7 1944, when c2,000—3,000 Japanese troops died in a dawn assault on strongly-entrenched usMC infantry and artillery. A few hundred walking wounded launched a final banzai charge later that day. Of the c25,000-strong garrison of Saipan, fewer than
1,000 Japanese survived. RO’N.
Bao Dai, Emperor (b. l913). Vietnamese. Last emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty (1802—1945); the powerless monarch of Annam, the French “protectorate” in central Vietnam. After abdicating in the August Revolution and briefly serving as supreme adviser to the new Democratic Republic, he began negotiating with France on a non-communist alternative that came to be known as the “Bao Dai solution”. Urged by noncommunist nationalists to hold out for full independence, Bao Dai agreed in March 1949 to the establishment of the State of Vietnam with limited independence in the French Union. During this time Bao Dai spent much time carousing in nightclubs abroad, which raised doubt about the seriousness of his intentions and the goodwill of France. Many Vietnamese regarded the State of Vietnam, with Bao Dai as chief of state, as a collaborationist regime. This was the government seated in Saigon at the war’s end. In October 1955 a national referendum organized by Bao Dai’s prime minister, Ngo Dinh Diem, called for South Vietnam to become a republic. Bao Dai departed for exile in France. WST.
Bapaume. Principal town immediately behind the German Somme front, 1916. Entered by 2nd Australian Division, March
1917, it changed hands again a year later but was retaken by the New Zealand Division, August
1918.
Bar, Lt Col Heinrich (1913-57). Ger. Often called the outstanding German fighter-pilot of World War II, with 124 of his 220 “kills” made in the West. In the defence of Germany, 1944—45, he became the first Experte (“ace”) jet pilot, with 16 “kills”, mostly heavy bombers, in a Messerschmitt Me 262.
Bardia, capture of (January 3-4 1941). After the defeat of the Italian Tenth Army at Sidi Barrani, 6th Australian Division attacked the fortified port of Bardia, garrisoned by 45,000 men with 400 guns. Four days preliminary bombardment by the raf and Royal Navy preceded the Australian assault. “I” tanks (Matildas) and Australian elan unnerved the defenders, who capitulated on January 4. See also western desert
CAMPAIGN.
Barents Sea, Battle of (December 31 1942). Convoy JW 51B bound for Murmansk was attacked by Hipper, Liitzow and six large destroyers off North Cape. Sherbrooke’s escort of six destroyers gallantly held off the heavy German ships, which were operating independently and badly coordinated, by threatening torpedo attacks with the loss of one of their number and another escort. The British 6in cruisers Sheffield and Jamaica came dashing out of the Arctic twilight, damaged the bigger Hipper and sank one German destroyer. One further uncertain approach by Liitzow was frightened off by the destroyers of the escort. The convoy had been fought through by a much inferior force with no damage to it. Hitler’s restrictions on the use of his heavy ships had been responsible for this German debacle, but he was furious. He ordered the laying up of his major ships and Raeder resigned as head of the Kriegs-marine. Donitz, who replaced him, later persuaded Hitler to withdraw his order. DJL.
Bar-Lev Line see arab-israeli
WARS.
Barrage. A controlled concentration of artillery fire for offensive or defensive purposes.
Barrage balloon see balloons.
World History
