One of the last combat actions of the Vietnam War, fought as the Paris Peace Accords ceasefire was hours away from taking effect.
Key Facts
- Dates of battle
- 25–31 January 1973
- Location
- Cửa Việt naval base, Quảng Trị Province
- Ceasefire date
- 28 January 1973 (Paris Peace Accords)
- South Vietnamese forces
- Combined Marine and armored units
- Outcome
- South Vietnamese retreat after North Vietnamese counterattack
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
With the Paris Peace Accords ceasefire set to take effect on 28 January 1973, South Vietnamese commanders sought to seize the strategically valuable Cửa Việt port and naval base in northeastern Quảng Trị Province before the armistice froze front lines in place.
Between 25 and 31 January 1973, a combined South Vietnamese task force of Marine and armored units attempted to capture the Cửa Việt naval base and its surrounding area. North Vietnamese forces launched a determined counterattack, engaging the South Vietnamese in heavy fighting around the port facility.
South Vietnamese forces were compelled to withdraw after suffering considerable losses, failing to secure Cửa Việt. The battle ended shortly after the ceasefire came into effect, leaving North Vietnam in control of the base and marking one of the final engagements of direct combat in the Vietnam War.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent