Infantry Rearmament, Training, and Operations

Abstract

Chapter 3 looks into how the PLA established and trained the first three regular divisions, the 304th, 308th, and 312th Divisions, for the Viet Minh in China in 1950. The PLA also opened two officer academies; four communication, technology, and mechanic schools; three driving schools; two medical training centers; and six language institutes in 1951 for the Vietnam Minh. By 1952, the Chinese had provided military, technology, and professional training for 25,000 Vietnamese officers, soldiers, engineers, technicians, and medical staff in China. In August, when the Chinese Military Advisory Group (CMAG) arrived, more than 450 Chinese advisors worked with the PAVN commanders at the high command, division, regiment, and battalion levels. The PLA advisors taught the Vietnamese their successful tactics from the Chinese Civil War. They developed tactics for mobile operations and designed surprise attacks to outnumber the enemy whenever the situation permitted, in order to wipe out entire enemy units instead of simply repelling them. Chinese training, rearmament, and advisory assistance were intended to improve PAVN combat abilities in order to achieve victory by using annihilation tactics. When the PAVN launched the Border Campaign at Cao Bang in September-October 1950, they defeated the French near Cao Bang, opening transportation lines for Chinese aid.