(VOVworld) – On March 10, 40 years ago, the Vietnamese army attacked Buon Ma Thuot township, the curtain raiser battle of the Central Highlands operation. The Buon Ma Thuot battle took place over two days. Phan Khac Hy, former Vice Commander of multi-battalion 559, was involved in the fight. “On March 9 we attacked Duc Lap, the gateway to Buon Ma Thuot and the next day we rushed the enemy’s headquarters. The enemy counter-attacked in Phuoc An but we had been well prepared. The enemy was defeated and withdrew from the Central Highlands to bases on the plain.”

The gateway to Buon Ma Thuot

Following the Buon Ma Thuot victory, the Vietnamese army rapidly advanced to liberate the Central Highlands and central coastal areas, which created opportunities for the liberation of the south before the rainy season in 1975. Major General Huynh Nghi, former military envoy of army corps No.3, said: “Western commentators said choosing Buon Ma Thuot to begin the 1975 Spring Offensive was a clever tactic by our military leaders. We had to prepare for this 2 years in advance. After losing Buon Ma Thuot, President of the Republic of Vietnam Nguyen Van Thieu decided to retreat from the Central Highlands, and this was a turning point in the war.”

Colonel Ho Son Dai, former head of the Military Science Section of Military Zone 7, said: “The Buon Ma Thuot victory taught us several lessons including choosing the right direction and target with which to surprise the enemy. It was the opposite to the prediction made by the Republic of Vietnam’s army that our attack was to liberate Kon Tum and Pleiku.”  

A corner of the Buon Ma Thuot's Coffee Festival 2015