In case of a Fatherland protection war, offensive operations can be conducted at the outset and throughout the war on various scales, featuring key and decisive battles. Securing victory in these critical engagements requires commanders and relevant agencies to address numerous challenges. Chief among these is the organisation and deployment of forces, which necessitates further research and application in line with rapidly evolving battlefield circumstances.

While offensive campaigns were the primary operational form of our Army during the war of national liberation, they remain crucial in national defence scenarios. Depending on specific conditions, these campaigns may vary in scales, and be conducted across diverse terrains, including mountainous regions, midlands, plains, and riverine environments. Their success depends on the execution of key battles, particularly decisive engagements that neutralise significant enemy forces, shift the balance of power, destroy intended military targets, establish advantageous positions, and gather momentum.

A training exercise on coordination with the infantry to fight enemy forces in fortified positions held by Tank Brigade 201

The target of offensive campaigns is typically enemy forces in defensive positions, armed with advanced weaponry, superior firepower, high mobility, and extensive reconnaissance and electronic warfare capabilities. In key battles, the enemy may either be entrenched in fortified positions or rapidly manoeuvre by means of land, air, or amphibious operations. These engagements are characterised by swift, complex, and unpredictable developments.

For our part, offensive operations are conducted within the framework of strategic defensive postures at military region and provincial levels, with preparations made in advance in peacetime and flexible transitions in wartime. Recently, in line with the policy of building an “adept, compact, strong” Army, several infantry divisions have been reorganised into mobile fully-staffed main units, undergoing rigorous training and multi-level exercises to enhance their capability for joint combat operations. However, compared to potential invading forces, our weaponry and equipment remain limited, particularly in terms of long-range firepower and air control capabilities, while experience in executing key battles within military region defence operations has yet to be fully gained. Therefore, to ensure success in these critical campaign battles, commanders and relevant agencies need to conduct thorough studies to make accurate decisions regarding force organisation and deployment. This will create favourable conditions and enable the rapid neutralisation of primary targets, ensuring the successful completion of assigned tasks. This article discusses several issues relating to the organisation and deployment of forces in key battles during medium-scale offensive operations in the context of Fatherland protection.

First of all, effectively organising the forces for key battles in an offensive campaign. Throughout the combat preparation process, commanders and operational agencies must meticulously consider their higher echelon’s directives, assigned tasks, the enemy's overall situation, our  force dispositions, the operational capabilities of provincial-level defensive zones, as well as terrain and weather conditions. When organising forces for key battles, it is important to maximise aggregate strength, to concentrate resources on the primary target areas, and to execute attacks that leverage joint operations among services and corps. This approach aims to neutralise critical enemy targets, disrupt their formations, and create a cascading effect that propels the campaign forward.

A medium-scale offensive operation is typically structured into two to three phases, with each phase comprising one or two key battles. During the entire campaign, several key battles are planned, including a decisive engagement that determines the campaign’s outcome. For key battles against entrenched enemy positions, commanders and operational agencies may deploy forces, ranging from an infantry regiment to a reinforced infantry division. For key battles against enemy forces across open terrain, the deployment may range from one infantry regiment (not fully-staffed) to two reinforced infantry divisions or even two infantry divisions. Additionally, commanders should enhance the forces assigned to key battles by integrating various arms, including artillery, air defence, and armoured units, with a strong emphasis on firepower support. It is also important to cooperate closely with local armed and defensive zone units during both preparation and execution phases. The organisation of forces should be tailored to specific terrain, task objectives, and enemy targets. Typically, this includes main assault units, reserve combined arms forces, armoured units, artillery, air defence, engineering, chemical units, command headquarters, and logistics support forces. Such well-structured force organisation ensures the effective integration of combat capabilities, counters enemy operational measures, swiftly handles battlefield contingencies, and ultimately secures victory.

Second, secretly, strategically deploying forces for key battles, ensuring mobility and concentration of advantage from the outset in critical directions and key target areas. Effective execution of this principle not only preserves forces and equipment from enemy artillery and air strikes but also maximises the combined strength of all units, rapidly establishing dominance in the initial offensive and ensuring victory in the campaign’s key battles. Commanders must direct participating units to deploy forces and equipment in a secretive and unexpected manner, ensuring agility in engaging the enemy in multiple directions. While initial dispersal minimises exposure, forces must be capable of rapid concentration when needed. Terrain advantages and existing provincial-level defensive zone postures should be leveraged to establish interwoven battle formations and prioritise resources for key targets. Simultaneously, diversionary tactics should be employed to mislead, divert, and disperse enemy responses.

For key battles in midland and mountainous terrain, it is essential to exploit terrain advantages, particularly areas of tactical significance, in conjunction with the use of village combat bases and provincial-level defensive zone postures for force and equipment deployment. In plains and riverine environments, force and equipment deployment should be based on village combat posture, irrigation works, canal and ditch systems, mangrove forests, mounds, and other features. Additionally, camouflage, diversion, and the use of decoys should be intensified, especially for tanks, armoured vehicles, and various types of firepower. For key battles against enemy forces across open terrain, where enemy conditions are highly variable and rapidly evolving, forces must be deployed with a focus on secrecy and surprise in pre-planned areas while maintaining readiness to manoeuvre against unforeseen scenarios. The deployment of incendiary weaponry must be dispersed, while firepower itself must be concentrated, facilitating effective support for offensive operations against the enemy both inside and outside fortifications.

To secure victory in key battles, commanders and operational agencies must effectively implement the principle of “establishing our strategic posture while disrupting the enemy’s”, concentrating forces and equipment from the outset in key directions and target areas to create overwhelming strength. Superiority in infantry, tanks, armoured vehicles, artillery, and air defence must be established to execute continuous, high-intensity breakthroughs, dismantle enemy formations, neutralise their tactics, and swiftly eliminate primary targets. While ensuring secrecy, surprise, and focus in force deployment, commanders and operational agencies must also guarantee effective command and control, seamless coordination, and the ability to adapt to dynamic battlefield situations. Close cooperation with participating units and local armed forces within defensive zones is essential to maintaining operational effectiveness and achieving decisive success in key battles.

Third, opportunely adjusting forces during combat operations. In key battles, enemy forces often possess superior weaponry, equipment, and mobility, making combat situations complex and unpredictable. The balance of power between our forces and the enemy can shift rapidly across different areas, necessitating a clear understanding of battlefield developments, timely force adjustments, and flexible formations to create strategic advantages that effectively counter enemy tactics.

To maintain the initiative in combat, particularly in key battles, commanders and operational agencies must accurately assess situations, monitor campaign developments closely, and analyse the situation scientifically. This allows them to adjust and optimise forces, resources, and battlefield equipment to establish a more favourable battle posture. By continuously creating and capitalising on opportunities, our forces can push the enemy into disadvantageous positions, forcing them into attrition and eventual defeat. Strategic attacks should be executed in succession, with each strike setting the stage for the next, catching the enemy off guard. A well-organised and sufficiently strong reserve force is essential, ensuring that a new reserve unit is formed whenever an existing one is deployed. Additionally, commanders and operational agencies must direct participating units in key battles to actively cooperate with local forces in opportunely encircling, isolating, and disrupting enemy units. This might involve deploying specialised teams and artillery units to strike critical rear targets, aimed at dispersing enemy forces and weakening their capacity to support frontline units under our attack.

The organisation and deployment of forces for key battles in offensive campaigns are fundamental to Fatherland protection warfare, particularly as operational environments, organisational structures, and tactics evolve. Therefore, this requires further research and application in line with rapidly evolving battlefield circumstances.

Sr. Col., Associate Prof., Dr NGUYEN HUU TON

Army Academy