In a (potential) war to defend the Homeland, defensive campaigns will play a crucial role in military region-level defensive operations and may be organised right from the start or during the course of defensive operations, enhancing the protection of key areas in a strategic axis. Therefore, even in peacetime, it is urgent that the conditions, locations, and scale of such a campaign be thoroughly studied.

Military region-level defensive operations are identified as a form of strategic combat, which is considered as a new development in Vietnamese people’s war and military art, studied and proposed due to the growing demands of the cause of national defence. This form of combat is highly integrated, carried out by the military and people in area of operation of a military region (with the potential participation of higher-level forces), with the armed forces of said military region playing a central role. It is based on provincial-level defensive zones prepared during peacetime and combines military, political, psychological, and enemy proselytisation operations, among others. In this regard, military action is the primary focus, involving defensive, counter-offensive, and offensive operations of varying scales under a unified plan, directed by the Command and Party Committee of the Military Region. The aim of military region-level defensive operations is to preserve strength, promptly and effectively respond to enemy firepower strikes, maintain the combat posture and wartime socio-economic activities, and broadly attrite and eliminate key enemy forces. These operations also aim to restrain and prevent enemy ground attacks, while simultaneously suppressing riots and subversive plots, securing important areas and targets, and creating favourable conditions to cooperate with higher-level mobile forces to destroy significant enemy forces and defeat their attacks on the area of operation of the military region.

To successfully carry out regional defensive operations, it is essential to harness the combined strength of all forces and the entire population, and to flexibly apply various types of operational and tactical forms, operational methods, and combat techniques. Among these, a defensive campaign may be organised in a specific location and time to block the enemy’s main axis of attack, inflict heavy damage, eliminate part of their forces, protect key targets, and create favourable conditions for widespread military actions of the military region. This article discusses some key aspects of organising a military region-level defensive campaign during a (potential) war to defend the Homeland for further study and knowledge exchange.

As we are all aware, in a war to defend the Homeland, the organisation of a defensive campaign within various types of strategic combat in general, and in military region-level defensive combat in particular, must be based on the specific elements, such as the enemy’s strategies and tactics, the state of the nation, the capabilities of each military region, and the conditions and opportunities available on each theatre. Among those elements, grasping the enemy’s situation is crucial and decisive. Studies indicate that the conditions and opportunities for initiating a defensive campaign in military region-level defensive combat may occur under one of the two following scenarios.

First, if the enemy attacks as we have anticipated, the military region will initiate a defensive campaign at the very start of the war. In this case, the campaign will enjoy favourable conditions thanks to our proactive peacetime preparations regarding force organisation, unit disposition, battlefield equipment, and all other necessary aspects of combat support. To achieve this, in the key axis of the theatre where critical targets need to be protected, depending on the scale of the campaign, the military region will proactively deploy appropriate regular forces, along with other contingents within provincial-level defensive zones, to develop the plan and well organise forces for the defensive campaign in advance in peacetime. Accordingly, preparations must be made comprehensively and thoroughly in all aspects: combat plan, force organisation, battlefield disposition, equipment, and the construction of necessary structures and fortifications in areas where conditions allow. Also, the military region must conduct training and exercises to practise coordination between forces in accordance with the pre-established plan. When war breaks out, the military region must quickly complement tasks, coordinate and command forces participating in the campaign to promptly occupy their assigned positions, deploy forces according to the defensive plan, and seize the initiative to strike the enemy from the very beginning and throughout the campaign.  Besides, units involved in the campaign must quickly detect, fend off, inflict damage on, attrite, and destroy the enemy’s forces and equipment, defeating their advances. Doing so will set the stage and create opportunities for the mobile elements of the military region and higher command to launch counteroffensives and offensives in the area, ultimately defeating the enemy’s advance in the region and step up related strategic operations.

Second, during the course of our defensive operations, despite being harassed and stretched thin by our widespread combat actions, the enemy may concentrate their strength and firepower in a particular axis or area to attack and threaten our key targets and locations. In such cases, the military region must quickly organise a defensive campaign to stave off and defeat the enemy’s primary attack prong (this is particularly relevant for military regions located inland or in areas with greater depth). In this scenario, the time available to prepare for the defensive campaign is very short, and since there is no preparatory plan in advance, many difficulties may arise. To overcome these challenges, the military region’s command and staff must lead and direct units within their assigned defensive zones to intensify widespread combat, with a view to stretching the enemy’s formations. Simultaneously, they must urgently revise their plans, adjust force organisation, and amend battlefield disposition. Given the limited time and the urgency of the situation, the military region must rely on the local defensive disposition in the area, particularly along the enemy’s main axis of attack, to establish the posture for the defensive campaign. This approach will allow the military region to seize and maintain the initiative in dealing with the enemy’s advances, creating the conditions, opportunities, and basis for subsequent military operations by the military region and formations of higher commands. If the defensive campaign is not organised and executed opportunely, it will be very difficult for us to maintain our defence or to protect key areas and targets.

The areas for conducting a defensive campaign are highly diverse and flexible, given the varying nature, terrain, climate, and weather conditions across different military regions. Some military regions have long borders, coastlines, and mountainous or midland terrain, which are often narrow and susceptible to being cut off. In the event of an invasion, the enemy may see coastal areas as their main axis of attack, though it is also possible they could launch their primary attack from our neighbouring countries’ territories. Therefore, based on thorough study and assessment of all factors, especially the anticipated enemy capability (in case they attack each military region), and according to strategic intentions and the objectives and methods of military region-level defensive operations, areas where a defensive campaign could be conducted must be determined in advance. The selected area may be located on the military region’s primary defensive direction, where the terrain offers tactical advantages, allowing the deployment of forces and firepower to establish a strong defensive position - suitable for both defence and attack. In addition, this area should cover key routes that the enemy must break through to capture primary targets. However, given the vastness of military regions, defensive campaigns often take place in mixed terrain (mountains, midlands, plains, and urban areas). Accurately studying and determining the area for conducting the defensive campaign is crucial, as it influences not only the establishment and construction of a solid, interconnected defensive network but also the positioning, deployment, and organisation of forces for defensive, counter-offensive, and offensive operations within the campaign. This has a significant impact on the overall combat posture and the implementation of military regions’ defensive strategies. As for the campaign’s geographical scope, it depends on the terrain and scale of the campaign. Theoretically, a small-scale defensive campaign may be conducted over an area covering 4 to 6 districts across 1 or 2 provinces (or municipalities). A medium-scale campaign could span several provinces (or municipalities) within the military region, focusing on a strategic defensive direction.

The scale of a defensive campaign at military region level depends on various subjective and objective factors, primarily including the characteristics of the area, the capabilities of the military region, and the enemy’s capabilities (such as the size of their forces, their weaponry, and their fire support capability during offensive actions). Depending on the nature of the mission and the specific circumstances, military regions typically organise small-scale defensive campaigns¹. However, if reinforcements and equipment are provided by its higher command, the military region may organise a medium-scale defensive campaign². The decision to conduct either small or medium-scale defensive campaign in a particular direction, area, or location, depending on specific conditions and circumstances, reflecting creative thinking, leadership, command, and control of the Party Committee and Command of the military region. This ensures that the defensive campaign is conducted properly enough to fulfil its mission while also preserving the strength of our forces for counter-offensive and offensive operations to destroy enemy personnel, equipment, and defeat their plan in the identified areas as per the military region commander’s defensive strategy.

Based on the organisation and composition of forces in the military region in peacetime, which will be strengthened and expanded in wartime, grounded on the actual situation in local defensive zones, the Party Committee and Command of the military region must effectively lead, command, and monitor the campaign. They must meticulously prepare plans, and organise and allocate defensive and mobile forces according to their roles and missions, ensuring robust coordination and establishing a solid, interlocking battlefield disposition that is strong in defence and facilitates counteroffensive actions. At the same time, flexible methods should be applied to enhance the effectiveness of conducting a defensive campaign, enabling the forces involved to successfully perform their combat roles in the process.

In a (potential) war to defend the Homeland, the combat environment and the situations of both the enemy and friendly forces will be everchanging. Therefore, theories about conducting defensive campaigns in military region-level defensive combat must continue to be studied, supplemented, and developed to match the reality of modern warfare.

Senior Colonel, Associate Professor, Dr NGUYEN DINH CHUNG, Army Academy

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1 – A small-scale defensive campaign typically involves one regular division from the military region, supported by combined arms units from the region, and several local regiments and battalions, along with armed forces, departments, and local civilian elements from defensive zones within the campaign area.

2 – A medium-scale defensive campaign usually involves 2 to 3 regular infantry divisions from the region, supported by local armed forces in the campaign area and units from various services and combined arms units of the military region or higher commands.