The Battle of Hill 723 was a Vietnam War battle in the country of Laos, which was fought between the South Vietnamese Army and the Communist North Vietnamese Army (NVA). It took place from March 7 to March 16, 1971, during the South Vietnamese invasion of Laos. The result was a North Vietnamese Army victory. As the South Vietnamese Army approached Hill 723, moving along Route 9 on March 7, 1971, the North Vietnamese Army artillery opened fire and quickly pinned down the advancing South Vietnamese troops. The South Vietnamese Army (ARVN)’s 1st Infantry Division was trapped as the northern flank was closed and the main column was cut off. To no avail, the South Vietnamese High Command attempted to reinforce the 1st Infantry Division with the 2nd and 3rd Regiments. The result was that the South Vietnamese forces were almost completely annihilated.
Famous quotes containing the words battle and/or hill:
“In a time of war the nation is always of one mind, eager to hear something good of themselves and ill of the enemy. At this time the task of news-writers is easy, they have nothing to do but to tell that a battle is expected, and afterwards that a battle has been fought, in which we and our friends, whether conquering or conquered, did all, and our enemies did nothing.”
—Samuel Johnson (1709–1784)
“For now the moon with friendless light carouses
On hill and housetop, street and marketplace,
Men will plunge, mile after mile of men,
To crush this lucent madness of the face....”
—Allen Tate (1899–1979)