[Argentina] Call to Vietnam

[Naio90]

Argentine Minister of Foreign Affairs Daniel Osvaldo would make a private call to his vietnamese counterpart.

The call would be private and encrypted.

 

[HeadlessSeeker]

The call would be picked up on the encrypted SIN line."Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Hello Minister, how can I help you?"

@Naio90

 

[Naio90]

"Sir, good afternoon and thank you for taking my call. I won't take much of your time.

The reason behind this call are the events unfilding currently between your nation and neighbouring Thailand. To be frank, we dont have much insight regarding the reasons and causes of the breakout of the incident beyond the media outlets and the resport submitted by our Embassy in Hanoi.

As you know, Argentina has a lot of military hardware exported to your nation, and therefore, we have a special interest in everything related to their performance and capacities. Specially considering the geogrpahy and climate of the possible areas of operations, which are different from what we can expect in most of the parts of Argentina.

We are currently on a stage of expanding our bilateral relations with your capital, and do not want to interfere in internal affairs of Vietnam, but we would be very much interested in learning more about your operations and results. We promise to keep secrecy and do not ask for information you could consider sensible.

Moreover, if you could give us more details about the brackground of all this, we could find common ground in terms of political perception abroad regarding the incident."

 

[HeadlessSeeker]

"Are you saying that you would like to send observers to the conflict zone? Or merely would like to hear reports on how equipment is used and fares? As for how this started, based on reports a Border Defence Force Unit was sent to patrol a section of the border. They were spotted by the Thai Army which proceeded to dispatch a helicopter, which flew into our airspace buzzing the Unit patrolling the Thai Laos border. Later they landed and dispatched a team which attempted to get our troops to surrender, and upon refusal a firefight broke out. The Thai quickly responded by dispatching a motorized detachment with alarming speed and about four air assets. So far this is all we know about the situation, however the Thai have been quiet on the matter. It is believed that they were caught in the middle of preparations for a forced border adjustment."

@Naio90

 

[Naio90]

"That looks rather troubling... I'm glad that your forces stopped it in its tracks.

Our original plan was to receive some reports, but obviously having some technicians and experts on teh ground voerseen the performance of the equipment would be much better. If that is possible, we would love to send a team over. As long as it does not itnerfere with your operations."

 

[HeadlessSeeker]

"It shouldn't interfere. You can send the observation team over, just make to inform us of their movements and arrival point."

@Naio90

 

[Naio90]

"In order to do this the most subtle way, we will be dispatching them on commercial flights. From now on, everything related to this, will be handled directly through our Embassy in Hanoi. They will be submitting to you a file with the identities of the observers as well as their flight information.

If possible, we would like to have them escorted to the strategically "relevant" area and eventually have meetings with vietnamese armed forces officials to talk about the performance of the equipments and possible improvents."

 

[HeadlessSeeker]

"We can have them escorted promptly to where they need to go. We can also make officials from our armed forces made available. We shall await the submission from your embassy."

@Naio90

 

[Naio90]

"Excellent. We appreciate this. We will talk to our Embassy right away. Thank you for this veyr productive call."

After hanging up, the Minister would call his Chief of Staff and he in turn would later call for a meeting with people from the Ministry of Defence and the Minister itself. Presidency would be put on tracks about this.

All this would be done privately.

----------------------------

Only few days later, 3 army officers would board an Air France flight to Paris, and from there connect directly to Hanoi through Vietnam Airlines. Santiago Silva was a captain, specialist in military history and south-asian affairs, Diego Schwartzman, Lieutenant Colonel and engineer working for ArgenDef, and finally Mateo Retegui, Lieutenant Colonel as well and specialist in logistical operations.

All three would travel with their ordinary argentine passports, personal belongings for the trip and several documents with information regarding the argentine equipment sold to Vietnam in the last years, as well as other relevant information. The papers would travel always on the hand-luggage and special attention would be paid to them to avoid loosing any information.

The flight information and the profiles of the officers would be extended privately to the vietnamese authorities. Additional information would be given to the Embassy in Hanoi. Personnel from there would be receiving them at the airport and drive them to a rented appartment downtown.

Once settled, the Embassy would inform the authorities of the awaiting of further isntructions as to bring the officers to the scene of the action.

All this would be private and only known to the argentine and vietnamese government.

@HeadlessSeeker

 

[HeadlessSeeker]

Photo Author Unknown
​

Private, Secret, and Encrypted by SIN

Deployment:
4 Dac Cong, 2 Isuzu Bighorn, Hanoi

With the information on hand prior to their arrival, the three Argentinian Army Officers would upon presenting their identities and papers be allowed through smoothly and without incident in a private and secret manner. Once they were settled in A Group of Four Dac Cong would be called in from their Homes in Hanoi and called into active duty. Brought to the MOD they would be briefed on their objective and the current situation at the border as best as the high command knew it. They were given a black budget and a free choice of equipment in the stores of Hanoi. These were not just any Dac Cong, but veterans of the Iranian Commando Raid in Germany which resulted in the destruction of a coal power plant. Their original leader not present, but they were all skilled in their own right. Going to the vehicle pick up they selected the two Isuzu Bighorn in storage for the purpose of discretion. As to not single themselves out as Dac Cong while still adhering to wartime law they picked out from storage the older K94 tiger stripe hybrid pattern uniforms. Short pattern olive jungle boots and caps of the same pattern were also worn. On their pistol belts, they each had a holster for their K14-VN pistols with a 13 round magazine loaded with FMJ already locked in place. On the same pistol belt was a four cell old school AKM magazine pouch with four AKM 30 round stamped magazines inside with FMJ loaded inside. Each had a Pistol Mitralieră model 1963 from storage with a 30 round magazine preloaded with FMJ ammunition. Two had map bags with a road map and a circle painted on it as the general area of operations. There were two circles in fact. There were a compass and a set of binoculars inside the back as well. More interestingly however was the inclusion of a commercial GPS device. The maps were a cover but also a backup as coverage in Indochina was not perfect. One had a first aid kit but pack on their web gear. Two had grenade belts with six pouches with 3 RGD-5 and 3 RDG-2B smoke grenades. All had a magazine dump pouch as to not leave magazines behind should they come in contact with Thai forces. One had an RPG-7V2 with two TBG-7V Tanin and two PG-7VR. Two including the team leader had a GP-34 grenade launcher fixed to their AKM rifles replacing the Romanian forgrip with a standard to fix it. They carried two frag rounds and two flare rounds for these launchers. Finally, each of them carried with them an encrypted two-way radio clipped onto their belt.

After their two vehicles were fueled up the leader of the group Đại úy (Captain) Vũ Huy Anh would enter the driver seat of the first vehicle with his second in command Thượng sĩ (Sergeant Major) Đặng Sơn Hà taking the passenger seat. The two others Hạ sĩ (Corporal) Lý Mạnh Hà and Binh nhất (Private First Class) Võ Gia Ðức entered the second vehicle as driver and passenger. Once they were in they started up their rides and exited the parking garage with two car lengths apart one another. In the back, the vehicles in the storage area were six 640 round cans of 7.62x39 with one opening tool in both vehicles. Two spare PG-7VL rockets and four of each type of grenade they brought with them assembled in a box. Also, they had an Igla launcher with two 9M39 missiles were in the rear of the trailing vehicle. Taking the busy streets they would make their way downtown to the location of the rented apartments. Pulling up to the sidewalk they would park their vehicles before calling up command telling them they were at the pickup spot. The leader had an encrypted cellphone on hand for this occasion. Using the information given to them the Hanoi HQ would call of the Argentinian Embassy and inform them that ride for their observers was waiting outside in two Isuzu Bighorns.

@Naio90

 

[Naio90]

The three argentine officers would have prepared for pick up and be waiting in a small apartment just one block away from the Embassy. Given the secret nature of this mission they did not wanted to show up completely geared at the diplomatic mission.

They would be wearing their field boots, woodland camo trousers and olive-green shirts. Schwartzman would have his woodland camo jacket on and a cap. NO visible argentine insignia where being carried. Each of them had a backpack with their personal stuff needed for this mission on the country-side, including clothes, personal hygiene items, sunglasses, repelent, cellphone and charger, some water and notebook and papers.

After getting a message from the Embassy they would approach the two Isuzu trucks. Lieutenant Colonel Diego Schwartzman would take the lead and greet the vietnamese officer seemingly in charge.

"Hello Officer, we are the "tourists" from South America, I understand you are expecting us."

@HeadlessSeeker

 

[HeadlessSeeker]

Captain Vũ Huy Anh would roll down his window and look to Lieutenant Colonel Diego Schwartzman and consider them for a moment."Indeed we have been. Best get in, you don't want to miss your assigned slot at the firing range yes?" he asked going with the tourist angle. A part of the tourist industry in Vietnam included the military renting out firearms at a firing range under strict supervision. They typically had a range of Vietnam War era weapons there which tourists so very much liked to fire. It was a good enough cover as any. Though he doubted anyone in the neighborhood would raise very much of an eyebrow towards the two vehicles.

@Naio90

 

[Naio90]

The tree argentine would board the vehicles, two in the front car and the third in the other one, greeting in english language and throwing their bags into the trunk of the Isuzu's.

Schwartsman would introduce himself properly to the vietnamese he addresed earlier and would the same with the other 2 argentina army officers.

"Thank you for having us here. How long will this ride take?"

@HeadlessSeeker

 

[HeadlessSeeker]

"Entirely depends on traffic and road conditions. At the latest expect 14 hours. We would go by helicopter or air transport but it is too risky." the Captain said."So best to get comfortable. We will be taking a pit stop every 2 hours." he said as they drove through Hanoi fixed on leaving the city."We are going to be linking up with a mechanized and motorized unit." he added.

@Naio90

 

[Naio90]

"How is the situation involving? Did the thai's continued pushing units and assets into the area of conflict? The latest we know is the involvement of the air combat units you just mentioned, which would mean that advanced planning is taking place. You don't jsut throw some fighters in out of the blue."

 

[HeadlessSeeker]

"The situation at this moment is stable. However only a border Garrison unit engaged with the Thai. The Garrison is a part of the Border Defence Force. We are moving to link up with a Army Unit which is moving to cross the Ban Na Kra Seng Border crossing. It has mechanized units. Also agreed, we at this moment think the Thai have been planning a border push for awhile now. They more then likely saw the reformation of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam government as a moment of weakness. So when our border Garrison happened upon them, they decided they had to act now. At least that is the way it seemed." he said as he kept driving."The Thai are tough, so if you wanted to see how your equipment stands up then this is the time to do it."
he commented.

@Naio90

 

[Naio90]

"We tested our equipment thoughfully and have it operating in almost all of our military branches, however, Argentina has not had a war since 1982, when we faced the british pirates over our Malvinas Islands. Its enraging how President Herrero just sold them away, tha might be one of his biggest mistakes during office. Anyway... back to topic, we look forward to see and learn from its performance agains a real enemy and against real fire so that we can design possible improvements.

Politically speaking, this skirmish seems to have had little impact. Few years ago hell would have broken loose and many nations would have dispatched fleets to your shores. This might be an example of times changing..."

@HeadlessSeeker

 

[HeadlessSeeker]

"Yes, an example of how times have changed in our favor it would seem. I remember such times, Vietnam was constantly alone and without true friends. Back in those days countries would of leaped at the chance to try and blacken our eyes. Whether or not we started it or not. But now, I feel that they understand that they cannot simply send a fleet our way and expect us to back down. For our fleet, and our military as a whole has become powerful and cohesive. It would be dangerous for them to so directly interfere in our affairs in such a way. The world, has also changed in that nations have come to believe us when we say that the Thai are the ones who attacked us. A misunderstanding or not, it is very clear to everyone here.

Anyways, be assured that you will get to see the abilities of your equipment adequately tested. The Thai are tough, and they are strong. Even if at this moment they are being dishonorable."

@Naio90

 

[Naio90]

"I drink on that! Yes, we have a series of check lists of reports to fill. This will really help us, and I'm sure Vietnam will obtain something from this as well."

The argentines would continue chatting casually the rest of the trip, some of them would fight against falling asleep as they still had some residual jet lag on them.

 

[HeadlessSeeker]

As the trip went on the two vehicles would pull over at rest stops for breaks and also to switch out drivers. This would continue all the way to their destination. They would venture deeper and deeper into Laos as they went and gassed up the two vehicles along the way. The Dac Cong became more and more focused as they got closer and yet closer. Knowing that there was danger fast approaching as the Thai were no joke as the leader of the Dac Cong had mentioned. Hopefully they could keep the Argentinian team from getting into too much trouble along the way. But, that is why they had come prepared for just encase the unthinkable occurred and they found themselves on the front lines of this seemingly small border conflict.