Defense of Hung Yen

Defense of Hung Yen
Part of the Imperial Crisis
Date 17 May - 4 June 2017 Location Hưng Yên, Hung Yen Special Administrative Region, Quenmin Result Allied victory
Belligerents
Hung Yen Garrison: New Akiba Zanarkand Quenmin From May 27: Quenmin United Kingdom New Akiba Zanarkand Gallia-Bruhl Aurucolia	Lorica NRPQ
Commanders and leaders
Hung Yen Garrison: Shizuma Izumi Ukyo Samonji Thomas Evans Richard Philip Todd Klankain Auchinleck IV Reinforcements: Nguyễn Thủy Anh Phùng Minh Thiệu Kiriya Kitagawa	Taras Silin Constantin Brochard Phuong Trong Cuong
Units involved
8th New Akiba Division 7th Regiment, 9th Zanarkian Division 9th Regiment, 7th Zanarkian Division Royal Quenminese Coast Guard Hưng Yên Police Force	Hung Yen Front 2nd Imperial Front

The Defense of Hung Yen (17 May 2017 - 4 June 2017) was a battle between the Allied Forces and the Lorican-Trieuist forces in the Imperial Crisis that took place in the Special Administrative Region of Hưng Yên. It was primarily fought by New Akibanders and Zanarkians with support from the local Quenminese force against a much larger Lorican-Trieuist force.

Following the Imperial victory in the Lunar New Year Offensive earlier that year, Hung Yen was cut-off and separated from the rest of Quenmin. Only a token Quenminese force was left garrisoned in Hung Yen. However, the Communist-Imperial forces did not attack Hung Yen, as High General Taras Silin was building a force trained to capture Hung Yen, greatly allowing the Quenminese forces in the area to prepare.

Taking advantage of time, General Kiriya Kitagawa sent a part of the vanguard force from Task Force 141, namely the 8th New Akiba Division and a few regiments from the 7th and 9th Zanarkian Divisions to reinforce the garrison, as part of the final phase of Operation Plumber. Entering Hung Yen from the Gulf of Hung Yen, the ZANAC force managed to reinforce the region before the attack on the 17th of May. Colonel Shizuma Izumi was recognized by the allies as the leading allied commander in Hung Yen at that time. In addition, command of the Quenminese garrison was given to him.

The aftermath of the battle saw the conclusion of General Kitagawa's Operation Plumber. He was later promoted to Field Marshal and the 8th New Akiba Division, along with the participating regiments from the 2 Zanarkian Divisions gained recognition in Quenmin, being the only Commonwealth formations receiving Quenminese awards and citation through Field Marshal Nguyễn Thủy Anh.

Background

Hung Yen had been the place of dispute between Quenmin and Lorica since the early 19th Century. After the Second Europan War, Hung Yen became a crown colony of the Lucis Empire and was governed by the Lucians from 1945 to 1975. The Treaty of Thien Dai stated that Hung Yen was to be ceded to the United Kingdom in order to avoid further hostilities between the two nations. Thus, Hung Yen was ceded to the United Kingdom for a 99-year lease. From 1947 to 1975, Hung Yen became the most important trading centre of the U.K in Asianna with Quenmin being the most important trading partner of the U.K. In 1950, the War of Lorican Aggression erupted and the Lucians, backed by the Quenminese fought to defend this trading centre. By 1970, Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII, the U.K's newly crowned king at that time opened negotiations to quickly end the war. He also raised the question of Lucian Sovereignty over Hung Yen. He also mentioned that there's no need for a 99-year lease. When the war ended in 1975, 5 months later, The Transfer of Sovereignty over Hung Yen between the U.K and Quenmin became in effect and was a worldwide event. From 1975, Hung Yen had been under Quenminese control but the Lorican government issued protests, insisting that Hung Yen is Lorican territory until 2016.

Course of the Battle

Samonji's Destabilizing Line

As early as May 20, 2017; The Quenminese Special Administrative Region of Hung Yen was only defended by the Quenminese Militia, Police and Coast Guard. The Allied High Command became worried as the Loricans might take over Hung Yen, which was poorly defended. Offering his support, Lieutenant Colonel Ukyo Samonji and his 8th New Akiba Division arrived under Field Marshal Kiriya Kitagawa's order. By that time, only a total of 2,573 Quenminese Policemen, Militia and Coast Guard along with 15,756 New Akibander and some Zanarkian troops under Samonji's command were defending the region against a combined 57,985 Lorican and Trieuist troops under General Silin Taras's command. The following day, Samonji was assigned to be the commander of the Allied Forces stationed at Hung Yen. By May 23, Hung Yen was attacked by the Imperial forces and Samonji held on. With the lack of air support and ammunition nearly half, Samonji pulled his forces back onto the Thanh Dai district with most of the Quenminese militia occupying the Kowloon district. With the northern half of Hung Yen under Imperial hands, Samonji carried on the fight. Desperate to keep the streets under Allied Control, He attempted to reach air support but was unable to since the planes weren't still rearmed and would have to wait for the following day. The next day, The Imperial forces pushed the Allied forces back to the Kowloon district, which was along with the Davis and Caroline Islands were the last districts to be under Allied Control. But on the afternoon of the 24th, Samonji managed to push back the Imperials as far as Churchill Avenue. The Quenminese on the other hand managed to retake King Georgius V Boulevard with Commonwealth support. On that evening, Major Thomas Evans, Samonji's aide informed him that they can only hold on for 2 more days before ammunition would ran out. Telephone lines were cut but a radio beacon was constructed and by the early hours of the 25th, Samonji contacted his commander, Field Marshal Kitagawa of the situation in Hung Yen. Kitagawa immediately responded and sent a relief force under the command of Richard Philip Todd and Jonathan Vo to reinforce him. At the same time, General Phùng Minh Thiệu informed his superior, Nguyễn Thủy Anh to send reinforcements to Hung Yen, which eventually got through by the morning of the 25th.