Battle of the Paracel Islands

Battle of the Paracel Islands
Part of the Vietnam War
Date19–20 January 1974
(1 day)
Location
Result Chinese victory
Territorial
changes
China establishes full control over the Paracels.
Belligerents
 China
 South Vietnam
Commanders and leaders
Zhang Yuanpei (张元培)
Wei Mingsen (魏鸣森)
Colonel Hà Văn Ngạc
Strength
2 minesweepers (#271 and #274)
2 submarine chasers (#389 and #396)[1]
Unknown number of marines
Unknown number of maritime militia
3 frigates
1 corvette
1 commando platoon
1 demolition team
1 militia platoon
Casualties and losses
18 killed
67 wounded
2 minesweepers damaged
2 submarine chasers damaged
75 killed
16 wounded
48 captured
1 corvette sunk
3 frigates damaged[2]

The Battle of the Paracel Islands (Chinese: 西沙海战, Pinyin: Xisha Haizhan;Vietnamese: Hải chiến Hoàng Sa) was a military engagement between the naval forces of China and South Vietnam in the Paracel Islands on January 19, 1974. The battle was an attempt by the South Vietnamese navy to expel the Chinese navy from the vicinity. The confrontation took place towards the end of the Vietnam War.

Prior to the conflict, part of the Paracel Islands was controlled by China and another part was controlled by South Vietnam. The battle resulted in a victory for China over South Vietnam. Consequently, the PRC occupied the portion formerly controlled by South Vietnam and established full de facto control over the Paracels.

  1. ^ "Tài liệu Trung Quốc về Hải chiến Hoàng Sa: Lần đầu hé lộ về vũ khí". Báo Thanh Niên. January 12, 2014.
  2. ^ Danh sách các quân nhân Việt Nam Cộng Hòa hi sinh trong Hải chiến Hoàng Sa 1974, Thanh Niên Online, 09/01/2014