Following the seizure of Hoa Binh, French patrols had continued to extend their presence throughout the Muong country. By concentrating on the Black River sector, Giap allowed the French an illusionary freedom of movement, subject to an occasional ambush by Viet Minh local or regional forces.

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On December 2, a 40-truck ammunition convoy was ambushed near Dong Ben. The French drove their attackers off, but lost half the convoy. The same held true on December 7, when a company was ambushed at Lang Mo. The bodies of 20 Viet Minh were recovered. On December 13, however, a company from the 2nd BPC was hit hard, and lost eight paratroops killed, 19 wounded and two missing in action. A vehicle convoy was attacked west of Ao Trach on December 15, but again the Viet Minh were driven off. A December 22 riverine ambush near Lac Son in Colonial Route 6’s sector along the Black River proved equally serious. The navy lost an armored landing craft and three patrol craft.

By the end of December, French Intelligence noted increasing signs of Viet Minh regulars in the area. Regiment 66 was identified to the north of Route 6, with Regiment 9 to the east. Then various elements of the 308th and 312th divisions were plotted along the length of Route 6. On December 30, the post at Trung Du was attacked at midnight. Following a long night’s combat, Regiment 9 withdrew, leaving 160 bodies in the wire for the cost of four French troops killed and 31 wounded.

Then on January 7, the 308th Division launched four battalions against the 3/13th DBLE at Xom Pheo while diversionary attacks were mounted against Trung Du, Dong Ben and An Lap. The fighting lasted from midnight to 0600 the next morning. Legionnaires at Xom Pheo counted more than 800 Viet Minh dead in front of their positions. That same night, Viet Minh sappers infiltrated the defenses at Hoa Binh to destroy two 105mm howitzers, prompting an airborne drop by the 2nd BPC to reinforce the camp on January 8. Unlike previous drops, the air transports were met with anti-aircraft fire at both Hoa Binh and Xom Pheo, where a resupply drop took place. Eight aircraft were hit and four shot down. Hoa Binh was taking on the appearance of a camp under siege.

On January 8, the Viet Minh mortared the legionnaires at Xom Pheo and attacked Dong Ben. They were driven back, but by January 9 major Viet Minh forces had dug in on the heights overlooking Kem Pass and the routes leading from Ao Trach. During the night of January 9, the 304th Division and Regiment 88 of the 308th Division launched harassing attacks against all French posts in sector and then withdrew to cut the road. By January 11, Colonial Route 6 had been shut down. The French fell back on aerial resupply, while reinforcements were pulled in from other areas to drive Giap’s Divisions from Colonial Route 6.

With the death of de Lattre (he was posthumously raised to the rank of marshal of France) and Salan’s elevation to commander in chief, responsibility for the Hoa Binh campaign now rested on General Gonzales de Linares, an old soldier held in high regard by the junior officers and NCOs of the French Expeditionary Corps. Given the limitations of the forces available to him and requirements elsewhere, de Linares could only see one way to take back Colonial Route 6, and that was piece by piece, from east to west, clearing each subsector as he went.

Phase One, the clearing of the road between Xuan Mai and Ao Trach, kicked off on January 10, 1952, with the assembly of the 1st and 2nd BEPs and 2/1st RTM at Xuan Mai. Viet Minh forces consisted of elements of the 9th and 57th regiments to the west and east of Kem Pass, with possible reinforcement by elements of the 308th Division. By January 11, under Colonel de Rocquigny, this task force had cleared as far as Mo Thon with assistance from sector troops from Chuc Son. From Mo Thon, de Rocquigny ordered the 1st BEP to push into the Suc Sich region while the 2nd BEP moved toward Hill 202 and the 2/1st Moroccans pushed along Route 6. Thick vegetation prevented the 2nd BEP from keeping to the time schedule, but the 1st BEP cleared the northern side of the road, allowing the 2/1st Moroccans to reach Hill 54 by 1730 without running into any serious enemy resistance.

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