By Terence Smith Special to The New York Times
March 21, 1970
ANPHU, South Vietnam, March 20—An American spotter plane and South Vietnamese ar tillery were called in by a Cam bodian Army commander today during a two‐hour battle against Vietcong troops inside Cam bodia.
While Cambodian and South Vietnamese officers exchanged instructions on American‐sup plied radios, the American plane provided aerial recon naissance and a battery of South Vietnamese howitzers pounded enemy positions just across the border.
The clash erupted about mid day during a sweep of a Viet cong sanctuary by a Cambodian force of battalion size about 10 miles north of this district capi tal.
The battle appeared to be the most determined Cambodian ef fort yet to drive the Vietcong out of border areas.
Cambodia Urged Withdrawal
The allied participation in the fight reflected a decision to make the most of the cur rent differences between the Cambodians and the North Vietnamese and Vietcong units that have used their territory as a safe haven and a supply route for years.
Last week, following a series of demonstrations against the presence of North Vietnamese and Vietcong forces in Cam bodia, the Government in Pnom penh asked that the forces be withdrawn. On Wednesday Prince Norodom Sihanouk was ousted as Chief of State in coup d’etat led by an anti‐Com munist general.
The South Vietnamese dis trict chiefs along the border in Chaudoc province have been ordered in recent days to pro vide all possible assistance short of troops to the Cambo dian units operating across the border. The United States mili tary advisers stationed in the border districts have been di rected to attempt to establish communications with the Cam bodian commanders on the other side.
Spotters Offered
In addition, Maj. Gen. Nguyen Viet Thanh, the South Viet namese IV Corps military com mander, today authorized his commanders to provide forward, artillery spotters for the Cam‐, bodians if they are requested., These Vietnamese spotters, from positions on the border, would attempt to track the movements, of enemy units and call in South Vietnamese artillery if request ed by Cambodian commanders.
The order of the Vietnamese district chiefs was issued Wednesday night by Col. Tran Van Hue, the chief of Chaudoc Province, a few hours after news was received of the coup d’état in Cambodia.
The directive to the American advisers was issued by the United States command in Sai gon yesterday, reliable sources said taday. Previously the Americans working near the border here and in other prov inces were under orders not to communicate with Cambodian commanders for fear of diplo matic complications. Now they are encouraged to do so, either directly or through the local Vietnamese officials.
The American hope is that the advisers and the South Viet namese will be able to get valu able intelligence from the Cam bodians on Vietcong movements and occasionally catch the enemy troops in a pincers movement as they attempt to cross the border. About 2,000 North Vietnamese and Vietcong troops are thought to be posi tioned opposite Chaudoc alone. In all, some 25,000 enemy sol diers are believed to be oper ating in Cambodia’s eastern provinces.
“We can’t help but benefit from this situation as long as it lasts,” a senior American ad iviser said here today. “At least for the moment, we have the Vietcong in a bind, and we plan to make the most of it.”
Two days ago, to improve communications across the bor der, the Anphu district chief, Lieut. Col. Truong Dinh Chat. sent a two‐way radio set to the commander of the Cam bodian outpost immediately across the border. The two men have been in constant com. munication since, talking in Vietnamese, which most Cam bodians in the border area. speak fluently. The radio was provided by the Americans.
At 3 A.M. today the Cam bodian outpost came under at tack by a Vietcong force esti mated at a company, or 150 men. The Cambodianer fought back, and in the midst of the battle the outpost commander called Colonel Chat on the radio and asked for help. Moments later, the Anphu howitzers roared out, firing illuminating shells that burst in the air over the outpost. Exposed by the glaring phosphorous light, the Vietcong withdrew. Two Cam bodian soldiers were reported killed and five were reported wounded in the battle. No Viet cong casualties were found.
Shortly after dawn, the Cam bodian battalion commander was on the radio again. He told Colonel Chat that he was beginning a sweep of the area and requested that an observa tion plane circle overhead to spot any enemy movement.
The plane was provided, and a few minutes before noon, enemy soldiers were sighted. The commander again asked for and received the support of the howitzers. The shelling which shattered the midday quiet of this dusty town, continued for about an hour but there were no immediate reports of casualties suffered by either side.
American and South Vietnam ese officials are still unclear as to whether the Cambodian commanders along the border are acting on their own initia tive in trying to drive out the Vietcong, or on orders from the new Government in Pnom Penh. Lieut. Gen. Lon Nol, who took over as Premier Wednes day, is known as a nationalist and a pragmatic anti‐Commu nist, whereas Prince Sihanouk, a neutralist, alternated be tween anti‐American and anti Vietcong statements.
The sources here said today’s operation was the first coordi nated action between allied and Cambodian forces against the Vietcong since the overthrow of Prince Sihanouk. Officials said reports published Wednesday of South Vietnamese artillery pro viding support for Cambodian units earlier in the week were erroneous. They said no artil lery support had been sought or granted before today.
Comment by Saigon
SAIGON, March 20 (AP)—The Government denied today that South Vietnamese artillery had provided support for Cambodian troops earlier this week, but United States and South Viet namese officials in Chaudoc confirmed the incidents.
Vice President Nguyen Cao Ky also confirmed the reports in a talk with reporters, but he said that the actions were un official and that such support had been given only in isolated cases.