21 March 1946: The Battle of Thakhek
21 March 1946: The Battle of Thakhek
On 21 March 1946, the town of Thakhek in central Laos became the scene of one of the most violent battles of the early period of the First Indochina War. French colonial forces launched an attack to retake Thakhek, which was being defended by Lao Issara forces under Prince Souphanouvong, together with Vietnamese revolutionary fighters.
The battle followed France's decision to re-establish its control over Laos after the end of the Second World War. French forces, commanded by Jean Boucher de Crèvecoeur, attacked the town with artillery and air support. The fighting was intense but relatively brief. As the defenders withdrew toward the Mekong River, thousands of civilians and fighters attempted to cross to Nakhon Phanom in Thailand.
The retreat across the Mekong became the most tragic part of the event. French forces fired from the riverbank, while aircraft attacked boats carrying people across the river. Hundreds of Lao and Vietnamese combatants and civilians were killed. Historians have produced different estimates of the death toll, with some research suggesting around 1,000 people may have died, although the exact number remains uncertain.
Prince Souphanouvong was wounded during the fighting while attempting to escape from Thakhek. The French subsequently regained control of the town, and the defeat forced Lao Issara leaders and many refugees to flee across the Mekong into Thailand.
Today, 21 March is commemorated in Laos as a day of sacrifice and remembrance. The Battle of Thakhek remains an important part of the country's history of resistance to the restoration of French colonial rule and is remembered particularly for the loss of civilian lives along the Mekong.
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