Not a counter-factual, rather a short introduction to a French offensive in northern Vietnam against the Viet Minh, from the newly discovered Defence in Depth, a Kings Defence Studies blogsite:http://defenceindepth.co/2014/11/27/...indochina-war/
The author cites Bernard Fall on Operation Lea:It is worth reading Fall's commentary on an operation at the same time. minus aircraft, tanks etc that actually had an effect and was led by two local infantry battalions - in the T'ai Highlands (see pg.30):http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=G...page&q&f=falsea wild gamble at finishing the war in one single master stroke.
There is an old thread dedicated to Bernard Fall, after his wife published her own book:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...read.php?t=269
The author, Michael Finch, has a book on French COIN 1885-1900:http://www.oxfordscholarship.com/vie...ilqH5&result=1
Defence in Depth has irregular postings on such battles / operations:Forgotten Battles is a feature on Defence-in-Depth designed to bring long-lost battles back from the depths of history. Our authors have chosen these engagements because they believe that their significance has been overlooked or overshadowed by better-remembered battles in history. The significance of the chosen battles may have been strategic and influenced greatly a particular war or campaign or may be based on other factors, such as social or cultural impact or the way in which a battle shaped the thinking of future leaders.
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