The Cambodian Campaign was a set of US military operations carried out against North Vietnamese forces and Viet Cong guerrillas in eastern Cambodia from April 29 to July 22, 1970, during the Vietnam War. Reinforced with South Vietnamese units, the US Army deployed more 109,000 men, who were backed by bombers and carrier-based attack aircraft, such as C-130 Specters, B-52, and A-6 Intruders.
Announced by President Richar Nixon on April 30, 1970, the main rationale of the Cambodian Campaign was to annihilate the National Liberation Front (Viet Cong) sanctuaries in eastern Cambodia from which they conducted raids against South Vietnamese Army and US Army bases in South Vietnam. This military action against the communist forces in the jungle of Cambodia would have a shield-like deterrent effect which would allow the US government to implement the planned policy of Vietnamization and the withdrawal of US forces from South Vietnam.
In 1970, the new government of Cambodia of General Lon Nol changed his country’s policy and authorized US military operations in the eastern strip of Cambodia. The result of the Cambodia Campaign was the capture of large amounts of communist supplies and material and the ignition of the Cambodian Civil War. The main operations of this campaign were: Toan Thang 42, Toan Thang 43 (Rockcrusher), Binh Tay I (Tame the West), Toan Tang 44 (Bold Lancer), Freedom Deal, etc.
