Thank you for your contribution to another successful SAMHSEC year. We look forward to your company in 2026. May Christmas have been blessed for you and your family.
SAMHSEC 21 MILITARY HISTORY IN 21 WORDS COMPETITION
Congratulations to the winner of our military history in 21 words competition, Dennis Hibberd. Stephan Botha and Nick Cowley were runners-up. Anne is to share the entries with us during the 26 January 2026 RPC meeting.
SAMHSEC meeting 8 December 2025
Franco Cilliers discussed Operation Linebacker II: the 11-day air operation that forced a breakthrough in peace negotiations. In December 1972, the United States launched one of the most decisive air operations of the Vietnam War: Operation Linebacker II. Also called “The December Raids” or “The 11-Day War”, the operation marked the last major use of American strategic air power in Southeast Asia. Its purpose was straightforward and politically significant: apply overwhelming pressure on North Vietnam to return to peace negotiations.
After months of stalled talks in Paris, North Vietnam believed it could wait out the US and achieve better terms through political pressure rather than diplomacy. President Richard Nixon aimed to break this deadlock. On December 18, the first waves of B-52 bombers lifted off from Guam and Thailand, beginning a concentrated series of strikes against military and logistical targets in and around Hanoi and Haiphong—areas previously considered too politically sensitive and heavily defended for large-scale bombing.
The operation included hundreds of B-52 sorties, supported by fighter escorts, Wild Weasel electronic warfare aircraft and aerial refuelling tankers. It was one of the most complex operations of the conflict. However, the opening nights came with a steep cost. North Vietnam’s dense air defence network—including SA-2 surface-to-air missiles, radar-guided artillery and an organised early-warning system—inflicted significant losses. 12 B-52s were shot down during the first three nights, prompting a rapid reassessment of tactics.
Adaptation proved crucial. US planners quickly modified bomber routes, altitudes, spacing and jamming profiles. Fighter support intensified and suppressive attacks on missile sites increased. These changes dramatically reduced the loss rate, allowing bombing to continue at a high tempo. By December 26, the US launched the largest single bomber strike since World War II, overwhelming defences and crippling targeted infrastructure.
The combined effect of sustained bombing and diminishing missile supplies put North Vietnam under immense military and political pressure. Just one day after the operation concluded on December 29, Hanoi announced it was ready to return to negotiations. Within weeks, the sides finalised the Paris Peace Accords, largely on terms previously offered before the raids began. While the agreement did not guarantee lasting peace in Southeast Asia, the operation succeeded in achieving its immediate strategic objective.
Operation Linebacker II remains a subject of study and debate. For the US military, it provided lessons in electronic warfare, tactical flexibility and the integration of air power with political goals. For historians, it stands as a dramatic example of how concentrated aerial operations can influence diplomacy in the final stages of conflict.
Franco’s presentation is in the SAMHS Zoom library.
SAMHSEC meeting 12 January 2026
Nick Cowley is to tell us about Piet Nieuwenhuizen: the Germans' Jungle Man. He was a Boer who scouted for von Lettow-Vorbeck and the reference is to Maj PJ Pretorius, with whom he had much in common apart from scouting on opposite sides in the same campaign.
See Mac Alexander’s review of Maj Pretorius’ autobiography in the SAMHS Zoom library
SAMHSEC Requests the Pleasure of your Company to talk about military history on 26 January 2026
RPC meetings are opportunities for you to share your knowledge of a military history subject or book with fellow military historians. Presentations should last approximately 15 minutes to allow time for sharing the pleasure of one another’s company. You can do any number of RPC presentations per year. Please contact André at andrecrozier@gmail.com if you want to share your knowledge.
Conservation Management Plan (CMP) for Fort Selywn and the Old Provost in Grahamstown
The Albany Museum is currently engaged in a process to record and set up the legal and compliance structures to undertake certain repair work and long-term maintenance on these 2 properties. This compulsory process is defined by the National Heritage Resources Act (NHRA). The consulting architects are in PE.
SAMHSEC has been delegated to represent SAMHS regarding this project.
Thank you to Pat and Stephen who have offered to represent us in Grahamstown and PE respectively.
Please contact me if you have any suggestions or contributions to make regarding this project.
2026 membership
Membership details for 1 January to 31 December 2026 (R340 single and R360 family) are on the SAMHS website www.samilitaryhistory.org
SAMHSEC
Chairman: Malcolm Kinghorn culturev@lantic.net
Secretary: Stephen Bowker stephen@stephenbowker.co.za
Speaker coordinator: André Crozier andrecrozier@gmail.com
Scribe: vacant
Field trip coordinator: vacant