International Commission of Control and Supervision
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During the Vietnam War, the International Commission of Control and Supervision (ICCS) was created to replace the International Commission for Supervision and Control (ICSC) following the signing of the Paris Peace Accords ("Paris Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam") on 27 January 1973.
The Protocol to the Paris Agreement detailed the functions of the ICCS. At Article 4 it named the locations of seven regional teams and twenty-six teams within those regions in South Vietnam. It also called for seven teams to be assigned to ports of entry (for replacement of armaments, munitions and war material permitted the two South Vietnamese parties under Article 7 of the Agreement) and seven teams to supervise the return of captured and detained personnel.
In summary, the ICCS was to supervise the cease-fire, the withdrawal of troops, the dismantlement of military bases, the activity at ports of entry and the return of captured military personnel and foreign civilians. It was to report on the implementation, or violation, of the Peace Agreement and Protocols.
Canada remained a member of the ICCS from 29 January until 31 July 1973. During this period there were 18,000 alleged cease-fire violations, which resulted in over 76,000 killed, wounded and missing to both sides. One Canadian and eight others from Hungary, Indonesia, the Philippines, Poland and the United States were killed in April 1973 when an ICCS helicopter was shot down. This was the only Canadian fatality during its time with the ICCS. In practical terms, Canada stayed long enough to supervise the American withdrawal and the exchange of prisoners of war.
The force was composed of military and civilian personnel from two communist nations, Hungary and Poland, and two non-communist nations, Canada and Indonesia. As with the old ICSC, there were continuous disagreements between the communist and non-communist nations about the causes of treaty violations. Canada attempted to counter this with an "open mouth policy" to the world’s media. After Canada’s departure from the Commission, it was replaced by Iran.
Colonel Robert Ringma was the first Deputy Chief of Staff (Support) for the Military Component Canadian Delegation to the International Commission of Control and Supervision (MCCD ICCS), from 27 January to 1 June 1973.
