Lieutenant General Dư Quốc Đống (1932 – 22 April 2008) was an officer of the

Army of the Republic of Vietnam The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN; ; french: Armée de la république du Viêt Nam) composed the ground forces of the South Vietnamese military from its inception in 1955 to the Fall of Saigon in April 1975. It is estimated to have suf ...

(ARVN).

Career

In 1965 Đống served as commander of the

Airborne Airborne or Airborn may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Airborne'' (1962 film), a 1962 American film directed by James Landis * ''Airborne'' (1993 film), a comedy–drama film * ''Airborne'' (1998 film), an action film sta ...

which together with the

Marines Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refl ...

formed the South Vietnamese general reserve and had a significant political role to play in

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. Đống allied with General Nguyễn Văn Thiệu, while General Lê Nguyên Khang commanding the Marines was an ally of Đống's rival Air Vice Marshal Nguyễn Cao Kỳ. The general reserve troops represented the muscle of the Saigon-based Directory members and balanced power between the rival officer cliques. In 1966 US advisers reported that Đống was highly resistant to American advice. Because of his close relationship with Thiệu, Joint General Staff chief General

Cao Văn Viên Cao Văn Viên (December 21, 1921 – January 22, 2008) was one of only two South Vietnamese four-star army generals in the history of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam War. He rose to the position of Chairman of the So ...

, his nominal superior, was reluctant to discipline Đống and instead passed on American misgivings to Thiệu. Thiệu valued the support of Đống's Saigon-based paratroopers, but, to appease his American critics, apparently reprimanded Đống in private over his lackadaisical approach. The result was a supposed "changed attitude" in Đống, but by the end of the year the Airborne senior adviser, Col. James B. Bartholomees, again reported that Đống "was still not applying himself to his job." In 1972 Thiệu moved both Đống and Khang out of their Divisions, transferring Đống to command the Capital Military District and Khang to a nebulous "special assistant" post under Viên on the Joint General Staff. He served as the commander of

III Corps 3rd Corps, Third Corps, III Corps, or 3rd Army Corps may refer to: France * 3rd Army Corps (France) * III Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * III Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of t ...

, which oversaw the region of the country surrounding Saigon, from 30 October 1974 until January 1975, when he was replaced by Lieutenant General Nguyễn Văn Toàn.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dong, Du Quoc 1932 births 2008 deaths Army of the Republic of Vietnam generals