Nguyễn Hữu Hạnh (; July 26, 1926 – September 29, 2019) was a Vietnamese military officer of
South Vietnam
South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam (RVN; , VNCH), was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975. It first garnered Diplomatic recognition, international recognition in 1949 as the State of Vietnam within the ...
during the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
, rising to the rank of
Brigadier General.
He was also a
Viet Cong
The Viet Cong (VC) was an epithet and umbrella term to refer to the communist-driven armed movement and united front organization in South Vietnam. It was formally organized as and led by the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam, and ...
(VC) sympathizer and spy. Hạnh played an important role in the
Fall of Saigon
The fall of Saigon, known in Vietnam as Reunification Day (), was the capture of Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, by North Vietnam on 30 April 1975. As part of the 1975 spring offensive, this decisive event led to the collapse of the So ...
when he used his authority and influence to facilitate the bloodless surrender of the South Vietnam government. Hạnh's contribution to the VC was recognized by the unified
Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
and he was considered as a patriotic figure in the unified Vietnam.
Hạnh is the main character of the historical novel ''The Brigadier General'' by
Nguyễn Trần Thiết.
Childhood
Hạnh was born on 26 July 1926 at Phú Phong,
Châu Thành district,
Mỹ Tho province (Cochinchina), to a wealthy farming family. His grandfather, Nguyễn Quang Phát, was a Confucian scholar. He refused to take part in the pro-French village governing body and committed suicide in 1947 at the age of 72, after being unjustly humiliated by a Moroccan French soldier. One of his paternal uncles, Nguyễn Tấn Thành, was a Communist, and took a vital role in converting Hạnh into a communist sympathizer. Hạnh did well in maths and was also a good learner of French. He finished his highschool study in the Collège de My Tho (now is the Nguyễn Đình Chiểu High School in Mỹ Tho City). After the 1945
August Revolution
The August Revolution (), also known as the August General Uprising (), was a revolution led by the Việt Minh against the Empire of Vietnam from 16 August to 2 September 1945. The Empire of Vietnam was led by the Nguyễn dynasty and was ...
, he worked as a secretary for the regional
Viet Minh
The Việt Minh (, ) is the common and abbreviated name of the League for Independence of Vietnam ( or , ; ), which was a Communist Party of Vietnam, communist-led national independence coalition formed at Pác Bó by Hồ Chí Minh on 19 May 1 ...
branch in his homeland Mỹ Tho. However, Mỹ Tho was quickly overrun by the French army. Many people evacuated to other regions, including Hạnh to Saigon.
[Bút ký Nguyễn Hữu Hạnh – Kỳ 1: Tôi là ai?](_blank)
/ref>
Service in the French Union Army and the South Vietnamese Army
An unemployed Hạnh was proposed by a friend to join the French Union Army
French may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France
** French people, a nation and ethnic group
** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices
Arts and media
* The French (band), a ...
and he did so in 1946. He attended the Vũng Tàu
Vũng Tàu (''Hanoi accent:'' , ''Saigon accent:'' ) is an important port city in southern Vietnam. It serves as the maritime port of Ho Chi Minh City, the largest city in Vietnam. Vũng Tàu covers of area and consists of 16 urban wards and on ...
Military School, became a subordinate and a close friend of Dương Văn Minh
Dương Văn Minh (; 16 February 19166 August 2001), popularly known as Big Minh, was a South Vietnamese politician and a senior general in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) and a politician during the presidency of Ngô Đình Diệm. ...
. He was promoted to the rank lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...
and became a battalion
A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of up to one thousand soldiers. A battalion is commanded by a lieutenant colonel and subdivided into several Company (military unit), companies, each typically commanded by a Major (rank), ...
commander. He was later promoted to major
Major most commonly refers to:
* Major (rank), a military rank
* Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits
* People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames
* Major and minor in musi ...
, 11th regiment
A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation.
In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...
commander, and at the end of 1954 he took over the Long Xuyên subzone after the French Army left. He became Minh's staff chief in early 1955 and took over the area of Rừng Sác, Chợ Lớn province, Gia Định, Tây Ninh and Saigon city. Under the command of Minh, he participated in several military campaigns in 1955–56 against the rebel forces of Hoà Hảo and Cao Đài. He took a 42 weeks training course at Fort Leavenworth - Kansas in 1958, and an intelligence and strategy course at Fort Hollabird - Maryland in 1962. He was promoted to colonel
Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
in 1963 and appointed as staff chief of IV Corps under the command of Huỳnh Văn Cao.
Being a close friend of Minh, he took part in the November 1963 coup against Ngô Đình Diệm
Ngô Đình Diệm ( , or ; ; 3 January 1901 – 2 November 1963) was a South Vietnamese politician who was the final prime minister of the State of Vietnam (1954–1955) and later the first president of South Vietnam ( Republic of ...
where Minh was a main participant. Hạnh assisted Nguyễn Hữu Có in capturing the headquarters of the 2nd Division and prevented IV Corps from rescuing Diệm.
In 1968 upon the recommendation of the U.S. 5th Special Forces Group commander, the Joint General Staff established the 44th Special Tactical Zone along the Cambodia
Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. It is bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the north, and Vietnam to the east, and has a coastline ...
n frontier in the II Corps area to control all border surveillance and interdiction efforts there. The U.S. Special Forces advisers had sought a Vietnamese Special Forces commander for the new zone, but instead command was given to Hạnh.
Hạnh's military career suffered under the presidency of Nguyễn Văn Thiệu
Nguyễn Văn Thiệu (; 5 April 1923 – 29 September 2001) was a South Vietnam, South Vietnamese military officer and politician who was the Leaders of South Vietnam, president of South Vietnam from 1967 to 1975. He was a general in the Repub ...
, who considered Minh and his associates as rivals. He was promoted to Brigadier general in 1969 and was appointed as vice-commander of IV Corps and II Corps.
In 1972 he lost his position as corps vice-commander and was transferred to Đà Nẵng
Da Nang or DanangSee also Danang Dragons (, ) is the list of cities in Vietnam, fifth-largest city in Vietnam by municipal population. It lies on the coast of the Western Pacific Ocean of Vietnam at the mouth of the Hàn River (Vietnam), Hàn R ...
as the General Inspector of I Corps. He was forced to retire in May 1974 at the age of 48 under a rule restricting military service to 20 years, a move used by Thiệu to purge his political opponents.[Nguyễn Hữu Hạnh – Người phổ biến lệnh buông súng của Tổng thống Dương Văn Minh](_blank)
/ref>
Viet Cong sympathizer and intelligence agent
Hạnh had a good relationship with his paternal uncle Nguyễn Văn Thành (also named as Tám) despite knowing Tám as a communist. When Tám was arrested during the purge against communism in 1956, Hạnh intervened to save Tám's life and released him shortly after. Via Tám, Hạnh was exposed to leftist ideas and sympathized with the Communist Party of Vietnam
The Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) is the founding and sole legal party of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Founded in 1930 by Hồ Chí Minh, the CPV became the ruling party of North Vietnam in 1954 and then all of Vietnam after the col ...
and North Vietnam
North Vietnam, officially the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV; ; VNDCCH), was a country in Southeast Asia from 1945 to 1976, with sovereignty fully recognized in 1954 Geneva Conference, 1954. A member of the communist Eastern Bloc, it o ...
's President Hồ Chí Minh
(born ; 19 May 1890 – 2 September 1969), colloquially known as Uncle Ho () among other aliases and sobriquets, was a Vietnamese revolutionary and politician who served as the founder and first president of the Democratic Republic ...
who Hạnh considered as patriotic and respectable. On the other hand, Hạnh became dissatisfied with United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
intervention in South Vietnamese politics, which he considered as a gross violation of Vietnam's sovereignty. Hạnh was also upset with the brutality of the U.S. military campaigns in Vietnam.
A turning point of Hạnh's life occurred at the death of his father in October 1963. To fulfill his father's dying wish of being buried in his homeland - at the time under the control of the VC - Hạnh negiotated a ceasefire with the VC and was allowed to organize his father's funeral there. The VC also allowed Hạnh to visit and pay respect to his father's grave three days later. Hạnh's filial love attracted the attention of the VC and he was considered a potential VC sympathizer since then. Tám was assigned with the task to persuade Hạnh.
Hạnh finally agreed to work as an intelligence agent for the VC under the pseudonym "Morning Star" and codename S7. Tám acted as the sole communicator between Hạnh and the VC. To protect Hạnh's cover, the VC did not assign him any specific task. Nonetheless, Hạnh made use of his own authority to assist the VC occasionally. Using the excuse of "caution", he restrained his troops from having aggressive actions against the VC, forbade excessive use of firepower and only allowed helicopters to open fire to retaliate against enemy fire. He refused to execute the bombardment of Tháp Mười to avoid civilian casualties. During engagements with the VC, Hạnh's troop only took part perfunctorily and retreated immediately at the end of the battle. He then gained the nickname of "cautious commander" and "the commander who captures no target". Some of Hạnh's colleagues suspected him as a Communist sympathizer, but no evidence was found.
Hạnh rescued VC sympathizers arrested by the Saigon authorities. He assisted in the release of Huỳnh Xuân, a VC agent arrested in 1968 on accusations of weapon smuggling. He took part in the anti-corruption campaigns and assisted the political opponents of Thiệu. Via Tám, Hạnh provide vital information related to the military activities of South Vietnam.
Hạnh received his first official mission in 1970, when he was tasked to participate in "the Third forces", a collection of politicians and social dignitaries who supported the unification of Vietnam and reconciliation with the VC and North Vietnam. Specifically, Hạnh's target was his old friend Minh who also sympathized with the reconciliation ideas. However Hạnh's mission was temporarily disrupted by his relocation in 1972 and his forced retirement in 1974.
Role in the 1975 Ho Chi Minh Offensive
In early 1975 he confirmed that the ARVN was unable to recover its losses to the People's Army of Vietnam
The People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN), officially the Vietnam People's Army (VPA; , , ), also recognized as the Vietnamese Army (), the People's Army () or colloquially the Troops ( ), is the national Military, military force of the Vietnam, S ...
(PAVN) at the Battle of Phước Long. He advised that the ARVN could be caught off-guard at the Battle of Buôn Ma Thuột and had no local reserves there. During the offensives of 1975, Hạnh encouraged the PAVN to make rapid advances and leave the liberated areas to the local defense forces without the risk of being attacked at the rear. During the Fall of Saigon
The fall of Saigon, known in Vietnam as Reunification Day (), was the capture of Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, by North Vietnam on 30 April 1975. As part of the 1975 spring offensive, this decisive event led to the collapse of the So ...
, Hạnh advised the PAVN to block all the roads to Saigon at the divisional level to facilitate the surrender Saigon government.
After the collapse of ARVN defenses at Xuân Lộc and Phan Rang Phan may refer to:
* Phan (surname), a Vietnamese family name
* Phan District, Chiang Rai Province, Thailand
* Phan River
The Phan River () is a river of Bình Thuận Province, Vietnam.Vietnam Administrative Atlas, NXB Bản Đồ, 2004 It flo ...
, the PAVN approached Saigon and prepare for its final offensive in late April 1975. On the other side, Minh was appointed as president on 28 April. Hạnh's mission related to Minh resumed. He was tasked to use his influence on Minh to encourage a bloodless surrender of the Saigon government. Hạnh hastily arrived Saigon on 28 April and meet Minh the next morning. Minh appointed Hạnh as the assistant of Chief of Staff Nguyễn Phúc Vĩnh Lộc.
Hạnh made use of his authority to report the irredeemable situation of the ARVN to Minh, urged Minh to stop all the resistance. Hạnh also frustrated all the individual attempts to prolong the fight of the bitter military officers, and prevented the destruction of Đồng Nai bridge and other bridges lead to Saigon. He then ordered the Military Police to confiscate the weapons of unsupervised soldiers and maintain strict security in Saigon. On 30 April at 9:30 AM, Minh and Nguyễn Hữu Hạnh broadcast their announcements to cease all resistance and ordered all ARVN soldiers and officers to follow suit. Hạnh also contacted general Nguyễn Khoa Nam
Major General Nguyễn Khoa Nam (23 September 1927 – 30 April 1975) was a native of Đà Nẵng and served in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN). He received his primary education at the École des Garçons in Đà Nẵng and graduate ...
, commander of IV Corps in the Mekong Delta, to obey the orders of Minh. Then Hạnh together with Minh and Minh's cabinet arranged the surrender of Saigon government to the PAVN.[Bút ký Nguyễn Hữu Hạnh - Kỳ 2: Phải giữ Sài Gòn](_blank)
/ref>
After 1975
The unified Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
recognized Hạnh's contribution to the VC. Therefore, unlike other Saigon politicians and military officers, Hạnh was neither arrested nor sent to the rehabilitation center. He was recognized as a patriotic figure, was elected as the Secretary of People's Association for School Guardian and became a Committee Member of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front. He was awarded the Military Exploit Order
The Military Exploit Order () is the highest military award of Vietnam
Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of o ...
, 1st rank, Bronze Wall Order, 3rd rank, and the Great National Unity Order. He also received visits from the government authorities and interviews about his contributions to the VC during the war.[Nhân sĩ Nguyễn Hữu Hạnh qua đời ở tuổi 95](_blank)
Tưởng niệm 1 năm ngày mất Nhân sĩ Nguyễn Hữu Hạnh (2019 - 2020)
/ref>
Hạnh died in Saigon on 29 September 2019, aged 95.
References
External links
* ttp://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/vietnam-8289ff-interview-with-nguyen-huu-hanh-1981 Video Interview with Nguyen Huu Hanh, 1981
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nguyen, Huu Hanh
1926 births
2019 deaths
Army of the Republic of Vietnam generals
People from Tiền Giang province
South Vietnamese military personnel of the Vietnam War