Người Mỹ Và Chiến Tranh Việt Nam (Trích) - Nguyễn Kỳ Phong

Ngi M v chin tranh Vit Nam(trch) Nguyn K Phong
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Nguyn K Phong
Ngi M v chin tranh Vit Nam(trch)
Cho mng cc bn n c u sch t d n sch cho thit b di ng

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Nguyn K Phong
Phn 1
Chng 10
ion v iing
T mt a hc tr tiu hc thng b nhng m tr thuc nhm c Quc x n hip qu nh,
ri thnh mt anh binh nh o nhng h c nhn y t trong tri lnh M South Carolina...
cho n khi c ngi trong cn phng ln nht tng lu th by ca B Ngoi giao Hoa K, i
ca Kissinger l mt cuc i ngoi hng - da trn bt c tiu chun no. S nghip ca Kissinger
c nhiu ngi ca tng, nhng cng khng thiu k dm pha, kch.
Heinz Alfred Kissinger sanh nm 1923, ti Furth, mt lng nh ngoi thnh ph Nuremburg,
c. M nh ni tr; cha dy hc. Pha bn ni thch con ci theo ngnh s phm; pha bn ngoi
th giu v trung lu hn. Theo li b m k li, lc cn nh Kissinger thch c sch, hay trm t,
v rt ngoan hc kinh o. Nhng nm ng cho i cng l nm nhng lung sng bi Do Thi
ang ni ln c vi nm sau nht th chin. Nuremberg, mt ng vin cung tn c Quc
x l Julius Streicher xut bn mt tun bo, ku gi trit tiu tt c nhng ngi Do Thi
[1]
. Nm
1935, phong tro bi Do Thi c ln gn cc khi B lut Nuremberg cm hn phi gia c
v Do Thi; cm Do Thi khng c hot ng hay lm nhiu ngnh ngh, trong c ngh dy
hc - mt ngh duy nht m cha ca Kissinger c th em li tc v nui gia nh. Khi thy chng
tc Do Thi ang b dn dn c lp, m ca Kissinger - c thn nhn ang New York - quyt nh
ra i. Thng 8 nm 1938, khong ba thng trc ngy nhng m ng cung tn c Quc x ni
ln t ph, hu dit vn ho, nh ch x hi v tn gio ca Do Thi (c gi l Kristallnacht),
Kissinger, ngi em trai, v song thn ri c di c qua M. n M, Kissinger i tn Heinz thnh
Henry - Henry Alfred Kissinger.
Kissinger hi nhp vo x hi M chm hn nhng ngi bn cng la, c l ti thch i sng ni
tm, nhng khng n ni b tht li ng sau. T bc trung hc, Kissinger lm vic ban ngy, i
hc ban m. Theo hc b trng, Kissinger hc gii, nu khng ni l xut sc, nhng nm cui
ca bc trung hc v nm u trng i hc City College of New York. Kissinger ni mng ca
ng rt n gin: ch hc ra trng i hc v hnh ngh k ton. V c th Kissinger tr thnh
mt k ton vin nu Hoa K khng nhy vo th chin th hai. Thng 2 nm 1943, Kissinger b
ng vin v ln ng nhp ng. Trong thi gian th hun cn bn qun s trung tm hun luyn
Camp Croft, South Carolina, Kissinger c hp thc ho tr thnh cng dn Hoa K.
[2]

Sau kho cn bn qun s Kissinger v tt c nhng tn binh khc c thi mt kho thi nh lng
kh nng chuyn mn. Qun i Hoa K thng tuyn chn nhng qun nhn u t bng loi thi
tuyn ny, la ra cc qun nhn c kh nng chuyn mn v gi i hc cc lp hun luyn c
bit cao hn. Kissinger c tuyn chn v gi v mt i hc Pennsylvania tip tc hun
luyn. kho hun luyn c bit ny, so vi m bn qun nhn u t ng mn, Kissinger
chng t ng ta u t hn. Theo bn b k li, lc no Kissinger cng k k c sch v bn ngi:
n, ng, th, u vi sch v. Nin hc Kissinger ly 12 lp v c im u c 12. Nhng kho
hc cha y mt nm th b nh ch vo thng 4.1944: Hoa K chun b b ln u Chu; qun
i cn tt c qun nhn tc chin, d u t, tr thc, hay l khng. Kissinger khng mun ra tc
chin nn thi vo qun y trnh. ng u kho thi nhng khng c tuyn chn. Kissinger v
nhm bn b a v tri Fort Claireborne, Louisiana, nhp vo S on 84 b binh, tip tc hun
luyn k thut tc chin chun b b ln u Chu. S on 84 b binh, Kissinger gp mt
ngi lm i ng thay i.
T lnh S on 84 l mt thiu tng. ng thiu tng ny c mt binh nh lm vic cho ng, va
l thng dch vin, va v chuyn vin v chin tranh tm l. Nhng binh nh Fritz Gustav Anton
Kraemer khng phi l mt binh nh tm thng. Sanh nm 1908 c, trong mt gia nh thng
lu ngi gc Ph (Prussia). Gia nh Kraemer khinh b Hitler, coi Hitler ch l mt tn h s qun
gp thi. Kraemer c chng ch London School of Economics v hai bng tin s i hc
Frankfurt v i hc Rome. ang lm vic cho Lin hi Quc gia (League of Nations, tin thn ca
Lin hip quc by gi) th nh th chin xy ra. Kraemer quyt nh sng cuc sng t lu
y x ngi, khng mun tr li c. Khi M tham chin, Kraemer qua M u qun. Trong thi
gian phc v ti S on 84, ban hun luyn cn ngi ni ting c gi lm i phng trong
cc cuc tp trn, v Kraemer tnh nguyn gi lm s quan c trong nhng ln tp trn . V t
lnh S on 84 Kraemer v gi ng v lm vic trong b t lnh s on. Ngoi nhim v l
thng dch vin, Kraemer cn ph trch v tm l chin: gii thch v thc h c Quc x v s
nguy him ca Hitler u Chu. (Vo nh th chin, Hoa K ng vin tt c mi thnh phn
trong x hi, v t ngi c min dch nh nhng cuc chin m Hoa K lin h n sau ny. Mt
s ng tn binh l nhng gio s, sinh vin, tr thc... V cc b t lnh thng c nhng bui hc
tp v tm l chin gii thch s gia nhp ca Hoa K vo th chin chng li trc qun s c -
- Nht.)
Mt hm, Kissinger l c to trong mt bi din thuyt ca Kraemer. Nghe Kraemer ging xong,
Kissinger vit cho Kraemer mt l th ngn, t gii thiu, v ngh Kraemer mt cch din thuyt
hay hn. Kraemer (ln hn Kissinger 16 tui) hi sng st v tnh cht thng thn ca Kissinger,
nhng cng mun gp coi Kissinegr l ai. Gp nhau, Kramer thch li suy ngh ca Kissinger
(Kissinger c mt b c chnh tr khc thng, Kraemer ni cho Kissinger bit); trong khi Kissinger
thch tnh ngo mn, thi bt cn v phong cch qu tc ca Kraemer. Quen c Kraemer lm
thay i cuc i ca Kissinger: ch trong ba nm, t mt anh binh nh v danh, vi c vng tm
thng tr thnh mt k ton vin, Kissinger c mi ngi ch v - quan trng nht - nh
Kraemer, Kissinger khm ph ra nhng tim nng tr thc cha c pht trin ng mc bn
trong.
Khi S on 84 b binh b ln u Chu v tin vo nc c, thiu tng Bolling, t lnh s
on, nhn li tin c ca Kraemer, cho Kissinger v lm ti x, thng dch vin v tu vin cho
ng. Trong thi gian cc s on Hoa K c lnh tm thi qun tr cc vng trong phm vi trch
nhim ca h, v khng chuyn vin hnh chnh rnh c hai ngn ng Anh - c, Kissinger c
giao trch nhim qun tr c mt qun l nh gn Frankfurt. Thng 6.1945, mang lon trung s v c
chc v ch huy trng mt bit i phn gin chuyn truy lng nhng ng vin c Quc x ang
ln trn qun i ng minh, Kissinger c thm quyn bt gi tt c nhng ai nm trong vng trch
nhim ca ng
[3]
. Gi chc v cha y mt nm th Kraemer tm gi Kissinger: Kraemer va
thnh lp mt trng tnh bo gn Munich, mc ch ca trng l hun luyn cc s quan ng
minh khm ph nhng t chc Nazis cn st li, v ti lp thm quyn dn s cho nc c.
Kissinger nhn li. Ban u Kissinger dy nh l mt qun nhn trong ban ging hun ca trng.
Nhng khi xut ng v c mn tr li nh mt ging vin dn s, Kissinger c tr lng
10.000 m kim mt nm, mt s tin kh ln vo nm 1946. Nhng hc vin ca trng - sau ny l
nhng nhn vt c nhiu thm quyn ca chnh ph M, hay khoa trng nhng i hc ni ting -
u cng nhn Kissinger c li ni chuyn v mt t cch rt thm quyn, nu khng ni l c
on. Vi s lng cao nh vy, nhng Kissinger mun tr li Hoa K tip tc hc. Nht l khi
ngi u ca ng, Kraemer, khuyn ng nn c mt mnh bng i hc. Kissinger c nhn
vo i hc Harvard v nhp hc vo ma thu nm 1947. Nm Kissinger c 24 tui.
i hc Harvard Kissinger hc gii v to cho mnh mt tn tui, nu khng ni l mt huyn
thoi. Chn ngnh Chnh quyn v Trit hc l mn cn bn, Kissinger khng gia nhp mt hi on
no trng, khng t tp vo nhng cuc hi hp cui tun, v cng khng tham d vo mn th
thao no. Kissinger ch hc v c mt cuc sng gn nh c c. V Kissinger hc gii t nm u,
ng c lit vo hng sinh vin danh d v c trng c mt gio s lm c vn. V gio
s l William Yandell Elliott, mt trong nhng gio s ni ting v ngnh nhn vn ca i hc
Harvard ng thi. Cng nh Kraemer, lc u gio s Elliott ng nhn Kissinger ch l mt sinh
vin thng nh nhng sinh vin khc m ng b trng bt lm c vn. t s kh chu v
cho Kissinger bit ng l mt gio s c vn kh tnh, gio s Elliott bt Kissinger c 25 quyn
sch vit cho ng mt lun , so snh gia l tr thun tu v l tr thc nghim trong h thng
trit hc ca Immanuel Kant. Theo li k ca hai ngi bn chung phng, Kissinger vo th vin
mn tt c nhng quyn sch v cht trong phng, ri m no ng cng thc n hai gi sng
c v vit. Ba thng sau Kissinger np bi cho gio s Elliott. Np bi bui sng th bui chiu gio
s Elliott gi in thoi mun Kissinger tr li gp ng. Gp Kissinger, Elliott ni t trc n nay
cha c mt sinh vin no c ht nhng quyn sch ng ch nh, v cha c sinh vin no vit
c mt lun mch lc nh bi vit ca Kissinger
[4]
. Trong mt l th gii thiu ng vit cho
Kissinger, gio s Elliott ni trong nm nm qua, ngay c trong nhm sinh vin lit vo hng ti u,
ng cha gp ai c mt ci nhn su sc v trit l chnh tr nh Kissinger. Bn nm Harvard,
Kissinger ch c mt lp b im B, tt c cc lp cn li u im A. Vo nm th hai i hc,
Kissinger lp gia nh vi mt c bn quen bit t thi trung hc. V Kissinger cng l ngi
c gc Do Thi, cng chy t nn Nazis cng thi vi ng.
Tiu lun c nhn ca Kissinger i hc Harvard lm ng tr thnh mt huyn thoi; mt tiu"
lun lm cho Harvard ra mt qui lut mi v cch vit tiu lun bc c nhn. Tiu lun ca
Kissinger mang tn ngha ca lch s, dy 383 trang. Ni dung chnh ca tiu lun ni v
phng thc phn tch lch s; thm nh li coi lch s c phi l mt s tt nh - trong ngha
lch s l nh mnh - hay lch s l hu qu ca nhng quyt nh n t nhng c nhn trong lch
s to ra. Kissinger bn v nhn nh ca trit gia Immanuel Kant; nh x hi hc Oswald Spengler;
v s gia Arnold Toynbee. Khng my ai ni nhiu - hay c ht - v tiu lun ca Kissinger. Nhng
vi tiu lun v th hng trong sut bn nm hc, Kissinger tt nghip c nhn hng ti u. V
cng qua tiu lun ca Kissinger, i hc Harvard qui nh t v sau, tiu lun bc c nhn khng
c qu 150 trang.
[5]

Nu Kissinger may mn gp c Fritz Kraemer, th Kissinger may mn hn lc c William
Elliott u. Khi Kissinger quyt nh tip tc theo hc ln bc tin s Harvard, Elliott tm mi
cch gip Kissinger v vn ti chnh. Ma h nm 1951, trong lc Kissinger ang vit lun
n tin s, gio s Elliott cho Kissinger ph trch mt chng trnh quan trng m sau ny (khi
Kissinger tr thnh C vn an ninh quc gia, ri Tng trng ngoi giao) gip Kissinger lin
lc d dng vi nhiu yu nhn quan trng trn th gii. Chng trnh do gio s Elliott ngh c
tn l Hi tho Quc t Harvard. y l mt kho hi tho ma h do i hc Harvard t chc.
Nhng thnh phn c chn n tham d l nhng lnh t, khoa bng tr, c nhiu tng lai quc
gia ca h. Kissinger c Elliott cho ph trch tuyn chn nhng ngi tham d
[6]
. Nhiu ngi
theo di s nghip ca Kissinger cho rng Harvard International Seminar l bt u ca Kissinger
vo thao trng chnh tr. Ngoi nhim v ph trch Harvard International Seminar, Kissinger cn n
hnh mt tp ch vi ni dung v chnh tr quc t c tn l Confluence: An International Forum
(Hi t: mt din n quc t). Tp ch pht hnh bn s mt nm, v Kissinger thu ht c
nhiu tc gi khoa bng c ting lc ng thi.
[7]

Thng 5 nm 1954, Kissinger c cp bng tin s qua lun n A World restored: Metternich,
Castlereagh, and the Problems of Peace 1812-22. Mt lun n rt li thi so vi nhng si ng
trong gii khoa bn v l thuyt gia v chin lc nguyn t ng thi. Trong lun n, Kissinger
phn tch v vai tr ca Clemens von Metternich, Th tng o, v Ngoi trng Anh, Robert
Steward Castlereagh, trong cuc hi ngh Vienna bn v s phn ca Php v Napoleon, v to
li th qun bnh trn lc a u Chu sau khi nh hng ca quc Php tn ln. Trong lch s
ngoi giao quc t, Metternich c nhc n nhiu vi ng li ngoi giao b mt thng lng
th lc gia cc cng quc. Metternich h ho nhng bin php nh n p v kim duyt duy
tr an ninh ni b ca mt quc gia. Kissinger tn dng Metternich, cho rng nh nh ngoi giao
ny m u Chu c yn tnh cho n khi th chin th nht bng n.
[8]

Vi bng tin s trong tay, Kissinger hy vng c b nhim mt chc gio s trong ban ging hun
ca Harvard. Nhng Harvard khng b nhim ng mt chc g thc th, ngoi chc tm thi l ph
gio. Tht vng, nhng Kissinger kin nhn li Harvard, d hai trng i hc kh c ting khc
mi ng v dy vi chc gio s thc th (i hc Chicago v i hc Pennsylvania). Kissinger
kin nhn li Harvard v bit l t im ca ting tm v danh vng.
Lm ph ging cha y nm th mt may mn tnh c khc xy n vi Kissinger. Gio s s hc
Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., ca Harvard c vit mt tiu lun ch trch chin lc nguyn t ng thi
ca Hoa K cho tp ch ngoi giao v chnh tr Foreign Affairs. ng nh Kissinger c v cho
kin. Kissinger c v vit li ph bnh v bi vit ca Schlesinger. Bi ph bnh ca Kissinger lm
cho Schlesinger thch n ng gi bi ph bnh ca Kissinger n ch bt t Foreign Affairs; v
bi vit u tin v an ninh quc gia v chin lc nguyn t ca Kissinger c ng trn mt
nguyt san tn tui, chuyn nghin cu v ng li ngoi giao Hoa K.
[9]
Sau khi bi vit c
ng trn Foreign Affairs, v nh s gii thiu ca nhng gio s danh ting Harvard nh Elliott,
Schlesinger, hay McGeorge Bundy, Kissinger c mi vo lm gim c mt ban nghin cu v
nh hng ca v kh nguyn t i vi ng li ngoi giao. Kissinger xin Harvard cho ngh dy
mt thi gian v dn v New York lm vic. Ban nghin cu do Kissinger lm gim c (m hi
vin l nhng thnh phn ni ting trong gii qun s, tnh bo, kinh t v ngoi giao Hoa K ng
thi) nm trong mt c s c ting ni rt quan trng i vi nn ngoi giao Hoa K: Hi ng Lin
h Ngoi giao (Council on Foreign Relations). Khi t chn vo lm vic cho Council on Foreign
Relations, Kissinger mi tht s i din vi c cu v quyn lc ca Chnh ph Hoa K
[10]
. Lm
vic chung vi nhng chuyn gia tn tui v qun s v ngoi giao chuyn v chin lc nguyn t,
sau 18 thng lm vic mic mi, nm 1957, Kissinger hon tt mt tc phm c nhiu ngi trong
gii chnh tr, ngoi giao v qun s nhc n: Nuclear Weapons and Foreign Policy (ng li
ngoi giao v v kh nguyn t). Tc phm c chnh quyn M ch ; gii chuyn nghip bn tn,
v nm trn u nhng quyn sch bn chy nht M trong 14 tun l lin tc. Nhng theo nhng
nh quan st, Kissinger ch khoa bng ho ngh v suy lun ca cc chuyn vin lm vic chung
vi Kissinger. Tc phm ca Kissinger bn chy ch v ng vo thi im v s hiu k ca c gi
trong hon cnh chin tranh lnh ang din ra gia hai siu cng Nga - M
[11]
.
Sau thi gian Council on Foreign Relations, sau khi tn tui c t nhiu s ch trong cng
ng khoa bng, Kissinger tr li Harvard. i hc Harvard b nhim Kissinger chc ging s, ri
ph gio s; v gio s thc th vo nm 1962. Tuy tr v Harvard dy, nhng Kissinger vn tip
tc gi lin lc vi Council on Foreign Relations v cc c s c t nhiu lin h vi chnh quyn.
Cui nm 1962, Kissinger c 34 tui, c hai con, trai v gi, v ly d v.
Khi chng ta ni v s may mn trong cuc i, c l kh ai gp nhiu may mn nh Kissinger.
Kissinger bit Kraemer lc cn mt binh nh trong lnh; c gio s Elliott gip khi mi vo
Harvard. Ri trong thi gian lm vic Council on Foreign Relations, Kissinger gp mt bo nhn
khc quan trng hn, th lc hn: nh t ph Nelson Rockefeller
[12]
. Nelson Rockefeller bit
Kissinger qua nhng ln hi tho v tnh hnh an ninh quc gia/quc t (Nelson l ph t cho tng
thng Eisenhower v an ninh quc t mt thi gian), v trong thi gian Kissinger lm vic cho
Council. Nelson knh n Kissinger, ngh rng ng c th nh vo tr thc v khoa bng ca Kissinger
c vn trong cho s nghip chnh tr ca ng v sau. T nm 1956 cho n nm 1968, Nelson ch
thn mn Kissinger son tho v nghin cu nhiu d n cho c nhn ng. Nm 1969, khi
Kissinger chnh thc v lm vic cho chnh ph (C vn an ninh quc gia cho Nixon), Nelson
biu Kissinger 50000. m kim nh mt mn qu a tin
[13]
. lt vo th gii khoa bng, gio
khoa, i hc Harvard, by gi, nh s quen bit vi Nelson Rockefeller, Kissinger li c gii
thiu, hay c dp lm vic chung nhng khun mt quan trng trong Chnh ph Hoa K.
Nm 1961, khi John F. Kennedy nhm chc tng thng, v tng thng tr tui ny a hu ht cc
bn b ng mn Harvrad v lm vic cho ng (Kennedy cng tt nghip Harvard nm 1940,
hng danh d cum laude). Mt trong hai gio s ang dy Harvard l Schlesinger v McGeorge
Bundy c Kennedy mi v lm c vn v ph t quan trng trong to Bch c. Theo li mi ca
Bundy, Kissinger c v lm c vn bn thi gian Hoa Thnh n. Nhng trong thi gian lm
vic to Bch c, thi v t cch ca Kissinger gy nhiu kh chu cho nhiu ngi - trong
c Tng thng Kennedy v c vn an ninh quc gia McGeorge Bundy. Thy mnh khng c trng
dng trong chnh ph Kennedy - hay l thy khng ai thch mnh - Kissinger lm cha ti mt nm
ri th t nhim, tr v Harvard tip tc nghin cu v vit sch. Nm 1964, khi Nelson Rockefeller
ra tranh c vng s tuyn trong ng Cng ho cho cuc bu c tng thng nm 1964, Kissinger l
c vn cho Nelson v vn an ninh quc phng. Nelson thua, v ng Cng ho c Thng
ngh s Barry Goldwater ra tranh c li Lyndon Johnson. Nhng qua ln xut hin nm 1964 vi
Nelson Rockefeller, Kissinger bit c thm mt s nhn vt quan trng trong ng Cng ho. Mt
trong nhng ngi quan trng l Henry Cabot Lodge, mt nhn vt quan trng ng thi trong
ng Cng ho. Li thm mt tnh c khc a Kissinger tr li lin h vi chnh quyn. Cng t
Lodge, Kissinger ln u tin bit n Vit Nam v cuc chin ang xy ra min Nam, mt a d
v c cu chnh tr Kissinger rt cn xa l
[14]
.
Qua li mi ca Lodge, Kissinger n Si Gn cui nm 1965, v hai ln tip theo sau vo nm
1966. Trong ba ln quan st nghin cu ny, Kissinger i thm ving nhiu ni, ni chuyn vi
nhiu thnh phn v yu nhn ca Vit Nam Cng ha (VNCH). Sau nhng chuyn quan st ,
Kissinger tng trnh bng ming li cho Lodge v thm quyn Hoa Thnh n. Tuy nhin, theo
nhng ngi bit chuyn bn trong, Kissinger tng trnh theo ca ngi nghe: ngha l ng thay
i quan im tu theo ngi i din
[15]
. Thng 8 nm 1966, Kissinger vit ln nhn nh u tin
v vn Vit Nam trn tp ch Look. Trong bi vit, Kissinger ni cuc chin Vit Nam kh kt
thc bng chin thng qun s; thng thuyt tm mt gii php ho bnh l chuyn tt nhin s
xy ra. Nhng quan trng nht trong thi gian ny, s rt qun ca Hoa K khi Vit Nam s gy
nhiu tn thng v danh d ca Hoa K i vi cc quc gia ng minh chng cng trn ton th
gii.
Lin h u tin ca Kissinger i vi Vit Nam tng chm dt sau ba ln thm ving quan st
qua li mi ca i s Lodge. Nhng vo nm 1967, mt tnh c khc a Kissinger n nhng lin
h b mt hn ca chin tranh Vit Nam. Trong mt ln tham d hi tho vi nhng gii chc khoa
bng quc t hng nm ti Paris, Kissinger gp li mt ngi bn Php tn Herbert Marcovich. Khi
cu chuyn qua li a n ti v chin tranh Vit Nam, Marcovich ni vi Kissinger ng c mt
ngi bn thn tn l Raymond Aubrac, v Aubrac quen bit rt thn vi H Ch Minh t nm 1946.
Marcovich ngh ng th nh Aubrac nh ting vi H Ch Minh, hay cp lnh o H Ni, khi
u mt lin lc ngoi giao ngm gia H Ni v M v vn Vit Nam
[16]
. Tr li M, Kissinger
em chuyn ni vi McGeorge Bundy, hi thm quyn c kin g khng. Bundy hi Ngoi
trng Dean Rusk, v Rusk trnh ln cho Tng thng Johnson. Vi tun sau, to Bch c cho php
Kissinger lin lc li vi Marcovich v Aubrac. Nhng trnh s l liu v gi b mt trong
trng hp s lin lc khng i n u, thm quyn Hoa Thnh n ch th Kissinger lin lc H
Ni vi t cch mt c nhn quan tm, mun i tm mt gii php cho chin tranh Vit Nam ch
khng phi i din ca chnh ph Hoa K. Trong khi , c s chp thun ca Tng thng De
Gaulle, Aubrac v Marcovich bay qua H Ni ngy 21 thng 7 nm 1967. H Ni hai ngi c
Phm Vn ng v H Ch Minh n tip. Sau khi nghe ngh Hoa K s ngng di bom nu H
Ni tht s mun thng lng chm dt cuc chin, Phm Vn ng tr li Hoa K phi ngng
di bom lp tc v v iu kin trc khi mun c mt cuc i thoi no. Aubrac chuyn tin tc t
H Ni v cho Kissinger; Kissinger a li cho to Bch c. Gia thng 10.1967, trong mt bui hp
cao cp di s ch to ca Johnson (v c mt Kissinger), sau khi bn ci v thi s thnh tht
ca H Ni, Tng thng Johnson quyt nh chm dt nhng lin lc ngoi giao gia Hoa K v H
Ni qua Kissinger - Marcovich - Aubrac. Hoa K on ng v thi hiu chin ca cng sn Bc
Vit (CSBV): hn hai thng sau, CSBV m cuc tng cng kch ton din min Nam vo Tt Mu
Thn 1968
[17]
.
Ch mi mt nm t ngy Kissinger xut bn tc phm v chin lc nguyn t, cho n nm bu
c tng thng 1968, tn tui Kissinger c nhc n nhiu trong gii chin lc, chnh tr gia, v
khoa bng. Ging nh nm 1964, Kissinger c mi lm c vn quan trng trong cuc vn ng
tranh c tng thng ca Nelson Rockefeller vo nm 1968. vng s tuyn tranh c ni ng Cng
ho, Kissinger ra mt ch trch ng c vin Nixon
[18]
. Kissinger tuyn b: Nixon khng xng ng
lm tng thng, u c Nixon nng cn, v Nixon l mt thm ho cho ng Cng ho... Nhng
may mn, Nixon khng th c c tng thng, nu khng th [s c c ca Nixon] l mt thm ho
cho M quc"
[19]
. Nhng sau khi Nixon nh bi Rockefeller v c ng chnh thc c,
Kissinger yn lng. Nhng Kissinger yn lng khng lu: khi cuc tranh c tng thng i vo giai
on hai - Nixon ca ng Cng ho i li Humphrey ca ng Dn ch - th ban c vn ca
Nixon gi Kissinger, mi ng gip mt tay, c vn v ng li ngoi giao quc t. Kissinger chn
ch vi ngy ri nhn li vi mt iu kin: ng mun c vn sau lng v khng mun ra mt lm
vic cho Nixon cng khai. Ban tham mu Nixon chp nhn
[20]
. Giu mt pha sau, Kissinger cung
cp mt s tin tc lin quan v nhng mt m s khi ang xy ra Paris gia CSBV v M. Vi
nhng tin liu cung cp t Kissinger, ng c vin Nixon theo m tuyn b mt cch d dt, theo
chiu, v ng li ngoi giao ca ng i vi cuc chin Vit Nam ang xy ra. Tuy nhn tin tc t
Kissinger, nhng Nixon lc no cng phng mt ngi tng lm vic cho i th ca mnh.
Theo nhng ngi bit chuyn, tin tc Kissinger cung cp cho Nixon khng quan trng hay ti mt
lm, nhng c th dng c
[21]
.
Ri chuyn xy ra nh chng ta thy: Nixon c c nm 1968. Vi li ha l ng s gii quyt
vn Vit Nam, Nixon cn mt ngi mi nhng bit cht t ni v thng ngh ang xy ra
Paris. Kissinger c th ng vai tr . Gn mt thng sau ngy c c, Nixon gi Kissinger v v
giao cho chc C vn an ninh guc gia.
Ch trong vng 26 nm, t mt anh lnh qun, Kissinger ngy nay tr thnh c vn quan trng cho
mt v tng thng mnh nht trn th gii.
By gi, anh bnh nh Henry Alfred Kissinger c quyn s dng s quan cp tng lm ph t cho
mnh
[22]
.

*

phn trn l nhng im sng, nhng thnh cng ca cuc i Kissinger. Nhng pha sau nhng
thnh t, nhng khen ngi , t cch v o c ca Kissinger b rt nhiu tai ting, ch bai, ph
nh. Nhng ting nh con , thng im, hai mt, tro tr, m sau lng, c s dng
ch con ngi Kissinger.
Theo nhng ngi bit Kissiger t lc bt u lm ph kho Harvard, cho n lc ng ri chnh
ph sau nhim k ca Tng thng Gerald Ford, t cch v o c ca Kissinger c th tm gn
trong cu nnh trn hip di. Kissinger s v tun lnh nhng ngi c quyn hn ng; i vi
ngi di trng th ng do nt v y i. Mt ngi thy c ca Kissinger Harvard ni
Kissinger nnh rt gii; thch lm quen vi cc gii thng lu, quyn th, c th nh v v sau.
Nhng ngi bn ng mn ni ting sau ny nh Zbigniew Brzezinski, James Schlesinger, Adam
Ulam (Brzezinski l C vn an ninh quc gia cho Tng thng Jimmy Carter; Schelesinger lm Gim
c CIA, ri Tng trng Quc phng thi Nixon v Ford; Ulam l Gim c trung tm nghin cu
v Nga X ca i hc Harvard) u ngh Kissinger thch quan trng ho c nhn, t cch h , t
cao t ti, thch c mi ngi ch . i vi nhng ngi , Kissinger ch l mt tn ni la di
khng bit ngng; mt k v lun. Kissinger khoi la di, v khi s la di cng phc tp,
Kissinger cng thch th. James Schlesinger ni v t cch ca Kissinger: Mi ngi thy xu h
khi ni di; nhng i vi Kissinger, ni di l mt trang vt; Kissinger ni di c phong . V
Kissinger qu mong mun c mi ngi thch v chp nhn mnh nn ng ta phi lm va lng,
phi chiu d nhiu loi ngi khc nhau. lm nh vy, Kissinger to ra nhiu khun mt cho
tng loi ngi Kissinger mun mua chuc, ly lng, khi giao thip. Morton Halperin, mt trong
nhng c vn tng thng nh Kissinger trong to Bch c, nhng sau ny tha Kissinger ra to v
Kissinger ra lnh thu m ng in thoi ca Halperin, ni v Kissinger: Khng cn bit ng hay
sai, tht hay gi di khi ng ha hn, thng thuyt vi mt ngi no: Kissinger ni i ra ri tnh
sau
[23]
. Fritz Kraemer, ngi u t lc Kissinger mi vo lnh, phi ln ting ph bnh, Dn
dn, ti thy ngi ny [Kissinger] chng nhng c mt khc vng v tri thc, m cn c mt tham
vng v s nghip c nhn. Nahum Goldmann, mt lnh t tinh thn ca cng ng ngi M gc
Do Thi - v l bn thn ca gia nh Kissinger - tuyn b, nu Kissinger bt thng minh i mi
phn, v thm vo mi phn chn tht, th ng ta l mt ngi v i.
Trong lin h ngh nghip gia c nhn v c nhn, Kissinger thng ln quyn nhng ngi bn
ng nghip, mt i khi ht h ra khi vng nh hng ca quyn lc nu c. Lc cn lm vic
trong chnh quyn Kennedy, Kissinger i ln sau lng cp trn nh McGeorge Bundy, tm cch
c gn Kennedy n v tng thng kh chu, phi ra lnh gii hn li s ra vo ca Kissinger
[24]
. Trong thi gian Nixon ang vn ng tranh c, chnh Richard Allen trong ban tham mu ca
Nixon l ngi gii thiu v mi Kissinger v lm vic trong ban tham mu. Nhng khi tr thnh c
vn cho Nixon, Kissinger ht Allen ra, v c lp ng ny trong vng nh hng quyn lc to
Bch c. Trng hp tng t cng xy ra vi tng Alexander Haig: khi thy Haig c s tnh
nhim ca Nixon, Kissinger ngh Nixon thng cp cho Haig cho ng tng ny tr v lm vic
vi qun i B Quc phng
[25]
.
V phng din ngh nghip cng v, trong khi i thng lng ngoi giao, Kissinger coi trng
quyn li Hoa K trn tt c quyn li ca nhng quc gia khc. Chuyn d hiu v thng cm
c. Nhng khi c s xung t gia quyn li c nhn ca Kissinger v ca quc gia m ng ang
phng s, Kissinger t quyn li c nhn ca ng trn quyn li Hoa K: Kissinger coi trng tn
tui ca mnh hn ht. Brzezinski gi li ngoi giao b mt, khuynh o, la di ca Kissinger l
v lun, l i ngc li nhng nn tng ca ngi M. Khi i thng lng, Kissinger thng ni
xu pha bn kia ly lng pha bn ny; qua bn ny li ni xu bn kia. Ni chuyn vi Trung
Cng, Kissinger chi Nga; trc mt th vui ci, gi Leonid Brezhnev l bn, nhng khi ni chuyn
vi cc nh ngoi giao Anh quc th chi nhng nh lnh o Nga l ni lo khng khip. Lc
khi u thng lng vi Tu, Kissinger khen ngi Chu n Lai v Mao vi Nixon; nhng khi ni
chuyn vi Tng thng Ford v sau ny th gi nhng ngi nhng thng con ri v tnh cm.
Sau khi Kissinger b mt lin lc vi Trung Cng vo nm 1971, ri n chuyn ving thm lch s
ca Nixon vo nm 1972, ly lng l bi cng sn Tu, Kissinger ngh vi Chu n Lai v Mao
Trch ng, l Hoa K s cung cp tt c hnh nh chp bng v tinh v v tr ng qun ca Nga
bn kia bin gii Trung Cng, v s cp nht ho nhng hnh nh chin lc nu cn. n nm
1974, trong lc thng lng vi Nga v vn gim thiu ho tin nguyn t lin lc a, khi i
s Nga Anatoly Dobrynin cht vn Kissinger v vic Hoa K cung cp hnh nh v tinh cho Trung
Cng, Kissinger tr li: Anatoly, bn ngh ti tay m n nh vy sao? khng phi l chuyn
chng ta cn lo lng. Kissinger cng gi di, la o nh vy khi thng lng ging ho Trung
ng gia Do Thi v khi Rp. V s ngi ngoi thy c s gian di v hai mt ca mnh,
Kissinger khng bao gi cho ai bit s thng lng i n u, ang iu nh chuyn g, v thi
kho biu ra sao. Kissinger giu Ngoi trng William Roger khi thng lng bang giao vi Trung
Cng; giu ban tham mu lin qun khi thng lng v vn gim thiu v kh chin lc; v
trong trng hp Vit Nam, Kissinger giu Tng thng Thiu v c i s Ellsworth Bunker khi ni
chuyn b mt vi cng sn Bc Vit v vn Vit Nam
[26]
.
Hu ht nhng ngi phc v cng vi Kissinger trong hai chnh ph Nixon v Ford, khng ngi
no nhc n Kissinger bng ting tt li khen. Nhng hn hc v khinh b v Kissinger cng gia
tng khi s lng h s lin h v nhng vic lm b mt ca Kissinger c gii mt sau khi
Kissinger ri cng v, v sau khi h s mt mn hn theo lut nh. Theo thi gian, nhng mnh
nh t chic mt n ca Kisisnger b rt ra, v n nay chng ta c th thy kh r khun mt tht
ca Kissinger. Rt khn ngoan, sau khi mn nhim k Tng trng ngoi giao, Kissinger em tt c
ti lit ca chnh ph, v ti liu c lin h n ng t lc cn lm C vn an ninh quc gia cho n
khi ri chnh quyn, giao cho Th vin Quc hi (The Library of Congress) vi iu kin nhng ti
liu ch c bch ho nm nm sau khi ng cht. Tuy nhin, t u tp nin 1990, da vo B
lut Quyn T do Tin tc (Freedom of Information Act), Lin hi Bo ch v T nhn (s gia,
chuyn vin nghin cu, gio s), yu cu Nha Vn kh (The National Archives) v Th vin Quc
hi Hoa K phi gii mt mt s tin tc ti liu ang nm trong h s ca Kissinger, nu nhng ti
liu khng lm nguy him n nn an ninh quc gia hay gy nguy him cho c nhn no. Bt u
t , mt s vn kin v tin tc c gii mt v cng b sau khi To n Lin bang x cho pha
nguyn co. Da vo nhng ti liu c gii mt, da vo nhng hi k ca nhng ngi tng lm
vic chung hay c lin h vi Kissinger, chng khng th hon ton tin Kissinger, khi so snh s
kin trn th liu v nhng g Kissinger vit li - nht l nhng giai on Kissinger thng lng
ngoi giao b mt
[27]
. Sau ny, vi nhng chng c c phi by, khi Kissinger c hi ng c
th gii thch nhng khc bit gia nhng g ng vit v nhng g c ghi li chnh thc...,
Kissinger tr li l ng khng cn nh r. D nhin, ni theo tm l hc hin sinh, Kissinger ch nh
nhng g ng mun nh; v qun nhng g ng mun chi. c Elmo Zumwalt, cu ch huy
trng hi qun M Vit Nam v sau ny l t lnh hi qun Hoa K ni v Kissinger: Li vit s
ca Kissinger ging li vit s ca nhng ngi cng sn: H bt u t hin ti v gii thch ngc
v trc; tng chi tit mt. Vit s nh vy th lch s khng xy ging nh xy ra
[28]
.
Nhng trong nm nm lm vic cho Nixon, ti sao Kissinger c th lng hnh, tc qui, theo c tnh
ca ng ta c m khng b mt phn i no t Nixon hay t nhng vin chc cao cp trong ni
cc ca Nixon?
Nhiu tng trng, c vn quan trng ln ting phn i Kisisnger vi Nixon nhng v hiu qu.
Nixon bit li lm vic ca Kissinger, bit s va chm ca Kissinger vi nhng c vn khc, nhng
ng vn gi Kissinger v Nixon cn Kissinger thi hnh nhng k hoch ring ca Nixon. Chnh
Nixon th nhn ng dng mt hai c vn thn cn chm vo gia Kissinger v cc tng trng
khc gim thiu nhng xung t xy ra hng ngy gia nhng cn thn thn tn ca ng
[29]
.
Nixon cn mt ngi nh Kissinger lm nhng vic m cng v mt tng thng khng th no
lm c.
Nixon khng phi l mt chnh tr gia c o c hay lng thin khi chng ta so snh ng vi
nhng ngi tin nhim - nht l sau khi nhng lin lc, m mu, v th on ca Nixon c phi
by ra cng lun. Nhng ngc li, Nixon cng khng phi l mt v tng thng bt ti, thiu nhng
ci nhn chin lc.

*

Khi Richard Milhous Nixon tr thnh Tng thng Hoa K vo ngy 20 thng Ging nm 1969, th
Nixon c nhiu kinh nghim trong u trng chnh tr lm ri. Nixon phc v mi bn nm
trong chnh ph qua nhng chc v nh l dn biu, thng ngh s, v ph tng thng trc khi tr
thnh tng thng. Trong on ng chnh tr , Nixon c i phng gn cho mt hn danh l
Tricky Dick. Hn danh khng qu xa s tht, da vo nhng th on chnh tr, ngoi giao
Nixon p dng ni a v ngoi quc
[30]
.
Sanh nm 1913 ti Yobar Linda, California, trong mt gia nh va n. Theo hi k, Nixon ni
thi ng cn nh th gia nh rt vt v; nhng lc ng c hn mi tui th nh c c mt trm
bn xng v tp ho... v tng i kh gi so vi hng xm cng thi. Tt nghip trung hc nm
17 tui, mun qua min ng theo hc i hc nhng nh khng tin nn theo hc mt trng i
hc cng ng ti a phng. Hc c hai nm th Nixon xin c mt hc bng v lut ca
trng i hc Duke Durham, North Carolina. Nixon qua North Carolina theo hc v ra trng
nm 1937, ng hng th ba ca kho tt nghip nm . Tr li California, ly giy php hnh ngh
v lm vic cho mt vn phng lut s Whittier. Nixon lp gia nh nm 1940, ri xin c mt
vic lm vi chnh ph lin bang Hoa Thnh n vo nm 1941, ngay khi Hoa K bc vo th
chin th hai
[31]
. Lm cng chc cho Nha Kim sot Vt gi Hoa Thnh n c chng mt
nm th Nixon tnh nguyn i s quan hi qun. Mn kho cn bn qun s, Nixon b thuyn chuyn
v Iowa, mt tiu bang min trung M vi mt a hnh lm cho ch hi qun tr nn khi hi.
Nhng theo Nixon, cuc sng Iowa rt bnh yn cho cp v chng mi ly nhau, tuy nhin v
mun chng kin mi binh la, Nixon xin thuyn chuyn ra mt trn Thi Bnh Dng; v c
chp nhn. Thi Bnh Dng, mi binh la m Nixon kinh nghim c, ch di ci nhn ca
mt s quan tip liu, ng nhng cn c hi qun d chin trn cc o va chim li c t
Nht nh New Caledonia, Bougainville, Guadalcanal.
Sau cuc chin, do s thc gic ca cc chc sc trong ng Cng ho, Nixon quyt nh ra tranh c
dn biu ca n v ni ng ang c ng. Kt qu l Nixon c c c vi s phiu kh xa i
phng. Trong thi gian lm dn biu ca Quc hi th 80, Nixon c nhiu ngi bit n v
c ch nh nm trong mt u ban iu tra v nhng cng chc thn cng ang phc v trong
chnh ph M. Lm dn biu sp ht nhim k th Nixon quyt nh tranh c ngh s. V trong cuc
bu c quc hi nm 1950, Nixon thng vi t s cao nht trong cc cuc bu c ngh s trn ton
quc.
Nm 1951 trong mt chuyn i cng l bn u Chu, Nixon c dp tip chuyn vi thng tng
Eisenhower, lc l Tng t lnh qun i NATO ng Paris. Khi trao i kin qua li, Nixon
ngh Eisenhower l ngi xng ng ra tranh c tng thng vo nm 1952. Trong vng ni ng
Cng ho nm , Robert Taft (con trai Tng thng th 26, William Howard Taft) v Dwight
Eisenhower l hai ngi c c hi nh bi Adlai E. Stevenson ca ng Dn ch (chu ni cu Ph
tng thng M c cng tn, thi Tng thng th 24, Grover Cleveland). Vi cuc chin ang xy ra
i Hn; vi ln sng ang ln dn Chu v u Chu, c tri on ca ng Cng ho - v
quan im ca a s ca dn M lc ng thi - ngh Eisenhower l ng c vin thch hp cho thi
cuc: Eisenhower thng c Quc x; Eisenhower s kh nng ngn chn ln sng trong
thi k bo hnh nht sau nh th chin. Theo hi k, Nixon ni t u nm 1952, Robert Taft c
n ni chuyn v nh ng ng h Taft. Nhng Nixon ni thng ng knh trng Taft, nhng dnh
s ng h cho Eisenhower. Vi thi , Nixon c ni b ca Eisenhower mi n ni chuyn.
Sau khi Eisenhower c ng Cng ho c, ng chn Nixon ng chung lin danh
[32]
. Lin
danh Eisenhower-Nixon thng hai nhim k lin tip - nm 1952 v 1956. Tuy nhin vo nm 1956,
khng hiu g l do g, c tri chn tng thng v ph tng thng ng Cng ho nhng li dn phiu
cho dn biu v ngh s thuc ng Dn ch, mt hin tng chnh tr ln u tin xy ra trong 108
nm ca lch s chnh tr Hoa K
[33]
. Trong tm nm lm Ph tng thng, Nixon gi vai tr nh
mt i s lu ng cho Tng thng Eisenhower: ng cng du vng quanh th gii, din t ch
thuyt t do ca Hoa K v ng minh vis-a-vis ch ngha cng sn ang hm do quyn t do cn
bn ca nhn loi. Mt trong nhng chuyn cng du, Nixon c ving thm Vit Nam nm 1953;
tranh lun vi Nikita Khrushschev nm 1959 Moscow; v chuyn ving thm gy ra nhiu biu
tnh bo ng Venezula vo nm 1958 - mt thi im chng M cao nht cc quc gia Nam M
sau khi Fidel Castro chim c Cuba. Trong tm nm , Nixon c d lun v bo ch cp
nhiu v thi cng rn trong ng li ng u vi cng sn quc t
[34]
.
Eisenhower, sau khi mn hn hai nhim k tng thng theo hin nh, nhng gh th lnh ng
Cng ho li cho Nixon. Nixon ng nhin c ng ra tranh c tng thng nm 1960. Cuc
bu c nm 1960 gia hai lin danh Nixon-Lodge v Kennedy-Johnson c coi l mt cuc bu c
c t s chnh lch st nht trong lch s Hoa K. Nixon thua Kennedy ch 113000. phiu trong tng
s 68 triu 400 ngn phiu c tri. Theo Nixon, ch cn thay i na phiu mi n v u phiu th
kt qu cuc bu c thay i. C tin n nhiu v gian ln phiu xy ra hai tiu bang Texas v
Illinois... nhng Nixon quyt nh chp nhn thua Kenney vi kt qu cng b
[35]
.
Thua chc Tng thng vo tay Kennedy, Nixon tr li California nhn lm vic cho mt cng ty lut
quen bit t lu. Nhng vi nhng kinh nghim v quen bit v chnh tr t trc, tuy tr li mt
cng dn thng hnh ngh lut s, nhng Nixon vn tip tc sinh hot khi c nhng hi on
chnh tr mi n pht biu kin. Cui nm 1961, qua s thc gic ca cp lnh o ng Cng
ho, Nixon quyt nh ra tranh c chc Thng c tiu bang California. Qua nhng thm d kin
s khi, a s kin cho thy Nixon s nh bi i phng d dng. Nhng khng may cho Nixon
vo nm : trong nhng thng cui cng ca cuc bu c, bo ch California phanh phui ra l, em
rut ca Nixon da vo tn tui ca anh mnh mn mt s tin kh ln t mt cng ty chuyn
u thu lm n vi chnh ph Hoa K. Mc d v phanh phui khng dn n u, nhng thanh
danh ca Nixon b nghi ng v bo ch c cu hi sut thi gian tranh c. Ci xui th hai cho Nixon
- v cho c ng Cng Ho - l Kennedy, trong cuc i din vi Khrushchev Vnh Cuba thng
101962., dn mt Nga S bng mt thi tht cng rn khin Nga phi tho g v kh nguyn t
khi Cuba. V thng c Khrushchev a Kennedy v ng Dn ch ln cao trong lng tin
ca c tri Hoa K. Vi hai bin c , Nixon tht c chc Thng c tiu bang California - Nixon
thua xa. Lin sau , qua mt cuc trao i vi bo ch trong lc c phng vn, Nixon khng dn
c nng gin, cng kch gii bo ch khng cng bng khi iu tra v phanh phui, t nghi vn
v t cch v lim s ca ng. Ln Nixon th ng s khng tr li chnh trng; v bo ch s
khng bao gi cn c hi ln lc ng na. Li tuyn b ca Nixon mt ln na c gii
truyn thng trn c nc M bn tn
[36]
.
Thua cuc California; tuyn b s khng bao gi tr li vi chnh tr, Nixon dn v New York khi
c mt cng ty lut danh ting mi gia nhp. Nhng khi v New York, Nixon li c thm nhiu
thn ch c v mt thng mi ln chnh tr: v thng mi, Nixon i din cho nhiu i cng ty c
sn phm v chi nhnh trn ton th gii; v chnh tr, Nixon vn c nhiu ng c vin trong ng
Cng ho mi din thuyt gip h ly phiu c tri cp tiu bang v quc hi. Nixon gip nhng
ng c vin ng Cng ho khi c ku gi, nhng rt b mt v yn lng v nhng d tnh chnh
tr trong tng lai. T nm 1962 n cui nm 1964, Nixon ng bn ngoi chnh trng, yn lng
quan st cuc bu c tng thng nm 1964 gia hai lin danh Johnson-Humphrey v Goldwater-
Miller. Nm 1964 ng Cng ho b thm bi phng phiu: Goldwater thua Johnson n 16 triu
phiu ph thng; 434 phiu c tri on; v ch thng c 6 trn 50 tiu bang. Chng nhng c
gh Tng thng, ng Dn ch cn gia tng s ngh vin ca h hai vin quc hi. S tht bi
ch ca Barry Goldwater a uy tn Nixon ln cao hn trong cc tay lnh o ng Cng ho cn
li. Cng thi gian ngoi vng chnh tr , Nixon c dp i nhiu ni trn th gii, ni chuyn vi
nhiu nh lnh o, thy c phn ng v thi ca h i vi chnh sch ngoi giao Hoa K
di quyn lnh o ca Johnson.
Nm 1965, khi Johnson bt u a qun tc chin vo Vit Nam, ng Cng ho kim c ch trch
Tng thng Johnson hy vng ly c phiu trong ma bu c ti. Ring c nhn Nixon, d ni
vi mi ngi l ng cha quyt nh tr li vi chnh tr, nhng trong nm Nixon ni chuyn
nhiu v chnh tr hn l v ngh nghip. Th t lin lc, li mi i din thuyt chnh tr nhiu n
ngi th k v v ng lm khng ht. Nixon mn thm nhn vin bt u thit lp mt ban
tham mu chn b cho hai k bu c quan trng ca nm 1966 v 1968
[37]
. Cui nm 1965, coi
nh hng chnh tr ca mnh cn hay khng i vi c tri Hoa K, Nixon quyt nh ng ra vn
ng gim cho cc ng c vin thuc ng Cng ho trong ma bu c quc hi v thng c nm
1966. Trong ma bu c nm 1966, Nixon ni chuyn vi hn 400 hi on 40 tiu bang, v
quyn c hn bn triu m kim vn ng bu c cho cc ng c vin ng Cng ho.
Khi kt qu cuc bu c nm 1966 c cng b, Nixon bit tng lai chnh tr ca mnh ang trn
ng khi phc: nh nhng vn ng v h tr ca Nixon, ng Cng ho thng 47 gh H vin;
3 Thng vin; 8 thng c; v 470 ngh vin quc hi cp tiu bang. ng Cng ho thng ln
ln ny ging nh ng Dn ch thng hai nm v trc. V Nixon c quyn ni - cng nh
khng ai ph nhn - nh c bn tay Nixon trong chin thng .
u nm 1967 Nixon quyt nh: ng ra lnh cho ban tham mu chun b thu thp tin tc, nghin
cu tnh hnh chnh tr chun b cho nm bu c tng thng 1968. Nixon ni vi ban tham mu
ng vn yn lng v gi kn k hoch chnh tr n gia nm 1967, nhng ng c thc ban tham
mu phi lm vic hng hi hn c th nh bi cc i th trong i hi c ton quc ca
ng Cng ho vo ma h 1968.
T thng Ging cho n thng 6.1967, Nixon i thm ving nhiu ni trn th gii (trong c Vit
Nam) mt ln na thm d phn ng th gii v ng li ngoi giao ng thi ca M. Khi
n Chu, Nixon ni vi hu ht cc nhn vt lnh o ly cm ngh ca h v vai tr ca Hoa
K Chu, i vi Trung Cng, v i vi cuc chin ang xy ra Vit Nam. Tr li M, sau
khi i thm cu Tng thng Eisenhower v ni chuyn vi hu ht cc thng c tiu bang thuc
ng Cng ho, Nixon vit mt tham lun, ni ln kin v ng li ngoi giao Hoa K i vi
Chu, nht l i vi Trung Cng. i chnh ca bi vit ng tp ch Foreign Affairs l: Cng sn
Trung Cng ch bung tha - nu khng ni l khng xm ln c - cc quc gia ln bang Chu,
nu cc quc gia ny c sc lc v kinh t, qun s v chnh tr... V Hoa K ch ni chuyn vi
Trung Cng nu quc gia ny chp nhn nhng lut l cn bn quc t. Hoa K mun thy Trung
Cng pht trin theo cng ng th gii, ch khng phi l mt trung tm ca cch mng th gii
[38]

.
Da vo nhiu cuc thm d d lun, sau khi bit chc mnh ang ng ngang nga vi cc ng c
vin tng thng ca hai ng, Nixon tuyn b ra tranh c tng thng vo u nm 1968. Nixon
khng quan tm nhiu v hai i th trong cng ng Cng ho l Rockefeller v George Romney;
Nixon ch s phi ng u vi ng kim Tng thng Johnson. Nhng khi Johnson tuyn b
khng ra ti c thm mt nhim k na, v pha Dn Ch ch cn Hubert Humphrey v George
Wallace, Nixon thy bt lo ngi i vi hai i th cn li. T lc tuyn b ra tranh c cho n
nhng ngy cui cng trc khi u phiu, Nixon lc no cng dn u i phng khng t th
nhiu. ng kim Tng thng Johnson, sau khi khng ra ti c, tm nhiu cch gip Humphrey ly
phiu c tri. Nhng hoc l qu tr, hoc l lng c tri M mun thay i, Humphrey cha bao
gi ng trc Nixon trong cc cuc thm d d lun ngi i bu.
Vn si ng nht ca nm bu c 1968 l chin tranh Vit Nam. Bit c s u t ca qun
chng M v vn nn , Nixon cn thn ch trch tng im sai lm ca chnh ph Johnson trong
cuc chin v trong sch lc gii quyt cuc chin. Khi Johnson ra lnh ngng di bom khuyn
khch H Ni ngi vo bn hi ngh, Nixon ngoi mt ln ting ng h, nhng pha sau, Nixon sai
nhng ph t ln ting ch trch Johnson quyt nh qu hp tp. Nh ni n chng trc,
Nixon b mt lin lc vi Tng thng Thiu, khuyn ng Thiu phn i k hoch ca Johnson. Vi
nhng mnh kho chnh tr , Nixon rt xng ng vi hn danh Tricky Dick
[39]
. Nixon c c
nm 1968; t s thng khng xa, nhng thng. Cng vo nm bu c 1968, trong khi ng Cng
ho chim c to Bch c, to nh Quc hi th ri vo tay ng Dn ch: Thng v H vin,
ng Dn ch chim khi a s.

[1]
Tun bo Der Studermer ca Julius Streicher h ho nhiu ng li bo hnh v s trit tiu ton
din chng tc Do Thi. Sau khi c u hng, Streicher b a ra ta n ti phm chin tranh
Nuremberg, v b kt n t hnh bng treo c.
[2]
V giai on t thiu thi cho n ngy Kissinger nhp ng, c: Walter Isaacson, Kissinger: A
Biography, trang 17-39.
[3]
Isaacson, Sd, trang 53. V thn th v tr thc ca Kraemer, c: Issacson, trang 44-45; Marvin
Kalb v Bernard Kalb, Kissinger, trang 38-39.
[4]
Isaacson, Sd, trang 61-64. Trong phm vi trit hc, Lun v l tr thun tu v Lun v l tr thc
tin l hai tc phm c coi l kh hiu nht ca Immanuel Kant.
[5]
Tiu lun ra trng bc c nhn ca Kissinger c ta l The Meaning of History: Reflections on
Spengler, Toynbee and Kant. Gii sinh vin n vi nhau l Carl Friedrich (hay l Elliott), mt
trong nhng gio s trit ca Kissinger Harvard, ch c n 150 trang tiu lun ca Kissinger ri
b v ging vn qu chn. Kissinger u bng c nhn hng summa cum laude (ti u). c:
Isaacson, Sd, trang 64- 67; Marvin Kalb v Benard Kalb, Kissinger, trang 42-46.
[6]
Mi kho hi tho c chng 35 hi vin tham d, n t mi ni trn th gii. Mt trong s nhng
ngi n Harvard International Seminar sau ny lnh o nc h, nh cc th tng, tng thng,
l Valery Giscard dEstang (Php); Yasuhiro Nakasone (Nht); Leo Tindermans (B); Mahathir Bin
Mohammad (M Lai ); Bulent Ecevit (Th Nh K); Yigal Allon (Do Thi); hay Pierre Trudeau
(Gia N i). Chng trnh ko di n nm 1967 th b bo ch khui ra l do CIA cp ngn qu.
Chng trnh Harvard International Seminar chm dt vo nm 1969.
[7]
Mt s tc gi gp bi vit cho Confluence l McGeorge Bundy; Paul Nitze; Hans Morgenthau;
Czeslaw Milosz; Walt Rostow; Arthur Schlesinger; John Kenneth Galbraith. Trong thi gian , c
tin n Kissinger lm mt bo vin cho FBI. Khng chc chn tin n ny c tht hay khng, nhng
c san Confluence vi khuynh hng chng ch ngha cng sn rt c lng Chnh ph Hoa K
trong giai on u ca chin tranh lnh. Hn na, Harvard International Seminar l mt ni qui t
nhiu thnh phn u t quc t... nn s ch ca cc c quan tnh bo Hoa K khng phi l mt
iu ngc nhin. Mt chi tit khc ng ch : theo hai tc gi Marvin Kalb v Bernard Kalb trong
Kissinger (trang 49), trong hai nm 1951-52, Kissinger c mn lm c vn t cho lc qun, v
Ban tham mu lin qun, vi nhim v nghin cu v qun i Hoa K Nam Hn, v v chin
lc tm l chin. H s v tng trnh ca FBI v Kissinger c nhc n trong Isaacson, Sd,
trang 71; v ph ch 23.
[8]
V vai tr v l thuyt ngoi giao ca Metternich v Castlereagh, c Isaacson, Sd, trang 74-77;
David Landau, Kissinger: The Uses of Power, trang 29-30; v Kalb, Sdd, trang 46-48. Lun n ca
Kissinger c mt gii thng v gi tr khoa bng.
[9]
Arthur Schlesinger, Jr l bn ca John F. Kennedy. Khi Kennedy tr thnh tng thng, Schlesinger
c Kennedy mi lm ph t c bit. Khi Kennedy cht, Schlesinger c gia nh Kennedy mi
lm s gia chnh thc ca c Tng thng Kennedy. Trong thp nin 1950, di thi Tng thng
Eisenhower, chin lc nguyn t ca Hoa K v ng minh NATO l tr a ton b v hu dit
ton b nu phi khai chin vi Nga S hay ch hu. Schlesinger ch trch k hoch ny khng cn
hiu qu v Nga S theo kp Hoa K v s lng v kh nguyn t sn xut hng nm. Bi ph
bnh ca Kissinger, Military Policy and the Defense of the Grey Areas, (Foreign Affairs, April,
1955) cng i theo ng li tng t nh ca Schlesinger, nhng nhn mnh mt ch thuyt mi
v ng li s dng v kh nguyn t: gii hn v theo tng vng, tng a phng; s tr a ca
Hoa K v ng minh l mt s tr a gii hn tu theo vng xm ln v mc xm ln ca Nga S
v ch hu.
[10]
Council on Foreign Relations l mt t chc t, do gia nh t ph Rockefeller thnh lp nm
1921. Vi nh hng v kinh t v th lc ti chnh, Rockefeller Foundation mi v chiu d c
rt nhiu nhn vt danh ting trong x hi M v lm gim c v ng trong ban chp hnh. Cc
gim c ca Council on Foreign Relations phn ln l nhng ngi lnh o trong chnh quyn v
hu, hay t nhim v lm cho Council. T Foreign Affairs do Council on Foreign Relations n
hnh; ch bin ca t l nhng ngi c rt nhiu kinh nghim trong Chnh ph M, nh William
Bundy, William Hyland, Leslie Gelb... V mt s khun mt trong Council, c David Landau, Sdd,
trang 43-48; Kalb, Sd, 52-58.
[11]
Hai pha khen ch tc phm ca Kissinger u n t nhng ngi c tn tui. Ph tng thng
Nixon vit th ring khen ngi; ngoi trng John Foster Dulles ng l thuyt chin tranh gii
hn v v kh nguyn t chin thut c l (Dulles l ngi tng hm do Nga S, nu c chin
tranh, th s l mt chin tranh ton din; mt s hu dit khng gii hn). Gii ch trch l thuyt
ca Kissinger c nhng ngi nh George Kennan, Paul Nitze, Dean Rusk, l nhng tay lo luyn
trong ngnh ngoi giao Hoa K. c Landau, Sd, trang 55-57; 76-78; Isaacson, Sdd, trang 88-90;
Charles R. Ashman, The Adventure of Super-Kraut, trang 65-68; Kalb, Sd, trang 54-55. Kissinger
tr mt gi t v phng din tnh cm gia nh cho cng trnh ny. Kissinger sng trong mt th
gii hon ton khc bit trong thi gian vit sch: ng ta yu cu v khng c ni chuyn vi ng
nu khng cn thit. c Kalb, Sd, cng trang dn.
[12]
Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller (1908-1979) l chu ni ca nh t ph u tin, John D. Rockefeller.
Khi u t John Rockefeller, dng h Rockefeller thnh lp v s c s bt v li lo v t thin,
gio dc, cng nh kinh t, ngoi giao hay chnh tr. i Hc Chicago; i hc Rockefeller; Council
on Foreign Relations; Rokefeller Brothers Fund... l mt trong nhng c s tng trng ca dng h
Rockefeller. Nelson Rockefeller lm Thng c tiu bang New York gn bn nhim k (10 nm) ri
ra tranh c ng vin tng thng s tuyn trong ng Cng ho. Nm 1974 ng l Ph tng thng
di thi Tng thng Gerald Ford.
[13]
Theo Isaacson, Sd, trang 92, nm 1960 Nelson Rockefeller tr cho Kissinger 12.000$; nm 1964,
18.000$; v nm 1968, 20.000$. Nh mt so snh, 12 ngn m kim ca nm 1960 tng ng vi
50 ngn ca nm 2000; v 50 ngn m kim Kissinger nhn t Rockefeller vo nm 1969, tng
ng 200 ngn hin nay.
[14]
Nh chng ta bit, nm 1960 Henry Cabot Lodge ng chung lin danh vi Richard Nixon ca
ng Cng ho tranh c i li lin danh Kennedy-Johnson ng Dn ch. Lin danh Kennedy
thng c. Nhng c mt kin a ng trong ng li ngoi giao v Vit Nam, Kennedy b
nhim Lodge lm i s ti Si Gn nm 1963. Lodge ra mt ng h cuc o chnh Tng thng
Dim; v sau khi cuc o chnh thnh cng, Lodge t nhim tr li Hoa K tham d cuc bu c
tng thng nm 1964. Ln ny Johnson ca ng Dn ch cng thng na, v Johnson li b nhim
Lodge lm i s ti Vit Nam ln th hai. Khi nhn nhim s vo nm 1965, Lodge yu cu Th
trng V Vin ng, William Bundy (anh ca McGeorge Bundy, C vn An ninh Quc gia cho
Kennedy v Johnson) mn con ca ng (ang l mt gio s dy Harvard) v Kissinger lm t
vn cho ng v vn Vit Nam. Lodge ni l do ng cn hai ngi v ng mun c mt ci nhn
mi v vn Vit Nam t nhng chuyn vin bn ngoi, thay g nhng kin ca cc nhn vin
chnh ph t bn trong nh v ang xy ra. Henry Cabot Lodge c lin h su m i vi Vit
Nam t nm 1963 cho n lc ng t chc Trng phi on thng thuyt Hi ngh Paris vo
gia nm 1969, khi Nixon ln nhm chc Tng thng.
[15]
Li lm vic ca Kissinger l ng tng trnh cho tng ngi nghe, v khng bao gi c nhiu
ngi nghe cng mt lc. Theo mt nhn vt trong cuc, nhng tng trnh ca Kissinger khng
nht thit ging nhau khi ng bo co li cho mi thm quyn. Marvin and Bernard Kalb, Sd, trang
68.
[16]
Marcovich lc l mt nh sinh vt hc vi phn; Aubrac, tt nghip t hai i hc ni ting MIT
v Harvard, l vin chc ca Lin hip quc, lm cho c quan Lng nng Th gii Rome. Theo
Aubrac, nm 1946, khi H Ch Minh qua Php thng thuyt vi Chnh ph Php v vn ch
quyn ca Vit Nam, ng nh Aubrac, v hai ngi thn nhau n ng H Ch Minh nhn con
ca Aubrac lm con u. Xem David Kraslow v Stuart H. Loory, The Secret Search for Peace in
Vietnam, trang 219-224. S liu cng sn Vit Nam vit v nhng hi hp b mt trong thi gian u
nm trong, Lu Vn Li v Nguyn Anh V, Tip xc b mt Vit Nam - Hoa K trc Hi ngh
Paris (H Ni: Qun i Nhn Dn, 2000).
[17]
V nhng lin lc ngm u tin ny vi mt danh Pennsylvania c Isaacson, Sd, trang 121-
123. Cuc hi ng gia H Ch Minh v Aubrac H Ni c ghi li trong Kalb, Sd, trang 71-73.
Ti liu chnh ph Hoa K s lc tng chi tit v Pennsylvania nm trong The Pentagon Papers,
Gravel Edition, Vol. IV, Chng 4.
[18]
Tranh c vng s tuyn ni ng l primaries v caucuses chn mt trong nhng ng c vin
cng mt ng, trc khi i n ngh hi c ton quc (national nomination convention). ngh
hi c, ng c vin c nhiu phiu t nhng i biu cc tiu bang s c ng c ra tranh c
vi ng c vin ca ng i lp. B sch The Making of the President ca Theodore White l b
sch rt hay bit v h thng bu c, vn ng bu c, v ng li chnh tr chung quanh nn
tng thng hin i Hoa K.
[19]
Isaacson, Sd, trang 126-128.
[20]
Isaacson, op. cit., trang 214. Ngi gi mi Kissinger l Richard Allen, sau ny l C vn An
ninh Quc gia cho Tng thng Ronald Reagan trong mt thi gian ngn.
[21]
V nhng tin tc Kissinger cung cp cho Nixon v hi m Paris, v nhng g Nixon bit c
t nhng ng giy khc (Chennault, Bi Dim...), tc gi vit mt s chi tit chng 9. Tng
thng Nixon trong The Memoirs of Richard Nixon, trang 323- 324, ni nhng tin tc do Kissinger
cung cp i khi m h v c v b mt. Nixon ni ng nhn tin t Kissinger nhng khng hon ton
tin lm.
[22]
Ph t qun s cho C vn An ninh Quc gia thng l cp chun tng tr ln. Kissinger nhn
Alexander Haig lm ph t cho ng lc Haig cn l i t. Haig c thng chun tng u nm
1970 c cp bc ph hp vi chc v. Ngi ph t qun s th nh ca Kissinger l trung tng
khng qun Brent Scowcroft. Scowcroft thay Kissinger lm C vn An ninh Quc gia cho Tng
thng Ford.
[23]
Isaacson, Sd, kin ca Ulam v Kissinger trang 97-98; Brzezinski, trang 699-700; Halperin
v Schlesinger, trang 763-764. Chng 34 trong sch ca Isaacson ni rt hay v su sc v tm l
ca Kissinger.
[24]
Isaacson, Sd, trang 762. gii hn khun kh ca cc ph ch trong bi vit, ngi vit ch
ch dn nhng li ph bnh, ch trch quan trng v t cch v o c Kissinger. Ngoi mt s th
liu ph, ngi vit c nm tc phm vit v Kissinger son chng ny: Kissinger, ca hai anh
em k gi Marvin Kalb v Bernard Kalb; Kissinger: A Biography, ca Walter Isaacson; Kissinger:
The Uses of Power, ca David Landau; The Trial of Henry Kissinger, ca Christopher Hitchens; v
The Price of Power: Kissinger in the Nixon White House, ca Seymour M. Hersh. Sch ca anh em
Kalb vit thin v v Kissinger; Isaacson th vit trung thc, c khen ch. Sch ca Hersh v Landau
hon ton ni v nhng khim khuyt o c v t cch la di ca Kissinger. Sch ca Hitchens
nh ta sch gi kt n Kissinger v v o chnh bn Ch Li v nhng v di bom b mt
ni a Cam Bt. V s kh chu ca Kenendy i vi Kissinger, c Isaacson, Sd, trang 111.
[25]
Haig ni, Kissinger thng cp cho ti vng khi to Bch c, Seymour, Sd, trang 621.
Alexander Haig c thng chc t thiu tng ln i tng trong vng su thng (mang chc i
tng, T lnh ph lc qun, vo thng 1.1973; thng 6.1972 vn cn mang lon thiu tng).
[26]
Isaacson, Sd, trang 764-765; i thoi gia Kissinger v Mao Trch ng, Chu n Lai; v
Leonid Brezhnev. Anatoly Dobrynin, nm trong ti liu thuc Nixon Presidential Materials
Collection/Presidnts Office Files/Memoranda for the President, hin lu tr ti National Archives.
Nht bo Washington Post c s lc ni dung trong s bo ra ngy Ch Nht 10.1.1999. Trong
khong 1969-1974, cc chuyn vin quan st quc t u bit Hoa K ang dng l bi Trung Cng
chn p Nga v dng l bi Nga a Trung Cng vo qu o quc gia t bn Ty phng. T
nhng ti liu gii mt ni trn, nhiu vn kin cho thy Nga gin tip hi M ngh th no nu h
tn cng nhng cn c chin lc ca Trung Cng bng v kh nguyn t. Vo thng 4.1972,
Kissinger b mt gp i s Trung Cng ti Lin hip quc l Hong Hoa, ngh M s cung cp
thm nhng phng nh v tinh v v tr cc n v ca Nga dc theo bin gii Nga-Hoa. Trong cuc
gp b mt , khng bit hai bn c bn g lin h n Vit Nam hay khng (thi gian l ngay
vo trn ma h la), nhng vi thng sau, Hong Hoa vit th cho Kissinger hi Hoa K c
phn ng g khi Trung Cng tin chim qun o Hong Sa hay khng. Kissinger tr li l hm i
M c lnh trnh xa khi nhng qun o ang tranh chp , v Chnh ph Hoa K khng c
kin hay mun tham s vo nhng tranh chp ang xy ra. c n xanh, hi qun Trung Cng
tin nh qun o Hong Sa vo thng 11.974. c thm, Nayan Chanda, Brother Enemy, trang 20-
21; Kissinger, White House Years, trang 1114.
[27]
Kissinger vit tt c (n nm 2002) 15 quyn sch v 45 tiu lun. Trong s bn tc phm c
nhc n Vit Nam l White House Years (1979); Years of Upheaval (1982); Diplomacy (1994), v
Ending the Vietnam War (2002). Chng ta s ni n nhng chi tit lin h trong nhng tc phm
ny chng ti.
[28]
Larry Berman, No Peace, No Honor: Nixon, Kissinger, and the Betrayal in Vietnam, trang 9. c,
Elmo Zumwalt, On Watch, trang 411-511, thy Ban tham mu lin qun khinh mit Kissinger
nh th no. Sau khi gii ng, Zumwalt l ngi cng khai ch trch t cch ca Kissinger trong cc
v thng lng ngoi giao. c Isaacson, Sd, trang 696-698.
[29]
c RN: The Memoirs of Richard Nixon, trang 443-444.
[30]
Hn danh Tricky Dick c n dn biu Hellen Douglas gi Nixon ln u tin khi hai ngi
tranh gh ngh s vo nm 1950. Dick l ting rt thn mt gi tn Richard. Trong tp qun
M, ch cha m, ngi thn lu i, hay c cho php, th mi gi ngi c tn Richard l Dick.
Nhng, dick li l ting lng tc ch dng vt ca n ng. Tricky l mnh kho, mu m.
y l mt li chi ch khi gi Richard Nixon l Tricky Dick.
[31]
Phn ln nhng chi tit v c nhn ca Nixon, tc gi trch theo hi k ca Richard Nixon, RN:
The Memoirs of Richard Nixon.
[32]
Richard Nixon, Sd, trang 78-88. Nhng lin danh Eisenhower - Nixon gp nhiu tr ngi t lc
c c cho n ngy bu c v Nixon b t co ang s dng mt qu en do nhiu thng gia
cung cp, vn ng cho quyn li ca h quc hi. Sau ny, trong nm nm ri lm tng thng
(1969-1974), Nixon li b bo ch v i th khui ra chuyn s dng qu en thm ln na. V
nhng nghi vn ca qu en nm 1952, c cng sch, trang 92-110.
[33]
Nhng nm bu c tng thng cng l nm bu li tt c dn biu v mt phn ba thng ngh s
(v mt s thng c cc tiu bang). Thng thng, uy tn chnh tr ca ng c vin tng thng
gip thm cc ng c vin quc hi cng ng ly thm c c tri, v nh vy, ngi tng thng
tng lai c c a s ngh vin cng ng trong quc hi mt li th cho tng thng khi cn d
lut no c ph chun. t khi no mt ng thng chc Tng thng nhng li thua t l a s
hai vin Quc hi nh trng hp ca Eisenhower vo nm 1956. Nm 1972 hin tng chnh tr
ny xy ra mt ln na: Nixon thng c Tng thng nhng ng Dn ch chim phn a s Quc
hi. Chnh nhng ngh vin ng Dn ch i lp gy nhiu kh khn cho Nixon, t nhng d
lut phn i chin tranh Vit Nam cho n gii hn quyn hnh php ca Tng thng, v sau cng
l quyt ngh h b Nixon vo thng 8.1974 qua v phm php Watergate. c Nixon, cng sch,
trang 180.
[34]
Mt trong nhng chi tit v tng thng Nixon t c sch bo ni n, l lin h ca ng trong
cuc chin Vit - Php vo nhng ngy cui cng: Nixon ngh gi thm chuyn vin c kh
khng qun (trc M gi 200 ngi ri) gia tng u cu khng vn hu cu vn in
Bin Ph; ngh dng khng qun oanh tc mnh nh ting vi Trung Cng v Vit Minh l
Hoa K sn sng can thip nu ngi Php khng gi ni. Nixon c mt trong tt c cc cuc hp
quan trng ca Hi ng An ninh Quc gia v tnh hnh in Bin Ph trong thng cui cng trc
khi Php tht th. V chuyn ving thm Si Gn, H Ni, ca Nixon, c Richard Nixon, Sd, trang
122-125; v nhng quyt nh lin h n in Bin Ph, trang 150-155.
[35]
Nixon, Sd, trang 224-226. Kt qu s phiu chnh thc l, Kennedy, 34.221.463; Nixon,
34.108.528. Kennedy c 49,7%; Nixon 49,6%. Hai bn cch nhau 0,07%. V chuyn lng ln,
phiu gi Texas, Johnson mt ln b tai ting v chuyn trong cuc bu c thng ngh s
nm 1949. V cuc bu c ho hng Kennedy - Nixon, c Theodore H. White, The Making of the
President 1960, ph lc s 1.
[36]
Nixon, Sd, 442-447.
[37]
Nixon, Sd, trang 271-272.
[38]
Nixon, Sd, trang 285.
[39]
Chng 9, Nhng con kh ca nm Mu Thn, ngi vit s lc mt s chi tit quan
trng ca nm bu c 1968 gia Nixon v Humphrey. Nu Johnson c vi mu lc gip
Humphrey, th Nixon cng i li bng mt s xo thut chnh tr ang c trong tay (dng Tng
thng Nguyn Vn Thiu lm nh tr k hoch ca Johnson). c Nixon, Sd, trang 322-335,
thy Nixon th nhn ng quan tm v nhng mnh kho ca Johnson vo nhng tun cui trc
ngy bu c; mt tc phm khc tht hay ca William Safire, Before the Fall, v nhng mu lc v
k hoch chnh tr ca Nixon t khi tuyn b tranh c vo thng Ging 1967, cho n khi c c vo
thng 11.1968.

gun: Nguyn K Phong, Vng ly Bch c - Ngi M v chin tranh Vit Nam, Ting Qu
Hng xut bn, Virginia 2006

Nguyn K Phong
Phn 2
Sau hai nm lm dn biu, bn nm ngh s, tm nm ph tng thng, v hai ln tht c, Richard
Nixon tuyn th nhm chc Tng thng th 37 ca Hoa K vo u nm 1969.
Trong nm nm tm thng gi chc v tng thng, nhng thnh qu ca Nixon c nhiu ngi
nhc n l tho c gim thiu v kh nguyn t gia M v Nga; thit lp ban giao vi Trung
Cng; v a qun i v trch nhim ca Hoa K ra khi chin trng Vit Nam.
Chng ta phi phn bit chuyn Nixon a qun i M khi Vit Nam, v chm dt chin tranh
Vit Nam. V mi ngi u thy: Nixon thnh cng a qun i M ra khi cuc chin, nhng
cuc chin vn cn sau khi ngi M rt i. Nixon p buc VNCH phi k vo hip nh Ba L
nm 1973, vi li ha l nu pha cng sn xm phm hip c, Nixon s dng bin php mnh
bo v nhng iu khon ghi trong hip c. Nixon ha ring vi Tng thng Nguyn Vn Thiu
l ng s dng tt c kh nng ca mt v tng thng bo m gi tr ca mt hip c m ng xin
mun VNCH phi k. Nhng s kin lch s cho thy Nixon khng c c hi chng t vi VNCH
- v nhng ng minh b b ri trn th gii, nh trong trng hp i Loan - l ng c gi ng li
ha hay khng. Nixon khng c dp chng t danh d ca ng v b truy t trc Quc hi Hoa
K v phi t chc khi phi b trut ph.
phn di y chng ta s bn s v thi v hnh ng ca Nixon i vi chin tranh Vit Nam
t lc ng ln nm quyn cho n ngy t nhim.
T nm 1953 cho n nm 1967 Nixon ving thm Vit Nam tt c bn ln. Sau mi ln quan st,
kin ca Nixon v cuc chin Vit Nam vn ging nhau: Nga v Trung Cng ng sau lng cng
sn Bc Vit trong cuc chin xm ln min Nam. V ch c mt cch lm CSBV t b nh
xm lc l p dng p lc qun s. Nixon khng s mang ting l k mnh hip yu; ngc li,
Nixon thch cho i phng bit ng ta sn sng hip i phng nu cn. Trong nhng ln pht
biu kin v chin tranh Vit Nam lc ng c tng thng, Nixon ch trch chnh ph Johnson l
Hoa K khng quyt tm gii quyt cuc chin Vit Nam bng qun s. Trong chuyn thm Si
Gn vo thng 4.1967, ng c gii ch huy qun s trnh by cho ng bit s bc tc ca h khi
khng c thm quyn qun s cho php nh qua bin gii, hay nh thng vo bt c ni no
CSBV dng lm so huyt. Nixon, trong mt vi ln pht biu, nhn nh rt ng v tnh hnh
trung lp ca Lo. i vi Nixon, khi Lo thnh mt quc gia trung lp kiu , Lo nm
trong qu o - nu khng ni thuc v - CSBV v cng sn Tu. Mt mnh n c, Nixon nhn
mnh, Lo khng bao gi c th gi c s trung lp theo ngha mt quc gia c c lp v
thc h chnh tr vi mt lnh th ton vn. Suy lun song song theo chiu hng chin lc qun s
, Cam Bt cng nm trong hon cnh tng t nh Lo. Nixon ch trch chnh ph Johnson
khng tht lng khi khng t vn , hay gii quyt, hai yu t quan trng Lo v Cam Bt trong
cuc chin Vit Nam. Nixon tuyn b vo nm 1967, nu Hoa K khng i din vi tnh hnh Cam
Bt v Lo; nu Hoa K khng th nhn s phc tp ca chin tranh Vit Nam trong a hnh ca
ng Dng ngay by gi, th Hoa K s phi th nhn v i din vn nn v sau. Nixon nhn
mnh - v chng ta thy iu tht ng vo nhng nm cui cng ca cuc chin - chin tranh
Vit Nam khng phi ch gii hn vo Vit Nam, m l ton ci ng Dng
[1]
.
Chng ta nn s khc bit v tinh thn ca cc Tng thng Kennedy, Johnson v Nixon trong
chin tranh Vit Nam: Kennedy thch ho hng, qun t, nhng bn trong th nht; Johnson th hm
h cung n nhng khng c tr thng minh, ti ngoi giao, hay s kin nhn thc hin nh;
cn Nixon th c tt c nhng tnh tnh ca hai tng thng kia, cng thm tnh thch hnh ng b
mt t bn trong hay nh tay ngi khc hnh ng cho mnh, v i khi hnh ng ngoi vng php
lut. Nixon mnh mung hn Kennedy v Johnson khi mun hon tt mt nh. T Truman cho
n Nixon, mi v tng thng u c lin h n cuc chin Vit Nam bng mt hay nhiu quyt
nh v mi quyt nh c thc hin qua cch ny hay cch khc. Truman, v nhng quyn li ca
M u Chu, phi nh nhng b v t niu gip Php tip tc s h Vit Nam.
Eisenhower v Kennedy, vi nh mun thit lp mt tin n chng cng ng Nam gng
bi p v gy dng mt nn t do dn ch mt quc gia mi gi l Vit Nam Cng ho. Sau
Kennedy, Tng thng Johnson mun gii quyt cuc chin nhanh hn vi qun tc chin, vi v kh
c hu, vi cp s vi ba qun on. By gi cuc chin chuyn n tay Nixon. n Nixon th
nhim v kh khn hn: ng phi em ngi M ra khi cuc chin trong chin thng - hay t ra,
phi bo v min Nam vi mt nn ho bnh trong danh d.
Khi ra tranh c tng thng, cng khng khc hn nhng ng c vin trc v cng lc vi ng,
Nixon ha s chm dt cuc chin Vit Nam, s em li ho bnh trong danh d. Nixon khng ha
hn g v mt chin thng qun s, hay mt thng thuyt ngoi giao no kt thc chin tranh.
Mt thng sau khi c c, Nixon rt t tin ng s gii quyt cuc chin Vit Nam trong vng 12
thng
[2]
. Nhng khi thy H Ni ch li dng cuc thng thuyt cu gi v cuc chin ko
di ngoi d nh, Nixon quyt nh cho i phng thy ng l ngi bit dng v lc thuyt
phc, v Nixon khng ngn ngi dng v lc. Chng ta c th thy mt phn tinh thn ca Nixon
i vi cuc chin Vit Nam khi ng tuyn b trc cng chng: Li lm quan trng nht lc ti
cn l tng thng, l ti khng lm vo u nm 1969 nhng g ti lm vo ngy 3 thng
5.1972, v 15 thng 12.1972, ngha l di bom v phong to Bc Vit. Ti c bn chuyn ny vi
Kissinger. Nhng kt l chnh ph tin nhim Johnson quyt nh ngng di bom i n hi
m Paris... ti khng tin h [CSBV] mun thng thuyt tht s, v d nhin sau ny chng ta
thy s gi to ca cuc thng thuyt . Nu chng ta thc hin chuyn [di bom v phong to
Bc Vit] chng ta c th kt thc cuc chin vo nm 1969 ch khng phi n nm 1973. l li
lm ln nht ca ti trong thi gian lm tng thng
[3]
.
Nhiu tc gi loi b cu, phn chin, v chng Nixon, thng lun bn l sau nm 1968, sau khi
CSBV chu vo bn thng ngh, l ra cuc chin Vit Nam c c hi chm dt... Nhng khi ln
k v Johnson, Nixon ko di thm cuc chin, a n hn hai mi ngn ci cht ca qun nhn
Hoa K, hn mt trm ngn qun VNCH v bn hay nm ln s thng vong bn pha Bc Vit
[4]
. L lun ny khng vng im nhng tc gi, s gia ni trn khng ni ti sao Nixon khng th
chp nhn nhng ngh thng thuyt cn bn ca CSBV
[5]
.
T ngy u nhm chc, Nixon cho php gii qun s dng mi k hoch, k c nhng k hoch
qun s phm lut ca Quc hi M v cng php quc t, cho H Ni thy Hoa K - di s
lnh o ca Nixon - bit dng sc mnh khi cn. Sau khi Tng thng Johnson ra lnh ngng di
bom t v tuyn 20 tr ln, Nixon ra lnh cho MACV
[6]
dng tt c khng lc dng vo min Bc
trc nh vo chin trng Lo v nhng cn c hu cn ca CSBV dc theo bin gii Cam
Bt. Tuy ni l ngng di bom, nhng tht s phi v oanh tc gia tng nhiu hn. Nm 1968 khng
lc Hoa K bay 3.377 phi v trn h thng ng xm nhp H Ch Minh; nm 1969 s phi v tng
ln 5.567, vi khong 160 ngn tn bom th xung H Lo. Ch trong nm thng u nm 1969, b
t lnh on 559 Trng Sn thy c cng oanh tc di ni cc mi
[7]
. Nhng cha
, Nixon mun CSBV thy r nh ca ng hn. u thng 3.1969, Nixon nghe theo ngh ca
ban tham mu lin qun - mt ngh b b qun nhiu nm v McNamara v Johnson khng cho
php thc hin - l phi hu dit c s hu cn ca CSBV bn trong ni a Cam Bt. Nhng nh
qua Cam Bt th khng c (t ra l trong thi im ), di bom th li vi phm cng php quc t
v tnh cht trung lp ca Cam Bt. Ch cn mt cch duy nht l b mt di bom - b mt y cng
c ngha l phm lut
[8]
. Vi tt c thn trng nh la bo ch v Quc hi, Nixon cho php B
t lnh Khng qun Chin lc v MACV hnh ng. T thng 3.1969 cho n thng 4.1970, khng
qun chin lc bay 3630. phi v, b 110 ngn tn bom xung cc cn c hu cn v binh trm ca
CSBV nm trong lnh th Cam Bt t vng tam bin Pleiku cho n M Vt Ty Ninh.
trnh bom, qun i CSBV ln su vo ni a Cam Bt v hng ty, gn cc khu dn c. Vi
chin thut ny, CSBV v hiu ho cc cuc oanh tc chin lc bng B-52 ca Hoa K vo mt
khu ca h trn t Cam Bt. Khi i tng Abrams t lnh MACV bo co Hoa Thnh n vn
, Nixon khng ngn ngi quyt nh tin xa hn: dng b binh nh qua Cam Bt. Chng ta phi
chng t cho i phng bit chng ta cng quyt vi nhng g ha Vit Nam, Nixon pht
biu khi ng k hoch nh qua Cam Bt
[9]
. gii hn nhng phn i n t cc ngh vin
i lp Quc hi v cc cuc biu tnh ca sinh vin trong v ngoi nc, Nixon ch cho php qun
i Hoa K hot ng trong vng 30 cy s trong ni a Cam Bt, v qun M s rt ra khi Cam
Bt sau 60 ngy. Thm vo , qun i VNCH s khai din cuc tn cng trc v s l thnh phn
ch ng. Cuc hnh qun qua Cam Bt ch thu gt c mt s thnh cng gii hn: ba s on c
hu ca Vit Cng, 5, 7, v 9, c lnh phn tn mng t mt thng trc . Cc n v CSBV
c lnh trnh giao tranh nu khng cn thit v rt xa v hng ty, v mt c a mi tnh
Kratie. Tuy khng gi by c cc n v cng sn nh mun, qun i VNCH v ng minh
khm ph v tch thu mt s qun trang dng, v kh v lng thc trang b v tip t cho tt c
cc n v cng sn min Nam hn mt nm tri
[10]
.
Nixon tr mt gi rt cao v uy tn chnh tr vi cuc tn cng qua Cam Bt: sau khi bn sinh vin
b V binh Quc gia bn cht trong mt cuc biu phn chin i hc Kent State, tiu bang Ohio,
hn hai trm ngn ngi tham d biu tnh chng Nixon th Hoa Thnh n - mt thnh ph
rt nh cha hai trm ngn cng dn bc tc. Quc hi Hoa K ch trch Nixon; thm vn li
quyn hn hin php ca tng thng c hay khng khi em qun tn cng qua mt quc gia trung
lp nh Cam Bt. Nhng i vi mt chnh tr gia lo luyn nh Nixon, nhng cuc biu tnh hay
nhng kin i lp t quc hi l chuyn thng: Nixon tip tc gia tng lc qun s i vi
CSBV. Hai ngy sau khi qun i M v VNCH vt bin gii, Nixon ch thn n Ng gic i
c tng trnh v bin chuyn ca cuc hnh qun. Khi nhn bn ghi ch a im cc cn c
hu cn khc ca CSBV bc Cam Bt v H Lo, Nixon hi nhng s quan ang c mt, l qun
i VNCH v Hoa K c kh nng tn cng tt c nhng cn c khng. Khi c tr li l nhng
cuc tn cng tip theo qua bin gii s gy nhiu phn ng bt li t d lun v Quc hi..., Nixon
tr li cho cc s quan l chuyn li hi v chnh tr ng lo, ng ch mun h tr li l nh c
hay khng. Chng ta b thit hi v chnh tr trong cuc hnh qun [qua Cam Bt] ny ri. Nu
c th hu dit c tt c cc mt khu ca ch gim thiu thit hi cho qun ta, th y l ng
lc hnh ng... Ti mun tn cng tt c cc cn c . Chun b cc k hoch cn thit v thc
hin ngay, Nixon tuyn b vi ban tham mu lin qun
[11]
. Vi thng sau khi VNCH v M kt
thc cuc hnh qun Cam Bt, Tng Abrams ca MACV trnh ln ban tham mu lin qun k
hoch nh qua Lo. Thng 12.1970 ban tham mu lin qun ng k hoch v mt thng sau,
Nixon cho php tin hnh. Trong khi k hoch nh qua Lo vo thng 2.1971 c thnh cng nh
tin liu hay khng l mt vn chng ta s bn ci sau, y, qua nhng quyt nh qun s,
chng ta mun chng minh tinh thn quyt lit ca Nixon khi thng lng vi H Ni. Trc ,
vo cui thng 11.1970, Nixon cho php thc hin mt k hoch rt to bo: dng n v lc lng
c bit bay t Thi Lan qua Sn Ty, mt tnh ch cch H Ni vi chc cy s, tip cu vi
chc t binh M, d bit bit k hoch c xc sut tht bi nhiu hn thnh cng, nhng Nixon mun
lm cho i phng thy ng sn sng chp nhn may ri nu phi hnh ng
[12]
.
u thng 4.1972, khi nghe tin CSBV em tt c lc lng tinh nhu ca h tn cng ba mt min
Nam, Nixon phn ng mnh lit vi mt cng lm ngay c gii qun nhn phi quan tm: Nixon
mun di chuyn tt c B-52 m b t lnh qun chin lc c th di chuyn c, em qua Thi Lan
v Guam tr a CSBV. Khi CSBV t xua qun ch lc tn cng VNCH, Nixon nng mt v
thi ngoan c ca H Ni lm tn thng danh d ca mt v tng thng. Cng lc, Nixon
thy mnh b Nga v Trung Cng la v hai n anh quan trng ca H Ni tht ha trong vic
kim to n em ca h. Thng Ging va qua Nixon c vit cho Brezhnev mt l th, trong nhn
kho vi ng Ch tch ng Cng sn Nga l Hoa K khng c chn la no khc hn l phn ng
mnh nu Bc Vit c nhng hnh ng lm nhc chng ti". Ri n thng Hai, Nixon va hon tt
cuc ving thm lch s Trung Cng, ni chuyn vi Mao v Chu n Lai. cnh co trc,
Nixon khng th nhng li cnh co ca Tng thng Hoa K b coi thng. Hn na, nm 1972
l nm bu c tng thng, cuc tn cng ca H Ni khng c i qu xa tr thnh mt s
kin c th lm h k hoch c c nhim k th nh ca Nixon. Theo hi k ca nhiu nhn chng
v theo nhng ti liu c gii mt v sau, ch thn Nixon ch huy cuc phn cng vo nhng
ngy u khi CSBV tn cng ton din min Nam vo nm 1972. Trong giai on cui cng ca
chin tranh Vit Nam, chng ta c th ni l cuc chin ca c nhn Nixon - l thi ca
Nixon vis-a-vis VNCH v H Ni.
[13]

i ph vi cuc tng tn cng ca CSBV, Nixon ra lnh hi qun c quyn x dng hai hm
i cho chin trng ng Nam , nu cn. Nixon mun ni, nu hi lc ca Hm i 7 cha ,
b t lnh Thi Bnh Dng c quyn trng dng chin hm ca Hm i 1 (trong thi gian
vng bin Thi Bnh Dng, Hoa K c hai hm i, Nht v Tht). Nixon ra lnh nu b t
lnh khng qun Thi Bnh Dng cn thm khng lc chin thut (v lc Hoa K s dng
phn na khng lc chin lc, B-52, phn cng) h c ton quyn trng dng t nhng b t
lnh khc trn th gii. V y l mnh lnh do ch thn Nixon phn, ch khng phi n t ban
tham mu lin qun, hay c s yu cu ca i tng Abrams MACV.
Cng trong nhng tun l u tin ca cuc tn cng, nhiu ti liu cho thy Nixon c nhc n hai
k hoch trit tiu ti nguyn v nhn s ca min Bc. Hai k hoch Nixon nhc n - qua hi
m hay in thoi vi cc c vn thn cn - l di bom nhng b quan trng dc trn sng Hng
H v s dng v kh nguyn t chin thut gii hn hu dit qun i CSBV. Nhng phi ni,
cho n by gi, sau khi kho st nhng ti liu v nghe li in m c gii mt, chng ta vn
khng c yu t xc nh Nixon ni n vic s dng bom nguyn t chin thut nh l mt
tnh ton thn trng, hay ch l nhng pht ngn trong cn thnh n i vi k th. y khng phi l
ln u tin mt v tng thng Hoa K ngh n chuyn s dng v kh nguyn t chin trng
Chu hay Vit Nam. Truman c t vn chin tranh Triu Tin khi qun M i din vi
chin thut bin ngi ca Trung Cng; Eisenhower bn lun v bom nguyn t chin thut trong
lc thi gian in Bin Ph ang hp hi; v Johnson yu cu ban tham mu cho ng bit k hoch
nguyn t, nu cn phi s dng, khi hn ba s on CSBV bao vy Khe Sanh. Nixon ngh n v
kh nguyn t trong trng hp ny khng phi l mt ngoi l. Nhng y chng ta khng hiu
c c tm l v tinh thn ca Nixon ra sao khi ng ni n chuyn . C th Nixon ung
qu nhiu v ni trong cn say, trong ngha ru ni - v chuyn Nixon ung nhiu vo cui tun,
hay khi cn phi quyt nh i s, l chuyn mi c vn thn cn u bit. Trong khi chng ta
khng bit r Nixon ni tht hay chi khi ni n v kh nguyn t, nhng chng ta bit r Nixon
cng quyt khng cho min Nam b trn ngp trong cuc tng tn cng nm 1972
[14]
.
Ngy 2 thng 51972., khi nhn c tin Qung Tr tht th trc s tn cng t ca hn ba s on
CSBV, Nixon mt mt ra lnh gia tng phi v oanh tc cc c im qun s chung quanh Hi Phng
v H Ni, mt khc, Nixon ch thn nh mt in vn cho Tng thng Thiu, cho ng bit Hoa
K vn ng sau lng VNCH trong gi pht nghim trng nh lc ny. Cng ngy, Nixon ra lnh
cho ban tham mu lin qun pht ho k hoch phong to cc giang cng, bn tu Bc Vit bng
thu li
[15]
.
Lin sau khi ban hnh lnh, khi thy gii qun s c v chm chp trong lc thi hnh cc phi v trn
min Bc (khng lc ca hi v khng qun ch cung cp c trn hai trm phi v Bc Vit mi
ngy v thi tit khng cho php), Nixon vit cho Kissinger mt hun lnh, yu cu Kissinger tm
cch c thc gii qun s v cc vin chc trong Hi ng An ninh Quc gia phi tm mi cch
gia tng p lc qun s vi Bc Vit. Trong hun lnh cho Kissinger, Nixon ng thi t cu hi v
s trung thnh ca nhng vin chc cao cp B Quc phng v Ngoi giao. Theo hi k ca i
tng Alexander M. Haig - mt trong nhng ph t thn cn ca Kissinger v Nixon - Tng thng
Nixon mt tin tng vo i tng t lnh MACV, Abrams, v Tng trng Quc phng Melvin
Lair. Nixon ngh hai vin chc trn khng tht s gip VNCH ht lng nh ng mun. Nixon vit:
Ti khng th nhn mnh thm hn, l ti quyt nh chng ta s nh cn lng. V chng ta
phi lm sao cho ch thy c n tng ... i phng quyt nh nh cn lng; chng ta
cng nh cn lng. Chng ta c trong tay quyn lc hu dit b my chin tranh ca h. Nhng cu
hi l chng ta c ch s dng quyn lc khng. S khc bit gia ti v Tng thng Johnson
l, ti c ch [s dng quyn lc] rt r rng. Nhng nu chng ta tht bi ln ny th cng ti v
nhng vin chc quan li B Quc phng v nhng ng minh ca h B Ngoi giao. H c
gng tm cch ph hoi nhng quyt nh mnh bo v quyt lit m ti mun chng ta phi thi
hnh
[16]
.
Ngy 5 thng 5.72, khi Kissinger t Paris tr v bo co l H Ni t chi tip tc thng thuyt,
Nixon khng chn ch: tra ngy 8 ng ra lnh cho c Thomas H. Moore, Tham mu trng
lin qun, chun b phong to tt c giang v hi cng Bc Vit, v chun b khi din cuc hnh
qun khng lc Linebacker. Chn gi ti cng ngy, Nixon ln i truyn thng, thng bo cho dn
chng M nh ca ng. Trong thng ip, Nixon ni Hoa K c ba chn la: lp tc rt tt c
qun i Hoa K khi ng Nam ; tip tc thng lng vi H Ni tm mt gii php; v,
dng p lc qun s p buc i phng. Nhng, Nixon tuyn b, kinh nghim cho thy hai
chn la u ch ko di cuc chin, ko di thm cht chc. By gi ch cn chn la th ba: Hoa
K s oanh tc cho n khi no Bc Vit chu ngi li thng thuyt.
Ngy 9 thng 5, hi qun th thu li phong to Vnh Bc Vit. Tu b ngoi quc c 48 ting ng
h ri bn. Sau thi hn , ngi n t ng ca thu li s hot ng k t sng ngy 11. Ngy
10 thng 5, cuc hnh qun khng lc Linebacker khi din. Hm , ch trong 12 ting ng h,
phi c chin thut ca khng v hi qun bay 414 phi v th bom chung quanh Hi Phng v H Ni
[17]
.
Nixon t nhn mnh l mt tay nh ph gii, bit coi mt on bi i phng
[18]
. Nixon bit
lc no phi t; v cng t mnh khi c bi trong tay. n cui thng 9.1972, cuc tng tn cng ca
CSBV hon ton tht bi: An Lc c gii to; Kontum vn nm trong tay qun i VNCH nh
t lc u ca cuc tn cng; v c ca VNCH tung bay tr li c thnh Qung Tr. i din
vi s tht bi qun s, Bc Vit chu tr li bn hi ngh. Nhng Hoa K - v VNCH - khng th
chp nhn hai ngh ca H Ni a ra vo ngy 26 v 27 thng 9.1972 Paris. Trong khi
Kissinger tip tc thng lng vi H Ni - v khn ni Si gn phi nghe theo k hoch ca M -
Nixon vn gi yn lng v thi ca CSBV cho n qua ngy bu c tng thng. Kt qu bu c
cho thy Nixon c s tnh nhim ln ca c tri Hoa K. Vi kt qu c c trong tay, ngy 14
thng 12.1972 Nixon quyt nh cho H Ni thy h khng c chn la no khc. i ngc li
nhng c vn qun s ca Tng trng Quc phng Laird, Ban tham mu lin qun, v T lnh Thi
Bnh Dng, ngy 17 thng 12, Nixon ra lnh khai din cuc hnh qun khng lc Linebacker II tip
theo. Trong ba ngy u di bom, ha tin a khng ca Bc Vit bn rt 14 B-52. Khi thy Ban
tham mu lin qun v B t lnh Thi Bnh Dng nao nng, Nixon ra lnh cho c Moorer
tip tc cng oanh tc v bt v tham mu trng lin qun ny phi ch thn chu trch nhim
v kt qu ca chin dch oanh tc.
[19]
Sau mi mt ngy di bom, hn mt ngn phi v chin thut
v 770 phi v chin lc B-52, L c Th xin tr li bn hi ngh ln cui.
Khng ai c th ni Hip nh Ba L 1973 em li mt nn ho bnh cho Vit Nam, hay mt danh
d cho Hoa K. Hip nh Ba L 1973 ch l mt vn kin cho Hoa K rt chn ra khi vng ly
Vit Nam mt cch danh chnh ngn thun. Trong khi mt s ngi ch trch hnh ng di bom ca
Nixon, a s dn chng Hoa K coi ng li ca Nixon l mt phng cch duy nht khut phc
CSBV. T u thng 5.1972, bt u chin dch Linebacker, khi Nixon tuyn b ng sn sng tht
c nhim k hai hn l mt min Nam, cho n u thng Ging khi Nixon ti c c, v kt thc
chin dch Linebacker II, nhng cuc trng cu dn cho thy 67% dn chng ng h ng li ca
Nixon
[20]
.
Khng ai ph nhn Nixon l mt chnh tr gia loi Machiavelli hnh ng tt xu g cng c, min
sao c li cho mc ch ti hu ca chnh tr. gi li ha a qun i M ra khi Vit Nam
vi c tri Hoa K, Nixon lm nhng g mt chnh tr gia c th lm vis-a-vis k th; ng minh;
v ngi dn b phiu cho mnh: p dng v lc qun s i vi k th; bt buc ngi bn ng
minh phi chp nhn mt thc t chnh tr; v chp nhn mun ca c tri l n lc Hoa K phi
ri Vit Nam. Sau , lin h cn li gia Hoa K v Vit Nam ch l nhng li ha n t c nhn
ca mt tng thng - khi cn lm tng thng - ca Richard M. Nixon.
Lch s s c nhiu b n nu mt hon cnh lch s c gi nh bng ch nu. Nu Nixon khng
lin h n v Watergate v khng phi t chc, th Nixon c gi li ha vi Tng thng Thiu, vi
Vit Nam Cng Ho khi Bc Vit tn cng cng chim min Nam vo nm 1975 hay khng? Nu
Nixon khng b mt tn nhim Quc hi, v Quc hi Hoa K vn tip tc chng trnh vin tr
qun s kinh t cho VNCH th vn mnh ca VNCH c i khc khng? Nhng cu hi ny l
nhng tranh lun khng ngng ca s gia
[21]
.
Khi Nixon c ghi vo lch s nhng v tng thng Hoa K, ng c th c lit k l xu hoc tt;
gii, hay d. Nhng khng ai c th ph nhn Nixon c mt s nghip chnh tr ngoi hng.
Ngoi nhng b n, lch s cn c nhiu tr tru: s nghip chnh tr ngoi hng ca Nixon b sp
ch v mt s h ca nhng tn n trm chuyn nghip nhng lm bing.
V cng c nhiu nhn nh cho rng, nh mnh ca Vit Nam Cng Ho c mt phn no lin
lu n hu qu ca nhng tn n trm li bing ny
[22]
.

[1]
Nixon, Sd, trang 270-271.
[2]
[3]
Nixon tuyn b trn h thng truyn hnh NBC, ngy 10 thng 4.1988, hn 14 nm sau khi t
chc. Trch theo Bruce Oudes, trong From: The President. Richard Nixons Secret Files, trang 1.
[4]
Trch theo A. J. Langguth, Our Vietnam: The War 1954-1975, trang 622. V s t thng hng
nm ca qun i M t 1945 n 1975, c James Olson, ed., Dictionary of the Vietnam War,
Appendix E.
[5]
Trong hai nm u ni chuyn vi CSBV, H Ni khng khng ngh phi thi hnh hai iu kin
tin quyt: thay (nu cn, m st) Tng thng Thiu v rt qun ra khi Vit Nam, ri sau H Ni
s tht s thng lng. Nhng nu M thi hnh hai iu kin th tng ng vi u hng.
Henry Kissinger, Diplomacy, trang 695; Jeffrey Kimball, Nixons Vietnam War, trang 233, 270, 272.
chng sau chng ta s i vo chi tit hn v nhng gp g b mt gia Hoa K v CSBV.
[6]
MACV: Military Assistance Command-Vietnam, S ch huy chin trng cc a phng trong
chin tranh Vit Nam (talawas).
[7]
Seymour M. Hersh, The Price of Power: Kissinger in the Nixon White House, trang 55 (ph ch).
Theo tc gi Trng Sn, Cuc hnh trnh nm ngn ngy m (ng H Ch Minh), (Thnh Ph
HCM: NXB Vn Ngh, 1992), trang 185, trong nm thng u ca nm 1969, b t lnh Trng
Sn (on 559) b cht 2.500, b thng 2.938, v c 1.000 xe b tiu hu. Con s thit hi ny rt
khim nhng so vi cc ti liu khc. Cng theo tc gi, khng lc Hoa K lm nh tr bn mi
lm phn trm cng tc ca h thng xm nhp trong thi gian trn. Trng Sn l bt hiu ca i
t Phm T, mt cu s quan ca on 559.
[8]
Gii thch mt cch vn tt y, k hoch di bom b mt v giu cc thm quyn qun s khc
c thc hin nh sau: b t lnh MACV Si Gn yu cu nhng phi v B-52 di bom nhng ni
tp trung qun dc theo bin gii Vit-Cm Bt nh thng l. Nhng vi gi trc khi cc phi v
ct cnh, MACV cho ngi n trung tm iu khin oanh tc (tt c cc phi v B-52 c iu
khin bng h thng radar hng dn mc tiu di t) vi nhng ta mi. Trn ng bay
n mc tiu, mt s phi cng nhn nhng thay i vo gi cht, v c hng dn n mc tiu
mi. Sau mi phi v, qun lnh ghi to c thiu hu; cc s quan lin h khng c bn lun
v nhng phi v vi bt c ai. S vic b khi mt s n v ng qun bn ny bin gii chng
kin bom ri bn kia bin gii, trong ni a Cam Bt, v h vit th v k chuyn ny vi ngh vin
Quc hi Hoa K. Mt trong nhng tc phm vit chi tit nht v k hoch di bom B-52 b mt
trong ni a Cam Bt l Sideshow: Kissinger, Nixon and the Destruction of Cambodia ca William
Shawcross. Nixons Vietnam War ca Kimball, v The Price of Power ca Hersh cng c vi chng
vi nhiu ti liu phong ph v cuc di bom ny.
[9]
[10]
V cc chi tit quan trng ca cuc hnh qun nh qua Cam Bt, c: Chun tng Trn nh
Th, The Cambodian Incursion". Theo Lewis Sorley, trong A Better War: The Unexamined
Victories and Final Tragedies of Americas Last Years in Vietnam, trang 208-209, ti liu tch thu
Cam Bt cho thy cc n v Vit Cng trong vng hnh qun nhn c ch th trc v cuc
hnh qun v cuc o chnh Sihanouk ca tng Lon Nol t gia thng 3.1970. Trng Nh Tng,
trong A VietCong Memoir: An Inside Account of the Vietnam War and Its Aftermath, trang 176-178,
c ni s v cuc di tn ca Mt trn Gii phng min Nam v Chnh ph Cch mng Lm thi v
tnh Kratie khi qun VNCH nh vo so huyt h. Cng trong nhng trang trch, Trng Nh
Tng ni u thng 3.1970, da vo tin tc t tnh bo Nga, H Ni bo cho h bit Sihanouk sp b
o chnh, v c th c mt cuc tn cng trong tng lai ca VNCH.
[11]
Nixon, Sd, trang 453-454. Ch tt c in nghing l nguyn thu ca Nixon.
[12]
Nixon, Sd, trang 860. V chi tit cuc hnh qun gii cu t binh Sn Ty, c Benjamin F.
Schemmer, The Raid. Tuy cuc t kch gii cu t binh khng thnh cng (t binh c di di tri
khc v b ma lt), cu B trng Ngoi giao Nguyn C Thch th nhn vi nh bo Seymour
Hersh l, Hoa K c kh nng tn cng tn hu c ca h, v h phi cn thn canh chng kh nng
dm liu . c Hersh, Sd, trang 305-306. Hersh ni chuyn vi Nguyn C Thch khi n H
Ni vo thng 3.1972.
[13]
V li cnh co H Ni, nhn qua Nga v Trung Cng, ca Nixon, c Seymour Hersh, Sd, trang
504-505; Jeffrey Kimball, Nixons Vietnam War, trang 294.
[14]
Khi mt s ti liu v in m ti mt ca Nixon v c vn than cn c gii mt vo thng
2.2002, cng lun mi nghe v c c chuyn Nixon ni v nh di bom cc b H Ni v
dng bom nguyn t chin thut chn ng CSBV, trong ln hp vi Kissinger to Bch c vo
ngy 25 thng 4.1972. L do chng ta khng xc nh c thi h thc ca Nixon, v sau khi
nghe li cun bng, mt s k gi cho rng Nixon ni vi mt ging nghim trng; mt s khc th
cho ch l nhng pht ngn trong lc Nixon nng gin. c Jeffrey Kimball, The Vietnam War
File: Uncovering the Secret History of Nixon-Era Strategy, trang 214-218. Nhng trc , vo gia
nm 1971, Nixon cng c ni v chuyn s dng bom nguyn t i vi CSBV. c Seymour, Sd,
trang 396 (ph ch). Rt nhiu sch v nhn chng ni v tt ung ru cui tun ca Nixon. Vo
cui tun Nixon thng v Camp David, mt nh ngh mt ca tng thng ch cch Hoa Thnh n
chng 150 cy s. Nixon cng thng ung ru mt mnh to Bch c trong lc phi quyt nh
chuyn quan trng hay lc vit hun lnh cho thuc cp. Mt trong s nhng ti liu gii mt, c mt
on ni Th tng Anh McMillian gi Nixon mun ni chuyn, nhng Kissinger ra lnh cho ph t
tr li l Nixon khng th ni chuyn c v ng qu say ri. Nhng th d khc v tt ung
ru ca Nixon, c Seymour, Sd, nhng trang 108-110, 396, 486, 513, v 528.
[15]
Nixon, Sd, Nixon ra lnh cho Ng gic i, trang 587; vit in tn cho Tng thng Thiu, trang
600.
[16]
Nixon, Sd, trang 607. Ch nghing nguyn thu ca Nixon. S bt tn nhim ca Nixon i vi
Tng trng Laird v i tng Abrams c i tng Alexander M. Haig vit trong hi k Inner
Circles: How Ameica Changed the World, trang 282-283.
[17]
V chi tit ngy u cuc hnh qun khng lc Linebacker, 10 thng 5.1972, c One Day in a
Long War, ca Jefrrey Ethell v Alfred Price. y l quyn sch rt y v mt ngy di bom ca
Hnh Qun Linebacker.
[18]
Nixon, Sd, trang 29, 34. Sau khi ri qun ng, tr v i sng dn s v chun b ra tranh c, khi
Nixon ni v tnh trng ti chnh ca gia nh, ng c k lun khon tin n c t nhng canh bi
ph.
[19]
Nixon, Sd, trang 734; Haig, Sd, trang 311. S thit hi ca khng qun M xy ra mt phn v
ho lc phng khng ca CSBV qu mnh, nhng phn ln do k hoch hnh qun qu vi vng ca
b t lnh khng qun chin lc. Ba ngy oanh tc u tin, Hoa K thiu phn lc c ym tr v
quy nhiu cc h thng ra a trc pho i bay B-52 n mc tiu. Khuyt im th hai l cc phi
v bay ng gi v cng mt ng bay, rt d cho i phng on bit trc. Sau ba ngy thit
hi, b t lnh cc khng lc thay i chin thut tn cng, v Hoa K khng b mt thit hi no
ngoi s thit hi ni. c thm, Carl Berger, ch bin, The United States Air Force in Southeast
Asia: 1961-1973, trang 97-98.
[20]
Haig, Sd, trang 285, 314.
[21]
Pat Buchanan, trng phng bo ch to Bch c ca Nixon, tuyn b, nhng ai ph hoi nn
tng thng ca Nixon cng ng thi ling s hy sinh ca 58.000 qun nhn M Vit Nam xung
ng cng. Buchanan mun ni, nu Nixon khng t chc, cha chc min Nam b ri vo hon
cnh nh xy ra v s hy sinh ca cc qun nhn M khng tr thnh v ch. Pat Buchanan, tr
li phng vn trn chng trnh Today ca h thng truyn hnh NBC, th By, 4 thng 5.2005.
[22]
m 16 thng 6.1972, nm ngi c lin h vi mt s vin chc ang lm vic trong to Bch
c, t nhp vo mt khch sn/chung c sang trng c tn l The Watergate, to lc cch to Bch
c vi cy s, vi nh t my thu m v chp mt s ti liu. V ca ra vo cc khch sn t
ng kho li khi ra vo, thay v dng cha kho m ca mi khi ra vo, nhng ngi ny dng
bng keo dn cht kho li tn th gi ra v. Mt nhn vin an ninh ca khch sn tun hnh
ngang v thy cht kho b bng keo dn li. Tng rng nhn vin sa cha dn li trong khi
lm vic, anh ta khng quan tm, tho bng keo ra v ng ca li. Nhng ln tun hnh th nh tr
li, cht kho li b dn kn na. Nghi ng l c v trm ang xy ra, anh ta gi cnh st: V
Watergate bt u t , v hn hai nm sau a n s t nhim ca Nixon. Nm ngi n trm
ni trn khng phi l nhng tay trm ti t, m l nhng ngi tng hot ng nhiu ip v b
mt. Mt thng trc, h t nhp vo Watergate, nh cp c mt s ti liu mt ca ng
Dn ch. H tr li ln ny v cn phi gn li mt my thu m mi. Ton n trm ny nm di s
iu ng ca vi nhn vin cao cp ang lm vic cho Nixon. H tng phc v trong ngnh tnh
bo qun s v dn s ca Chnh ph Hoa K (th d nh Gordon G. Lily, FBI; Howard Hunt, CIA;
v Charles Colson, tnh bo qun i). Rt nhiu ti liu ni v v Watergate v s sp ca Chnh
ph Nixon bt ngun t v Watergate. Vi ti liu cn bn: Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, All
the Presidents Men (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1974); v, The Final Days (New York: Simon &
Schuster, 1976). V nhng iu tra, tang chng v kin tng trc to n, c Leon Jaworski, The
Right and the Power (New York; Readers Digest Press, 1976). Alexander Haig, Inner Circles, cng
c nhiu chi tit bn trong to Bch c trong nhng ngy cui ca Nixon.

Nguyn K Phong
Phn 3
Chng 11
Vit am ha v t qun
Trong cuc chin chng cng, Vit Nam Cng ha (VNCH) c mt s li lm quan trng v chin
thut v chin lc. Mt trong nhng li lm nghim trng nht VNCH vp phi l s chm tr trong
n lc tng ng vin, dn tt c nhn lc ca quc gia vo mc tiu chng cng.
min Bc, t sau quyt ngh phi dng v lc thng nht min Nam ca L Dun vo thng
5-1959, chnh quyn cng sn ng vin nhn lc nhiu ln thc hin mc ch xm lng ca
h. Trong khi , pha VNCH ch chnh thc ban hnh lut ng vin mt cch ph qut sau cuc
tng cng kch Mu Thn 1968 ca Cng sn Bc Vit (CSBV). Nhng nm trc , thng 8-1957
v thng 1-1959, cc sc lut v ng vin c tnh cch giai on, nm di hnh thc Ngha v
Qun s. Hai sc lut trn qui nh: Nam cng dn tui t 20 n 21 phi phc v trong qun i
mt thi gian l 18 thng ri c tr v i sng dn s. Hai sc lut ny rt lng lo, v nh chc
trch cng khng thc tm thi hnh trit . Thng 4-1964, sau cuc o chnh th nh trong vng
hai thng (o chnh Ng nh Dim 1-11-1963; v Nguyn Khnh chnh l Dng Vn Minh, 1-
1-1964) mt sc lut mi c ban hnh, qui nh v Ngha v Quc gia v Phng v Dn s.
[1]

Lut tng ng vin 1968 do Quc hi ban hnh (thay v ch l sc lut tm thi) l kt qu ca s
thc bch khi VNCH i din vn mt sng mt cn vi cng sn. Thng 3 nm 1968, sau khi
cuc tng cng kch ca cng sn b b gy v tnh hnh an ninh tng i n nh, Quc hi VNCH
ban hnh lut tng ng vin, bt tt c cng dn nam, tui t 18 n 35, phi thi hnh ngha v qun
s trong mt thi gian v hn nh.
[2]
Chnh ph ng thi gi ti ng nhng cu qun nhn trong
hn tui ni trn nu cha c nm nm qun v trong qu kh.
Nhng u nm 1968, trong khi chnh ph VNCH bt u k hoch tng ng vin c nhn
lc i ph vi CSBV, th Hoa K mun thay i vai tr ca h Vit Nam: Sau hn ba nm
chia s gnh nng ngoi mt trn, Hoa K bt u ngh n k hoch nhng cuc chin li cho
qun i VNCH v chun b rt qun.
chng ny chng ta s ni v k hoch Vit Nam ha v k hoch rt qun ca ngi M ra khi
chin trng i v chin tranh Vit Nam. ng thi, chng ta cng ni n nhng gnh nng ca qun
lc VNCH khi phi nhn thm nhng vai tr ca ngi M b li; s thnh cng qua chng trnh
bnh nh v pht trin Nng thn; v nht l nhng c hi VNCH b l trong cuc chin chng
li s xm lng ca cng sn Bc Vit N nhng c hi m chng ta c th gi l nhng chin thng
b b l.
[3]
y l nhng giai on quan trng nht trong cuc chin, v cng l nhng c gng cui
cng ca ngi M v Vit Nam Cng ha trong chin tranh Vit Nam.

*

Nm 1969.
Va nhm chc, tng thng Nixon ra lnh cho C vn An ninh Quc gia Kissinger son tho mt k
hoch gii quyt chin tranh Vit Nam nhanh chng nh nhng g ng ha vi c tri lc vn
ng tranh c.
Nh ni chng trc, Nixon N v by gi c thm Kissinger rt phn khi v t tin v nhng
g ng c th thc hin kt thc cuc chin. Nixon tuyn b vi cc vin chc cao cp trong bui
hp u tin ca ni cc, ng s kt thc cuc chin trong vng mt nm. Cng lc, tn C vn An
ninh Quc gia Kissinger ni vi ngi ngoi v bn b c i hc Harvard ng ch cn su thng.
[4]

Trc , ngay sau khi c Nixon b nhim chc C vn An ninh Quc gia T 27 thng 11-1968
cho n ngy Nixon tuyn th nhm chc 20 thng 1-1969 Kissinger nh cng ty RAND thc
hin lm mt nghin cu tng qut thu thp kin ca cc gii chc cao cp trong chnh ph v
chin tranh Vit Nam. Ngi son tho bn nghin cu l Daniel Ellsberg, mt nhn vt m hai
nm sau gy ra mt chn ng cho chnh quyn Nixon.
[5]
Bn nghin cu ca Ellsberg cho thy u
nm 1969, trong ni cc mi ca Nixon c ba nhm, vi ba kin v nhn nh khc nhau v k
hoch kt thc chin tranh Vit Nam: Nhm A, gm cc vin chc cao cp ban tham mu lin
qun, MACV, b ngoi giao v nhn vin ta i s Hoa K Si Gn, lc quan v ng li cuc
chin ang din bin. kin ca Nhm A l c tip tc dng p lc qun s cho n khi no pha
cng sn chu thng lng, hay b nh bi, th lc cuc chin mi c coi l kt thc. Nhm
ny ngh Hoa K khng nn rt qun ra khi Vit Nam nhiu hay qu nhanh; phi cn t nht mt
nm, hay mt nm ri na mi nn ni chuyn rt qun. Nhm B, gm c ng tng trng quc
phng, cc nhn vin cao cp di quyn, mt thiu s b ngoi giao, v mt s vin chc CIA, c
kin bi quan v cuc chin. H ngh chin lc truy lng v trit tiu ca tng Westmoreland
khng c hiu qu; v cuc chin khng th ko di di s tn km v ti nguyn v nhn lc nh
ang xy ra. Nhm B ngh Hoa K nn thng lng, nn nhn nhng vi cng sn N th d
nh chp nhn mt chnh ph lin hip min Nam. Ch c cch , Nhm B ngh, th Hoa K
mi c th rt khi Vit Nam trong danh d. Mt nhm khc, khng c i din chnh thc v khng
c ting ni quan trng trong chnh quyn, gi l Nhm C, th c kin rt thng v hon ton khc
hai nhm trn: Hoa K c c chin thng v qun s hay khng; cuc thng lng chnh tr vi
cng sn Ba L c thnh cng hay khng, Hoa K phi rt qun ra khi Vit Nam trong vng mt,
hay hai nm c d c hay khng c s tn thnh hay ng ca chnh ph VNCH.
[6]

Vi nhiu kin tri ngc n t cc c quan v nhn vin cao cp chnh quyn, Kissinger mun
xc nh li mt ln na trc khi quyt nh tng kt mt ng li r rt cho Vit Nam. ng
vi nhau cn cha xong, th lm g c c mt lp trng chung, Kissinger ph bnh nhng kin
gi v. Nhn thy iu , Ellsberg ngh N v Kissinger ng mt nghin cu mi: thay g hi
kin tng qut v ging nhau cc c quan, ln ny bn nghin cu nn hi ring bit tng c quan,
vi mt s cu hi da vo trch nhim c th c quan i vi cuc chin.
Ngy 21 thng Ging, 1969, Kissinger gi n b ngoi giao, ban tham mu lin qun, CIA, i s
Bunker Si Gn, v B quc phng, mt hun lnh c tn l NSSM 1. Hun lnh NSSM 1 c 29
cu hi chnh v 50 cu hi ph, lin quan n k hoch v kin ca mi c quan v cuc chin
Vit Nam. Mc d cu hi hi khc nhau ty theo ni nhn, phn ln cc cu hi c ni dung nh:
tnh hnh cuc thng thuyt Ba L
[7]
; kh nng ca qun i VNCH; tin trin ca chng trnh
bnh nh v Xy dng Nng thn; ni tnh chnh tr ca VNCH; tnh hnh ca ch; v, hiu qu v
cc hot ng qun s ca qun i Hoa K ang din ra.
[8]
Tng hp cc kin v cu tr li trong
bn nghin cu ln th nh gi v cho hi ng an ninh quc gia khng khc hn ln trc. Tuy
nhin, ln ny bn nghin cu c nhng nhn nh c gi l tng i tng hp cc kin chung
ca thm quyn M Vit Nam. kin chung l: trc khi Hoa K rt i, chnh ph VNCH phi
chnh n giai cp lnh o trong qun i nng cao tinh thn chin u; qun i VNCH c kh
nng i u vi bt c cuc tn cng no ca CSBV nu c s ym tr ha lc ca qun i Hoa
K; tuy nhin trn ng di, VNCH khng th ng u vi mt cuc tng tn cng qui m ca
CSBV nu khng nhn c tip t y v kinh t v qun s; v sau cng cng l vn quan
trng nht nu Hoa K quyt nh rt qun, nhp v s lng qun rt i s l mt nh hng
quan trng trong thi k qun i VNCH ang c gng bnh trng thay vo ch trng ca qun
i Hoa K.
Cui thng 3-1969, hi ng an ninh quc gia hp iu nghin v kt qu ca NSSM 1. Nhng
theo nhng g chng ta bit c sau ny, Kissinger v Nixon khng quan tm nhiu n nhng
kin tr li cho hun lnh NSSM 1. Hoc h hi m hi, hoc h ch mun nhn din ai l b
cu, ai diu hu i vi cuc chin. Hi cho bit, Kissinger tuyn b v bn nghin cu
NSSM 1 sau ny. L do Nixon v Kissinger khng quan tm n nhng cu tr li, v i din vi
mt m kin ln xn v tri ngc ca nhng gii chc ang iu hnh cuc chin, Nixon v
Kissinger quyt nh ra vi thng i tm mt k hoch kh d ph hp vi qun chng v
ng li chnh tr ng thi.
[9]

Mc du danh t Vit Nam ha (Vietnamization) c dng mt cch ph thng trn bo ch t lc
Nixon ln nm quyn, khi nim Vit Nam ha cuc chin Vit Nam c ny sanh t tng trng
McNamara vo cui nm 1967, v c chnh quyn Johnson p dng mt cch phi thai t gia
nm 1968 nm cui cng Lyndon Johnson lm tng thng. Trong bn tng trnh cui cng trc
khi t chc, tng trng quc phng McNamara t li ch ch ca Hoa K v c hoi nghi v
mt chin thng qun s chin trng Vit Nam. McNamara kt lun trong bn bo co cho tng
thng Johnson bng vi ngh: (a) tm mt gii php thng lng chnh tr; v (b) ln ln giao li
trch nhim tc chin v bnh nh cho qun i VNCH.
[10]
Thng 3-1968, trong cao im ca cuc
tng cng kch Mu Thn 1968, mc d thm quyn dn s Hoa Thnh n
[11]
t chi khng tng
vin thm 200 ngn qun cho i tng Westmoreland, nhng h ng tng thm qun vin v
ngn sch vi mc ch gip VNCH thnh lp ra nhiu n v mi hon ton gnh vc trch
nhim chin u thay qun i Hoa K trong nhng ngy sp ti.
[12]
Theo i s Bi Dim, gii
chc Hoa K c khi nim v Vit Nam ha t nm 1965, nhng khng p dng cho n nm
1968, v ngh h c th nh bi cng sn trong mt thi gian ngn m khng cn s tr lc ca qun
i VNCH. Nhn nh ca cu i s Bi Dim khng xa s tht lm, v vo nm 1965, thi ca
Hoa K ging nh thi ca mt anh chng khng l cao mi trng, nai nch gip phc, quay
qua ni vi ngi bn ng minh VNCH i khi nh, Cc anh ng qua mt bn ch ti, ti
gii quyt chuyn ny cho ... s khng tn nhiu th gi u ...
[13]
Thi t tin cng c th
hin qua li tuyn b ca i tng Westmoreland vo nm 1966, khi ng ni vi tng thng
Johnson ng tin tng cuc chin s kt thc vo ma H nm ti.
[14]
Nhng sau ba nm mu vi
gn ba mi ngn t s, cc t lnh qun i M mi thy c s gii hn ca v kh c gii trong
chin trng du kch rng ni ng Dng; v s gii hn v nhng g h c php v khng
c php thc hin, mt chin trng m lut tc chin b qui nh bi nhu cu chnh tr bn
nh. Cng lc, con s 14.491 qun nhn Hoa K t thng trong nm 1968 (so vi hn 9.000 ca
nm 1967), lm gii dn s Hoa Thnh n ngh li chin thut qun s ca MACV Vit
Nam.
[15]

Trong khi nim nguyn thy ca chng trnh Vit Nam ha chng trnh lc c phc ha v
ngh di thi tng thng Johnson b t lnh MACV ca i tng Abrams v i s Ellsworth
Bunker c ba nhim v:
(1) cp tc gia tng cc chng trnh hun luyn v trang b cc n v VNCH theo tiu chun ca
qun i Hoa K. Sau khi cc n v VNCH kh nng thay th n v Hoa K mt vng
trch nhim no , n v Hoa K s rt i;
(2) gim ti a thit hi nhn mng ca qun i M, bng cch chuyn t chin lc truy lng v
trit tiu ca Westmoreland qua chin lc bo v c im v bnh nh c im ang chim ng;
(3) gia tng cc chng trnh bnh, Xy dng v pht trin Nng thng loi tr h tng c s ca
cng sn.
Ni mt cch khc, qun i v cc c cu dn s ca Hoa K s rt ra khi chin trng Vit Nam
theo nhp v kh nng thay th ca VNCH. Thm vo , k hoch Vit Nam ha nguyn thy
khc k hoch c p dng khi Nixon ln cm quyn l, qun i Hoa K s khng rt i ht m h
s gi li mt s n v cn bn Vit Nam nng cao tinh thn qun i VNCH v canh chng
nhng cuc tn cng qui m bt ng ca CSBV. Mt m hnh tng t nh m hnh qun i ng
minh ng li Nam Hn sau hi ngh nh chin Bn Mn im trong chin tranh i Hn.
[16]

Nhng khi Nixon ln thay Johnson; v Melvin Laird thay Clark Clifford (Clifford thay McNamara
trc khng y mt nm) B quc phng, chng trnh Vit Nam ha c coi l mt k
hoch tiu biu ca ca chnh ph mi i vi Vit Nam N nhng vi mt ni dung hon ton i
khc, theo mun ca tn tng trng Laird. Va ln nhn chc, tng trng quc phng Laird bay
sang Vit Nam vo thng 3-1969, quan st tnh hnh. Khi v li Hoa Thnh n, Laird gi b t
lnh MACV Si Gn mt hun lnh. Ch th trong hun lnh ca Laird lm i tng Abrams ng
ngng: Qun i Hoa K s rt i theo lch trnh v s lng nh sn, bt chp tin trnh hay kh
nng thay th ca qun i VNCH.
[17]
Cng trong hun lnh , Laird mun MACV phi bt u
gim thiu cc cuc hnh qun c tnh cch tn cng; nhim v ca qun i Hoa K t y v sau
l gip v hun luyn qun i VNCH m thi. Ni dung hun lnh ca tng trng Laird c mt
hm rt quan trng: b t lnh MACV phi tm mi cch gii hn s thng vong ca qun
nhn Hoa K d phi gii hn nhng cuc hnh qun truy lng v trit tiu CSBV. Vi hun lnh
mi, b t lnh MACV thm mt ln na phi thay i chin lc v chin thut ngoi mt trn theo
nhu cu chnh tr bn nh. ng tic hn, qun i VNCH by gi tr thnh nn nhn bt c d
cho mt Ch thuyt mi Ch thuyt Nixon (the Nixon Doctrine).
Trong ba thng u ca nm 1969, pha VNCH c ch mt ng li ngoi giao v qun s r
rng t tng thng Nixon, t VNCH mi thay i ng li chin lc chin thut song song
vi ngi bn ng minh trong cuc chin. T cui nm 1968, pha VNCH tha mn mun ca
Hoa K bng cch gi mt phi on n tham d ha m Ba L. Cuc hp u tin gia VNCH-
Hoa K v CSBV-MTGPMN (Mt trn Dn tc Gii phng min Nam Vit Nam) vo ngy 25 thng
1-1969 cho thy VNCH chp nhn chuyn i thoi vi MTGPMN nh l mt chuyn tt yu.
Nhng t thng 3 tr i, nhng tuyn b t cc nhn vin cao cp Hoa K cng lc cng tr nn
hiu ha trc nhng cuc pho kch v tn cng ca CSBV vo nhiu th t min Nam trong
su thng u ca nm 1969. Thng 4, ngoi trng Rogers tuyn b, Hoa K khng mun i tm
mt chin thng qun s Vit Nam... Cng lc, tng trng quc phng Laird tuyn b, Hoa K
s rt qun nu mt trong ba iu kin xy ra... Mt trong ba iu kin l ...khi qun lc VNCH
sc gnh vc cuc chin mt mnh. Tuy tuyn b nh vy, nhng bn trong Laird thuyt phc
Kissinger v Nixon phi rt qun ngay trong nm v t t chuyn giao tt c trch nhim tc chin
li cho qun i VNCH. Vi s ng ca Nixon, u thng 4-1969, Kissinger gi Laird mt hun
lnh, yu cu B quc phng s tho mt lch trnh rt tt c qun tc chin, nhn vin bn qun s,
nhn vin hnh chnh, c vn, qun nhu dng v v kh. Theo lch trnh son tho ca B quc
phng, cuc rt qun s c chia lm 14 giai on, ko di 44 thng. Bt u t thng 7-1969 cho
n thng 11-1972, Hoa K s rt tt c s qun 549.500 ngi ang c mt ti Vit Nam.
[18]

Hn na nm trc, t thng Ging, nhiu hng thng tn loan tin Hoa K s rt i t nht hai mi
ngn qun trong vi thng ti. Mc du gii chc Hoa K M v ngay c tng thng Nixon ph nhn
chnh ph M ang c k hoch rt qun hay c k hoch Vit Nam ha cuc chin, nhng nhng
li ph nhn xut hin ti lui nhiu n d lun c n tng gii chc Hoa K ang th ni tri
bng rt qun v chng trnh Vit Nam ha thm d d lun ca VNCH. V tht s, vi tt c
s i ngi, Nixon ang c gng che y nh la di ca ng bng nhiu tuyn b ngc xui.
Trong bi din vn u tin v Vit Nam, c trn h thng truyn thanh ton quc ngy 14 thng 5
1969, Nixon tuyn b Hoa K s khng bao gi ngh n chuyn rt qun n phng, hay khng c
kin chung vi VNCH. Nhng sau ny, trong mt hi k vit v ng li ca ng i vi chin
tranh Vit Nam, Nixon ni, ngay sau khi ln nhm chc th chuyn rt qun hay khng, khng cn
l mt cu hi na. Cu hi by gi l qun i Hoa K ri khi Vit Nam nh th no v h phi
li g khi sau khi rt i.
[19]

Nhng Hoa K khng th che giu k hoch ca h di lu c: Nixon thy s tht - d ph phng
nh th no - cn phi c thng bo cho pha VNCH. Cui thng 5, ta Bch c loan bo hai tng
thng Thiu v Nixon s gp nhau o Midway vo thng tun thng 6, trao i kin v k
hoch v Vit Nam. Hai bn gp nhau ngy 8 thng 6-1969. Trong cuc hi tho, theo nhng g
chng ta bit c sau ny, pha VNCH ch trao cho Hoa K mt bn k hoch, trong ni v qun
s v kh nng ca qun i VNCH ng thi; v nhng nhu cu v tn trang v ym tr cho mt
kh nng qun s tng lai thay vo ch trng ca qun i M. Ch nh vy, v VNCH khng
bit g chi tit v k hoch rt qun ca Hoa K.
[20]
Sau cuc hi tho, sau khi tr li Hoa Thnh
n, Nixon tuyn b: vi s ng ca tng thng Thiu v ngh ca tng Abrams, qun i
M s rt khi Vit Nam trong hai thng ti. Nhng khi Nixon ni c s ng ca tng thng
Thiu v tng Abrams, th Nixon phng i s tht: c Abrams v ng Thiu u phn i
ngh ca Nixon v vic rt qun, mc d nhng phn i cha bao gi c l ra ngoi cng
cng. Sau ny trong hi k, chnh Nixon cng cng nhn ng phng i khi tuyn b c s
ng ca tng thng Thiu v i tng Abrams.
[21]

Sau khi th l nh tht v k hoch ca Hoa K i Vit Nam trong vi nm ti, hn mt
thng sau, trn ng i thm ving cc quc gia chu, Nixon tuyn b cho tt c cc ng
minh mt chin lc mi ca Hoa K Thi Bnh Dng: Hoa K vn sn sng ym tr cc ng
minh v mi mt chng li s xm ln ca cng sn - tr vic ym tr v nhn lc. Hoa K s
khng lp li kinh nghim i Hn v Vit Nam, Nixon tuyn b. Ngha l, trong tng lai Hoa
K ch ym tr v vt cht, nhng s khng trc tip em qun vo tc chin nh lm i Hn
v Vit Nam. Ni mt cch khc, Hoa K sn sng tin v ym tr vt cht, nhng ngi ng
minh bn x l ngi phi mu trong cuc chin bo v t do cho qu hng ca h. Khi tuyn
b Ch thuyt ny, khng bit Nixon c nhm vo Vit Nam nh mt th d hay khng. Nhng ci
gi l Ch thuyt Nixon i vi chng trnh Vit Nam ha chin trng Vit Nam.
[22]
Khi
Nixon gh thm Si Gn ngy 30 thng Ging, 1969, ng ni thm nh ca Hoa K v chuyn rt
qun. Ln ny Nixon ni r hn: Hoa K s rt qun theo lch trnh, v nu cn, s rt qun d c s
ng ca VNCH hay khng.
[23]

Chng trnh Vit Nam ha, d c nhn qua gc lc quan nht, ch l mt k hach tp nhp,
thiu hp nht thng v h tng c s, v thiu thc t khi c p dng. Nu nhn mt gc
bi quan nht - theo li pht biu ca mt ng c vin tng thng M - th chng trnh Vit Nam ha
ch l mt k hoch thay i mu da ca t s.
[24]

Ngay c danh xng ca k hoch cng lm cho nhiu qun nhn VNCH thy i ny: nu n by gi
mi Vit Nam ho cuc chin, th t 1955 n ngy nay cuc chin ny do ai gnh vc v cht v
n? Vi hn 100 ngn chin s VNCH hy sinh, nhng hy sinh khng phi l hy sinh cho mnh
t VNCH v l tng t do ca h hay sao?
[25]
ng l Hoa K cng chung ng mi chu
so, nhng nu ngi M gi l Vit Nam ha th qu v tnh. Khi ngi M gi nh vy th
chng khc no ni qun dn VNCH ng ngoi cuc chin t bao lu nay, v ng thi t th
nhn chin thut chin lc ca h sai lm trong cuc chin.
[26]
Tuy c gi l Vit Nam ha,
nhng pha VNCH khng bit g, hay c kin g trong thi gian k hoch c tnh ton v son
tho. K hoch c Hoa K trao i vi VNCH bng ming mt cch tng qut. C hai quc gia
khng c mt tha hip no ni v v yu t v iu kin rt qun vit ra trn giy t thnh vn kin.
B t lnh MACV, nh ni trn, khng ng v thi gian v s lng qun rt i mt cch
qu cp tc nh tng trng quc phng Laird mun. Nhng chnh i tng Abrams cng khng c
mt k hoch no c th, v kinh nghim cho ng bit s lng v thi gian qun i M rt i
khng ph thuc vo tnh hnh chin trng Vit Nam, m ty thuc vo tnh hnh chnh tr ni
a Hoa K.
[27]
Ngay c khi ng trn cn bn l phi rt qun, Abrams v B quc phng cng
khng ng v n v no rt trc, rt sau. Abrams, vi nhiu quan st c trong qun i,
mun cc n v rt i c chia u ra, cc n v cn li vn cn mt s h s quan v s quan
c kinh nghim v chin trng Vit Nam ch dn nhng qun nhn cha kinh nghim.
Nhng B quc phng th mun cho cc n v rt i theo tiu chun thm nin, bt chp cc n v
li cn s quan kinh nghim hay khng. Abrams rt bc tc v chuyn , nhng lnh l lnh.
Chng nhng nh vy, ngay ln rt qun u tin, tng trng Laird mun rt i hai n v thin
chin nh mt chng minh cho d lun Hoa K thy chin trng Vit Nam lng du cho
cc n v rt i.
[28]
Ban u, khi ni rt qun i, ban tham mu MACV v Abrams ngh s qun
rt i s l s qun tc chin v ym tr ang ng Vit Nam. Nhng na chng, B quc phng
cho bit cc n v khng v hi lc ym tr bn ngoi lnh th v v ngoi khi duyn hi cng
nm trong danh sch nhng n v rt i (nh nhng phi on Khng qun ng Thi Lan vi
nhim v khng kch h thng ng xm nhp H Ch Minh; hay cc chin hm cung cp hi lc
tun phng ng xm nhp min duyn hi). Nhng lc lng khng lc ym tr ny rt quan
trng cm chn CSBV, v qun lc VNCH khng th no thay vo kh nng do Hoa K m
nhim.
Ban tham mu MACV tnh ton v bit trch nhim giao li cho qun lc VNCH qu nng, nng
hn sc chu ng ca ngi lnh Vit Nam vo lc ng thi. B t lnh MACV bit, vi tt c
dng c c gii giao li, vi tt c k thut chin tranh qun i M ang dng, cc chuyn vin k
thut ca qun i VNCH phi cn c hun luyn mt thi gian c th am tng, ri t dy
li cc n v hu trch cch s dng ng cch. MACV cng bit, vi hn 200 ngn qun gia tng
trong ba nm, nhng tn binh ca cc n v tn lp khng th no c c kinh nghim chin u
qua m hay mt sm mt chiu. Trong khi tt c nhng kh khn ni trn cn mt thi gian gii
quyt, th mt yu t m chnh quyn Nixon khng c nhiu trong lc li l thi gian. Trong
nhng nm 1969-1972, tt c trch nhim ln vai ngi lnh VNCH cng mt lc nhiu n
c John McCain, t lnh qun i Hoa K Thi Bnh Dng, ln ting lu b t lnh MACV,
nu tin nhanh qu chng trnh Vit Nam ha s t nh bi li mc ch ca n.
[29]

Nhng lnh t Hoa Thnh n l lch trnh rt qun s c p dng: chun b hay cha chun b,
qun i VNCH phi thay vo ch trng khi qun i Hoa K rt i.
Ngy 22 thng 11-1969, nh v quyt nh ca tng trng quc phng Laird (chc chn phi c
s ng ca Nixon) c thng bo r cho b t lnh MACV Si Gn. Trong mt bui hp c
tt c cc s quan v vin chc dn s quan trng nht ca thm quyn Hoa K ti Vit Nam, hun
lnh ca Laird c c cho i tng Abrams v tt c nhng ngi c mt nghe. K hoch rt
qun v Vit Nam ha thng bo cho MACV c nhng im quan trng sau. (1) Chng trnh Vit
Nam ha chm dt vai tr tc chin ca qun i M ti Vit Nam. (2) Trong k hoch Vit Nam
ha ca chnh ph trc (Johnson), B quc phng c lng qun i Bc Vit s rt khi lnh th
min Nam, v vai tr ca qun i VNCH ch gii hn vo mc tiu ng c vi cc lc lng Vit
Cng cn li min Nam. Trong k hoch mi ca chnh ph Nixon v tng trng Laird, vai tr
ca qun i VNCH khng ch gii hn vo nhim v chng li qun Vit Cng, m h cn c nhim
v ng u vi cc n v chnh qui t min Bc a vo d qun i Bc Vit c rt khi min
Nam hay khng.
Bui hp ngy th By c hai ng i s; ba i tng; su trung tng; nm thiu tng; chn
chun tng; nm i t; v bn, nm, nhn vin dn s cao cp. Nhng ngi ang c mt l i
din cho tt c sc mnh ca Hoa K Vit Nam - nu khng ni l cho c s mnh ca Hoa K
Thi Bnh Dng. Thi ca tt c sau khi nghe hun lnh ca Laird l ng ngng, bc tc ... thy
cht xu h i ngi bn ng minh Vit Nam. Theo nhng g c ghi li, khi i tng Abrams
nghe ngi thuyt trnh c n on ...qun i VNCH c giao ph lun vai tr bo v ni an
(ng u vi Vit Cng) v chng li qun i xm lng min Bc... ng ta ct ngang li ngi
c, ni rng ng cha h c thng bo trc v chuyn ny, v trong k hoch rt qun/Vit
Nam ha cng khng d liu chuyn ny. Nhng rt tic, rt tic, by gi th Abrams c thng
bo ri, v ng cng khng lm g ngc li c. Bui hp ko di trong mt bu khng kh ngt
ngt, chua cht. Mi t lnh khi pht biu u khng du c s tht vng ging nh h b thua
cuc - bt kh khng trc hun lnh ca thm quyn t bn nh. Trong bui hp, Abrams than
phin l t u nm, v ngn qu thiu ht, B quc phng ra lnh cho MACV gim i 50% phi
v B-52; 20% phi v oanh tc chin thut; v 22% cc ym tr hi pho. ... V by gi, B quc
phng cn hi thc rt nhanh, rt nhiu qun hn.
Khi bui hp kt thc, i tng Abrams pht biu mt cu m hm ni ln tt c ngha ca
chng trnh Vit Nam ha: Ti vn thng ni, ngy vui nht ca ti l ngy i tng Cao Vn
Vin gi in thoi v xi x ti. Ngy l ngy ti vui nht. Nhng tng Vin s khng lm
chuyn ; ng ta qu lch s. Nhng ti mun ng ta lm nh vy.
[30]
Tng Abrams cng khng
qun nhc nhng ngi hin din trong trong bui hp l nhng g c bn lun ngy hm l
nhng b mt tuyt i, khng c tit l ra ngoi, hay cho nhng cng s vin di quyn bit.
Abrams khng mun chuyn ny n tai pha VNCH trong lc MACV cha chun b gii thch
mt s thay i t ngt nh vy. Cng c l Abrams mun ch thn l ngi bo tin khng vui cho
tng thng Thiu v i tng Vin.

*

Cui nm 1968 qun i VNCH c hn 717 ngn qun. Trong , 365 ngn thuc v cc n v ch
lc nh s on Nhy d; s on Thy qun lc chin (TQLC); 10 s on B binh 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 18,
21, 22, 23, v 25; 11 Tiu on (thit on) Thit k; 30 Tiu on Pho binh; 20 Tiu on Bit
ng qun; mt Tiu on Lc lng c bit (Tiu on 81 Bit kch Nhy d, v vo nm 1972,
tr thnh Lin on 81 Bit kch Nhy d). Hi qun v Khng qun c khong 16, 17 ngn ngi
mi qun chng. S cn li l 185 ngn a phng qun v 167 ngn Ngha qun.
[31]

Trong nm nm bnh trng, t u 1969 n cui nm 1973, qun lc VNCH tng thm gn 400
ngn qun, nng tng s ln 1.100.000. Trong s ny hn phn na (530 ngn) thuc v cc n v
a phng qun v Ngha qun.
[32]

Lc qun (k lun s on Nhy d v TQLC) t 358 ngn tng ln thnh 450 ngn qun. Cui nm
1971, B binh c thm mt s on mi (s on 3), tng cng thnh 11 s on. Trong giai on
ny, mi trung on c cp s bn Tiu on. Ha lc mt trung on B binh tn trang kh hng
hu, vi mt Tiu on Pho binh v mt thit on k binh lm n v c hu cho trung on.
Ngoi ra, ng km theo bn doanh ca s on m l mt Tiu on Pho binh 155 ly. Tng t,
mi qun khu, ngoi cc s on B binh c hu di quyn, b t lnh qun khu cn c mt Tiu
on pho 175 ly nng di; mt Tiu on chin xa M-48; v mt l on Thit k, nh l nhng
n v nng ct cho qun khu. TQLC, vo ma xun 1969, c nng cp ln thnh s on, vi c
cu v cp s nh s on Nhy d. y l hai s on tng tr b duy nht ca qun i VNCH.
Hai binh chng a phng qun v Ngha qun c hin i ha v trang b v kh ti tn hn,
h c th tip tay v thay th cc n v ch lc trong nhim v bo v an ninh vng trch nhim
a phng. Song song vi a phng qun v Ngha qun, lc lng Cnh st Quc gia cng c
gia tng rt mnh. T nhn s 16.900 vo nm 1962, n u nm 1973 Cnh st Quc gia c mt
lc lng khong 116.000 nhn vin.
[33]

Hai qun chng tng trng mnh nht v nhiu nht, nu tnh theo t l, l Hi qun v Khng qun.
Cui nm 1972, Hi qun c qun s khong 43 ngn v c trang b vi 1.680 chin hm, giang
nh. Khng qun c qun s 64 ngn, vi hn 1.000 phi c loi.
[34]

hun luyn v o to s bnh trng ca s qun ni trn, ch trong nm 1970, ba mi ba trung
tm hun luyn v trng chuyn nghip ca cc qun binh chng trn bn vng chin thut o
to hn 500 ngn qun cn chnh.
[35]
Nhng ngi lnh ch l mt con s ch cha l chin s nu
khng c hun luyn thun thc, v tt c v kh, qun c ti tn s tr thnh v dng nu qun
nhn khng bit s dng mt cch hiu qu. Nhn bit iu , b tng tham mu v MACV c
gng tuyn chn cc hun luyn vin Vit v M c kinh nghim tc chin v dy ti cc trung tm
hun luyn, hc vin, tn binh hc hi c hiu qu hn t nhng kinh nghim ngoi chin
trng ca hun luyn vin. Trong nm 1969-1970, 3.700 hun luyn vin Hoa K c mt ti cc
trung tm hun luyn, v ngoi chin trng, 14.332 c vn M c mt t Qun on xung cp
Tiu on.
[36]

Song song vi k hoch giao li cuc chin cho qun i VNCH, chnh ph Hoa K ra lnh MACV
v i s Bunker tm mi cch gip chnh ph VNCH gia tng cc k hoch bnh nh v pht
trin c tnh cch dn s. T sau cuc tng tn cng nm Mu Thn 1968, cc c gng em li an
ninh v c cu hnh chnh cho lng x pht trin i sng cho ngi dn nng thn, c chnh
ph coi l nhng mc tiu u tin.
Cc k hoch chng trnh bnh nh pht trin nng thn c nhng c quan nh CORDS ca Hoa
K ym tr. CORDS c thnh lp gia nm 1968 nh mt c cu hn hp gia b t lnh qun s
MACV v ta i s Hoa K cung cp chuyn vin, ngn qu v c vn cho cc chng trnh c
tnh cch dn s hay bn qun s.
[37]
V mt dn s, CORDS gip cc chng trnh ti nh c
cho hn hai triu ngi t nn t cc thnh ph, lng x b hy hoi sau trn Mu Thn, hay t nhng
vng hon ton b cng sn chim ng. CORDS cung cp ngn qu cho cc chng trnh pht trin
y t, gio dc, hun luyn cho cc cn b Xy dng Nng thn hay cc cn b hnh chnh cp a
phng. V mt bn qun s, CORDS thnh lp cc c quan kh b mt gip v hun luyn Cnh
st; Cnh st D chin; cc ton Thm st Tnh; trung tm Thm vn v iu tra Tnh ... nhm vo
cc mc ch trit tiu h tng c s, ct t ng giao lin ca Vit Cng ang hot ng ti a
phng. C vn t CORDS c mt cc chng trnh nh Chiu hi; trung tm hun luyn cn b
Xy dng Nng thn; Nhn dn T v; Chin dch Phng hong; hay cc chng trnh c tnh cch
tm l chin nh hai chng trnh pht thanh ca i Gm thing i quc v M Vit Nam.
[38]

Nhng k hoch ca CORDS cng nh cc chng trnh bnh nh v pht trin Nng thn ca
chnh ph VNCH gy nhiu kh khn, thit hi cho cng sn trong nhng nm 1969-1973. Vi
nhiu c s, ng giy giao lin b ct t v ph hy; vi nhiu cn b a phng b khm ph v
truy lng, Trung ng Cc min Nam - nu cn c gi l Trung ng Cc min Nam sau nhng
thit hi nng vo hai cuc tn cng ca nm 1968 v 1969 - ra lnh cho cc n v cng sn u
nm , v trnh giao tranh vi qun i VNCH bo ton lc lng. Ch th trn ca cng sn
c xc nh thm ln na vo thng 7-1969, khi gii lnh o CSBV ban xung cp di mt
hun lnh c tn l c tn l Ngh quyt 9. Ngh quyt 9, di 42 trang, ch th cc cp phi thay i
chin lc chin thut ph hp vi tnh hnh mi ca mt trn mi. Sau hai ln tn cng qui m
trong hai nm 1968 v 1969, gii lnh o qun s v chnh tr CSBV th nhn h khng th no
chin thng v qun s nu qun i M cn c mt Vit Nam. Quyt ngh 9 ch th cp di thi
hnh k hoch mi l: C gng to iu kin qun i M rt ra khi chin trng Vit Nam cng
sm cng tt; ph ri mi k hoch Vit Nam ha ang c thc hin v mt qun s v dn s;
ngn chn mi n lc trong cc chng trnh bnh nh v pht trin nng thn; v, xy dng li c
cu h tng c s hot ng v u tranh nu c mt thng lng ngng bn xy ra trong tng
lai. Sau khi Ngh quyt 9 c thng bo, CSBV bt u trnh ng chin trng ln; mi n
lc ch nhm vo thn qu, lng x; cc n v ln phn tn ra tng n v v lc lng nh, d
dng di chuyn, d dng nh du kch theo l thuyt trng k khng chin. Mt s cc n v ch
lc cng c lnh di chuyn qua Lo hay i tr ngc v min Bc ti trang b v b sung.
CSBV phi quay ngc v chin tranh du kch v h tng c s ca h b ph hy hon ton. Theo
li th nhn ca mt cp chi huy cao cp cng sn vng Si Gn-Gia nh-Ch Ln, sau trn Mu
Thn, Ba ng ch B th, mt ng ch T lnh phn khu (u l y vin thng v Khu y Si
Gn-Gia nh trc y) v hn phn na y vin Phn khu y hy sinh sau Mu Thn. Mt i
i bo v ca B t lnh Phn khu 1 trong khi lm nhim v bo v v tip t lng thc hy sinh
gn ht. Mt t lnh qun s ca B2 cng cho bit mt t lnh s on v mt ph t lnh qun khu
hy sinh trong hai cuc tn cng trong trn Mu Thn.
[39]

Nu VNCH c mt c hi chin thng trong cuc chin chng cng th nhng nm 1969-1971 l
mt c hi khng bao gi tr li. l mt giai on m nhng ngi quan st v chnh tr qun s
sau ny gi l mt chin thng b l; nt chin thng nm trong tay nhng vut i. Qua nhng
th nhn t cc cn b cao cp ca cng sn trnh by trn, chng ta thy cc lc lng a
phng v ch lc ca cng sn b thit hi nng qua nhng t tn cng trong hai nm 68 v 69 vo
th t v cn c ca VNCH. CSBV khng cn phng tin hay nhn lc chin u; h nh
cn lng trong mt canh bc rt sai lm. Pha VNCH, sau khi nh tan nhng cuc tn cng v n
nh li tnh hnh an ninh, hai k hoch tng ng vin v bnh nh Xy dng nng thn do chnh
ph a ra tip tc gy thm nhiu kh khn cho cng sn. Nhng con s cn binh ra u th hay hi
chnh trong ba nm 69-71 cho thy s tuyt vng ca cc cn binh cng sn; nhng con s v s an
ninh v kim sot dn c nhng x p nng thn cho thy ngi dn tin v ng v vi chnh ph
hn. Nu con s 16 ngn cn binh hi chnh trong nm 1968 cha cho thy s chn nn ca pha bn
kia, th con s 45 ngn cn binh v u th trong nm 1969 s cho thy. Trc nm 1968 chnh ph
ch hy vng kim sot v em li an ninh cho chng 72-75% lng x v dn c, n u nm 1971
chnh ph VNCH kim sot v em li an ninh cho 85% dn c trn ton lnh th.
[40]

Vi s an ninh nng thn c tng i duy tr v bo v, nn kinh t nng nghip pht trin thy
r. Tng s la go thu hoch trong nm 1969 vt hn 5 triu tn, v ln n 5 triu 700 ngn tn
trong ma la nm 70-71. Nhng con s ny cho thy k hoch bnh nh v pht trin nng thn
ca chnh ph VNCH thnh cng rc r; v cng cho thy cc c s a phng ca cng sn b
bng i theo pht trin ca k hoch an ninh a phng ca chnh ph VNCH. Trong nhng nm
1970-71, tnh hnh an ninh cc vng qu c bo m n mc mt s nhn vt cao cp Vit-M
li xe Jeep khng h tng, i thm ving ngoi thnh Qung Tr-Hu ban m, thy s thay i v
an ninh mt ni c gi l tuyn u ca chin tuyn.
[41]

*

Trong hai nm 1970 v 1971 T khong thi gian m bo ch v b t lnh MACV gi l Vit Nam
ha qun i VNCH chng t kh nng tc chin ca h, nu c ym tr v trang b ng nhu
cu, qua hai cuc hnh qun ln tn cng vo so huyt ca CSBV Cam Bt v Lo.
T nm 1964, nu khng ni trc , t Cam Bt l ca ng nhn hng qun nhu dng ca Trung
Cng tip t cho CSBV. Hng c tu Trung Cng hay ca cc quc gia trong khi cng sn ng
u c chuyn ch bng ng bin n hi cng Shihanoukville (by gi l Kompong Som), v
t bng ng b chuyn v cc trm hu cn ca CSBV thit lp dc theo bin gii VNCH-Cam
Bt. Ti liu tch thu c ca CSBV cng nh tin tc ca nhiu c quan tnh bo Hoa K cho thy
s lng qun nhu dng cung cp cho CSBV qua hi cng Shihanoukville nhiu hn s lng di
chuyn bng ng b qua h thng ng xm nhp H Ch Minh trong thi gian . Nhng t
nm 1964 n nm 1969, b t lnh MACV v thm quyn dn s M khng c quyt nh no r
rng i ph vi cc cn c hu cn CSBV ang hot ng ni a Cam Bt. Gii thm quyn
phn vn gia hai tin tc n t hai c quan tnh bo khc nhau: Mt mt, tin tnh bo t CIA cho
bit s lng qun nhu dng nhp cng t Shihanoukville rt khim nhng so vi nhng g CSBV
c th vn chuyn vo nam qua h thng ng xm nhp H Ch Minh; mt kia, tin tc tnh bo
qun s ca MACV th ni ngc li: nm 1964 n nm 1968, s lng hng i qua ca khu
Shihanoukville bng hoc nhiu hn s lng hng i qua v tuyn 17 i vo ni a Lo. Vi hai tin
tc tri ngc ny, cng vi thi ngy tn i hng hai ca Hong thn Shihanouk, thm quyn
Hoa K Hoa Thnh n rt phn vn v i ngi khi mun gii quyt vn qun CSBV tr ng
t Cam Bt.
V phng din chnh tr v ch quyn quc gia, t nm 1964 n nm 1970 vng quc Cam Bt
sng trong mt th gii na tht na o. Hong thn Shihanouk ngm ngm cho php CSVN ng
trong t Cam Bt thu tin v ng thi cho php cc s quan di quyn nhn hi l ca cc
n v CSBV ng qun vng trch nhim ca h. Ti liu cho thy nm 1964 Shihanouk cho
mt s quan cao cp ca ng ch thn i qua Bc Kinh thng lng gi c vi Chu n Lai ca
Trung Cng khi nhn hng qua Shihanoukville v chuyn n tay CSBV. Nhng cng lc,
Shihanouk nhm mt cho Khng qun M di bom xung nhng c a ca CSBV v tht s
Shihanouk khng mun thy CSBV c mt trn t Cam Bt, khi ng thy tr chi hai hng cng
ngy cng nguy him. Trong khi phi CSBV, d cc cn c b tn ph v thit hi nng v nhn
mng t nhng trn bom B52, nhng h khng dm ln ting v t trc n gi lc no h cng
ph nhn s hin din tri php trn t Cam Bt. Bn pha Hoa K th li cng v l hn: h di
bom cc cn c CSBV ngy m bng hng ngn tn bom, nhng c du hnh vi v s cng php
quc t ln n s di phm nn trung lp ca Cam Bt. C ba chnh ph u bit chuyn g xy ra
trn t Cha thp, nhng c ba u c gng gi kn chuyn h lm ch trung lp ca Cam Bt
c ton vn.
[42]

Tnh hnh chnh tr ca Cam Bt thay i vo thng tun thng 3-1975, khi th tng Lon Nol o
chnh Shihanouk v ln nm quyn. Lp tc Lon Nol ra lnh gii hn hng nhp cng Shihanouk v
ng thi thng bo cho CSBV bit h phi ri khi t Cam Bt trong vng 72 ting ng h.
CSBV, thy c chiu hng bt li cho h khi mt ngi thn Ty phng nh Lon Nol nm
quyn, lin kt vi cng sn Cam Bt (Khmer sau ny) ra mt tn cng cc v tr ca qun i
hong gia Cam Bt. Vi s qun hn hp chng 40 n 60 ngn, CSBV v Khmer nh v
hng ty, v hng th Nam Vang (Phnom Penh).
[43]

Vi tnh hnh chnh tr Cam Bt c chiu hng thun li cho Hoa K v VNCH, gia thng 3-1970,
tng Abrams ca MACV n d hi tng Cao Vn Vin b tng tham mu v nhng cuc
hnh qun t kch vo mt khu ca CSBV bn kia bin gii. y khng phi l ln u tin b t
lnh MACV ngh n chuyn nh qua Cam Bt. T u Xun nm 1969, mt s vin chc cao cp
Hoa K nh c John McCain ca b t lnh Thi Bnh Dng, William Colby ca chng trnh
CORDS (tht s l i din CIA CORDS) v tng Abrams c tn cng qua Cam Bt. Cui
nm 1969, ban tham mu lin qun t Hoa Thnh n yu cu MACV s tho mt k hoch cho
qun i VNCH nh qua Cam Bt (ch c qun VNCH, khng c qun i hay c vn M i km).
Abrams lng l v k hoch ny, v theo ng, ngay c qun i Hoa K cng c th gp kh khn
khi nh qua Cam Bt, nu qun i VNCH n c nh qua mt mnh th ng rt i ngi.
[44]

Nhng n thng 3-1971 th MACV c php t kch gii hn vo cc cn c ca CSBV bn
kia bin gii. Tuy nhin, khng phi i n lc Hoa K ngh th qun lc VNCH mi c k
hoch truy kch cc n v cng sn bn t Cam Bt. Sau khi thy Shihanouk b lt v mt chnh
ph Lon Nol thn thin vi VNCH ln thay, b tng tham mu ra lnh cho cc n v vng III
v IV c quyn truy kch qua bin gii nu tnh trng chin s cho php. Ngy 14 thng 4-1970,
qun khu III m cuc hnh qun Ton Thng 41 nh qua Cam Bt mt vng i din vi a
phn ranh gii hai tnh Kin Tng v Ty Ninh. Trong cuc nh qua bin gii ny, qun VNCH
ch c s h tr ca Pho binh Hoa K. Trn tn cng ny lm qun i VNCH phn khi: ch b tn
tht tm tay sng i li 378 xc ch, 37 t binh, v nhiu c s b ph hy. Vi s kh quan ,
hai tun sau qun khu III tip tc mt cuc hnh qun khc nh qua bin gii. Tuy nhin, v tm
ym tr Pho binh ca Hoa K gii hn t bn ny bin gii, qun i VNCH ch tn cng khng
hn mi cy s vo ni a Cam Bt trong hai ln t kch u tin ny.
[45]

H tun thng 4, ban tham mu lin qun thng bo cho tng Abrams, l thm quyn ti cao
ng trn nguyn tc v mt cuc hnh qun hn hp Vit-M qua Cam Bt. Ngy 29 thng 4-
1970 thm quyn ti cao khng ai khc hn l tng thng Nixon, cho php cuc hnh qun tin
hnh. Tuy nhin, gi mt l nghi ngoi giao i vi d lun quc t, Nixon ngh mt lc
lng ca VNCH tn cng qua bin gii trc, ri lc lng M theo chn lin sau .
Cuc hnh qun, vi tn Ton Thng pha Vit Nam v Operation Rockcrusher bn pha Hoa K,
khi s ngy u ca thng 5-1970, chia ra lm ba hng: hai lc lng khng k Hoa K v Nhy
d VNCH nh hng bc xung nam (vng Li Cu), tin vo vo Krek v Snoul; pha nam
(M Vt), qun VNCH nh vo Svay Rieng tin ngc v hng bc, i vo Kampong Trach.
[46]

Pha Hoa K c chng 19.300 qun, pha VNCH c 29.000 tay sng. Cuc tn cng gp vi khng
c ng k vo hai ngy u, nhng n ngy th nm ca cuc hnh qun th mt trn k nh tn:
CSBV b cn c v rt nhanh v hng ty, su vo ni a Cam Bt i din vi sc tin qun ca
cc n v VNCH v Hoa K. Hn hai tun trc , b t lnh B3 ra ch th cho cc n v
Cam Bt phi, trnh khng c, rt qun khi mt trn, bo ton lc lng.
[47]
Trong cuc hnh
qun ny, v b gii hn bi lut ca Quc hi Hoa K, cc n v M (k lun c vn i km theo
cc n v VNCH) ch c tin vo t Cam Bt khng qu ba mi cy s, v khng c li
sau ngy 30 thng 6 (60 ngy t ngy bt u hnh qun).
[48]

V kh tch thu t nhng cn c ca CSBV cho thy nhng tin on, uc lng ca MACV v tnh
bo VNCH l ng v nhng tin tc t CIA l sai, sai mt cch ng xu h.
[49]
Qun i VNCH
v Hoa K tch thu c 23 ngn sng c nhn; 2 ngn 500 sng cng ng; hn 16 triu vin n
sng c nhn; 143 ngn n sng ci, ha tin, i pho; 200 ngn n phng khng v 7.000 tn
go. l cha k nhng dng c, thuc y dc, hay nhng qun nhu dng linh tinh khc b ph
hy. Khong 75 phn trm s qun nhu dng tch thu n t Trung Cng. S v kh tch thu
trang b cho 74 Tiu on, v s go ly c c th nui tt c cc n v cng sn B2 trong na
nm. V tn tht nhn s: VNCH c 638 cht v hn 3.000 b thng; Hoa K c 338 cht v 1.525
b thng. Pha CSBV cht hn 11 ngn lnh v 2.500 b bt lm t binh.
[50]
Sau khi tt c qun i
M rt khi Cam Bt theo thi hn nh, qun i VNCH vn truy lng, to thanh nhng n v
cn li ca ch su trong bin gii. Mt trong nhng cuc ng quan trng vo nhng ngy cui
ca cuc hnh qun, l khi qun i VNCH tin v Kampong Cham v n in cao su Chup. Ti
y qun i VNCH nh tan mt n v ca s on 9 Vit Cng ang gy p lc vo th
Nam Vang ch cch 75 cy s. Tt c cc n v VNCH thuc Vng III rt khi Cam Bt vo
ngy 22 thng 7-1970. Tuy nhin t cho n cui nm 1972, b t lnh Vng III vn t kch ra
vo trn t Cam Bt truy kch cc n v CSBV theo nhu cu qun s.
Cuc hnh qun tn cng qua Cam Bt, khng th chi ci, l mt chin thng qun s. Nhng nu
nhn su hn, pha sau chin thng nhiu phn ng bt li xy n cho VNCH v Hoa K - nhng
phn ng bt li m khng ai c th tin on trc c. Mt trong nhng bt li v mt qun s
l, khi VNCH v ng minh nh tan cc cn c CSBV, qun i cng sn khng cn cch no
khc hn l phi nh m ng mu v hng ty, nh su vo ni a Cam Bt v gy p lc v
hng th Nam Vang. Nh vy, nu nhn t gc qun s chin lc, a bn cuc chin Vit
Nam lan rng hn: Hoa K v VNCH phi canh chng c Lo v Cam Bt. Cuc chin tranh ng
Dng c ngha l trong giai on ny: a bn ca cuc chin lan trn gn nh ton ci Cam
Bt. Khi CSVN ra mt tn cng qun i Cam Bt tm ng sng, Hoa K v VNCH khng cn
chn la no khc hn l phi tip cu ngi bn ng minh bt ng. Phn ng bt li v chnh tr
l s chng i mnh m ca gii sinh vin v nhiu nhm ngh vin ca Quc hi M. S tn cng
qua Cam Bt gy nhiu no ng trong ni a M, nht l sau v lnh v binh quc gia bn t
thng bn sinh vin i hc Kent, tiu bang Ohio. Lin sau tt c cc i hc cc tiu bang
ln gn nh ng ni lon vi sinh vin 441 i hc biu tnh v bi kha. V pha Quc hi Hoa
K, trng pht Nixon, mt s y ban h v thng vin bt u nhm hp a ra mt s d
lut nhm vo vic gii hn nhng hot ng qun s ca Hoa K Vit Nam, nu khng ni ton
Dng Dng. Ngay trong khi qun i VNCH v Hoa K vn cn hin din trong t Cam Bt,
ngy 24 thng 6-1970, thng vin M ra quyt ngh rt li (hy b) Quyt Ngh Vnh Bc B 1964
(Tonkin Gulf Resolution). Ngy 30 cng thng, thng vin chp thun mt d lut cm qun i
M hot ng trn lnh th Cam Bt nu khng c s ng thun ca Quc hi. Tuy nhin d lut b
h vin bc b khi c a xung cho h vin ph chun.
[51]
Mt bt li khc c nh hng nhiu
n chng trnh Vit Nam ha: S thnh cng m mn ca qun i VNCH Cam Bt lm cho
Ng Gic i v Ta Bch c qu lc quan v s thnh cng ca chng trnh Vit Nam ha. V t
h suy lun: nu qun i VNCH thnh cng nh vy th qun i Hoa K c th rt nhanh
hn v c th nhng gnh nng chin trng li cho qun i VNCH nhiu hn. y l mt lc
quan rt lm ln, rt ng nhn cho chng trnh Vit Nam ha. S lc quan ca Hoa K i xa s tht
v qu vi. Cuc hnh qun nh qua Cam Bt khng phi khng c khuyt im. Qua cuc hnh
qun, cc s quan tham tham mu cao cp ca qun lc VNCH nhn thy qun i cn mt vi
khuyt im: Nhiu n v gp tr ngi v tip vn v bo tr khi di chuyn trn mt mt trn xa,
nht l cc n v c gii; kh nng ngn ng (Anh ng) cn yu khi phi lin lc vi cc s quan c
vn trong vn ym tr ha lc hay chm ta cho phi c bn nh bom; B binh khng tn
dng ht kh nng ym tr ca Pho binh c hu; phi hp tc chin gia cc n v B binh v thit
gip. ... Nhng khuyt im ny phi cn thm mt thi gian hun luyn na th mi thun thc.
[52]

Cuc hnh qun nh qua Cam Bt, tm gn li, l mt quyt nh chng ng ng: khng gii
quyt mt nguy him qun s th khng c; gii quyt c nguy him qun s th phi chu ng
nhng bt li v chnh tr.

[1]
V nhng giai on ng vin, c ch qun dch, hay cc sc lut v ngha v qun s, c, trung
tng ng Vn Khuyn, The RVNAF, trang 33-37; on Thm, Vic tng ngy: 1954-1964; Vic
tng ngy: 1968, thng 8-1957; 1-1959, 4-1964; v 6-1968; chun tng James Lawton Collins, Jr.,
The Development and Training of the South Vietnamese Army, trang 12, 57, v 68. Quyn The
RVNAF (nguyn tc bng Anh ng, RVNAF l ch tt ca Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces -
Qun i Vit Nam Cng ha) l mt tc phm rt chi tit v c s, qun s v cu trc, ca qun
lc VNCH, t lc thnh hnh cho n ngy tht th.
[2]
Lut Tng ng vin 1969 c tng thng Thiu chnh thc ban hnh ngy 19 thng 6-1969
(ngy Qun lc) ti Ph Vn Lu, Hu.
[3]
William Colby, Lost Victory; v Stephen B. Young, Cuc chin thng b l (bn dch Vit ng ca
Nguyn Vn Hng), l hai tc phm ni v nhng c hi c th em li chin thng m VNCH
khng t c trong nhng nm 1969-1972.
[4]
V chuyn Nixon tin tng chin tranh Vit Nam s k thc trong vng nm ti, c trang 542,
Chng 10 trong sch ny. Thng 5-1969, Kissinger tuyn b cuc chin s c gii quyt trong
vng su thng. c, Marvin Kalb and Bernard Kalb, Kissinger, trang 120. Sch ca Hersh, The
Price of Power, trang 119, ni Kissinger tuyn b s c kt qu trong vng ba thng.
[5]
Daniel Ellberg, gia nm 1971, tht vng v ng li cuc chin Vit Nam, n cp ti liu ti mt
do Ng Gic i, do ng v mt s vin chc cao cp son tho v lch s v lin h ca Hoa K
trong chin tranh Vit Nam, a cho bo ch ng ti. Ellsberg phc v Vit Nam nh mt quan
st vin quan trng ca B Quc phng. L mt tay khoa bng t i hc Harvard (tin s i hc
Harvard, bn vi Kissinger), Ellsberg gia nhp chnh ph vi chc v ph t cho John McNaughton,
nhn vt ng hng th ba trong B Quc phng di thi ca McNamara. Ti liu Ellsberg nh
cp t Ng Gic i l cn bn ca cc n bn The Pentagon Papers sau ny. Ellsberg xut bn hai
tc phm, Papers on the War, v Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers. Ngoi tr
tnh cht ti mt ca nhng Vic Ellsberg lm c ghi li trong sch, hai tc phm ca Ellsberg
khng c g hay nu khng ni l d.
[6]
Jeffrey Kimball, Nixon s Vietnam War, trang 91-93.
[7]
Paris. BT
[8]
Tt c cc cu hi ny nm di dng Hun lnh Nghin cu An ninh Quc gia s 1 (National
Security Study Memorandum 1), gi ra t Hi ng An ninh Quc gia ca Kissinger. c Ellsberg,
Secrets, trang 235-241; Kimball, sd, trang 94. V chi tit ca cc cu hi, c Jeffrey Clarke,
Advice and Support: The Final Years, 1965-1973, trang 341-342. V cc cu hi lin quan n qun
i M v VNCH, c, trung tng Phillip B. Davidson, sd, trang 588-589.
[9]
Sau ny, trong hi k, Kissinger ni hun Lnh NSSM 1 ch l mt tham kho s lc v cuc
chin. Nm 1972, khi MSSM 1 b l ra ngoi bo ch, i tng Alexander Haig, ang lm ph t
cho Kissinger, tuyn b, khi NSSM 1 n tay cc thm quyn th li thi v qu xa [thm quyn
trung ng] c p dng. c, Kalb and Kalb, sd, trang 129. Cng theo hai tc gi Kalb, phc
trnh gi tr li hun Lnh NSSM 1 dy hn mt ngn trang.
[10]
Bn tng trnh cui cng ca McNamara, vit cho Johnson ngy 1 thng 11-1967, c nhng
ngh hon ton tri ngc vi tinh thn diu hu ca ng t su nm qua. McNamara ngh
khng cho thm qun; ngng di bom v hn nh, v trao nhim v tc chin li cho qun i
VNCH gii hn thit hi v nhn mng cho qun i Hoa K. c, Deborah Shapley, Promise
and Power: The Life and Times of Robert McNamara, trang 436. Hn mt tun sau, Johnson b
nhim McNamara lm gim c Ngn Hng Th Gii (the World Bank), mt chc v McNamara
gi n tm nm sau.
[11]
Oasinhton. BT
[12]
Theo c Elmo R. Zuwalt, Jr., cu T lnh Hi qun Hoa K ti Vit Nam, v sau ny l T
lnh Hi qun Hoa K, t thng 8-1968 ng nhn c ch th ca i tng Abrams cp tc hun
luyn v chuyn giao vng trch nhim cho Hi qun Vit Nam. Zumwalt ni Abrams nhn lnh ny
t tng thng Johnson. c, Zumwalt, On Watch, trang 36-37. V nhng hun Lnh lin quan n
chng trnh Vit Nam Ha ca B Quc phng, v qun s s nh ca VNCH vo cc thng u
ca nm 1968, c, chun tng James Collins, sd, trang 86-90.
[13]
Bi Dim, trong tuyn tp Vietnam as History, Peter Braestrup, ch bin, trang 62. cng trang,
i s Bi Dim ni thm, ng ngh k hoch Vit Nam ha c ra p ng vi nhu cu
chnh tr mt cch tm thi, hn l mt k hoch c tnh ton k cng. Cng nn nhc li, khi Hoa
K b n v TQLC u tin ln Nng vo thng 3-1965, h qun thng bo cho VNCH cho
n khi c chn xung lnh th VNCH. V trong mt ngha no , Hoa K mun M ha cuc
chin hai thng sau, khi hai Tiu on tc chin ca l on 173 Nhy d b Vng Tu ngy 5
thng 5. c, Bui Diem with David Chanoff, In the Jaws of History, trang 131-132; Shelby Stanton,
The Rise and Fall of an American Army, trang 45-46.
[14]
Trch theo Sorley, A Better War, trang 5. Thng 2-1967, Tham mu trng lin qun Wheeler sau
khi sang thm Vit Nam, tr v bo co vi tng thng Johnson, [theo chiu hng ny] chng ta
c th thng v qun s nu chng ta tip tc p lc nh ang p dng min Bc v min Nam.
Ch nu ca Wheeler khng c Johnson v McNamara theo ui ti mc. Op. cit., ibid.
[15]
V tn tht ca Hoa K, VNCH, CSBV, trong nm 1968, c, Doulas Pike, ch bin, The Bunker
Papers, Vol. 3, trang 647; v con s thng vong ca M trong cc nm trc , c, James Olson,
Dictionary of the Vietnam War, Appendix E.
[16]
c, i tng Bruce Palmer, Jr., The 25-Year War: America s Military Role in Vietnam, trang
92-93; Lewis Sorley, A Better War, trang 39-39; cng tc gi, Vietnam Chronicles: The Abrams
Tapes, 1968-1972, trang 308. Theo mt tc ga khc, u nm 1972, khi Thomas Polgar chun b ln
ng sang Saigon thay Ted Shackley lm trng phng CIA, Polgar c n b quc phng t gi
Melvin Laird. Trong cuc ni chuyn, Laird trn an Polgar, ni rng, ... ng lo, Hoa K s cn gi
li mt s qun cho n 30 nm na nh Ty c. Kim Wellenson et al., The Bad War, trang
102. Trch theo Sorley, A Better War, trang 282.
[17]
Lewis Sorley, Thunderbolt: General Creighton Abrams and the Army of His Times, trang 254-
259. V nhng thay i Hun lnh t Hoa Thnh n, v nhng chin thut, chin lc mi ca
MACV, c Sorley, A Better War, trang 17-30.
[18]
Jeffrey Clarke, sd, trang 384, v Appendix C. 549.500 ngi l s qun cao nht ca qun i
Hoa K Vit Nam. Mt ti liu khc ca B Quc phng cho s 543.400 l cao nht.
[19]
Richard Nixon, No More Vietnams, trang 96.
[20]
Theo Clarke, sd, trang 351, ph ch 22, bn K hoch do B Tng Tham mu VNCH son,
c trao cho pha Hoa K ti o Midway cng ngy hi hp. Cng theo Clarke, ng Thiu nghe
v chuyn rt qun mt cch bn chnh thc t i tng Abrams v i s Bunker vo thng Ging,
1969. Trong ln ni chuyn tng Abrams ni vi tng thng Thiu l y cha phi l thi im
c th rt cc n v tc chin i c. T u nm 1968 ng Thiu c tuyn b trn bo ch v
chuyn Hoa K s rt qun nhng ni r chi tit, hay cho bit c phi l mt k hoch hn hp
gia hai bn hay khng. Xem, Clarke, sd, trang 346; on Thm, Chuyn tng ngy: 1968, thng
Ging, v, 1969, thng T.
[21]
Nixon, RN: The Memoirs of Richard Nixon, trang 392. Lewis Sorley, trong A Better War, trang
423, ph ch 37, c vit, tng William B. Rosson, ang l T lnh ph MACV, c mt dinh c
Lp vi tng thng Thiu khi c hai nghe Nixon tuyn b. Ngay sau , Tng thng Thiu ni vi
tng Rosson l nhng g Nixon ni hon ton sai s tht. ng khng c ngh chuyn rt qun
vi Nixon. Ngc li, chnh Nixon ni vi ng l Nixon phi rt qun v l c mun ca dn
Hoa K. i tng Abrams chng nhng khng ngh m cn phn i chuyn rt qun t ngt
nh nh ca Nixon v tng trng Laird. c Jeffrey Clarke, sd, trang 348.
[22]
Ch thuyt Nixon (The Nixon Doctrine) v lin h ca Hoa K v nn an ninh chu, cn
c c gi l The Guam Doctrine, v Nixon tuyn b ch thuyt ny ti o Guam vo thng 7-
1969, trn ng i n cc phi hnh gia Apollo XI (phi thuyn p ln mt trng) tr li a cu.
Guam l ni Nixon khi hnh thm ving su Quc gia Nam v ng Nam , trong c Vit
Nam. V ch thuyt ny, c, Nixon, RN: The Memoirs of Richard Nixon, trang, 394-395.
[23]
Henry Kissinger, White House Years, trang 276-277.
[24]
Thay i mu da ca t s, li pht biu ca thng ngh s Eugene McCarthy, ng c vin tng
thng nm 1968. Trch theo Seymour Hersh, sd, trang 310.
[25]
Tng s t thng ca qun lc VNCH t nm 1962 n cui nm 1969, theo hai ti liu ca B
Quc Phng Hoa K. Mt ti liu son nm 1972 c s t thng l 117.075; ti liu kia son nm
1975, vi s t thng l 110.176.
[26]
Nhng ngh ny nm trong tc phm ca i tng Cao Vn Vin v trung tng ng Vn
Khuyn, Reflections on the Vietnam War, trang 91-92. Cng trong tc phm, hai tc gi cho bit
chnh tng thng Thiu cng khng thch tn gi v khng ban hnh mt Hun lnh no cho
ch th v chng trnh Vit Nam ha. Thiu tng Nguyn Duy Hinh, trong Vienamization and the
Cease-fire, trang 19, cng c nhng quan st tng t.
[27]
c, Bi Dim, sd, trang 285. i s Bi Dim t sau hi ngh Midway 1969, l nhn vin duy
nht i din cho pha VNCH trong cc cuc bn lun k hoch Vit Nam Ha Ng Gic i. ng
vit v cc bui tho lun, ...gp nhau hai tun mt ln, bui hp t nht... khng c k hoch hay t
chc.
[28]
Jeffrey Clarke, sd, trang 351, ph ch 20. Hai n v rt i ln u tin l 2 l on ca s on
9 B binh vng IV, v mt trung on TQLC vng I. u nm 1969, qun lc Hoa K Vit
Nam gm c 351.965 Lc qun; 52.034 Khng qun; 35.709 Hi qun; v 81.892 TQLC. c,
Clarke, sd, Appendix C.
[29]
Clarke, sd, trang 354.
[30]
Lewis Sorley, Vietnam Chronicles: The Abrams Tapes 1968-1972, trang 302-316. Hin din
trong bui hp l cc i tng Abrams; George S. Brown (T lnh ph MACV v khng lc,)
William B. Rosson (T lnh ph MACV); i s Ellsworth Bunker v William Colby (Colby lc
l T lnh chng trnh CORDS, vi cp bc i s); cc trung tng, thiu tng, cn li l cc T
lnh c vn qun on, qun chng. Cc i t l T lnh lc lng c bit; ip v b mt (SOG).
Dn s th c nhng nhn vt nh John Paul Vann (ch huy trng CORDS vng II, sau ny l c
vn trng Vng II), George G. Jacobson (ph t tham mu trng MACV v CORDS, phc v
Vit Nam lin tc hn mi nm). Ngy hp hm l ngy 22 thng 11-1969, sau khi Hoa K
rt i 65 ngn qun bt u chng trnh rt qun t lc Nixon ln, nhng by gi tng trng
Laird v Ng Gic i mun rt thm v nhanh hn k hoch tnh. Cu ni chua xt v hi tic
ca tng Abrams v tng Cao Vn Vin cho thy nhng g b T lnh MACV ha vi B
Tng Tham mu v tng Vin s khng thc hin c. Trc khi c hun Lnh ca Laird,
Abrams thng bo cho B Tng Tham mu VNCH l Hoa K s rt qun theo kh nng gnh vc
ca qun i VNCH; v, qun i M vn duy tr mt lc lng tc chin cn bn canh chng
nhng vi phm, hot ng, ca CSBV, nh h lm Nam Hn. The Abrams Tapes, do tc gi
Lewis Sorley ghi li t bng thu m hn hai ngn gi hp quan trng ca MACV, l mt tp ti liu
quan trng v ti mt, vit li tng chi tit bn trong u no ca b T lnh qun s Hoa K Vit
Nam. Hun lnh m Laird yu cu c cho ban tham mu MACV nghe trong bui hp ni trn, l
nhng g Laird tng trnh cho y ban Ngoi giao Thng vin vi ngy trc Hoa Thnh
n. c cng sch, cng trang dn.
[31]
S on TQLC vo nm 1969 ch c su Tiu on. Cng chung vi Tiu on 81 Bit kch Nhy
d l 12 ton thm st Delta. V s thnh hnh v lch s ca Bit cch Nhy d, c, i t Phan
Vn Hun, c san Bit cch D Lc lng c bbit, S IV, Thng 1-2005, trang 9. Ba mi Tiu
on pho binh l k lun su Tiu on pho 155 ly v hai Tiu on pho binh ca Nhy d v
TQLC. c, thiu tng Nguyn Duy Hinh, Vietnamization and the Cease-fire, trang 32. Tng t
nh tc phm The RVNAF ca trung tng ng Vn Khuyn, tc phm ca Nguyn Duy Hinh cung
cp nhiu chi tit v chng trnh Vit Nam ha trong nhng nm 1969-1973.
[32]
Cc con s v s qun ca cc n v, qun chng, hi khc nhau gia sch ca Nguyn Duy
Hinh, ng Vn Khuyn v Jeffrey Clarke. V s chnh lch khng nhiu gia ba sch (t by n
mi ngn ngi), ngi vit dng sch ca tc gi Nguyn Duy Hinh cc chi tit c ng
nht. c Nguyn Duy Hinh, sd, trang 32, 40; Clarke, sd, trang 349-356; ng Vn Khuyn, trang
19-22. Cng cn ni thm: V sch ca hai tc gi Hinh v Khuyn da vo mt s h s qun s
cha c gii mt trong lc vit nn trong sch khng c ch dn ti liu. Sch ca s gia qun i
Jeffrey Clarke vit sau ny, khi mt s ti liu c gii mt, v t sch ca Clarke, chng ta c
th suy lun nhng ngun ti liu trong sch ca hai tc gi Hinh v Khuyn n t u. (Hai tc gi
c coi mt s ti liu mt lin quan n ch trong thi gian son sch. Nhng sau khi hon tt,
Trung tm Qun S Lc qun Hoa K gi bn tho li vi nm v ch xut bn gii hn sau khi
nhng ti liu lin quan c chnh thc bch ha)
[33]
Chn tng James L. Collins, Jr., sd, trang 91. V s lc cc hot ng v c cu Cnh st
Quc gia, c, i t Hong Ngc Lung, Intelligence, trang 49-54.
[34]
Chi tit v qun s, v kh v qun nhu dng gia tng trong thi khong 1969-1973, c, Nguyn
Duy Hinh, sd, trang 30-48; ng Vn Khuyn, sd, trang 18-21.
[35]
Collins, sd, Appendix C.
[36]
James H. Willbanks, Abandoning Vietnam: How America Left and South Vietnam Lost Its War,
trang 40-41. Hai con s v hun luyn vin v c vn M, Willbanks trch theo ti liu ca MACV,
v sch ca Cao Vn Vin v ng Vn Khuyn, The U.S. Advisors.
[37]
CORDS l ch tc ca Civil Operations and Rural Development Support (Dn s V v Pht trin
Nng thn) Trc chng trnh cn c gi l Civil Operations and Revolutionary Development
Support (Dn s V v Ci cch Nng thn). Nhiu chng trnh c mc tiu tng t nh CORDS
hin hu t trc. Nhng chng trnh nm di tn CORDS, v qua s iu khin ca i s
Robert Komer v sau ny l William Colby, st nhp hai chng trnh Civil Operations ca ta i
s (dn s) v Rural Development ca MACV (qun s) tr thnh mt chng trnh duy nht. V
lch s ca cc chng trnh bnh nh, pht trin hay xy dng nng thn, c, William Colby, Lost
Victory, Appendix B, trang 384-387.
[38]
Mt s k hoch c tnh cch bn qun s ca chng trnh CORDS lin h n CIA nu khng
ni hon ton nm di thm quyn ca CIA. Theo ti liu v sch v kh tn, cc chng trnh nh
Chin dch Phng hong; Thm st Tnh; hai i pht thanh dng vo k hoch tuyn truyn xm
Gm thing i quc v M Vit Nam; v chng trnh tm l chin trong K hoch 38 (Operation
38), u nm di s iu khin ca CIA v c y Trung ng Tnh bo VNCH. Ba ngi c lin
h su m n CORDS u xut thn t CIA: Theodore (Ted) Shackley, Robert Komer, v William
Colby. Shackley ch huy CIA Lo trc khi n Saigon; Komer lm cho CIA trc khi qua lm
cho Hi ng An ninh Quc gia; v Colby th nh chng ta r, ch huy trng CIA Saigon t
thi tng thng Dim. C kh nhiu ti liu sch v ni v CORDS v cc hot ng tnh bo nm
song song vi k hoch ny. c, David Corn, Blond Ghost: Ted Shackley and the CIA s Crusades;
William Colby, Lost Victory; v, Ralph McGehee, Deadly Deceit. Sch ca Corn c rt nhiu chi tit
v tc gi phng vn gn mt trm cu nhn vin CIA hot ng Vit Nam; trong khi
MacGeehee l nhn vin iu tra chnh ca CIA trong v khm ph gin ip Hunh Vn Trng
v V Ngc Nh Ph Tng thng vo gia nm 1969. Sch Colby nh l mt hi k ni v lin h
mi su nm ca tc gi vi Vit Nam qua cc chc v nh xp CIA v xp chng trnh CORDS.
[39]
V Ngh quyt 9, c, Sorley, The Abrams Tapes, trang 91, 263-266; A Better War, trang 154-
168; Willbanks, sd, trang 67; David Corn, sd, trang 202-203; Davidson, Vietnam at War, trang
600-601. V nhng kh khn CSBV phi ng u vo nhng nm 1968-1971, c, Thng tng
ng V Hip, K c Ty Nguyn, trang 131-141. Theo tng Hip, c lc tt c go tn kho ch
cn nui lnh ca chin trng B3 mt tun; v, lnh v thng binh CSBV rt v Lo v min
Bc ng v nhiu nh cuc tp kt ln th hai trong hai nm . mt on khc trong sch
(trang 367), tc gi cho bit S on 10 ca ng b cht 9.900 qun trong thi gian cha y ba nm
(9-1972 n 4-74). ng V Hip l chnh y B3, chnh y S on 10, ri chnh y Qun on 3
vo nm 1975. Tnh hnh ca CSBV nhng mt trn khc nh B5 (tng ng vi Vng I), hay
Qun Khu 7 v 9 (Vng II v IV) cng ri vo tnh trng nguy khn tng t. c, Thng tng
Nguyn Nam Khnh, Min Trung nhng thng ngy khng qun, trang 415-417. Tng Khnh l T
lnh B5 (Khu 5). V tnh hnh Saigon-Gia nh v vng ph cn, ngi vit trch theo hi k Mai
Ch Th (lc Mai Ch Th v V Vn Kit l T lnh v chnh y ca ni , hay l Phn Khu
6, bao gm Saigon, Gia nh, Bnh Dng v cc vng khc Qun on III) vit trong Theo bc
chn lch s, trang 168-174. Trn vn Tr, trong Kt thc cuc chin 30 nm, Tp 5, trang 190, cho
bit nhng T lnh t trn nm 1968 v 1969 l, Trn nh Xu, T lnh khu Saigon; s on trng
Nguyn Th Truyn; v T lnh ph qun khu 8 Nguyn Vn Nh (Hai Nh).
[40]
Nhng con s v hi chnh, an ninh a phng, c, The Bunker Papers, cc t tng trnh vo
tun l cui ca nhng nm 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, v 1971. Trong nhng tng trnh cui nm,
i s Bunkers thng bo co cho tng thng tt c cc con s v kinh t, tnh hnh chnh tr, an
ninh, s thng vong ca Hoa K, VNCH, CSBV, s cn binh ra hi chnh, cng nh tin trin ca
cc chng trnh c tnh cch dn s. V nhng thay i tnh hnh an ninh x, p trong nhng nm
1967-1971, c, William Colby, sd, Appendix D, trang 420-421.
[41]
c, William Colby, Victory Lost, trang 313.
[42]
Ngy 5 thng 2-1970, Hong thn kim nht Th tng Cam Bt, Sirik Matak, tuyn b trn
i pht thanh Quc gia l qun i Cam Bt chuyn ch v bn go cho CSBV theo nhng tha
thun t trc, nhng ng khng mun thy lin h tip tc na. Trc gn hai tun, b
trng Nguyn Vn Tin ca Chnh ph Lm lhi Vit Cng c n thng lng vi Matak ln
cui c tip tc mua go v ng qun. ... Khi nghe Matak da qun i Cam Bt s c bin
php vi cc n v CSVN ang c mt trn t Cam Bt, b trng Tin tr li cc n v cng sn
s chin u t v, v h tr mt s tin rt ln cho Shihanouk c php ng qun v thit
lp cn c trn t ny. c, Sorley, The Abrams Tapes, trang 360, 383-384. Theo k gi Nayan
Chanda, Hong thn Shihanouk, vi s ng ca Chu n Lai, ly 10% tng s hng nhp vo hi
cng Shihanoukville. T Shihanoukville qun i Cam Bt dng qun xa chuyn hng giao n tay
CSBV v tnh thm tin chuyn ch. Shihanouk ly li tin bn go cho CSBV t Trung Cng. c,
Chanda, Brother Enemy, trang 61, 420 (ph ch 17); Qiang Zhai, China and the Vietnam War: 1950-
1975, trang 135-137, 248 (ph ch 33 v 35). Trong hi k ca Trng Sn (bt hiu ca i t
Phm T thuc b T lnh on 559) tc gi cng c ni v vn chi tin cho qun i Cam Bt
c ng qun v tch tr qun nhu dng. c, Trng Sn,cuc hnh trnh nm ngn ngy
m, trang 129-139. V thi hai hng v ngy tn ca Shihanouk, c, Davidson, Vietnam at War,
trang 624-625.
[43]
Davidson, sd, cng trang.
[44]
Sorley, A Better War, trang 200, v nhng ph ch lin h c McCain ngh vi tham mu
trng lin qun Wheeler l phi nh qua Cam Bt; William Colby ni, cn cn c ca CSBV
Cam Bt th chng ta s cn li Vit Nam vnh vin. Mt v tng khc, quen thuc vi tnh hnh
qun s Vit Nam, nhn nh l cc cn c ca CSBV ng dc theo bin gii Vit Nam tng t
nh mt khu sng ln n k vo u VNCH. c, Dave Palmer, Summons of the Trumphet, trang
228.
[45]
Sorley, A Better War, trang 200-203; William Hammond, Reporting Vietnam, 201-218; Jeffrey
Kimball, Nixon s Vietnam War, trang 197-212; Davidson, sd, trang 623-633; James H. Willbanks,
Abandoning Vietnam, trang 77-86. Tt c cc tc phm ni trn u cp cht t g v cuc tn
cng qua Cam Bt ca qun lc VNCH vo thng 5-1970. Tuy nhin, c chi tit v lch s y
hn v cuc hnh qun, xin c, The Cambodian Incursion, ca chun tng Trn nh Th. Cng
ni thm, phn ln v kh tch thu c trong nhng cuc hnh qun c qun i VNCH giao li
cho qun i Cam Bt.
[46]
V tnh cht phc tp vi nhiu giai on, nhiu tn gi, cho cc cnh qun (mi chin on ph
trch mt giai an/ mc tiu ca cuc tn cng), ngi vit dng tn Ton Thng l tn chnh ca
cuc hnh qun nh qua Cam Bt. bit thm chi tit v mc ch, hng nh, chin on tham
d, hay ca cc tn cuc hnh qun ph nh Bnh Ty I-III; Ton Thng 41-46; v Cu Long 44, xin
c, chun tng Trn nh Th, The Cambodian Incursion, trang 53-133.
[47]
Trn nh Th, The Cambodian Incursion, trang 95.
[48]
V chi tit nhng hot ng ca pha Hoa K trong cuc hnh qun Rockcrusher, c, i tng
Donn A. Starry, Mounted Combat in Vietnam, trang 166-176. Trong cuc hnh qun nh qua Cam
Bt, tng Starry mang chc i t, ch huy trng Trung on 11 Thit k (Black Horse Regiment),
trung on m trc mt nm c con trai ca i tng lng danh Patton ch huy.
[49]
Vi s lng v kh, qun nhu dng, tch thu c t nhng cn c v kho d tr Cam Bt, tnh
bo CIA mt i ting ni vi hu ht thm quyn ca chnh ph Hoa K, nht l vi tng thng
Nixon. Nhng d on sai lc v s lng hng xm nhp qua hi cng Shihanouk ca CIA t nm
1964 lm cho Hi ng An ninh Quc gia v vi qun s nghi ng v kh nng ca CIA trong nhng
tin on h a ra. c, Henry Kissinger, White House Years, trang 240-241; Sorley, A Better War,
trang 209-210, trch li li ph bnh ca i tng Bruce Palmer (tng l T lnh ph MACV).
Thng 11-1970, CIA li thiu chnh xc thm ln na khi h khng bit chc chn t binh Hoa K
cn c mt tri t Sn Ty hay khng, cho n nhng ngy cui cng. Nhng n gi pht cuc
hnh qun gii cu t binh trn ng n Thi Lan, v t bay qua khng phn Thng Lo
n Sn Ty. c, Benjamin F. Schemmer, The Raid, trang 219-220.
[50]
Chi tit v thit hi i bn, v kh v qun nhu dng tch thu ca CSBV, c, chun tng Trn
nh Th, sd, trang 193-194.
[51]
Hu kt cc sch v chin tranh Vit Nam c vit t nhiu v phn ng ca dn cng nh quc
hi khi ng minh tn cng qua Cam Bt. Mt tng kt ni ln y cc phn ng t ni a, ngoi
quc v gii chnh tr quc hi c Paul M. Kattenburg vit trong The Vietnam Trauma in
American Foreign Policy, 1945-75, trang 241-281. Kattenburg l chuyn vin v ng Dng thp
nin 1950, v gim c Vit Nam V nm 1963-1964. Ngy 30 thng 6-1970 ngy cui cng ca
qun i M trn t cam Bt nhn mnh thi ca h i vi tnh cht php l v lin h ca
Hoa K Vit Nam, thng vin M biu quyt thm mt ln na rt li Quyt ngh Vnh Bc Vit,
mt quyt ngh cn bn cho php tng thng M can thip v a qun vo Vit Nam. Hai thng
trc , tiu bang Massachutsetts chp thun mt d lut rt phn chin v ngc li ng li
ca chnh ph lin bang: Tiu bang ny cho php cng dn ca tiu bang c t nn ngha v qun
s cho n khi no quc hi Hoa K chnh thc tuyn chin vi mt Quc gia no (trong trng
hp ny l tuyn chin vi Bc Vit). D lut ca tiu bang Massachutsetts t nn hnh php vo
mt th kt, v theo Hin php Hoa K, ch c Quc hi mi c thm quyn tuyn chin (declaration
of war clause). c, Chester Cooper, The Lost Crusade: America in Vietnam, trang 462-463.
[52]
Trn nh Th, The Cambodian Incursion, trang 175-180.

Nguyn K Phong
Phn 4
Vi nhng chin thng Cam Bt c thu lm qu d dng, gn cui nm 1970, thm quyn dn
s t Hoa Thnh n ngh MACV ngh vi b tng tham mu VNCH m mt cuc hnh
qun qua H Lo vi mc ch tng t nh cuc hnh qun nh qua Cam Bt. Nhng cuc hnh
qun ln ny hi khc, thm quyn dn s thng bo cho MACV: V lut Quc hi khng cho php
qun i Hoa K c mt trn t Lo, cuc hnh qun s hon ton do qun i VNCH m nhim.
Hoa K ch c th ym tr qun i VNCH bng cc phng tin nh khng vn, ha lc Pho binh
v khng ym.
Nhng ln ny, mc ch ca Hoa Thnh n khi nh qua H Lo nm 1971 khng thun ty ch l
mc ch qun s. Theo nhng ti liu gii mt c lin h n ch ch ca k hoch nh qua H
Lo c cng b, C vn An ninh Quc gia Kissinger ngh VNCH nh qua Lo nm 1971
lm gin on tim nng qun s ca CSBV vo nm 1972, nm bu c tng thng M. Chnh
Kissinger l ngi khuyn Nixon l ng nn rt qu qun nhiu, qu vi trong nm 1971: i n
cui nm 1972 ri s rt ht. Gi li mt s qun bo m tnh hnh qun s Vit Nam v ng
thi c c mt an ton cho cuc bu c nm 1972 (trong ngha tnh hnh chin s Vit Nam
c yn lng th gii phn chin M khng c l do biu tnh v ng Dn Ch khng c c ni
ng Cng Ha vn cha gii quyt c tnh hnh qun s Vit Nam). y l mt chin thut
chnh tr kh c o ca Kissinger. V Nixon nghe theo.
[1]

S liu sau ny - hay t ra l s liu vit trc khi cun hi k ca Hademan ra i, v mt s ti liu
gii mt c cng b gn y - khng xc nh chc chn ai l cha ca k hoch nh qua H
Lo nm 1971. V sau khi cuc hnh qun kt thc vi mt kt qu khng c hon ho nh d
tnh, d nhin khng ai mun nhn lm cha ca mt k hoch thiu m mn. Mc d cc s gia
khng th xc nh chc chn, nhng da vo nhiu hi k v ti liu, h c th suy lun k hoch c
th bt ngun t Nixon; Kissinger; Hi ng An ninh Quc gia; hay cng c th l khi ngun t
tng Alexander Haig, mt ph t tn cn ca Kissinger ng thi.
[2]
Kissinger, trong hi k vit
sau ny, chng nhng khng ni r ai l tc gi ngh k hoch nh qua Lo, m cn chi l mnh
c khi s v tham d vo k hoch .
[3]

K hoch tn cng qua H Lo ct t ng tip vn v xm nhp vo chin trng min Nam
ca CSBV, khng phi l mt quyt nh hay ngh mi. Nm 1964 Lc qun Hoa K pht ha
mt k hoch, trong dng bn s on nh v gi mt phng tuyn di t ng H qua
Savannakhet. K hoch c t lnh Lc qun Harold K. Johnson chp thun, nhng b c
Sharp ca b t lnh Thi Bnh Dng ph phn i trn l do ng qun nh vy th qu th ng,
khng lm c g. T nm 1966 tng Westmoreland yu cu ban tham mu MAVC pht ha
mt k hoch nh qua Lo, bt u t Lao Bo, dc theo quc l 9 n S Pn, mt trung tm nhn
v chuyn hng ca CSBV. Gia nm 1969, khi Abrams tha nhim Westmoreland, tng Abrams
cng ngh nh qua Lo trc khi c cuc hnh qun nh qua Cam Bt. Nm 1972, trong mt
bi vit v mt chin lc c lp CSBV, i tng Cao Vn Vin ni t nm 1966 ng ngh
hai gii php qun s c lp ng tip t ca cng sn: Hoc nh vo Vinh ct t nt xm
nhp cc o M Gi, o Ban Karai; hoc nh theo ng s 9 chim gi S Pn. Nhng v
mt l do chnh tr no , thm quyn dn s Hoa Thnh n khng ng thun hay khuyn khch
cc k hoch do cc t lnh qun s ngh.
[4]

Nhng di chnh ph ca tay nh ph Nixon v ng c vn ph thy Kissinger, k hoch nh qua
Lo quyn r hn ln nh qua Cam Bt. Nm 1971 l nm bu c tng thng VNCH, v nm 1972
l nm bu c tng thng M. Sau khi nh qua Lo, thng hay thua, vi thit hi i bn, tnh hnh
qun s s tm lng du, v nh vy tnh hnh s c li cho hai chnh ph ng nhim Hoa K v
Vit Nam. Hn na, theo chng trnh rt qun, vo cui nm 1972 tng s qun M cn c mt
Vit Nam s khng hn 50 ngn ngi. Nu phi nh tan - hay t ra gim thiu - tim nng qun s
ca CSBV, th y l c hi duy nht cn li. Vi nhng suy lun , Nixon quyt nh ra tay trc
khi CSBV c th ti b sung nhng thit hi Cam Bt. Ban u, Nixon c nh dng TQLC v
B binh b ln Vinh (k hoch tng t nh k hoch ca tng Vin), nhng c vn Kissinger
ngh nh tr li Cam Bt thm mt ln th nh na dn sch nhng cn c ca CSBV. Sau
cng h n mt ngh ca c John McCain, tng t lnh qun i Hoa K Thi Bnh
Dng. McCain, trong mt in tn gi cho Abrams vo thng 10-1970, ngh MAVC nghin cu
nhng mc tiu nhm vo cc cn c hu cn ca CSBV nm dc theo bin gii Vit-Lo ( ngh
ca c McCain ch l mt trong nhng ngh hnh qun thng thng, khng lin quan g n
nh ca Nixon v Kissinger. Gia thng 6-1970, McCain c thm ving b t lnh MACV
duyt xt tnh hnh ca cuc hnh qun ang din tin bn Cam Bt.). Nixon v Kissinger chn k
hoch ca McCain nhng thay i i mt vi mc tiu ph hp vi k hoch chnh tr ca h:
Thay g ch nh vo cc mc tiu nm gn v dc theo bin gii Vit-Lo, k hoch s nh 30 cy
s su vo ni a Lo (ti S Pn), ri sau qun i VNCH s bc tr li tip tc ph hy cc
cn c hu cn nm dc theo bin gii. Cha ht, cng lc nh qua Lo, mt lc lng khc ca
qun i VNCH s tn cng tr li Cam Bt, nh su vo khu vc n in cao su Chup, ni cng
sn ang xy dng nhng cn c mi.
[5]

u thng 12-1970, ban tham mu lin qun lin lc qua c McCain, cho php tng Abrams
bn tho vi tng Vin v k hoch hnh qun qua Lo.
[6]
Ngy 7, tng Abrams v i s Bunker
gp tng thng Thiu gn mt ting ri trnh by s qua khi nim cuc hnh qun. Tr v b t
lnh, Abrams nh in tn thng bo cho c McCain l, tng thng Thiu ng k hoch.
Abrams cho bit tng thng Thiu chn vng S Pn l mc tiu chnh; ng s 9 l trc l di
chuyn qun; cp s cn bn cho cuc hnh qun l hai s on, cng thm mt s qun Thit k;
thi im bt u hnh qun l sau Tt; thi gian hnh qun ko di chng hai n ba thng; sau
vn gi li mt s n v nh nh ph quy ri chung quanh cc cn c hu cn cng sn.
[7]

Ngy 8, mt in tn t ban tham mu lin qun gi qua McCain cho tng Abrams, xc nh li chi
tit r rng hn: hnh qun qua Lo, dc theo ng s 9. ... Hoa K s ym tr ha lc v khng
vn. ... Cng lc, cng phi son tho k hoch tn cng qua Cam Bt. Hai ngy sau, ch thn
c Thomas Moorer, tham mu tng ban tham mu lin qun, chuyn li cho Abrams mt hun
lnh ca tng trng quc phng vit theo lnh ca tng thng Nixon. Hun lnh thng bo, tng
thng giao trch nhim [cho Abrams] phi hp vi qun i VNCH v qun i Cam Bt [trong
cuc hnh qun nh qua Cam Bt] tn cng qun ch vi tt c kh nng ... nhng nm trong
gii hn chnh tr ca qun i Hoa K [ngha l qun i Hoa K khng th i km theo qun
VNCH qua bin gii]. Bc in tn ng thi cho bit Nixon s cho tng Alexander Haig n Si
Gn v Nam Vang cng tham kho k hoch ca hai cuc hnh qun.
[8]
Tng Haig n Si Gn
trung tun thng 12, tho lun vi tng thng Thiu, tng Abrams v i s Bunker. Sau chuyn i
tham kho ca Haig, tng trng quc phng Laird n Si Gn thng tun thng 1, nm 1971.
Theo nhng g c vit li, Laird cng c tho lun vi tng thng Thiu v k hoch hnh qun
qua Lo.
[9]
Ngy 18 thng 1-1971, ta Bch c nhm hp quyt nh v cuc hnh qun nh
sang Lo. Bui hp c mt ca Nixon, tng trng quc phng Laird, ngoi trng William Rogers,
tham mu trng lin qun Moorer, xp CIA Richard Helm, tng Haig, v Kissinger. Trn nguyn
tc, tt c hin din u ng thun vi k hoch. Ch tr ngoi trng Rogers. Rogers phn i k
hoch v phn i rt c l: cp s qun qu t; cuc hnh qun i vo a th nguy him. ng ngoi
trng nhc cho mi ngi nh, k hoch ca ban tham mu Lc qun, v k hoch ca
Westmoreland vi nm trc y i hi mt lc lng khng di bn s on qun Hoa K, cng
vi khng lc ym tr ca ba qun chng. By gi, vi mt lc lng di ba s on lnh VNCH
v mt ha lc ym tr rt gii hn ca Hoa K, lm sao chng ta t tin tng tuyt i vo cuc
hnh qun c? Nhng Nixon gt ngang s phn i ca ngoi trng Rogers, chp thun k hoch
hnh qun v ra lnh son tho thi hnh.
[10]

T thng 3-1970, trc khi c cuc hnh qun ca VNCH v Hoa K vn nh qua Cam Bt, v
trong thi gian cuc hnh qun ang din ra, h thng tnh bo in t ca Hoa K thu c mt s
in tn ca b t lnh cao cp CSBV gi cho cc binh trm ng dc trn h thng ng xm nhp
H Ch Minh t Lo xung cam Bt. B t lnh CSBV ra lnh cho cc binh trm chun b tc chin
nu cn, v ch c th tip tc tn cng qua Cam Bt, Lo hay qua khu vng ba bin gii. Nhng
thng k tip, tnh bo in t tip tc ghi nhn lnh t cp trn lu cc n v ng t Vinh cho
n H Lo, l ch c th tn cng bt thn, k c chuyn b ln Vinh. u thng 10, 1970,
CSBV thit lp mt b t lnh cp Qun on c tn l 70B, ng khu vc ng 9 bn kia bin
gii, chun b tr chng tr mi cuc tn cng qua bin gii ca qun i VNCH. T thng 3-
1970, cc t lnh cp trung on v s on c lnh phi ch thn i thm thnh a hnh dc
theo, v chung quanh ng s 9. Vi nhng bin chuyn v hot ng qun s ang din ra Vng
I v Khe Sanh, CSBV bit cuc tn cng qua H Lo sp sa tin hnh.
[11]

V pha VNCH. Sau khi nghe ngh ca Hoa K; sau khi nghe i tng Vin tng trnh k hoch
hnh qun m b t lnh MACV tho lun vi ng, tng thng Thiu cho php son tho k
hoch Hnh Qun Lam Sn 719. K hoch hnh qun c khi nim tng qut nh sau: Cuc hnh
qun c bn giai on. Giai on I: Giai on ny bt u t u thng 1, phn ln do Hoa K ph
trch. Cc n v cng binh, Thit k M s gii ta, ti thit v thit lp an ninh trn quc l 9 t
ng H n Lao Bo; ti chim cn c Khe Sanh lm ni b qun v lm hu c tin phng
bn ny bin gii.
[12]
Giai on II: Vi mt cp s qun tng ng ba s on, gm s on
Nhy d, s on 1 B binh, l on 1 Thit k, v Lin on 1 Bit ng qun. Qun D v Thit
k s tin theo trc l ng 9, ng qua bin gii v hng ty. Trong thi gian , mt Tiu on
D c trc thng vn nhy vo mt mc tiu trc mt, cch bin gii khong 12 cy s, c tn l
Bn ng (trn bn hnh qun c tn l A Li) thit lp b ch huy ti mt trn. Cng lc, hai
Tiu on D c trc thng vn ln chim hai nh i hng ng bc (cn c ha lc 30) v ty
bc (cn c ha lc 31) ca Bn ng thit cn c ha lc v bo v mt bc ca trc tin qun.
ng thi, v hng ng bc ca cn c ha lc 30, ba Tiu on Bit ng qun (BQ) s thit
lp hai im phng th nh mt tin n quan st v canh chng ch qun c th trn xung tip
vin t hng ng bc. pha nam ca trc tin qun, cc Tiu on ca s on 1 s thit lp
nhng cn c ha lc cao im Co Roc, t bin gii chy di n Bn ng bo v mt nam
ca hng tin qun. Sau khi cc n v nm vo v tr ca h, qun Thit k s theo dng s 9,
nh thng v S Pn bt tay vi mt l on D c trc thng vn vo cng lc. Ngoi cc
lc lng tn cng qua bn kia bin gi, bn ny cn c Khe Sanh, hai l on TQLC s nm
phng th nh mt lc lng tr b. Giai on III: Vi gi nh qun D chim c S Pn, v
qun Thit k tin vo bt tay qun bn, qun D s lc sot chung quanh S Pn; cc n v ca s
on 1 s lc sot cc khu vc pha nam S Pn. Giai on IV: Khi c lnh lui qun, cc lc
lng tn cng s lui qun theo hai k hoch. Theo k hoch 1, D v Thit k s rt v Bn ng.
T , hai lc lng ny s bo v s on 1 va lc sot cc cn c ch, va tin v hng ng
nam rt v bin gii. Trong khi , qun BQ hng ng bc s nhp vo qun Thit k v
rt ngc v bin gii theo quc l 9. Cc n v TQLC s hnh qun dc theo bin gii trong thi
gian , va quy ph va ngn nga nhng cuc phc kch c th xy ra cho qun bn. K hoch
lui qun 2 ch khc 1 ch qun D s tip tc ni ui theo sau s on 1 lc sot cn c ch,
nhng thay g i theo hng ty nam v bin gii, hai cnh qun ny s theo hng ng v
ng 9.
[13]
T lnh ca cuc hnh qun l trung tng Honhg Xun Lm, ng nhim t lnh
Vng I. Tr s on Nhy d (v hai l on TQLC nm tr b Khe Sanh), tt c cc n v tham
gia cuc hnh qun u l n v c hu ca Qun on I. Ngy hnh qun c n nh l sau Tt
Tn Hi.
Gia thng thng 1, b tng tham mu v MACV cho s quan hnh qun ra trnh by k hoch vi
tng Hong Xun Lm v trung tng James W. Sutherland ca Qun on XXIV. Ngy 21, c hai
v tng bay v Si Gn tng trnh k hoch chung cho MACV v b tng tham mu. Cng
ngy, ch thn tng Lm trnh k hoch hnh qun cho tng thng Thiu duyt xt. Ngy 25 thng
1-1970, tin hnh qun nh qua Lo c chnh thc loan bo xung tn cp Tiu on mt vi
n v tham d.
[14]

Sau gn bn ngy b nh tr v thi tit, qui lut hnh qun t pha Hoa K, v tai nn, hnh qun
Lam Sn 719 bt u vo ngy 8 thng 2-1971, khi qun D v Thit k bng qua bin gii tham
d vo mt cuc hnh qun qui m v tn km nht trong lch s cuc chin.
[15]

Trn giy t, k hoch hnh qun Lam Sn 719 nhn rt n gin: tin tc v cc lc lng ch qun
ang c mt trong vng khng qu nhiu gy nhiu lo lng cho ban tham mu son tho; khng
nh cho thy a hnh phc tp, nhng khng phc tp n gy tr ngi cho qun Thit k. V vi
nhng ha hn ha lc ym tr t Khng qun chin thut v chin lc ca Hoa K, ban tham mu
khng thy cuc hnh qun s gp mt tr ngi no. S thnh cng trong ln nh qua Cam Bt
lm cho ban tham mu son tho hnh qun lc quan hn.
Nhng tin tc tnh bo v hnh chp t trn tri khng th nhn thy tt c nhng g c che y
di nhng cnh rng dy ca H Lo. Tnh bo cng khng th no cp nht c s di ng lin
tc ca cc n v i phng. S c lng v qun s ca CSBV trong vng hnh qun ch chnh
xc trong thi im son tho k hoch; v khi khng nh cho thy ng s 9 tuy b h nhiu v
bom nhng cn di chuyn c th ch l trn ...hnh nh. Trn thc t, hai chi tit quan trng ny
khc xa c tnh. Trong thi gian son tho, k hoch c lng CSBV ch c khong 22 ngn qun
chung quanh S Pn. n u thng 1, c lng v cp s qun ca i phng trong vng hnh
qun c tng ln tng ng ba s on ri (bng qun s di tay ca ca Qun on 70B).
Nhng n thng tun thng 2, khi qun i VNCH chun b bng qua bin gii, CSBV c kh
nng quy ng mt s qun tng ng vi by s on chun b ng chin trong vng hnh
qun.
[16]

V trc l di chuyn v a hnh ca mt trn: Khng nh khng cho thy nhiu ch h nt ca
ng s 9 v b c v l thp bao ph. ng s 9 l mt con ng b b hoang gn 20 nm (khc
t bin gii Vit Nam i v S Pn), tt c cu trn ng b Khng qun M nh sp. Nhng
trn oanh kch ngy m ct con ng ra tng on bng nhng h bom su nm, by thc.
[17]

a hnh H Lo khng thun li nu khng ni bt li cho chin xa v qun Thit k. ng s 9,
vi bn phi l rng cy dy dt, bn tri l sng S Pn vi rng v chm cao dc theo b sng,
gii hn tm quan st ca Thit k. a hnh dc theo trc l li cng gii hn chin thut s dng
chin xa khi chin xa khng th ri c l chnh ni rng a bn hot ng hay trinh st, canh
chng vng ai an ninh xa hn. Khng nh mt trn Cam Bt, a hnh H Lo khng phi l a
hnh c th dn mt mt trn di su cy s hng ngang, vi 200 xe tng v thit vn xa, mi
chic cch nhau 25 mt, v c th tc x v tin qun.
[18]

Tun u tin ca cuc hnh qun mi chuyn xy ra nh d nh. Nhy d v BQ chim cc ta
v thit lp cc cn c ha lc nh c ch nh; b ch huy mt trn nm Bn ng hai
ngy trc khi qun Thit k tin 12 cy s t bin gii n gia nhp h. pha ng nam Bn
ng, lnh B binh ca s on 1 an ta trn nhng cao im, nhn v hng nam canh gi.
Nhng n tun th hai, tnh hnh thay i: sau khi xc nh c v tr ca cc lc lng VNCH v
sau khi vin qun y , CSBV chun b tn cng vo cc cao im v cn c ha lc ca
VNCH.
Trong khi , lc lng Thit k t Bn ng tin v mc tiu S Pn hng ty c chng nm
cy s th gp sc khng c. Cn c ha lc 30 bt u b pho vo ngy 16 thng 2. hng ty
ca cn c 30, qun CSBV phi hp chin xa v B binh tn cng trc din im phng th ca
i 31, ni t b ch huy ca l on 3 Nhy d. pha nam, tt c c im ca s on 1 B binh
u b tn cng l t. Vn tip t cho cc cn c ha lc bng trc thng cng lc cng kh khn
hn v ha lc phng khng ca ch qu mnh. Khng nh v phi c quan st cho bit CSBV c
mt lc lng tng ng 19 Tiu on phng khng, trang b khong 525 n 575 sng phng
khng cc loi 12.7, 23, 37, hay i khi 57 ly.
[19]
Cuc tin qun v S Pn chm li theo khng
c ca i phng. Ngy 16 thng 2, tng Vin v tng Abrams bay ra b t lnh tin phng
ng H hp vi tng Lm v Sutherland. Trong cuc hp ny h thay i k hoch hnh qun:
Cc lc lng B binh ca s on 1 s nhy chim cc ngn i cao pha nam sng S Pn
gip cho qun D v Thit k tin nhanh hn v mc tiu S Pn. Ba ngy sau, ngy 19, tng thng
Thiu cng bay ra ng H nghe thuyt trnh tnh hnh chin s. Sau khi nghe tnh hnh, tng
thng Thiu ra lnh cho tng Lm tin qun chm li v b nhiu th gi hn lc sot cc kho cha
qun nhu dng hng ty nam Bn ng. Nhng s nh tr ny gip cho i phng c thm
th gi cng c nhn lc v tp trung ha lc phn cng.
[20]
n thi im VNCH c hn
10.600 qun H Lo, i din vi 35 ngn qun ca nm s on CSBV.
[21]

Ngy 18 thng 2, ch tn cng mnh vo hai cn c BQ hng ng bc do Tiu on 21 v 39
trn gi. Ngy hm sau CSBV pho kch cm chn Tiu on 21, trong khi n lc tn cng Tiu
on 39. Ngy 20, chu khng ni p lc ch, Tiu on 39 di tn khi cao im v rt v cn c
ca Tiu on 21 BQ cch vi cy s. Nhng hai ngy sau, chnh Tiu on 21 cng c
lnh di tn v cn c ha lc 30 ca Nhy d. n y, tr cn c ha lc 30 v 31, CSBV gn
nh lm ch cc c im hng bc ca Bn ng v ng s 9.
[22]
Mi mt gi sng ngy 25,
sau mt trn pho kch tn khc, CSBV s dng chin xa v B binh t tn cng cn c ha lc 31
t bn hng. Khong nm gi chiu, cn c 31 tht th. Ngy 3 thng 3, Tiu on 2 Nhy d, sau
hai ngy khng c tip t nc v lng thc, v vi s thng vong khong 200 qun, c lnh
di tn bng ng b ra khi cn c ha lc 30. Hng bc ca ng 9 by gi hon ton nm
trong tay CSBV.
[23]

Thy s khng c ca ch cng lc cng mnh, ngy 28 thng 2 tng thng Thiu bt thn ra lnh
s on TQLC nhy vo H Lo thay th s on Nhy d ti mt trn. Nhn c qun lnh
thay qun rt kh khn , tra ngy 28 tung Hong Xun Lm bay v Si Gn bn tho tnh
hnh vi tng thng Thiu. Thay g dng TQLC thay th qun D, tng Lm ngh, Qun on I
s dng B binh ca s on 1 nhy vo S Pn; dng qun D bo v hng bc v ng s 9; hai
l on TQLC s thay vo ch ca s on 1 cc cao im hng nam ng 9. Sau khi nghe k
hoch trnh by, tng thng Thiu chp nhn ngh ca tng Lm.
[24]
Vi s tham d ca s on
TQLC v mt vi n v BQ v B binh, qun i VNCH by gi c gn 17 ngn qun mt trn
H Lo.
T ngy 3 n ngy 5 thng 3, cc Tiu on ca hai trung on 1 v 2 ca s on 1 tip tc ni
ui nhau chim nhng cao im pha nam ng s 9, dn di v mc tiu S Pn. Ngy 6 v 7,
mt on trc thng 120 chic ch hai Tiu on 2 v 3 ca trung on 2 nhy vo S Pn. Chim
c mc tiu, cc n v chia nhau lc sot chung quanh cn c quan trng nht trn con ng
chuyn vn, xm nhp vo nam ca CSBV. Ngy 12 thng 3 qun i VNCH bt u chun b rt
qun khi a phn H Lo.
[25]
Cuc rt qun khng phi khng kh khn nht l rt qun khi mt
trn vn cn tip din. Mt vi n v b thit hi nng khi h b chn nh trn ng v.
[26]
Cuc
hnh qun Lam Sn 719 c coi nh kt thc khi nhng n v cui cng ca VNCH bc v bn
ny bin gii vo ngy 24 thng 3-1971.
S thng vong cht v b thng ca VNCH trong cuc hnh qun l 8.300 qun, v 651 mt tch.
S t thng pha cng sn c lng hn 16.000 ngi.
[27]
S lng v kh, qun nhu dng b tch
thu v ph hy trong trn H Lo bng ba ln s lng trong cuc hnh qun qua Cam Bt nm
1970.
Cuc hnh qun 45 ngy nh qua Lo, ngoi s thit hi gn 50 phn trm s qun tham d,
khng hon tt c mc tiu hoch nh: thi gian hnh qun khng ko di 90 ngy nh d nh
c th lc sot tn tng cc kho d tr ca CSBV chung quanh S Pn; v k hoch truy lng
ngc v cc cn c nm trong vng Co Roc, gn st bin gii Vit Lo cng khng thc hin c.
Cuc hnh qun c nhiu khim khuyt. Nhng nhng khim khuyt khng n t s chin u
ca tt c cc n v tham d, m n t nhng li lm ca ban tham mu lc son tho k hoch
hnh qun.
Tri vi nhng tin n l tnh bo Bc Vit c c trong tay tin tc v chi tit cuc hnh qun t
lc c phc ha. Trn thc t, cuc hnh qun c t chc qu hp tp, qu l liu, c th che
mt i phng. Cn c v phi trng Khe Sanh b b hoang t thng 7-1968, nhng n cui thng
1-1971 th cng binh Hoa K tr li sa cha, thit lp phi o cung ng cho phi c vn ti chin
lc (C-130). Qun Thit k v Khng K M bt u thit lp an ninh trn trc l ng H-Khe
Sanh ...cc phi trng tuyn u Vng I nhn nhp vi nhng chuyn phi c vn ti qun tng
vng khc v. ... Vi nhng hat ng qun s , mt ngi m cng c th on c nh ca
i phng. Thm vo , sau cuc hnh qun nh nh ch tre qua Cam Bt, sau khi lc lng c
bit M nhy thng vo Sn Ty nh ch khng ngi, t gia nm 1970 gii lnh o Bc Vit
bo ng cho tt c cc mt trn v b t lnh phi lo phng th nhng cuc tn cng ca qun i
VNCH vo lnh a ca h. S phng v bo v con ng chuyn vn sinh t H Lo l
chuyn ng nhin.
Ban tham mu son tho k hoch hnh qun coi thng sc khng c, v c on qu thp cp s
ca CSBV ang hay s c mt vng hnh qun. Tri vi nhng n v cng sn m qun lc
VNCH i din Cam Bt (ba s on a phng 5, 7, v 9 ca Vit Cng), cc s on c mt
H Lo l cc s on chnh qui, c trang b nhiu hn l y , vi mt nhim v sng cn l
phi bo ci yt hu ca con ng xm nhp vo Nam. Sau khi mt nhng c a bn Cam Bt,
by gi nu CSBV mt lun nhng c a H Lo th cuc chin k nh thua. V l do , d b
thit hi nng, CSBV phi bo v H Lo cho n ngi cn binh cui cng.
a hnh H Lo khng nhng bt li cho chin xa v Thit k, m cn bt li lun cho vn
chuyn ch v ym tr bng khng lc: tri ch quang ng t mi gi sng n ba gi tra. Trc
hay sau gi , my m bao ph ton vng v vn tip t hay ym tr bng trc thng khng th
no thc hin c. V d thi c tit quang ng, tm mt ch p rng ni H Lo khng d:
lm rng no trng tri, thch hp, p trc thng th ch ghi ta sn hay cha thng (sng)
phng khng vo . Khi thy trc thng s xung th h bn hay pho vo mc tiu nh. 82 trc
thng b hy dit hon ton v 618 chic khc b trng n, cho thy cng phng khng ca ch
mt trn. Ha lc phng khng gii hn tip t: qun n tr trn cc cn c ha lc b thiu tip t
n, nc v lng thc hai, ba ngy l chuyn thng. Nhng c tnh v thi tit v a hnh thiu
st n qun phc ca lnh hnh qun khng p chng li ci lnh ca H Lo v m.
[28]

Cuc hnh qun khng c mt h thng ch huy v iu khin sun s v tri chy cp Qun on
trong ba tun l u tin hai mi mt ngy u quan trng ca cuc hnh qun. Trong khi b t
lnh tin phng ca Qun on XXIV nm Qung Tr, b t lnh tin phng ca Qun on I
th ng H. B t lnh chin thut hn hp Vit M ti Khe Sanh th thiu mt thm quyn cao
cp quyt nh lp tc cho mt trn. Qun on XXIV khng c s quan i din Khe Sanh
iu ng hai n v chnh ang h tr cho qun i VNCH l Lin on 101 Khng lc v Lin
on 108 Pho binh. C vn M ca cc s on VNCH khng c thm quyn xin ym tr trc tip
v phi chuyn yu cu ngc v b t lnh Qun on XXIV Qung Tr. mt vi trng hp,
c vn s on khng trc tip ym tr cho s on ca mnh, hay khng bt c lin lc vi cc
cnh qun ca s on trong giy pht sng cht nht.
[29]
S hp tc v ym tr ca Hoa K rt ri
rc v thiu nhit tnh v chnh hai qun chng Lc qun V Khng qun Hoa K cng c nhiu d
bit khi lm vic chung: tt c ym tr ca Khng lc 7 u do Lc qun (Qun on XXIV) iu
khin v hoch nh, trong khi nhim v ca Khng qun rt quan trng vi ha lc ca B-52 hay
nhng loi bom 15 ngn cn (Anh) dng dn bi b qun. Ngay t lc son tho k hoch
hnh qun, hai qun chng ci nhau v vai tr ca khng lc. Khng qun lu Lc qun l trc
thng ca h khng p o ha lc phng khng ca CSBV. Lc qun th cho rng Khng
qun quan trng ha v phng i kh nng phng khng ca i phng. Sau khi cuc hnh
qun khai din, Khng qun c i din b ch huy chin thut, nhng phi ch lnh yu cu ca
Lc qun t Qun on XXIV. Hai tun sau ngy hnh qun, Lin on 101 Khng vn lm vo tnh
trng khng trc thng vn chuyn, v ha lc t trc thng cng khng mnh p o
phng khng hay ph hy xe tng ch nh Khng qun tin on. n gi pht , khi b tng
tham mu ca VNCH ln ting phn nn th MACV mi cho ngi t Si Gn bay ra Vng I dn
xp tnh trng ch huy v iu khin Khe Sanh. S vng mt ca mt s quan cao cp ca MACV
b t lnh tin phng Qung Tr hay b ch huy chin thut Khe Sanh c th l mt yu t thng
thua ca cuc hnh qun. Trn cng l t lnh MACV, i tng Abrams khng nhiu t phi chu
trch nhim v s thiu st trong li t chc ch huy v iu khin ca cuc hnh qun.
[30]
Khi tin
tc v nhng ln xn ca cuc hnh qun c mt bo ngc v Hoa Thnh n, trong mt pht
ni gin tng thng Nixon ln ting i cch chc i tng Abrams.
[31]
Vi h thng ch huy v
iu khin thiu tri chy v gin on , s ym tr ca qun i Hoa K trong cuc hnh qun
Lam Sn 719 khng c ng mc v y nh phc ha trong k hoch mt s kin m
tt c cc nh quan st qun s u cng nhn.
c lng sai lm quan trng khc l s chnh lch gia lc lng tn cng v qun phng th.
Trn l thuyt qun s, thng thng qun tn cng cn mt lc lng ng hn qun phng th t
nht l ba ln nm phn thng. Nn nh, vo nm 1966 khi tng Westmoreland son tho hnh
qun nh qua Lo, k hoch ca ng i hi t nht l bn s on qun tc chin, cng vi ym tr
khng lc ca tt c bn qun binh chng.
[32]
Khi tn cng qua Lo, qun i VNCH khng nhng
khng c s qun tng ng m li t hn qun phng th hai ln. mt vi trn nh nh trn
cn c Ranger North, Tiu on 39 BQ phi i chi vi mt lc lng ng gp su n tm ln.
[33]

Trong nm 1971, cc giai on Vit Nam ha cuc chin gn nh l hon tt. Qun i VNCH nhn
lnh gn nh hu ht nhim v chin u t cc n v M. H chin u khng thua bt c n v
no ca i th chin trn nu h c c c hi. V qun i VNCH c c hi chng minh kh
nng tc chin vo nm 1972 khi h ng vai qun phng th v nh bi 14 s on qun tn cng
ca CSBV. Nhng trong trn nh qua H Lo vo ma xun 1971, qun lc VNCH ni chung, cng
mt thi gian c gng nhn lnh mt trch nhim vt xa kh nng h c trong lc . Qun lc
VNCH ri vo tnh trng m c John McCain, t lnh qun i Hoa K Thi Bnh Dng,
lu hn mt nm trc: Qu tham vng; tin nhanh qu [chng trnh Vit Nam ha v v bao
thu trch nhim] s t hi mnh.
[34]
Qun i VNCH phi nh hai mt trn ln cng mt lc vi
tt c lc lng tinh nhu c trong tay: 17.000 qun H Lo v 21.000 qun Cam Bt hai ming
n qu ln c th nut v tiu ha cng mt lc. Nhng i din vi s nguy him thng trc m
CSBV t trc mt, qun i VNCH khng c chn la no khc hn l nh. Nguy him, cht, c
th tht bi, nhng phi nh.
Cui nm 1971 qun i Hoa K cn 139 ngn qun Vit Nam. Vi tt c trch nhim tc chin
giao li cho qun i VNCH, s thng vong ca Hoa K trong nm 1971 gim i rt nhiu so vi
nhng nm trc: vi 1.381 qun nhn t thng v 4.767 b thng. Nhng bn pha VNCH, tng
t nh li mt chnh tr gia M ni, d nhn kha cnh no, chng trnh Vit Nam ha ch l
mt k hoch thay i mu da ca t s. Nm 1971 mu da ca nhng t s chin trng Vit Nam
vng nhiu hn trng: nm qun lc VNCH c 22.738 t s. pha bn kia, CSVN c hn 98
ngn qun thit mng.
[35]


*

Sau khi cuc hnh qun Lam Sn 719 chm dt; sau khi nhng bo co kt qu hnh qun c
trnh ln bn giy ... Abrams vn cn bc tc vi ban tham mu, vi Khng lc 7, vi Qun on
XXIV v c vi chnh ng. Trong mt ln hp vi cc tng lnh MACV, Abrams noi bng gi l
ng thy i ny khi nhng g ng hay nhng s quan di quyn ng ha hn v khng gi vn li
ha. C ln, khi nghe mt trung tng k li chuyn ng ta bi ha vi trung tng Cao Tr ra
sao, tng Abrams thng cm v ng thi cng ni cho vin tng thuc h s kh chu khi ng
phi nhn lnh t Hoa Thnh n thc dc v p buc pha VNCH thc hin mt s k hoch m
Hoa Thnh n mun thc hin. Nhng cng cn hn, so vi nhng g ti thy i s Bunker b
[Hoa Thnh n] bt phi thng lng [vi VNCH], ng i tng tit l vi ngi s quan ph
t.
[36]

Ni v ngi M v chin tranh Vit Nam m khng ni cht g v i tng Creighton Williams
Abrams l mt iu thiu st. Abrams cng phc v Vit Nam mt khong thi gian nm nm nh
ngi tin nhim - v bn ng kha t trng v b West Point - l i tng William
Westmoreland. Nhng nu chng ta so snh hai ngi v t cch v chin thut chin lc p dng
trong cuc chin, Westmoreland v Abrams hon ton khc nhau.
Sanh nm 1914 ti Springfield, Massachutsettes, trong mt gia nh n. c theo hc v ra
trng v b West Point nm 1936 - kha ca nhng v sao - v chn binh chng Thit gip. Hai
mi by tui v mang i y khi Hoa K gia nhp th chin th II. ng ch huy mt Tiu on thit
gip v phc v di quyn ca tng Patton khi ng minh b ln chu u. Abrams c cp
trn ch khi Tiu on ca ng ph v ng giy ca c gii cu s on 101 Nhy d trn
Bastogne. Sau th chin th II, Abrams c mang lon i t thc th khi cn 30 tui. Trong chin
tranh i Hn, Abrams ln lc c chn lm tham mu trng cho ba Qun on tham chin
(Qun on I, IX, v X). Lm vic cc Qun on Abrams c dp phc v di quyn ca nhng
i tng c ting nh Maxwell Taylor, Bruce Clarke. Ln chun tng nm 1958 (mt trong ba s
quan ra trng nm 1936 ln tng u tin) khi ang phc v trng Thit gip Fort Knox; ri
ln thiu tng v c ch nh qua c coi s on 4 Thit gip. Tr v M phc v Ng Gic
i; c thng trung tng nm 1963 v tr qua c ln th hai lm t lnh Qun on V. Cha
y mt nm sau, Ng Gic i gi Abrams tr li M, gn thm mt sao na v c lm t lnh
T lnh Ph Lc qun - ng c chn trn u 45 s quan cp trung v i tng thm nin hn ng
cho chc v . Trong lc , ngi bn cng lp West Point vi ng, Westmoreland, l i
tng v mi va nhn chc t lnh MACV Vit Nam.
[37]
Thng 5 nm 1967, Abrams c c
qua Vit Nam lm t lnh ph cho Westmoreland. Mt nm sau, ng thay Westmoreland lm t lnh
MACV.
Nhn bn ngoi, Abrams v Westmoreland hon ton khc nhau: Westmoreland n bn chi chut,
tm tt; trong khi qun phc ca Abrams th rt l ph, nhn nhu. Mt k gi khi nhn thy ng n
bn, gi ng l mt ci ging ng cha dn ang ht x g. Sau lng ng, nhng ngi lnh
gi ng qua hn danh l ng thng s gi.
[38]
ng, l Creighton Williams Abrams. V tnh
tnh v li ch huy: Westmoreland mm mng, ngoi giao v bit du ngh, tnh cm ca mnh qua
li ni; trong khi Abrams th la ht, bng n nh mt ha dim sn khi chuyn xy ra khng va .
Nhng lnh di quyn thng v knh trng ng, v sau cn bng n ng bit h ging - v nu cn,
ni li xin li - nu nhn thy mnh i qu trn.
[39]

V chin thut, chin lc p dng vo cuc chin: Abrams v ngi t lnh tin nhim hon ton
khc nhau - khc nhau n Abrams thy rt kh khn v c n trong thi gian hn mt nm lm
t lnh ph cho Westmoreland. Tuy khng hp nhau v li nh nhng Abrams khng bao gi ln
ting phn i ngi t lnh ca mnh. Trong nhng lc tm s ring vi bn b ng cp, Abrams
ni ng phi trung thnh v ng h Westmoreland trong t cch l t lnh ph.
[40]
Nh ni qua,
chin thut v chin lc ca Westmoreland l truy lng v tiu dit; nh nhanh, nh mnh bng
nhng n v ch lc qun i Hoa K. T gia nm 1964 n u nm 1968, Westmoreland khng
ch tm n qun i VNCH trong ngha ng khng ch trng v cc phng din nh tn trang
v hin i ha v kh, hay t nng vn hun luyn qun i VNCH, hay quan trng cc k
hach bnh nh v bo v an ninh Nng thn. Nhng cuc hnh qun hn hp Vit M c thc
hin rt t di thi Westmoreland. i vi Westmoreland, cuc chin c qun tr v tin hnh bi
hai qun i ring bit ca Vit Nam v M.
Khi Abrams va ln thay Westmoreland, theo mt s quan cao cp k li, th chin thut v chin
lc ca cuc chin thay i trong vng 15 pht.
[41]
Chin thut ca Abrams khng ch trng vo
truy lng v trit tiu, m l to thanh v gi t; chin lc ca Abrams khng cn M nh theo
li M, Vit nh theo li Vit, m l mt cuc chin chung.
[42]
Abrams ngh nhiu cuc hnh
qun phi hp Vit M; cng nh ng mun nhng bo co hng tun v tnh hnh qun s phi ni
n tnh hnh v thit hi ca VNCH. Ngay t nhng bui hp u tin sau khi nhm chc, Abrams
quan tm n c cu hun luyn v v kh ca qun i VNCH. ng ni nu chng ta (ngi M)
mun qun i VNCH vng mnh chng li cng sn, th t ra phi trang b cho h ng mc
(ngha l c ha lc tng ng nh qun B binh M). Trong nhng bui hp Abrams thng
xuyn nhc tn n cc n v v s quan ca qun i VNCH, cho s quan tham mu nghe. V
Abrams thm ving cc n v Vit M ngoi mt trn thng xuyn, ng c kin thc rt tng tn
v chuyn xy ra ngoi mt trn. i khi ng tranh lun v s gii d ca s quan VNCH vi cc
thuc tng, khi nhng bnh phm ca h i ngc li s quan st ca ng.
[43]
V khi ni v ngi
dn min Nam Vit Nam, v s hy sinh ca h, Abrams khng ngn ngi ni trc mt cc s
quan cao cp l chnh ph Hoa K khng bao gi hiu c nhng hy sinh v au kh ngi dn v
chin s min Nam ang chu ng trong cuc chin ang xy ra.
[44]

Nhng cuc chin m Abrams nhn lnh trong nm nm cn li l mt cuc chin kh khn. Kh
khn trong ngha ng khng cn c nh trn theo nh ng mun. Kh khn trong ngha ng
phi nhn lnh nhim d thu dn chin trng ca ngi M v bn giao chin trng li cho qun
dn min Nam. Trong nhng nm cn li ca cuc chin, Abrams nhn nhng gng p m chnh
ph Hoa K ang c gng dn xp rt ra khi cuc chin; nhng b buc chnh tr, ti chnh, m
cp trn bt ng phi thi hnh... rit ri ng cng bung tay u hng, thi hnh theo ch th. Trong hai
nm 1970-71, thm quyn dn s Hoa Thnh n ving thm b t lnh MACV Si Gn thng
xuyn hn. Ving thm l ting lch s, tht ra thm quyn dn s n b t lnh thng bo ngn
qu b ct gim; chi ph cho cuc chin phi c gii hn. Nhng chi ph c gii hn n t n
Pho binh, phi v oanh tc chin thut v chin lc, hay n t nhng t rt qun chi ph cho mt
qun nhn M Vit Nam tn km hn ti lc a M. Nm 1970, khi ngn sch cho chin trng
Vit Nam b gim xung cn 11 t (so vi khong 30 t ca nm 1967-68), nhng gii chc dn
s b Lc qun vn mun MACV phi ct gim hn na ph hp vi ch th ca B quc
phng. Khi Abrams v MACV phn i l, chin trng h khng th no nh gic theo s gii
hn ca tin bc; hn na, h ct gim ti a ri... Nhng phn i ch phn i, lnh l lnh.
Abrams phi tm mi cch thi hnh.
[45]

Nu Westmoreland c nhng kh khn ca ng ta trong thi im 1964-1968 (b b tay vi ban
tham mu lin qun v Hoa Thnh n v chin thut chin lc cho cuc chin Vit Nam; phi i
u vi tnh hnh qun s v nhng cuc o chnh lin tc trong giai cp tng lnh VNCH; c
gng gin xp nhng xo trn chnh tr dn s/tn gio Vng I), th Abrams cng c nhng vn
nn trong nhng nm 1968-1972 khi ng nm quyn t lnh. Mt trong nhng kh khn m
Abrams phi i u Vit Nam khng nht thit thuc v phm vi qun s, m l tinh thn chin
u ca nhng ngi lnh di quyn ng. T sau nm 1969, tinh thn chin u ca qun i Hoa
K Vit Nam tht ra trn ton th gii khng cn na. T nn v qun phong qun k lan trn
nhiu n v: lnh tm cc m hi s quan v h s quan chuyn nghip; s quan quay mt lm ng vi
nhng qun nhn ba gai v ch mun lm cho xong nhim v c thuyn chuyn v hu c hay
v nc (s quan M c thuyn chuyn ra khi cc n v tc chin, v lm vic vn phng sau
su thng ngoi mt trn). Nhng nm k tip, 1970-1971, tnh trng bt tun qun lnh, bt tun
thng cp xy ra hng ngy; nn ht sch nghin ngp, v nn u gia cc ton lnh khc mu da
xy ra nh cm ba. Tinh thn tc chin v thc h v cuc chin ca cc binh s ( y chng ta
nhn mnh ch binh s l nhng tn binh hay lnh cp bc thp nht) Vit Nam cng ti t hn,
khi a s n t giai cp lao ng, tht hc, v tht nghip. M, trong thi gian chin tranh Vit
Nam ang xy ra, Nha ng vin Hoa K cng cho php nhiu hnh thc hon dch: hon dch v l
do gia cnh, hc vn, sc kho, hay ti nguyn quc gia (nhn vin quan trng trng trong c s no
). V vi mt l do ny hay l do n, gii trung lu v gii c ti sn u chy c mt l do
xin hon dch. Cui cng, a s tng lp b bt lnh, b a qua Vit Nam tham chin, l tng lp
thuc giai cp thp nht, khng cn li thot, hay c hi li tin thn trong x hi Hoa K. Ci nhn
ny khng nhng n t nhng nh x hi hc, m cn n t chnh ngi t lnh ca qun i Hoa
K ti Vit Nam. Mt ln, khi ni chuyn vi tng trng quc phng Melvin Laird v vn tng
ng vin, v vn qun dch, Abrams ni thng l, Ch c nhng cng dn M dt, ngho, v da
en, l nhng ngi c c hn hnh hy sinh cho t quc ca h Vit Nam.
[46]
ca Abrams
khng phi khinh mit; ca ng ch mun ni v khng c lnh tng ng vin cho cuc chin, nn
phn ln tn binh l tnh nguyn hoc b bt qun dch. Tn binh tnh nguyn th n t giai nm
trong hon cnh kh khn v kinh t; tn binh b bt qun dch th ch v h khng c c hi i hc
ln tip c hon dch v l do hc vn. ca Abrams l vy.
Mi nhn c b t lnh cha y mt nm, v trong khi chng trnh Vit Nam ha cn trong thi
k phi thai, Abrams thy Hoa Thnh n mun ng phi lm g trong thi gian ng cm cy
baton ch huy: phi tm mi cch gim thiu ti a thng vong ca qun i M. Vo hai tun
u tin ca thng 5-1969, mt l on Nhy d M bao vy mt trung on CSBV vng thung
lng A Shau, mt cao im c tn l Ni Ap Bia, gn bin gii Lo. Cc n v CSBV thng
vng c a ny chun b tp kch Hu v Nng. Trong mi mt ngy, Nhy d M bao vy
chung quanh,ch cho Pho binh v phi c oanh tc nt mc tiu trc khi tn cng nh chim nh
i. CSBV li gn 600 xc trong khi pha Hoa K ch c 70 t thng. Thng thng, vi kt qu
nh vy, trn nh l mt chin thng, nu khng ni l chin thng ln. Nhng vo ma xun 1969
Nixon va ln lm tng thng vi nhiu ha hn v cuc chin; v nhng phong tro phn chin
ang tm mi n lc m hoc ngi dn M chng li chin tranh Vit Nam tn tht nh vy
khng chp nhn c. Th l Bo ch v cc phong tro phn chin t tn cho trn l trn i
Tht Bm (Hamburger Hill) v phng i tn tht ca qun i M. Vi p lc ca cc t chc phn
chin, bo ch, v thm quyn dn s t ni a, b t lnh cc cp chin trng Vit Nam hiu
ngm l h phi tm mi cch gim thiu tn tht v nhn mng. Nhng chng mt thng, sau trn
nh Ni Ap Bia, b t MACV hiu r rng hn, Nixon trc tip ra lnh cho Abrams bng mi
gi, gim thiu ti a thng vong ca Hoa K trong cuc chin.
[47]

Trong nhng nm cn li ca chin tranh Vit Nam, Abrams b b tay nhiu hn ngi t lnh tin
nhim. Qun i M b rt i nhanh hn mun ca ng. V phn ln qun rt i l Lc qun, chin
trng Vit Nam by gi sng nh vo s ym tr ha lc ca Khng v Hi qun. Nhng hai qun
chng ny cng b gii hn bi chnh ngn qu ring ca h: h p ng nhu cu i hi ca Abrams
nhng theo gii hn c n nh sn t ngn qu ca mi qun chng. Ma xun nm 1972 khi
CSBV m cuc tng tn cng vo bn vng chin thut VNCH, di tay ca Abrams khng cn hn
39 ngn qun, l mt i tng Lc qun, Abrams bc tc nhn cuc phn cng c m nhim bi
hai qun chng Hi qun v Khng qun. C hiu c s cnh tranh v him t gia cc qun
chng trong qun i Hoa K th mi thy c s tc gin ca Abrams.
[48]
Cng trong nm 1972,
Abrams khng c quyn tc chin theo kinh nghim qun s ca ng, m phi nh gic theo
chiu hng ca nhng k hoch chnh tr rt ngy th n t ta Bch c. Trong chin dch di
bom Linebacker t u (Linebacker I) t thng 5 n cui thng 6-1972, Nixon mun dng tt c
B-52 va huy hip min Bc, va trng pht CSBV v cuc tng tn cng Min Nam, va uy
hip h tr li bn hi ngh. Cng trong thi gian , vo trung tun thng 5 Kontum, sau khi cc
cn c ha lc pha nam v bc Tn Cnh, V nh, b tht th, CSBV dn tt c lc nh bc
Dakto, ri tin thng v Kontum. Thy tnh th nguy ngp, Abrams ra lnh triu hi mt s phi c B-
52 ang c ch nh cho cc mc tiu min Bc, thay i phi v bo v Kontum. Nh nhng
phi v B-52 ny, nhng n v ca s on 320 CSBV b chn ng trc khi h c th tp trung
qun trn ngp Kontum. Khi nghe tin, Nixon rt nng gin, ni rng ng cn tt c B-52 di bom
Bc Vit to mt p lc cho CSBV s v tr li thng lng thnh tht hn. Abrams tr li,
nu mt Kontum th tt c nhng hi m chnh tr s khng cn ngha na. Sau ny, c tin n
ni Nixon ght Abrams t .
[49]

Nhng bui chiu sau gi lm vic, Abrams tr v cn nh tin ch l mt ci trailer, t bn cnh
b t lnh MACV, bn trong phi trng Tn Sn Nht. ng nghe nhc ha tu tht ln v ung
ru ti khuya. ng gii thch cho mt ngi bn thn n thm l, ng gii tr nh vy lm du
cn nhc u v hng ngy phi c nhng ch th v qun lnh ngc ngo ng nhn t Hoa Thnh
n v cuc chin ng ang ch huy.
[50]

Ri Vit Nam vo cui thng 6-1972, Abrams c c vo chc T lnh Lc qun. ng cht tr;
cht v bnh ung th vo nm 60 tui trong khi ang ti chc. Abrams c ba ngi con l s quan;
hai ngi phc v chin trng Vit Nam. Ngi con c gii ng vi cp bc chun tng;
ngi k l i tng; ngi cn li l mt i t hin dch. Mt ln, c ngi hi ngi con c l
ng ngh sao nu c ngi ni l ra i tng Abrams xng ng hn cho mt cuc chin khc, tt
v kh hn. Ba ti khng ngh nh vy, Ngi con tr li ngay, ba ti ngh chnh ngi dn min
Nam Vit Nam mi xng ng [nhn s gip ca Hoa K v ca thn ph ng].
[51]


[1]
H.R. Haldeman, The Haldeman Diaries, trang 225-226, 239. Haldeman vit trong nht k, ngy 21
thng 12-1970, Henry Kissinger mun gp ring Nixon bn v k hoch nh qua Lo. Cng theo
Haldeman, Kissinger ni ng ta c hn vi tng trng quc phng Laird v tham mu trng lin
qun Thomas Moorer vo ngy k tip bn lun v k hoch . Su ngy trc (ngy 15),
Kissinger ni cho Haldeman nghe s qua nhng g ng ta lp li vo ngy 21.
[2]
Theo Seymour Hersh trong The Price of Power, trang 308, k hoch do Alexander Haig ngh v
hoch tho. Ai ngh th khng chc chn, nhng c mt iu chc chn l k hoch n t pha
dn s ta Bch c ch khng xut pht t gii qun s. Trong nht k ca Haldeman, tc gi ni
r Kissinger mun ni chuyn (v k hoch nh qua H Lo) vi Tng trng Quc phng Melvin
Laird v tham mu trng lin qun Thomas Moorer trc mt Tng thng Nixon, v Kissinger
mun Tng thng trc tip ra lnh, v h [pha qun s] s khng thi hnh v khng c lnh trc
tip t tng thng. Haldeman Diaries, trang 224. Ring tng Haig th ni trong hi k l, Ng
Gic i son tho k hoch hnh qun qua s thc dc ca Nixon v Kissinger. c, Alexander
Haig, Inner Circles, trang 273.
[3]
Coi tt c nhn xt ca Kissinger v cuc hnh qun qua Lo trong, Kissinger, White House Years,
trang 987-1010. Vi nhn cch lun lun ph nhn khi cn chy ti, Kissinger khng ngh l qua hai
ln ni chuyn (bng ming, khc vi vn th, v d chi hn) vi Haldeman, nhng g Kissinger
ni v k hoch nh qua Lo c Haldeman ghi li trong nht k. V Kissinger cng khng
ng ngi ph t quan trng l Alexander Haig cng s vit li chuyn trong cun hi k ca ng
ta. Nhng ti liu gii mt sau ny (m chng ta s ln lt a ra) cho thy Kissinger l ngi tham
d, nu khng ni hoch nh k hoch t u.
[4]
V cc ngh nh qua Lo ct t ng tip t v xm nhp vo nam, c, William
Westmoreland, A Sodier Reports, trang 431; Lewis Sorley, A Better War, trang 229; v, Cao Vn
Vin, Nhng Ngy Cui ca Vit Nam Cng Ha, trang 288. K hoch thit lp phng tuyn t
ng H sang Savannakhet ca Lc Qun c Robert Buzzanco ch trong Masters of War, trang
171.l ngi tham d, nu khng ni hoch nh k hoch t u.
[5]
James H. Willbanks, sd, trang 96-97.
[6]
Cn c theo v suy lun t mt s t ti liu c gii mt lin h n k hoch hnh qun nh
qua Lo, chng ta bit b T lnh MACV nhn c lnh son tho cuc hnh qun t nht l t
ngy 28 thng 11-1970. Trong bui hp Cp nht Tin tc Tnh bo hng tun (Weekly Intelligence
Updates) MACV ngy th By, 28 thng 11, trung tng Fred Weyand ngi ch ta thay cho i
tng Abrams vng mt, c ni mt cch p m v k hoch hnh qun qua Lo khi ng ni vi cc
s quan c mt l tng Abrams sp gp tng Vin ni chuyn, v, bng cch ny hay cch n,
chng ta phi ni chuyn vi ng ta [i tng Vin] v chin lc ny. Hoa Thnh n giao trch
nhim ny cho chng ta v k hoch phi c bn tho vi chnh ph VNCH. (chin lc vit ch
nghing l nguyn tc ca tc gi Lewis Sorley). c, Sorley, A Better War, trang 230. Tuy nhin
trong The Abrams Tapes (nhng cun bng thu li cc bui hp hng tun ca MACV do Abrams
ch ta, t nm 1968 n nm 1972) ca cng tc gi, Sorley ch ghi li ni dung ca tun l 7 v 21,
khng ni n (hay khng c ni n) hai tun l 14 v 28. iu ny cho thy ni dung bui hp
ca hai tun 17 v 28 vn cha c gii mt (tt c cc bui hp Cp nht Tin tc Tnh bo hng
tun xy ra cc ngy th By trong thng). Nhng ba ngy sau, ngy 1 thng 12-1970, trong bui
hp ca cc s quan cao cp MACV, vi s c mt ca i tng Abrams, chng ta c c li m
u ca thuyt trnh vin (chun tng William E. Potts) nhc i tng Abrams l, chun b
cho cuc gp mt vo bui tra ny gia i tng v i tng Vin, chng ta s bt u bui hp
ni v cc cuc oanh kch v lu lng xm nhp ca nhng on xe chuyn vn [ca CSBV H
Lo]. c Sorley, The Abrams Tapes, trang 502-507. V tnh cch ti mt ca nhng bui hp,
trong phn gii thiu v quyn The Abrams Tapes, tc gi Sorley ni r l mt s ln ni dung ca
cc bui hp vn cha c gii mt (trang XXII, sd). Nh vy chng ta c th suy lun, ni dung
cc tho lun c lin h n k hoch cuc hnh qun qua Lo vn cha c cc c quan thm
quyn gii mt.
[7]
Sorley, A Better War, trang 234.
[8]
Willbanks, sd, trang 97; Sorley, A Better War, trang 234. n y th chng ta thy r rng nhng
g Kissinger ni vi Haldeman ta Bch c ngy 15 v 21 thng 12-1970, ch l nhng li ni x
giao gi b mt k hoch hnh qun qua Lo.
[9]
Seymour, sd, trang 309.
[10]
Davidson, sd, trang 641; Willbanks, sd, trang 98-99.
[11]
Ni dung nhng in tn gi cho cc binh trm c thng bo trong cc bui hp Cp nht Tin
tc Tnh bo hng tun B T lnh MACV. c, Sorley, The Abrams Tapes, trang 428, 433, 525,
599. Thng tng Nguyn Hu An, trong Chin Trng Mi, trang 103-105, c ni v nhng d b
phng h cuc tn cng qua bin gii ca qun lc VNCH. Tng An ni ng ch thn i quan
st a hnh vng Lao Bo, Lang Vei, nm st bin gii Lo. B T lnh cp qun on 70B (cn
c gi l b T lnh mt trn ng 9-Nam Lo) do L Trng Tn lm T lnh, Cao Vn Khnh
v ng S Nguyn, T lnh ph. Di quyn iu ng ca 70B l cc s on 304, 308 v 320,
cng vi tt c binh trm v lc lng phng khng Nam Lo. Thiu tng Nguyn Duy Hinh
trong Lam Son 719 (xut bn nm 1979), trang 25, c lit k mt s n v CSBV chung quanh
khu vc hnh qun va vo tin tc tnh bo ca VNCH v nhng g Hoa K cung cp. Nhng tin tc
kh chnh xc so vi ti liu gii mt sau ny. c, Sorley, trch trn. Mt trong nhiu binh trm
c in tn b tnh bo M c c l binh trm 9, 27, 33, v 44. V v tr cc binh trm, c, V
Bm, ng S Nguyn, Nguyn Vit Phng, ng v thnh ph mang tn Bc, H Ni: Qun i
Nhn Dn, 2005, trang 566-576.
[12]
B T lnh Qun on XXIV ca Hoa K l lc lng chnh h tr cuc hnh qun, gm c cc
n v trc thng vn ti v v trang; thit k; cng binh; pho binh; v c gii. Khng qun t
Khng lc 7 (7th Air Force) s ym tr oanh tc chin thut v chin lc. V cp s cc n v Hoa
K h tr cuc hnh qun, c, thiu tng Nguyn Duy Hinh, Lam Son 719, Appendix B, trang
175.
[13]
Cn bn k hoch hnh qun nm trong, thiu tng Nguyn Duy Hinh, Lam Son 719, trang 32-
39. Cp s hnh qun trong thi gian son tho l cc n v, s on Nhy d; hai trung on 1 v 3
ca s on 1 B binh; ba Tiu on 21, 37 v 39 ca lin on 1 BQ; hai thit on 11 v 17 ca
l on 1 thit k; Tiu on 44 pho binh; v Tiu on 101 cng binh. Hai l on TQLC nm tr
b Khe sanh l l on 147 v 258.
[14]
Trng Duy Hy, T th cn c ha lc 30 H Lo, trang 15-16. Mt vi chi tit rt khi hi v
vn bo mt trong cuc hnh qun Lam Sn 719: Cho n ngy 30 thng 1, i tng Abrams
MACV vn cng quyt khng tit l cho bo ch bit c hay khng mt cuc tn cng qua Lo, khi
ng nhn c in tn t Hoa Thnh n hi nn cho bo ch v c quan truyn thng bit c
cha. c, The Abrams Tapes, trang 252; The Haldeman Diaries, trang 241. Nhng theo i y
Trng Duy Hy, mt s quan pho binh tham d cuc hnh qun, ngy 25 thng 1 ng c gi
v tham d bui thuyt trnh hnh qun b ch huy Tiu on. Nh vy, phn ln cc n v
Vng I bit trc (v thn nhn h cng nghe ni) l h s i hnh qun qua Lo sau Tt Tn Hi
(1971). Nm 1971, mng 1 Tt l ngy 27-1-1971. Trong khi mt vi n v khc, tin tc hnh
qun li c gi rt k: khi b T lnh Tip vn vng I nhn c lnh hnh qun th h khng c
th gi sa son cho n v h. Nguyn Duy Hinh, sd, trang 47.
[15]
Hai ngy 4 v 5 tri ma v my thp, khng qun Hoa K khng th dn bi v ym tr. Ngy 5
v 6 thi tit kh hn v tng Lm ra lnh tin qun. Nhng khi pha VNCH yu cu trc thng v
trang bay ym tr trc khi h bng qua bin gii, qun on XXIV tr li l lut hnh qun ca
MAVC cm khng cho bt c n v no ca Hoa K bng qua bin gii trc cc n v VNCH.
Cng trong ngy 6, phn lc c ca Hi qun nh lm vo mt im tp trung qun ca lnh D v
Thit k gn bin gii, lm su qun nhn t thng v 51 b thng. Ngy 8, hai B T lnh ng
l Nhy d s gi mt ton qun qua bin gii trc, v lin sau Khng k Hoa K s lp tc theo
sau. c Nguyn Duy Hinh, sd, trang 63-64.
[16]
Theo Lch s Qun i Nhn dn, quyn 2, trang 374, lc lng ang c mt l nm S on b
binh 308, 304, 320, 324, v 2; hai Trung on bit lp 27 v, 278; tm Trung on pho binh; ba
Trung on cng binh; ba Tiu on chin xa; su Trung on phng khng; tm Tiu on c
cng; v mt s s lnh hu cn ca cc binh trm trong vng. S qun 22 ngn trong thi gian u l
k lun nm ngn qun Lo Cng c mt gn . c, Davidson, sd, trang 644. Ngy 19 thng 2
(ngy th 11 ca cuc hnh qun), MACV loan bo CSBV c 12 Trung on b binh (tng ng
bn S on) ang t li vng hnh qun. l cha k cc n v chin xa, phng khng, hu cn,
hay c cng, i km vi 12 Trung on b binh. Sorley, The Abrams Tapes, trang 537.
[17]
Sorley, The Abrams Tapes, trang 533; Donn A. Starry, Mounted Combat in Vietnam, trang 191.
[18]
i tng Donn A. Starry, sd, trang 172, cc ch 4.
[19]
B T lnh Khng qun Thi Bnh Dng, Lam Son 719: January 30-March 24, 1971 (Project
CHECO), trang 18, 34. Ti liu do B T lnh Khng qun Thi Bnh Dng (Headquarters Pacific
Air Forces) son, da vo ti liu hnh qun v bo co chin trng nhn c t MACV v Khng
Lc 7).
[20]
Thiu tng Nguyn Duy Hinh, sd, trang 74, 79.
[21]
Sorley, sd, trang 535-536.
[22]
Nguyn Duy Hinh, sd, trang 79-80; James H. Willbanks, sd, trang 107. CSBV p o c hai
cn c Ranger North (Tiu on 39) v Ranger South (Tiu on 21) l chuyn phi xy ra. V trc
mt Ranger South vi cy s l b T lnh ca s on 308, vi ba Trung on 102, 36, v 88. c,
Nguyn Hu An, sd, trang 109.
[23]
Tc phm ca i y Trng Duy Hy, trang 96-236, t trn chin t khi cn c ha lc 31 b trn
ngp cho n khi cn c 30 c Lnh di tn bng ng b.
[24]
Nguyn Duy Hinh, sd, trang 89-90.
[25]
c, Nguyn Duy Hinh, sd, trang 96-104, v l do, quyt nh, v k hoch rt qun.
[26]
Tiu on 4, trung on 1/s on 1, vi nhim v bo v cho nhng Tiu on bn i trc,
nh mt trn th hng m ng mu rt qun. Hai s quan Tiu on trng v ph u t trn.
Tiu on ch cn 82 ngi khi v c ni an ton. Nhng trong trn nh pha ng nam
Tchepone ny, CSBV li hn 1.000 xc cht, phn ln b phi c oanh kch. V nhng chin
u ho hng, dng cm, ca cc qun nhn thuc S on 1 B binh, c, Nguyn Duy Hinh, sd,
trang 104-108; Phm Hun, Trn H Lo 1971, trang 98-105. Ti b T lnh MACV, ngy 25 thng
3, i tng Abrams cng nhc li s anh dng ca cc Tiu on b binh v BQ trong bui hp
ban tham mu. c, Sorley, sd, trang 569-570.
[27]
Chi tit v thit hi nhn s v qun nhu dng i bn c lit k trong, Nguyn Duy Hinh, sd,
trang 128-133. VNCH cng b CSBV c khong 13 ngn qun t thng; trong khi bn tng trnh
ca Qun on XXIV ghi 19 ngn, k lun s t thng v bom ca B-52. Con s 16 ngn qun
CSBV t thng ngi vit dng, n t tin tnh bo ca MAVC. Ngy 5 thng 6-71, MACV cho
bit mt c vn qun s Ba Lan Vn Tng cho bit Bc Vit b thit hi rt nng trong trn H
Lo; tin t Nga v ng u cng cho bit tng t. Mt ngun tin tnh bo khc ni, vi vin chc
ca Bc Vit cho bit chnh xc s t thng ca qun i CSBV H Lo l 16.224 ngi. c,
Sorley, sd, trang 635. Pha Hoa K c 215 t thng, 1149 b thng v 38 mt tch (s thng
vong tnh lun cc n v h tr bn ny bin gii).
[28]
Trng Duy Hy, sd, trang 53; Nguyn Duy Hinh, sd, trang 88.
[29]
Trng hp mt lin lc hoc lin lc chm xy ra cho S on Nhy d, v t c th a
n s tht th ca b ch huy L on 3 D cn c ha lc (i) 31. Trong khi , b ch huy
Tiu on 2 D ng cn c ha lc 30, sau hai ngy khng c tip t nc v n, khng lin
lc c vi c vn, hay b T lnh s on m v trong tay ang c gn 200 thng vong, nh
mt in vn trn h thng truyn tin chung, xin cc phi c nhn li vi thm quyn l h phi di
tn v khng cn lng thc, n dc chin u. Hai ngy sau, i tng Abrams gii nhim v
i t c vn s on D (i t William Pence) v a mt i t khc v thay (i t James
Vaught). Abrams t mt tn nhim trung tng Sutherland khi ng hi Sutherland c thy phin
phc khi i t Vaught ch thi hnh trc tip ch th n t ng m thi. Abrams cng bt mn v
ch trch trung tng William McCaffrey, T lnh ph MACV, v ang thay Abrams i din b
T lnh tin phng ch huy trng s on 101 Nhy d. Sorley, The Abrams Tapes, trang 544-
546; A Better War, trang 243-260. V bn truyn tin ca Tiu on 2 Nhy d, c Project CHECO,
Lam Son 719, trang 128.
[30]
Phm Hun, trong, Trn H Lo 1971, trang 136, c thut li cuc i thoi ca tc gi vi tng
D Quc ng Khe Sanh. Sau tc gi trnh bi s kh khn hay lng cng ca Nhy d vis a
vis k hoch hnh qun v ym tr n t pha Hoa K cho ph tng thng (lc cn l thng
ngh s) Trn Vn Hng nghe. Ngy 28, 2-1971, ph tng thng Hng hp bo v cng khai trnh
by nhng thiu st n t pha Hoa K. Cuc hp bo ca ph tng thng Hng nh thc B
T lnh MACV v nhng sai lm ca h.
[31]
Vi bo co ca cuc hnh qun gi v cho Kissinger hng ngy, khi thy cuc hnh qun c
nhng bin chuyn bt li, thm vo l s vng mt ca Abrams Saigon, trong mt bui hp vi
Nixon ta Bch c ngy 23 thng 3, Kissinger ni vi Nixon: Ti ngh cuc thnh qun ny l
mt thnh qu quan trng, d vi nhiu h hng [trong vn ch huy v iu khin cuc hnh
qun]. Ti mun ni thng vi tng thng l ... chnh ngui ca chng ta lm cho chng ta tht
vng ch khng phi [qun i] VNCH. H [cc thm quyn qun s M] lm chng ta tht vng
ngay trong ba tun l u tin [ca cuc hnh qun], ri h cn bo cc vi tng thng l ti xen vo
k hoch ca h qu nhiu. Tip theo, Kissinger ni v tng Abrams: Tri i, Abrams i thm
gia nh bn Thi Lan hng tun, trong khi chng ta t tt c vo chuyn ny [cuc hnh qun nh
qua Lo]. ... Ri by gi Abrams bt u ung ru t gia tra. Ti ngh rt k, chng ta phi quyt
nh coi c nn thay ng ta hay khng. Trch theo Deb Riechmann, AP Press, 10-6-1999, bi bo
vit v ni dung nhng ti liu v bng thu m t ta Bch c do, National Archives gii mt v
cng b vo nm 1999. Trong hi k Inner Circles, trang 275-276, i tng Haig (lc mang lon
chun tng, lm ph t cho Kissinger) ni Nixon gi ng vo phng, khng gii thch g, ra lnh
cho ng, V nh chun b hnh l, ri ln chuyn bay sm nht qua Saigon, thay th Abrams
lm T lnh MACV. Nhng Haig dng li l hp l lm du cn gin ca Nixon. Ngy hm sau
Nixon ra lnh cho Haig bay qua Saigon duyt xt tnh hnh cuc hnh qun H Lo. Trong
nhng trang trch dn trn, Haig cng vit kin ca ng v nhng khuyt im ca cuc hnh
qun .
[32]
Cp s mt s on Hoa K (12-14 ngn qun) ng hn cp s ca s on VNCH (10-12
ngn). Bn qun binh chng, Hi, Lc, Khng qun v TQLC Hoa K u c khng lc c hu
ring ca h.
[33]
James Willbanks, sd, trang 107. Phm Hun, Trn H Lo 1971, trang 98-105.
[34]
Jeffrey Clarke, Advice and Support: The Final Years, 1965-1973, trang 354. Nhng li lu ca
v c b Tng trng quc phng Melvin Laird ph quyt.
[35]
S thng vong hai bn, ngi vit ly trong ti liu gii mt nm 1980, c cng b t Phng
Gim c Tnh bo Quc Ngoi/ Ph t T lnh Lc qun/Tnh bo. Ti liu ny c trch ng li
trong, Jeffrey Clarke, sd, trang 275.
[36]
Sorley, A Better War, trang 237; The Abrams Tapes, trang 565. i tng Abrams th l vi trung
tng Michael Davison, T lnh Qun on II D chin, khi nghe ng trung tng ni, Mnh
a h vo ch , ri mnh li ko tm thm di chn h [ h ht chn]. Ti c ni vi tng
[ Cao] Tr l, ti thy k qu, trung tng. Chng ta khng hiu chuyn a h vo ch l
chuyn g, nhng c th y m ch cuc hnh qun nh qua Cam Bt hay Lo. Davison l T
lnh Qun on II D chin (qun on Hoa K nm km theo Qun on III ca VNCH) nm 1971-
1972.
[37]
Sorley, Thunderbolt: General Creighton Abrams and the Army of His Times, trang 179. V truyn
i ca Abrams, ngi vit da theo tc phm ni trn ca Sorley. Trong t chc qun i Hoa K,
c chn lm T lnh hay T lnh ph qun chng (Lc qun, Hi qun, hay Khng qun...) l mt
hnh din tuyt i trong binh nghip ca mt qun nhn, nhng khng hn phi l mt nhim s
cc cp tng lnh mong mun. Nhim s m cc tng lnh mong mun l cc b T lnh Hn hp
nh Thi Bnh Dng, NATO, MACV, L qun Th 8 i Hn, B T lnh Trung . ... Rt nhiu
v T lnh Lc qun, sau khi ht nhim s, vn xin c ti b nhim nhng b T lnh ni trn.
Khi tr thnh T lnh mt qun chng, trch nhim ca v tng phn ln ch l hnh chnh, v
nhng hot ng hng ngy rt g b Ng Gic i.
[38]
Davidson, Vietnam at War, trang 583.
[39]
Bruce Palmer, The 25-Year War: America s Military Role in Vietnam, trang 69, 133, 134. i
tng Palmer l bn cng kha vi Westmoreland v Abrams; cng tng gi chc T lnh ph
MACV di quyn Westmoreland v Abrams; T lnh ph Lc qun, v trong mt thi gian ngn,
nhim chc T lnh Lc qun. Trung tng Phillip B. Davidson, trong, Vietnam at War, trang 579-
580, cng c nhiu nhn xt su m v tnh tnh ca Abrams. Davidson l s quan tnh bo ca
MACV, lm vic di quyn Abrams gn mt nm. Mt th d khc v tnh tnh ca Abrams trong,
Sorley, Thunderbolt, trang, 145-146.
[40]
Sorley, Thunderbolt, trang 199; A Better War, trang 10-11.
[41]
Sorley, Thunderbolt, trang 232. Ngi ni cu l i tng Frederick Weyand, T lnh ph
MACV, v sau cng tr thnh T lnh Lc qun.
[42]
To thanh v gi t, v Mt cuc chin chung l Clear and hold, v One war trong chin
thut, chin lc ca Abrams. Shelby Stanton, The Rise and Fall of an American Army, trang 283-
284; Sorley, Thunderbolt, 237-241.
[43]
Khi bn v cuc hnh qun nh qua Cam Bt 1970, Abrams tuyn b vi ban tham mu l tng
Nguyn Vit Thanh son tho v hnh qun nhanh n ng lm cho cc n v Hoa K ang
tham d chung c cm tng cnh qun ca h di chuyn chm nh nhng con voi. Mt ln khc,
Abrams chnh mt s quan cp tng khi ngi c kin sai lc v kinh nghim qun s v li
lm Vic ca i t Nguyn B Lin. Thiu tng Thanh (T lnh qun on III) v c chun tng
Lin (sau khi ri binh chng TQLC, lm T lnh Bit khu 24, Vng II) u b t nn trc thng
trong nm 1970 v 1969. c, Sorley, The Abrams Tapes, trang 83-84; 418-419.
[44]
Sorley, The Abrams Tapes, trang 565.
[45]
B trng Lc Qun Stanley Resor bn v vn gim thiu chi ph vi MACV ti Saigon ngy
29 thng 6-1971, trong, Sorley, The Abrams Tapes, trang 445. Lnh Vit Nam tn km hn ni
a M v h trang b nhiu hn v c hng nhiu ph cp khc nh ph cp tc chin. Trong
nm 1970-71, phi v v phi pho ca Hi qun (cc lc lng ng ngoi khi Vit Nam) b gim
thiu t 20 n 30% hng thng. Khng qun thng thng bay t 28 n 30 ngn phi v oanh kch
hng thng, nay b gim li cn chng 14 ngn. c, Sorley, sd, trang 495.
[46]
Sorley, Thunderbolt, trang 183. chng 12, Tinh thn ngi M trong cuc chin, chng ta s
ni su hn v vn bt bnh ng trong ch qun dch ca Hoa K trong chin tranh Vit Nam.
[47]
Ray L. Bowers, The United States Air Force in Southeast Asia: Tactical Airlift, trang 467. Cng
theo Bowers, sau , ngy 28 thng 7-1969, Tng trng Quc phng Laird cng gi cho Ban tham
mu lin qun mt hun lnh c ni dung tng t nh hun Lnh ca Nixon. Op. cit., ibid., trang
777, ph ch s 1. V chi tit ca trn Ap Bia Mountian/Hamburger Hill, c, trung tng E.M.
Flanagan, The Rakkasans: The Combat History of the 187th Airborne Infantry, trang 283-302. Mt
trong nhng s phng i ca gii bo ch phn chin l, tun bo Life, s ra ngy 27 thng -1969, c
ng hnh 241 qun nhn t thng trn ton ci chin trng Vit Nam trong mt tun trc, nhng
ch l tn tht ca trn Ap Bia Mountain. Con s tn tht chnh thc ca trn nh l 70 cht v
372 b thng. Trung on 187 Nhy d Tc chin c ngun gc t Glider Infrantry, ca s on
11 Nhy d vo nh th chin, chuyn ph trch mt trn chu. Tiu on 3, trung on 187 l
n v nh chim ngn i Ap Bia. L do bo ch ni nhiu v trung on 187 v y l mt trung
on thin chin do Westmoreland ch huy trong chin tranh i Hn. Trung tng Flanagan, lc
chin trng Vit Nam, l trng phng Hun luyn ca MACV. Ngi ch trch kch lit v tn tht
trn Ap Bia l thng ngh s Edward Kennedy, mt lnh t phn chin quc hi M cho n ngy
sau cng ca cuc chin.
[48]
Mt vi th d v nhng b buc lm Abrams bc tc: Khng qun ch c thm quyn cung cp
mt s phi v hng thng, khi MACV xi ht s phi v n nh, khng qun khng th cung cp
thm c. ng thi, c mt s mc tiu d Abrams mun nhng khng qun khng c quyn
oanh tc. Mi bn thng MACV phi xin Hoa Thnh n gia hn thm quyn di bom vo cc mc
tiu ngoi lnh th Nam Vit Nam v khong gia v tuyn 17-20. Khng lc 7 tuy nm di quyn
v c nhim v h tr MACV nhng vn phi xin thm quyn t b T lnh gc, nht l nhng phi
v n t b T lnh Khng qun Chin lc (B-52). c Sorley, Abrams Tapes, trang 385, 591,
654; A Better War, trang 331-316. Trong cao im ca trn Ma h la 1972, khng cn qun
tc chin b binh trong tay, Abrams phi ty thuc vo ha lc ca khng qun v hi qun. Abrams
ni trn li nh khi mt s chin nh ri v tr ym tr ca h ngoi duyn hi Vit Nam m
khng cho ng bit l do. Hi ra th mi bit h c Lnh t Ng Gic i ri v tr i ym tr
cho cc chin nh khc ang hnh qun th ng li phong ta cc ca khu dn vo Hi Phng v
H Ni. B T lnh Hi qun v B T lnh Thi Bnh Dng... qun thng bo cho MACV v k
hoch ca h. Trc khi tng trng quc phng Laird gi Abrams xin li v s s h ,
Abrams chi tan nt qun chng Hi qun trc mt nhiu s quan v nhn vin cao cp ca Hi
qun v B Quc phng. c, Sorley, Thunderbolt, trang, 323-325.
[49]
Willbanks, sd, trang,141,147; Sorley, Thunderbolt, 326.
[50]
i tng Bruce Palmer, The 25-Year War, trang, 133-135.
[51]
Sorley, The Abrams Tapes, trang XV. Cu ni nguyn tc n t k gi Robert Shaplen, General
Abrams deserves a better war. K gi Kelvin P. Buckley, trong tp ch ph bn The New York
Times Magazine, ngy 5 thng 10-1969, c vit mt bi v Abrams vi ta tng t. ca
Buckley v Shaplen, khi ni v mt cuc chin tt hn, kh hn, l mt cuc chin khng b gii hn
v chnh tr, mt chin tranh vi ch ch duy nht l nh hy dit di phng m khng cn
quan tm v nhng p lc khc. D nhin chin tranh Vit Nam khng nm trong phm tr .
Buckey v Shaplen, nht l Shaplen, l hai k gi c nh hng nhiu vi c gi M. Thn ph ca
Buckley, William F. Buckley, l mt trong nhng ting ni quan trng ca khi bo th ng Cng
Ha trong thp nin 1960-70.

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