George J. Veith - Drawn Swords in a Distant Land: South Vietnams Shattered Dreams

DRAWN SWORDS IN A DISTANT LAND

2021 by George J. Veith

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First American edition published in 2021 by Encounter Books, an activity of Encounter for Culture and Education, Inc., a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation. Encounter Books website address: www.encounterbooks.com

Manufactured in the United States and printed on acid-free paper. The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of ANSI/NISO Z39.481992 (R 1997) (Permanence of Paper).

FIRST AMERICAN EDITION

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA

Names: Veith, George J., 1957 author.

Title: Drawn swords in a distant land : South Vietnams Shattered Dreams by George J. Veith.

Description: First American edition. | New York : Encounter Books, 2021. Includes bibliographical references and index. |

Identifiers: LCCN 2020039074 (print) | LCCN 2020039075 (ebook) ISBN 9781641771726 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781641771733 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Vietnam (Republic)History. | Nguyn, Vn Thiu, 1923-2001. | Vietnam War, 1961-1975. Vietnam (Republic)Politics and government.

Classification: LCC DS556.9 .V45 2021 (print)

LCC DS556.9 (ebook) DDC 959.7/7043dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020039074

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020039075

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020008204

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020008205

Interior page design and typesetting by Bruce Leckie

For my children:
Analiese, Austin, Allegra, and Adia, the lights of my life

CONTENTS

Minister of the Economy Pham Kim Ngoc. Photo courtesy of Pham Kim Ngoc

Independence Palace. Photo courtesy of Hoang Song Liem

The author and Mrs. Nguyen Van Thieu, March 2013. Photo courtesy of George J. Veith

Tran Quang Minh inspecting miracle rice in Long Khanh province, 1973. Photo courtesy of Tran Quang Minh

Infantry Lieutenant Nguyen Van Thieu after graduating from the staff course in Hanoi, September 1952. Photo attached to his official French transcript. Photo courtesy of the Vanuxem family

Ngo Dinh Nhu and his family at the Le Van Kim residence in Dalat in 1949. Photo courtesy of Le Van Minh

Bao Dai in Dalat in December 1949. Photo courtesy of Le Van Minh

Pham Duy Tat shortly after being promoted to Brigadier General. Photo courtesy of Pham Duy Tat

PAVN 122mm artillery captured in Quang Tri province, 1972. Photo courtesy of Nguyen Thu Luong

Lieutenant General Cao Van Vien, probably in 1965. Photo courtesy of Ly Thanh Tam

Tran Van Huong, Nguyen Van Thieu, and Major General Lu Lan, Pacification Conference, II Corps, 1969. Photo courtesy of Lu Lan

Campaign poster for the 1967 Thieu/Ky ticket. Photo courtesy of George J. Veith

Official portrait of President Nguyen Van Thieu after the presidential election of 1967. Photo courtesy of George J. Veith

Change of Command ceremony in I Corps, May 1972. From left to right: Major General Ngo Quang Truong, Lieutenant General Hoan Xuan Lam, General Cao Van Vien. Photo courtesy of Ly Thanh Tam

This is a copy of Thieus handwritten official request to be allowed to leave Vietnam for Taiwan, and the approval given by Huong. The English translation is on the opposite page. Documents courtesy of Nguyen Tan Phan; translation by Merle Pribbenow

This was Huongs handwritten response. Courtesy of Nguyen Tan Phan; translation by Merle Pribbenow

Thieu and retired French general Paul Vanuxem visit the An Loc battlefield on July 7, 1972. Photo courtesy of Ly Thanh Tam