The Vietnam War from the Other Side: The Vietnamese Communists' Perspective [1 ed.] 0700716157, 9780700716159

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The Vietnam War from the Other Side

The Vietnam War from the Other Side The Vietnamese Communists' Perspective

ANG CHENG GUAN

First Published in 2002 by RoutledgeCurzon 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by RoutledgeCurzon 270 Madison Ave, New York NY 10016

RoutledgeCurzon is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group Transferred to Digital Printing 2006

© 2002 Ang Cheng Guan Typeset in Goudy by LaserScript Ltd, Mitcham, Surrey All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data A catalog record for this book has been requested ISBN10: 0-7007-1615-7 (hbk) ISBN 10: 0-415-40620-X (pbk) ISBN13: 978-0-7007-1615-9 (hbk) ISBN13: 978-0-415-40620-8 (pbk)

In memory of Ralph Smith

Contents

Maps Indo-China: South Vietnam's main towns, railways and roads xi North and South Vietnam's provinces xii South Vietnam's major war zones and battles xiii

Introduction

1 Prelude to the Armed Struggle The 6th Plenary Session of the Lao Dong Party Le Duan's 14-point plan Le Duan's thesis: 'The road to the South' 2nd Conference of the Nam Bo Regional Committee The 12th Plenary Session and the modernisation of the VPA A re-think of the 'North-first' strategy Activities leading to the 15th Plenary Session of the Lao Dong Party The 15th Plenary Session of the Lao Dong Party and ensuing developments Developments following the passing of Law 10/59 Le Duan Chinese and Russian attitudes towards the resumption of armed struggle

1 13 13 15 18 20

21 24 26 29

33 37 37

viii

Contents

2 The Armed Struggle Begins The armed struggle resumes Hanoi and the growing Sino-Soviet rivalry Developments in Laos The 3rd Party Congress of the Lao Dong Party Communist activities in the South Directive of 31 January 1961 Developments in the VPA Further developments in Laos The proposed International Conference on Vietnam Le Duan's July 1962 letter to the South The military situation in the South The Battle of Ap Bac Modernisation of the VPA reviewed Ngo Dinh Diem's death

3 The Armed Struggle Intensifies The 9th Plenary Session of the Lao Dong Party Military preparations Developments in Laos and Cambodia Hanoi and the Sino-Soviet rift Special Political Conference (27-28 March 1964) The Tonkin Gulf incident and its aftermath Preparations for the winter-spring 1965 offensive Military offensive 0): The Binh Gia Campaign Kosygin's visit to Hanoi Hanoi's 4-point plan Military offensive (II): (a) The Dong Xoai Campaign Military offensive (II): (b) The Ba Gia Campaign Developments in the VPA Military preparations in the South Military offensive (III) Developments in 1965 reviewed Responding to the US counter-offensive Fighting and negotiating Ho Chi Minh Stalemate

41 41 44 48 52 54 56 58 59 62 64 65 67 68 69

73 73 75 76 78 79 80 83 84 86 86 90 92 94 99 101 103 104 107 109 110

Contents

4 Breaking the Stalemate Military situation in early 1967 reviewed Nguyen Chi Thanh and the Tet Offensive proposal Ho Chi Minh's health Preparations for the Tet Offensive The Tet Offensive (or 'General Offensive General Uprising') - Phase I The decision to negotiate The Tet Offensive - Phase II The Tet Offensive - Phase III The military situation in 1969 Differences within the Hanoi leadership Hanoi and Sino-Soviet relations Ho Chi Minh's final months

Notes Selected Bibliography Index

ix

113 113 116 119 120 126 131 132 133 135 138 139 140

145 175 191

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