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‘The Most Brilliant Commander’: Ngo Quang TruongBy James H. Willbanks | Vietnam | 9 comments | Print This Post | Email This Post Confusion reigned. Truong did not receive his new orders well, but he tried to follow them the best he could. Nevertheless, the withdrawal from Hue became a disaster that rivaled the one in the Central Highlands in scope. Under shelling by heavy artillery, Truong’s forces fell apart. Because of the conflicting orders, lack of preparation and collapse of morale, the evacuation turned into a fiasco. Poor leadership in many units, the disintegration of unit integrity and concern over family members quickly led to panic and total chaos. Subscribe Today
The situation in Da Nang was just as bad. As the city was shelled by artillery from two North Vietnamese divisions, Truong tried to direct an evacuation by sea. But pandemonium ensued, as panicked civilians and soldiers alike tried to escape to the south by any means possible. Da Nang fell to the Communists on March 30. In the process of abandoning a city of 3 million people, four regular divisions disintegrated, including the ARVN’s most elite: the 1st Infantry Division and the Marine Division. Truong, who had desperately wanted to hold the line at Hue, was put in an untenable position by Thieu’s orders and counterorders. As Da Nang fell, he and his corps staff swam through the surf to the rescuing fleet of South Vietnamese boats. Truong was devastated by the loss of his forces, particularly his beloved ARVN 1st Division. Upon arriving in Saigon, he was reportedly hospitalized for a nervous breakdown. A U.S. Army officer who had worked closely with Truong heard what happened, tracked him down and arranged for his family to leave on an American ship as Saigon fell to the Communists. The general’s family was split up for some time: His wife and older son made it to Fort Chaffee, Ark.; his daughters and middle son fled with a State Department employee to Seattle; and his youngest son, a 4-year-old who spoke no English, was at Camp Pendleton, Calif., for several weeks before his identity was established. After reuniting, Truong and his family moved to Falls Church, Va. Once settled there, he wrote several historical studies on the Vietnam War for the U.S. Army Center of Military History. In 1983, the same year that he became a U.S. citizen, he moved to Springfield, Va. He worked as a computer analyst for the Association of American Railroads for 10 years until he retired in 1994. Despite the outcome of the war in I Corps and the subsequent fall of South Vietnam, Truong’s reputation survived intact. General Norman Schwarzkopf called General Truong “the most brilliant tactical commander I have ever known” in his 1992 autobiography. “Simply by visualizing the terrain and drawing on his experience fighting the enemy for fifteen years,” he wrote, “Truong showed an uncanny ability to predict what they were going to do.” Schwarzkopf added: “He did not look like my idea of a military genius: only five feet seven…very skinny, with hunched shoulders and a head that seemed too big for his body….His face was pinched and intense…and there was always a cigarette hanging from his lips. Yet he was revered by his officers and troops—and feared by those North Vietnamese commanders who knew of his ability.” Unlike some South Vietnamese generals who had grown rich as they ascended the ranks, Truong was impeccably honest and, according to a close friend, led a “spartan and ascetic” life. Lieutenant General Cushman recalled that the general didn’t own a suit, and that his wife kept pigs behind his modest quarters in the military compound in Can Tho. As Cushman further described Truong, “He was imaginative and always looked for ways to improve his troops’ living conditions and family life.” A humble man, Truong was an unselfish individual devoted to his profession. He was fiercely loyal to his subordinates, and was known for taking care of his soldiers, often flying through heavy fire to stand with them in the rain and mud during enemy attacks. He treated everyone the same and did not play favorites. There is a story that he refused to respond to a request to give his nephew a noncombat assignment, only to have the nephew later die in battle. Pages: 1 2 3 4 5Help HistoryNet by bookmarking to
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9 Comments to “‘The Most Brilliant Commander’: Ngo Quang Truong”
Very good example of a true soldier and leader.
Led from the front taking risks the same as his subordinates. Wish Vietnam had had more like him, it would probably be like Korea today, independent and self sufficient.
By Robert Valenzuela on Jul 5, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Great story, nice to see that some ARVN are given they praise they deserve
By Tru on Dec 31, 2008 at 1:49 pm
In an army that stood out for its incompetence, Gen. Truong was a giant among men. As Tru said above, it is refreshing to see an ARVN general who deserves praise receive it, albeit after his death.
Robert V., if you have read the news from Viet Nam lately, they are doing very well for themselves. You seem to have conflated North Korea and North Vietnam. Understandable, but the Viets are making great strides in modernizing their nation, and are both independent and self-sufficient.
By Jameel on Feb 10, 2009 at 3:43 pm
I had the privilege to serve as an Advisor in the 7th Cavalry Squadron of the 1st ARVN Division when MG Truong commanded it. He was a superb leader and took more interest in what the Advisors thought and did than our Senior American officers. I will always respect and honor his memory.
By Cav Advisor on Feb 11, 2009 at 6:49 pm
Robert Valenzuela, I’ll have to disagree with you on your account that Vietnam would be more like Korea today had we had more people like him.
Remember this, South Vietnam was always leading in the war, we were doing well during the Tet Offensive, the U.S. entered later, and it was at the U.S. command that we didn’t “win” during 1968, we had every power to take over North VN. There was also unconditional surrender of the North Communist in 1973. It was because of the U.S. betrayal, by not supplying us with any more military aid (ammunition and equipment) that we eventually lost. Obviously this happened in 1972 after they traded us in to China after the Paris Peace Accords, agreeing not to aid us anymore.
Please look up “Black April” in Google and click on the first link.
By Ann on Jun 6, 2009 at 10:00 pm
General Ngo Quang Truong was a real hero. I always admire him.
My father, as many other old Vietnamese people currently live in the U.S., was an officer in the Army of Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), stayed in Vietnam after 1975, and was forced to spend several years in communist prison. I, as many other Vietnamese Americans, am proud of our ARVN as much as Americans are proud of the U.S. Military Forces. ARVN is absolutely not incompetent, and many American soldiers are real heroes who were good men and fought well during Vietnam war. ARVN has many good, honest, capable men. They are generals (Nguyen Viet Thanh, Nguyen Khoa Nam, Nguyen Van Hieu, Le Van Hung, Tran Van Hai). Many honorable generals are still alive (Du Quoc Dong, Le Minh Dao, Tran Ba Di, Ly Tong Ba, Tran Quang Khoi). Many honorable officers are Ho Ngoc Can, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Nguyen Phuong Thanh, Nguyen Ba Thong, Nguyen Manh Tuong, and many more unknown heroes. ARVN was not lack of true heroes, and it was not incompetent as someone may think.
By Matthew Nguyen on Jun 24, 2009 at 4:30 pm
I had the distinct privilege to brief General Truong in KeSach District, BaXuyen Province. He was knowledgeable, attentive, and honest to a fault. More importantly, when politically possible, he held his officers and staff to the same standard. However, I disagree with Ann, above…in April ‘73 when I left VietNam, my counterpart, Nguyen Thanh Khoai, told me “it is a matter of time.” He knew that the hand writing was already on the wall and that it was not a so called sell out. Xin Loi.
By robert branson on Sep 24, 2009 at 3:56 am
Dear General Truong,
I wish that I could thank you while you were still here with us.
Thank you General Truong for giving credit to the Americans that were there assisting the ARVN in the Battles of Quang Tri during the Easter Offensive and calling them by name. It means so much to me – especially since it has been the only reference that I have found on the Internet doing so.
Our own American military have given them no public credit whatsoever. But you did. Thank you. May you rest in peace.
Ngo, Lieutenant General Quang Truong, The Easter offensive of 1972. Washington DC: U.S. Army Center of Military History, 1980.
“In addition to support provided the U.S. Air Force, I Corps forces also received much assistance from the U.S. Army 11th Combat Aviation Group whose activities were closely coordinated with those of ARVN units. This group provided essential support with troop lift logistical support and gunships.”
By Lizzie on Oct 18, 2009 at 6:33 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ3LIqzR6-Q
Cut, paste, watch and make your own conclusions if there was a sell out or not.
sad, sick
War Criminals should be prosecuted, no matter how long ago they committed crimes and what awards they may of received in their lifetime. Period.
By Marilyn on Oct 18, 2009 at 6:41 am