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‘The Most Brilliant Commander’: Ngo Quang Truong

By James H. Willbanks | Vietnam  | 9 comments  | Print This Post  | Email This Post

By all accounts, General Truong was an outstanding officer who deserved the remarkable reputation that he enjoyed among both South Vietnamese soldiers and American military officers. Ngo Quang Truong dedicated his life to his nation, and in the end, as General Palmer said, he “deserved a better fate” than watching it go down in defeat. May this warrior who always did his duty rest in peace.

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Professor James H. Willbanks is the chairman of the Military History Department at the U.S. Army’s Command and General Staff College. He earned a Silver Star as a U.S. adviser at the Battle of An Loc. For further reading, see: A Better War, by Lewis Sorley; and Abandoning Vietnam, by James H. Willbanks.


This article was written by James H. Willbanks and originally published in the December 2007 issue of Vietnam Magazine. For more great articles, subscribe to Vietnam magazine today!

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  1. 9 Comments to “‘The Most Brilliant Commander’: Ngo Quang Truong”

  2. 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

  3. Great story, nice to see that some ARVN are given they praise they deserve

    By Tru on Dec 31, 2008 at 1:49 pm

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. 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

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