Hoàng Xuân Lãm

Hoàng Xuân Lãm
LTG Hoang Xuan Lam, CG of MR1 and LTG Donn J. Robertson, CG of III MAF bid each other farewell as LTG Robertson prepares to transfer III MAF to Okinawa from Vietnam, April 14, 1971.
Born (1928-10-10)October 10, 1928
Huế, Annam
Died (2017-10-10)October 10, 2017
Davis, California
Military career
Allegiance
Service/branch
Years of service 1950 – April 30, 1975 (Army of the Republic of Vietnam)
Rank Lieutenant General (Đại Tướng)
Commands held I Corps
Battles/wars Easter Offensive, Tet Offensive, Route 9-Khe Sanh Campaign
Awards National Order of Vietnam;

Hoàng Xuân Lãm (10 October 1928, Huế–2 May 2017, Davis, California) was a general in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN).[1] Given responsibility for the I Corps Tactical Zone in 1967, Lãm coordinated the South Vietnamese offensive known as Operation Lam Sơn 719 which aimed at striking the North Vietnamese logistical corridor known as the Hồ Chí Minh Trail in southeastern Laos during 1971.

During the Siege of Khe Sanh village 1,500 civilians 400 of which were ethnic Bru, were looking for refuge. Hoang Xuan Lam authorized the evacuation of the 1,100 Vietnamese. The Bru were told to stay, Hoang Xuan Lam insisting that, 'there was no place for minority refugees.'

Due to his political connections with President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu, he was still serving as I Corps commander when the North Vietnamese launched the Nguyên Huế Offensive (called the Easter Offensive) in 1972. Lãm was recalled to Saigon on 2 May 1972 by Thiệu, who relieved him of his command, due to complaints regarding Lãm's fitness and competency as a general. Lãm was named to head an anti-corruption campaign at the Ministry of Defense.

Lãm's replacement as I Corps commander, Lieutenant General Ngô Quang Trưởng, said “I had served in I Corps under General Lãm and the disaster that occurred there was no surprise to me. Neither General Lãm nor his staff were competent to maneuver and support large forces in heavy combat.”[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Trung Tướng Hoàng Xuân Lãm, tư lệnh Hành Quân Lam Sơn 719, qua đời". Nguoi Viet Online (in Vietnamese). 2017-05-04. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  2. ↑ Lt. Gen. Ngô Quang Trưởng, The Easter Offensive of 1972. Washington DC: United States Army Center of Military History, 1984, p. 50.

Sources

  • Andrade, Dale. Trial by Fire: The 1972 Easter Offensive, America's Last Vietnam Battle. New York: Hippocrene Books, 1993.
  • Fulgham, David, Terrence Maitland, et al., South Vietnam on Trial: Mid-1970 to 1972. Boston: Boston publishing Company, 1984.
  • Gregg Jones 'Last Stand at Khe Sanh' P69
  • Truong, Lieutenant General Ngo Quang. The Easter Offensive of 1972. Washington DC: United States Army Center of Military History, 1984.


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