by Max Hastings
M-16 rifle (US), 352–4, 373
MAAG (Military Aid and Assistance Group, US), 108
MacArthur, Gen. Douglas, 75, 172
McCain, Adm. John, 496
McCain, John (Jr), 496, 580
McCarthy, Eugene, 191, 229, 329, 406, 419, 441
McCarthy, Col. James, 561–2, 571
McCarthy, Joseph: anti-communist campaign, 29, 57
McClendon, Sarah, 401
McCone, John, 148, 181–2, 187, 212, 284
McConnell, Gen. John, 325
McDaniel, Jean-Carol, 301–2
McDaniel, Capt. Norm, 300–3, 580
McDonald, Adm. David, 173, 226
McGee, Lt. Barry, 509
McGhee, L/Cpl. Marion, 237–8
McGovern, George, 484, 554, 559
MacGovern, James (‘Earthquake McGoon’), 67
McIntire, Carl, 328
McKay, Lt. Ed, 509
McMaster, Lt.Gen. H.R., 211, 228, 642
Macmillan, Harold, 110, 123
McNamara, Capt. John, 330, 338, 346, 355
McNamara, Robert: on US intervention in South Vietnam, 113, 117; and US management in Vietnam, 121, 124; visits to Vietnam, 121, 125–6, 150, 171, 176, 221–2, 337; admires Rand Corporation, 122; character, 125–6, 230; believes Harkins’ accounts, 141; and coup against Diem, 146; believes Kennedy would withdraw from Vietnam, 155–6; LeMay’s disdain for, 173; influence on Johnson, 174, 190; and US military options in Vietnam, 175, 177–9, 182; at Honolulu strategy summit, 181–2; and US covert missions in North, 184; pessimism, 187, 291; selective use of intelligence, 189; warns Johnson of imminent attack, 189; favours aggressive action, 190–1, 196, 201, 207, 210, 226–7, 228; denies naval involvement in Tonkin Gulf clash, 191; on increasing seriousness of Vietnam situation, 196; condemns Ball’s memorandum, 197; gives misleading account of covert operations, 208; agrees with Bundy’s memo, 209; proposes new contingencies against North and China, 210; announces US reinforcements, 220, 282; on Ky, 222; policy of escalation, 222; and Johnson’s decision to proceed, 225; prepares to send more troops, 230; relations with Johnson, 230; disbelieves in military solution, 247–8; requests further reinforcements, 247; given list of objectives, 252–3; uses statistical measures, 253; posture of optimism, 277; promises additional funding to Gouré, 280–1; approves Rolling Thunder programme, 285; disillusioned over bombing campaign, 290, 326; differences with president and Joint Chiefs, 292; Joint Chiefs report to on military success, 336; and US firearms, 351, 353; suggests South Vietnam troops fight under US command, 416; replaced by Clark Clifford, 417; lowers recruitment requirements, 423; and publication of Pentagon Papers, 516; asks Giap to name best general, 639; and US commitment, 640; emotional reaction to office, 647
‘McNamara Line’: proposed, 278
McNaughton, John, 176, 182, 207, 230, 252
McPherson, Harry, 223, 419
MACV (Military Assistance Command Vietnam): ‘credibility gap’, xxii, 414, 416, 649; and reporters, xxii–xxiii, 119, 133–6, 140–2, 145–6, 355, 404; creation of, 112; Harkins’ command, 113, 125–6, 134, 135, 140, 141–2, 145; black servicemen, 118, 231, 250, 258–9, 261–3, 300–3, 329, 331, 332, 447, 455–60; ersatz-American facilities, 119, 163, 249–50; aerial defoliation programme, 122, 169, 234, 267–8, 281–2; falsehoods propagated by, 134–6, 141–2, 145, 337–8, 355; shelling of rural areas, 169, 171; ‘Free Fire Zones’, 171, 257, 484, 489, 492; strategic options (1964), 173–5, 182–3, 195; JCS influence on policy, 174; OPLAN34-A covert missions, 184–5, 188–90; Operation Barrel Roll, 198; base facilities at Danang, 212–13; grand strategic plan, 218; mass arrival of troops, 231–5; propaganda leaflets, 234; Operation Silver Bayonet, 245; length of tours, 249; Operation Trail Dust, 267–8; and ‘McNamara Line’, 278–9; losses during Rolling Thunder, 286, 287, 289, 292–3, 298, 305–8; new troops after 1968, 329; casualty statistics, 331–2; battles 1967–68, 334–6, 355–6, 361–2; ‘body count’ concept, 334–5, 463–4; Operation Swift, 347; Operation Junction City, 355–6; troop numbers 1967–68, 376, 423; obsession with Khe Sanh, 382, 391; blames Marines for Hue, 414; losses during Tet, 416; Nixon’s Vietnamisation policy, 477–8, 494–502, 519–20; Lam Son 719 operation, 495–512; Mary Ann Firebase disaster, 505–12; NVA 1972 offensive, 519–20, 523–44, 547; formal winding up of, 587; Operation Benton, 643–4; see also Abrams, Gen. Creighton; Westmoreland, Gen. William
Madagascar, 10, 14
Magrath, Lt. Brian, 506
Magsaysay, Ramon, 93, 97
Mailer, Norman, 327
malaria, 367
Malevanyi, Col. Viktor, 315–16
Malnar, Sgt.Maj. ‘Big John’, 428, 430, 437–8
Mankiewicz, Joseph, 96
Mansfield, Mike, 155, 179, 197, 210, 227, 230, 231
Mao Zedong: forms communist government, 22, 28, 75; kills own people, 24; meets Stalin and Ho, 29; US hostility to, 46; and effect of Geneva Accords, 79; industrialisation programme, 103; interest in Laos, 110; Le Duan disparages, 129; and promises to support North Vietnam, 156; offers aid to Le Duan, 166; on impending war with US, 193; admirers in West, 329; Cultural Revolution, 358, 441; and détente with US, 517
Market Time, Operation, 219
Marlantes, Karl: Matterhorn, 345, 451–2
Martin, Duane, 307
Martin, Graham, 590, 601–2, 613, 617, 622, 627
Mary Ann, Firebase: attacked by North Vietnamese, 505–11
Masher, Operation, 254
Mastrion, Capt. Robert, 425
Matthias, Willard, 176
May, James, 347
Meacham, James, 379
Meads, Louis, 509
Means, Bill, 302
Medina, Capt. Ernest, 448–9
Meek, William, 509
Meinheit, Hal, 272, 589
Mekong delta: inhabitants’ view of interior, 3; communist rising (1940), 7; French control, 14; North Vietnamese troops in, 50; communists control, 57, 156; productivity, 90; enjoys US financial support, 97; killings and brutality in, 131; Vietcong success in, 146; guerrilla activities in, 157; MACV initiative in, 171; fighting in, 361
Mendès-France, Pierre, 74–6
Menu, Operation, 84
Menzies, Robert, 238–9, 461, 469
Messmer, Pierre, 12
Meyer, Gen. John, 571–2
MiG aircraft, 289–90, 292, 297–9, 323, 566
Military Mission (US covert operations group), 92–3
Miller, Bob, 21
Miller, Roger, 247
Miller, Wayne, 349–50
Miller, Col. William, 541
Millikin, Eugene, 60
Minehan, Michael, 442
mines, see booby traps and mines
Minh Dam Secret Zone, 464
Miroshnichenko, Lt. Valery, 315–16, 318, 320, 567
Mitchum, Robert, 247
Mitford, Nancy, 18
Moffett, Capt. Hal, 540–3
Moise, Prof. Edwin, 403
Molotov, Vyacheslav, 47, 72–4
Momyer, Lt.Gen. William, 281, 287, 289, 308, 573
Monnerville, Gaston, 14
Moore, Col. Hal, 245
Moorefield, Capt. Ken, 345, 622
Moorer, Adm. Thomas, 496–7, 513–15
Morrell, David, 207
Morris, Lieutenant, 410
Morrison, Norman, 244
Morse, Wayne, 175, 179, 191
Moyers, Bill, 419
Mundt, Karl, 271
Munninghoff, Paul, 571
Mười Xưởng, 443
Murphy, Audie, 96
My Lai: and poor leadership, 346; civilians massacred, 448–50, 505; accepted in US, 643
Mỹ Phước Tây, 131
Mỹ Thành, 34
Mỹ Tho (US base), 232
Mỹ Trạch: massacre, 20
Nam Định, 323
Năm Kính, 130
Nam Kỳ insurrection (1940), 7
Nam, Lieutenant, see Phan Nhật Nam
Nam Lý, 631–2
napalm, 134,
210, 285, 429, 431
National Liberation Front of South Vietnam (NLF): naming of, 108; Harkins predicts quick victory over, 113; Kennedy on, 121; education programmes, 129–30; and indoctrination, 130–1, 364–6; intensifies terror campaign, 145, 157; in driving seat after fall of Diem, 156; taxes, 167–8, 195; and 1964 defeats, 169; promise of land redistribution, 206; foreign advisers as invisible, 242; marching song of, 365; headquarters, 368–9, 483; proposes seven-day Tet truce, 379; atrocities in Hue, 413–14, 417; impact of Tet on, 415–16; Directives 81 and 88 (1969), 453; renamed PRG, 479; Phoenix programme against, 487–8, 492, 493; ‘security’ or terror arm, 488; see also Vietcong
National Security Council (US): NSAAM 288, 177; approves renewed bombing, 210
Navarre, Gen. Henri: and Dienbienphu campaign, 37–8, 39–41, 44–7, 52, 57, 59, 62, 66; requests US air support, 61, 64; relieved of command, 74
Negroponte, John, 554, 578
Nehru, Jawaharlal, 47
Nelson, Bob, 258–9, 261–3
Nes, David, 171, 176
New Republic (journal), 176
New York Times: on Laos, 109; Halberstam writes for, 134–5; on danger of committing US troops, 176; on critics of war, 328; reports on Tet offensive, 405; on Johnson’s considering using atomic bomb, 406; on demand for reinforcements, 416; letter on pessimism over 1968 election, 444; on Kerrey’s action, 490; publishes Pentagon Papers, 516; on US bombing of North Vietnam, 572
New Zealand: caution over cooperating with US in Vietnam, 199; troops in Vietnam, 239, 460–3, 466; fighting reputation, 266; war casualties, 469
Newman, Jim, 473
Nghệ An province, North Vietnam, 87
Nghĩa Lộ, 37
Nghiên Khiêm, Lt.: boyhood experiences, 357; pessimism, 594, 614; hopes to escape, 615, 619, 621, 624; leaves Vietnam, 629; in US, 638–9; avoids Northerners, 646
Ngô Đình Diệm: education, 5; at Geneva conference (1954), 75; resists partition, 76; US welcomes as head of South Vietnam, 78; rule in South Vietnam, 82, 91–3, 97–100, 104; qualities and career, 91–2, 94, 100; spends time in US and Belgium, 91–2, 97–8; wins referendum (1956), 94; controls US finances, 95; assassination attempt on, 97; public appearances, 98–9; brutality, 99; and US reform demands, 107; North aims to overthrow, 108; Kennedy supports, 111–12; US suspicion of, 120; credibility declines, 142, 146; and Buddhist revolt, 143; imposes martial law, 145; coup against and murder, 146–7, 149–54
Ngô Đình Hồ, 361
Ngô Đình Nhu, 92, 98, 143, 145–7, 150, 152
Ngô Đình Nhu, Madame, 98, 144, 152–3
Ngô Đình Thục, archbishop of Hue, 91
Ngô Dzu, Gen. (Ngô Du in Vietnamese), 522, 529, 533
Ngô Quang Trưởng, Lt.Gen., 536, 604–5
Ngô Thị Bông, 373, 388, 390, 615
Ngọc Giao, 88
Nguyễn An, Maj.Gen., see Nguyễn Hữu An
Nguyễn Hữu An: leads North’s advance party into South, 202–3, 205; optimism, 202; at battle of Ia Drang Valley, 245–6; on enemy air bombardment, 270; shoots wild game, 366, 369; and austere conditions, 367–8; on ideological conformity, 409; disheartened by setbacks, 415; on effect of napalm, 499; in attack on Quang Tri, 547; and end of US bombing of Ho Chi Minh Trail, 584; and 1975 spring offensive, 596–8; and fear of US return, 597; and final Northern offensive, 602, 604–6, 620; acquires captured jeep, 612; and fall of Saigon, 623
Nguyễn Cao Kỳ, Air Vice-Marshal: on Ho’s leadership, 11; disenchantment with Resistance movement, 36; sexual life, 95; on Vietnamese self-deception, 166; status, 196, 212; differences with US military, 199–200; character and style, 221–2; heads Saigon government, 221, 274–6; on need for strong leader, 223; on prominence of US personnel in South Vietnam, 242; on corruption, 271–3; lacks knowledge of US, 274; and presidential election (1966), 276–7; in Tet offensive, 399; on effect of Adams’ photograph of shooting, 403; orders attack on Hue, 409; withdraws from 1971 presidential election, 517; on US military legacy, 587; resignation rejected, 617; flees Saigon, 621
Nguyễn Chí Thanh, Gen.: appointed chief of COSVN, 192, 202, 274, 375–6
Nguyễn Công Luận, Maj., 24, 149, 522, 538, 614, 626, 635
Nguyễn Đình Bảo, Lt.Col. (‘Brother Five’), 530–1
Nguyễn Đức Huy, 36
Nguyễn Dương, 4, 82
Nguyễn Duy Hình, Col., 500, 502
Nguyễn Hải Định, 85, 486–7, 624
Nguyễn Hiên Đình, 314
Nguyễn Huệ (code name), 519
Nguyễn Khánh, Gen., 171–2, 176–7, 194–5, 208–9, 212
Nguyễn Kiên Đình, Lt., 316–17, 567
Nguyễn Kỳ Phong, 583, 601
Nguyễn Ngọc Loan, 275, 403
Nguyễn Quốc Sĩ, 591–2, 625, 633–4
Nguyễn Tài, 577–8
Nguyễn Tất Thống, 413
Nguyễn Thanh Việt, see Viet Thanh Nguyen
Nguyễn Thị Bình, Madame, 521
Nguyễn Thị Chinh (Kiều Chinh), 83, 88, 96, 614, 630
Nguyễn Thị Lao, 413
Nguyễn Thị Minh Hà, 634
Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Toản, Dr, 36, 70, 87
Nguyễn Thị Thanh Bình, 32, 34, 568
Nguyễn Thủy (full name Nguyễn Thị Thanh Thủy), Maj., 626
Nguyễn Thuỵ Nga: marriage to Le Duan, 23–4, 102; sent to North, 90
Nguyễn Trí, Cmdr., 586, 605, 625, 639
Nguyễn Tú, 601
Nguyễn Tuấn, Col., 403
Nguyễn Văn Biết, Maj., 539–40
Nguyễn Văn Bông, 616
Nguyễn Văn Kiết, 486
Nguyễn Văn Lém, 403
Nguyễn Văn Linh, 637
Nguyễn Văn Moi, 241
Nguyễn Văn Nhung, Maj., 152, 172
Nguyễn Văn Phương, 604
Nguyễn Văn Thi, 241
Nguyễn Văn Thiệu: converts from Buddhism, 95; defuses anti-US incident, 119; status and authority, 212, 276–7; as head of state in Saigon, 221; reshuffles ministry and commanders, 270; relations with Ky, 275; on holiday during Tet offensive, 394; orders general mobilisation, 422; meets Nixon on Midway, 478; Sorley praises honesty, 494; and operation Lam Son against Laos, 498–500; North’s insistence on removal, 516, 521, 552; unopposed in 1971 presidential election, 517; Abrams harangues, 537; declares national state of emergency (10 May 1972), 542; and resistance to North’s offensive, 550; and US negotiations for settlement, 552–3, 555–6, 559–60; denounces draft peace accords, 559; agrees to Paris Accords, 578; resists continuing communist occupation, 585–6; abandons support for Paris Accords, 588; weak administration, 589; speech urging aggression against communists, 590; Ford writes to, 593; considers strategic withdrawal from indefensible territories, 594; informed of offensive against Ban Me Thuot, 598; strategy against North’s 1975 offensive, 599–601, 604; letter of assurance from Ambassador Martin, 602; requests air support from Ford, 607; collapse of government and exile, 617–18
Nguyễn Văn Toàn, Lt.Gen., 618
Nguyễn Văn Ức, 153, 164, 240
Nguyễn Vĩnh Nghi, Lt.Gen., 612
Nguyệt Thi Ánh, 115
Nhã Ca, 632
Nhã Trang (US base), 250, 387, 490, 608
Nhân Dân (communist daily), 86
Nhung, Capt., 152; see Nguyễn Văn Nhung
Nichols, Cmdr. John, 294, 298, 562
Nixon, Richard M.: favours US intervention in Indochina, 58, 63; and ‘Madman Theory’, 72; caricatured in North Vietnam, 311; as presidential candidate, 441, 444; elected president, 444–5, 446; plans for conducting war, 444; on My Lai massacre, 450; attempts to end war, 475; conduct of war, 476–7, 484, 557–8; Kissinger advises, 476–7; Vietnamisation policy, 477–8; meets Thieu on Midway, 478; TV address affirming Vietnamese choose own destinies, 477–8; on US incursion into Cambodia, 483; badly informed on North Vietnam, 485; presents medals to veterans, 490; concern for PoWs in North, 493, 503; Kissinge
r describes as shy, 495; and reduced financing for war, 495; and failed South Vietnam operation against Laos, 496, 502; and repeal of Tonkin Gulf Resolution, 497; and presidential election campaign (1971–2), 503, 516, 521; and use of air power, 512–14; achieves détente with China, 516–17; ready to accept ceasefire, 516; re-election, 519, 552, 560; visit to China, 520–1; escalates aerial bombardment, 522, 544, 559–60; responsibility for ending war, 522; admires Vann, 529; visits Moscow, 546; conversations with Kissinger tape-recorded, 552–5, 557–8, 583; advances domestic political interests, 557–8; further bombing after re-election, 557; gains popularity, 559–60; condemned for bombing campaign, 572; and Paris Accords, 578–9; loses office over Watergate, 579; bans renewal of military action, 582–3, 585; Kissinger’s view of, 583
Noack, Pte. Errol, 461
Nolan, Capt. Jack, 303–5
Nolting, Frederick (‘Fritz’), 121, 124, 145, 154
Norinco-56 rifle (Chinese), 351
North Korea: combat pilots fly for North Vietnam, 323; condition as state, 648
North Vietnam: plan to enforce absolute military victory, 6–9; warfare in, 24, 36; continues to retain power, 64; French quit, 80–1; differences from South, 82, 98; mass exodus to South, 82–3, 85; life and conditions under communists, 85–6, 89, 129–30; land reform, 86, 206; repression and coercion in, 86–9; Resolution 15 authorises infiltration of cadres into South, 103–4; administration and repression, 104; Catholics demand right to migrate south, 104; food shortage, 127, 312, 318, 366, 369; disaffection in, 128; allows return of Vietminh to South, 129; wariness of provoking US, 129; assassinations in, 130; strengthens relations with China, 156; commits to final armed struggle, 157; high taxes, 167–8; supplies Vietcong, 167; US/South Vietnam covert missions in, 184–6, 188; effect of US bombing, 192; acquires MiG-17 fighters, 193; US air attacks on, 210; casualties, 242–3, 547, 550, 626; US-proposed barrier scheme, 278–9; US air war and bombing programme against, 283–94, 297–9, 308, 324–6, 480, 522, 544, 550–1, 561–73; cloudbase during monsoon, 286; anti-aircraft resources, 289, 297–8, 307, 564; and captured US fliers, 300, 302–3; morale boosted by US bombing, 309; rejects US peace overtures, 309; life under war conditions, 310–14; fears stalemate, 336; austerity, 358; idealism, 363–4; propaganda and indoctrination, 364–6; proposes Tet truce, 379; exaggerates US casualties and losses, 408; negotiates in Paris (May 1968), 440; ceases torture of US prisoners, 479; security forces kill and abduct Vietnamese, 488; confidence of victory, 492–4, 595; US prisoners in, 493, 503, 574–6; civilian government, 494; students, 534; makes difficulties over exchange of prisoners, 555; reveals terms of proposed settlement, 558; frees prisoners under Paris Accords, 579; celebrates settlement of Paris Accords, 584; maintains war against South after Paris Accords, 585, 588, 591–5; and Paris accords, 585; weakened condition, 590; scrutinises US and Western events, 591; conditions after victory, 628; rule and ruthlessness in conquered South Vietnam, 631–6; maintains ideological policy, 637; diplomatic relations with US restored (1995), 638
