|
Appendix 3:
Biographies of Key Figures
Biographies of
Key Figures in the Vietnam Study
McGEORGE BUNDY
Special assistant
to Presidents Kennedy and Johnson for national
security affairs, 1961-66 . . . since 1966, president of the Ford
Foundation. Born Boston March 30, 1919 ... graduated from
Yale, 1940, majoring in classics and mathematics ran as a
Republican for seat on Boston City Council, 1941 served as
aide to Adm. Alan G. Kirk, World War II ... foreign-policy
adviser to Thomas E. Dewey, Republican Presidential candidate,
1948 ... joined Harvard faculty, 1949 ... became dean of
Faculty of Arts and Sciences, 1953 . . . named by President
Kennedy to White House post . . . often described as principal
architect of U.s. Vietnam policy . . . was recalled briefly by
President Johnson during the Arab-Israeli crisis in summer of 1967
. . . often seen as a potential secretary of State . . . just as
visible-and controversial-as foundation head as when directing
foreign policy from White House basement office . . . now lives
in New York.
WILLIAM PUTNAM BUNDY
From 1951 to end of Johnson Administration, "the other
Bundy" held sensitive positions in government departments, from
the Central Intelligence Agency to State Department . . . now a
senior research associate at Center for International Studies of
Massachusetts Institute of Technology and will assume editorship
of Foreign Affairs, the quarterly, after October, 1972. Born in
Washington, Sept. 24, 1917 . . . earned, bachelor's degree from
Yale, 1939; master's from Harvard, 1940; law degree from Harvard,
1947 . . . married to a daughter of Dean Acheson, former
Secretary of State ... practiced law, Washington, 1947-51 ...
a Democrat ... with the C.I.A., 1951-61 ... served consecutively
as Assistant and Deputy Secretary of Defense for International
Security Affairs, 1961-64 ... Assistant Secretary of State for
East Asian and Pacific Affairs, 1964-69 ... always, compared
with younger brother McGeorge, an anonymous figure . . . lives
in Cambridge, Mass.
758
NGO DINH DIEM
Premier, South Vietnam, 1954-55; President, 1955-63; until
death during overthrow Nov. 1, 1963. Born Quangbinh, near Hue,
Jan. 3, 1901 ... graduated from School of Administration, Hue
· .. entered civil service . . . rose to district administrator . . .
Minister of Interior in Cabinet of Emperor Bao Dai, 1933 ...
resigned on learning Government was controlled by French . . .
declared subversive by French in 1942, he fled to Saigon, 1944
· .. refused Japanese offer to head puppet government, March,
1945 ... refused offer to work with Hanoi regime, 1945 ...
began seeking some autonomy for Vietnam ... fled country, 1950
· .. during exile, 1951-52, lived at Maryknoll Seminary, Lakewood,
N. J., 1951-52 returned Saigon as Premier in Bao Dai
Government, 1954 elected President in referendum making
Vietnam a republic, 1955 ... won second five-year term 1961 ...
survived several coup attempts . . . shot to death after accepting
safe-conduct offer.
PHAM VAN DONG
Led Vietminh delegation to Geneva, 1954; in North Vietnam
hierarchy thereafter and Premier since 1955 ... born Quangngai,
coastal region in South, 1906 ... entered University of Hanoi,
1925 ... led student strike, fled to China ... joined Vietnamese
political emigres, including Ho Chi Minh, in Canton . . . sent
back to Vietnam by Ho Chi Minh on secret mission arrested,
imprisoned on island of Poulo Condore, 1929-36 worked to
establish Communist movement in North and South fled to
south China, 1939 ... with Ho Chi Minh and Vo Nguyen Giap,
founded Vietminh, 1941; finance minister, 1945, in first Ho Chi
Minh government . . . named chief negotiator with French at
Fontainebleau, 1946 premier, 1949 ... guerrilla commander
in Quangngai, 1951 chief Geneva negotiator, 1954 ...
regarded as "the best nephew" of "Uncle" Ho Chi Minh, called
"my other self" by Ho ... formulator of North Vietnam's "four
points" for peace ... sophisticated, articulate, a skilled diplomat.
LE DUAN
Vietcong organizer, nineteen-fifties; Secretary, Lao Dong (Communist)
party Central Committee for the Southern Region, 1956;
Secretary General Lao Dong party, 1959; since 1960, First Secretary
of party ... born into peasant family, Quangtri province
in central Vietnam, 1908 ... worked as secretary with railways,
Hanoi ... given 20-year prison term for subversive activities, 1930
· . . released 1936, resumed political work for Indochinese Communist
Party ... given lO-year sentence, 1940 ... released on
Vietminh take-over 1945 ... led guerrillas against French in South
starting 1946 commissioner at Vietminh's military headquarters
in South, 1952 rose in party, named First Secretary, September,
1960 ... led Hanoi delegation to 1967 50th-anniversary celebrations
in Moscow ... since Ho Chi Minh's death, has emerged as
"first among equals" in collective leadership . . . has sponsored
759
popular economic reforms ... advocates "protracted war" strategy
· .. said to be self-effacing, pragmatic ...
MICHAEL VINCENT FORRESTAL
White House specialist on Vietnam 1962-65 ... in private law
practice New York now ... pewly elected chairman of board,
Metropolitan Opera Guild. Born Nov. 26, 1927, in New York
· .. graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy ... studies at Princeton
interrupted to serve on staff of W. Averell Harriman at Paris
headquarters of Economic Cooperation Administration, 1948-50
· .. his father, late James V. Forrestal, was the first Secretary
of Defense ... received law degree from Harvard, 1953 and
practiced in New York till 1960 ... returned to firm of Shearman
& Sterling, where he is partner, in 1965 ... as Kennedy and
Johnson aide, served on National Security Council ... in July,
1964, appointed chairman White House interdepartmental Vietnam
coordinating committee ... accompanied Mrs. John F. Kennedy
on 1967 visit to Cambodia ... early supporter of the late Sen.
Robert F. Kennedy's Presidential bid . . . member Council on
Foreign Relations ... lives in New York.
PAUL DONAL HARKINS
United States commander, Vietnam, 1962-64; now adviser to
American Security Council, private "research" group, Boston.
Born Boston, May 15, 1904 ... graduated U.S. Military Academy,
1929 ... deputy chief of staff, Western Task Force, North African
invasion, 1942 ... deputy chief of staff, Third Army then 15th
Army ... a protege of Gen. George S. Patton Jr .... commandant
of cadets, West Point, 1948-51 ... chief of staff, Eighth Army,
Korea, 1951-53 ... commander, 45th and 24th Infantry Divisions,
Korea, December, 1953-54 ... Pentagon service, 1954-57 ...
deputy commander, chief of staff U.S. Army Forces, Pacific, 1960-
62 ... first commander, Military Assistance Command, Saigon,
1962-64 . . . consistently optimistic in his assessment of war
· .. strong support of Ngo Dinh Diem ... has said "biggest"
U.S. mistake in Vietnam "was when we stopped backing Diem"
· . . during his tenure, had sharp differences with Ambassador
Henry Cabot Lodge ... retired 1964 ... moved to Dallas, 1965.
ROGER HILSMAN JR.
Director of State Department bureau of intelligence and research,
1961-63, Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern
Affairs, 1963-64; ... since 1964, professor of government, Columbia
University. Born Waco, Tex., Nov. 23, 1919 ... graduated
U.S. Military Academy, 1943 ... master's degree, Yale, 1950
· .. Ph.D., Yale, 1951 ... served with Merrill's Marauders,
Burma, 1944 ... commanded O.S.S. guerilla group, Burma, 1944-
45 ... assistant chief Far East Intelligence, O.S.S., Washington,
1945-46 . . . assistant to executive officer, c.I.A., 1946-47 . . .
State Department, NATO affairs, 1950-53 ... Center for International
Studies, Princeton, 1953-55 ... deputy director, Legis-
760
lative Reference Service, Library of Congress, Washington, 1956-
58 ... research associate, Washington Center for Foreign Policy
Research, international-affairs lecturer, Johns Hopkin~ School of
Advanced International Studies, 1957-61 ... director, Bureau of
Intelligence and Research, State Department, 1961-63 Assistant
Secretary of State, 1963-64 ... resigned, 1964 author of
"To Move a Nation," 1967, others ... said after resignation he
thought U.S. could not win "a total victory" in South Vietnam
... now lives New York City, and Lyme, Conn.
NGUYEN KHANH
South Vietnam's Premier-on and off-from February, 1964,
through Mid-February, 1965 ... since 1968 in exile in Paris.
Born in Travinh, South Vietnam, Nov. 8, 1927 ... educated
military academy at Dalat, 1950, also in France, at U.S. Staff
College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan. . . . fought as guerrilla against
French sent to Saigon on mission ... joined French colonial
forces paratrooper, reached rank of major ... helped foil
1960 coup against Ngo Dinh Diem ... stayed on sidelines during
1963 coup ... ousted Gen. Duong Van Minh Jan. 30, 1964 ...
in August, assumed dictatorial powers ... forced out ... remained
Army chief . . . led coup against incumbent . . . survived coup
attempt February . . . deposed as commander in chief by
military . . . sent abroad as roving ambassador . . . a Buddhist,
but not popular with Buddhists ... short, jaunty, goateed ...
liked to wear paratrooper's red beret ... fond of saying; "I am
a fighter."
VICTOR HAROLD KRULAK
Pentagon counterinsurgency expert, 1961-64; since July, 1968,
president of Copley News Service, San Diego, Calif. . .. born
Denver, Jan. 7, 1913 ... graduate of Annapolis, 1934 ... nicknamed
"the Brute" because of short stature, unbrutish appearance
... served with Fleet Marine Corps, 1935-39 ... battalion and
regimental commander, World War II . . . chief of staff, Fwst
Marine Division, Korean conflict commanding general, Marine
Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego special assistant to director,
Joint Staff Counterinsurgency and Special Activities Office, Joint
Chiefs of Staff, 1961-64 ... commanding general, Fleet Marine
Force, Pacific, 1964 till May, 1968, when he retired as lieutenant
general . . . known as corps theoretician and leading strategic
planner, had been considered prime contender for commandant
in late 1967 ... awarded Navy Cross, Legion of Merit, Bronze
Star, Vietnam's Medal of Merit and Cross of Gallantry, among
others ... living in San Diego.
EDWARD LANSDALE
United States Air Force officer, 1947-63; political adviser, South
Vietnam, 1954-56; special assistant to Ambassador Henry Cabot
Lodge, 1965-68. Born Detroit, Feb. 6, 1908 ... studied at University
of California, Los Angeles ... in late nineten-forties, was
761
adviser to President Ramon Magsaysay of Philippines . . . helped
put down Communist-led Hukbalahap rebellion there . . . developed
basic concept that Communist revolution best opposed
by democratic revolution ... went to South Vietnam, as Central
Intelligence Agency operative, 1954 ... helped establish Ngo
Dinh Diem regime ... believed to be model for "Colonel Hillandale"
in the novel "The Ugly American" and for "Pyle" in "The
Quiet American" ... urged creation of Vietnam counterinsurgency
force instead of conventional army . . . reassigned to Pentagon,
1956 ... reportedly helped develop Special Forces ... retired
1963 with rank of major general ... returned Saigon, 1965, as
special assistant for pacification under Mr. Lodge . . . his known
activities included supervising "rural reconstruction" ... serving as
liaison between embassy and Vietnamese . . . well known but
mysterious . . . described as irreplaceable . . . reticent about his
own role ... returned United States 1968 . . . in private life,
still does magazine writing on Vietnam and counterinsurgency .
lives in Alexandria, Va.
HENRY CABOT LODGE
Ambassador to South Vietnam, 1963-64 and 1965-67 ... now,
since June, 1970, President Nixon's special envoy to the Vatican
... born July 5, 1902, Nahant, Mass .... graduated from Harvard,
1924 ... worked for The Boston Transcript and The New
York Herald Tribune ... two terms in Massachusetts Legislature,
1933-36 ... defeated James M. Curley for Senate seat, 1936 .
took leave of absence to serve in Army during World War II .
won re-election, then resigned from Senate to return to Army
duty ... won Bronze Star, Croix de Guerre, others ... elected
to Senate again, 1946 ... influential in persuading Eisenhower
to seek Presidency and served as his campaign manager . . . lost
Senate seat, 1952, to John F. Kennedy ... appointed U.S. representative
at the U.N., 1953 ... G.O.P. vice-presidential candidate,
1960 ... U.S. Ambassador, Saigon, August, 1963-July 1964,
August, 1965-67 . .. Ambassador at Large, 1967-68 ...
Ambassador to Germany. 1968-69 ... chief U.S. negotiator,
Paris peace talks, January-December, 1969.
JOHN T. McNAUGIITON
Mr. McNaughton a close and trusted associate of Secretary of
Defense Robert S. McNamara from 1961 to 1967, and his wife
and their younger son died in plane collision near Asheville, N.C.,
July 19, 1967, a week before he was to be sworn in as Secretary
of Navy. Born Nov. 21, 1921, in Bicknell, Ind .... graduated
from DePauw University, 1942 ... served four years in Navy
during World War II ... graduated from Harvard Law School,
1948 . . . studied at Oxford as Rhodes scholar, working with
European Cooperation Administration in Paris during vacations
. . . also wrote for Pekin (Ill.) Times, owned by father . . . two
years as editor of that paper ... returned to Harvard as assistant
professor, 1953, professor, 1956 ... chosen by Mr. McNamara
762
in 1961 to serve as Deputy Assistant Secretary for International
Security Affairs ... general counsel to Defense Department, 1962
... Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs,
1964-67, heading Pentagon's foreign-affairs planning staff.
NGO DINH NHU
Headed secret apparatus of Ngo Dinb Diem Government, 1954-
63 until his death during overthrow of Diem, his brother, on Nov.
1. Born about 1911 near Hue into distinguished Roman Catholic
family ... one of five brothers in Ngo family ... was chief
archivist; Indochina library, early forties ... married, 1943 ...
separated from family during war . . . he and wife organized
support for return from exile of Ngo Dinh Diem ... Nhu ran
a newspaper, developed philosophy of "personalism"-blend of
religions and autocracy-that was said tb be pervasive influence
on Diem's rule . . . when Diem assumed power, Nhu became
known as an "Oriental Richelieu" ... controlled secret police ...
he and wife were said to be strong anti-Buddhist influence on
Diem ... Mr. Nhu was quiet, persuasive ... Nhus prime target
for discontent that led to overthrow of Diem regime ... Mr. Nhu
shot to death with brother as they were leaving the country under
safe-conduct.
TRAN LE XUAN NHU
Sister-in-law of President Diem and, with her husband, in charge
of secret police . . . was considered one of most powerful figures
in South Vietnam during '50s and until husband and brother-in-law
were killed in November, 1963 has since lived in enforced
exile, first in Rome, now in Paris grants occasional interviews
for which current rates are $3,000 for first 30 minutes and $2,000
for each succeeding half hour ... born "about" 46 years ago into
wealthy, aristocratic Buddhist family ... name means "tears of
spring" ... educated at Lycee Marie Curie in Saigon and Albert
Sarraut Lycee in Hanoi ... married Ngo Dinh Nhu at 18
and converted to Catholicism and her husband's militant anti-
Communism . . . when Diem, a bachelor, became President in
1954, she became official first lady . . . also was elected to
Constituent Assembly ... was responsible for legislation abolishing
polygamy, concubinage, divorce . . . founded and led Vietnamese
Women's Solidarity Movement, a women's paramilitary
force ... said after self-immolation of several Buddhist monks:
"I would clap hands at seeing another monk barbecue show ... "
was noted for her beauty, imperiousness and fierce intolerance of
dissent, nicknamed the "Dragon Lady" by some, compared to
Joan of Arc-or Lucretia Borgia-by others ... after coup lived
in villa outside Rome for several years with her four children
. eldest daughter was killed in automobile crash in 1967 .
.JAMES BLAIR SEABORN
Served as secret envoy to Hanoi for United States Government
in 1964 while Canada's representative on International Control
763
Commission; now Assistant Deputy Minister in Canadian Consumer
Affairs Department. Born 1924 ... received bachelor's and
master's degrees in political economics from University of Toronto
... served in Canadian Embassy in The Hague, then as First
Secretary at Paris embassy, 1957-59 ... as Counselor in Moscow
embassy, 1959-62 . . . in 1962-64 in Ottawa as the head of
Eastern European section of Department of External Affairs . . .
Canadian Commissioner, International Commission for Supervision
and Control, Vietnam, 1964-65 ... returned to Department
of External Affairs as head of Eastern European section,
1966-67, then as head Far Eastern section, 1967-70 ... lived in
Ottawa.
WALT WHITMAN ROSTOW
As President Johnson's national security adviser, was ardent
supporter-some say master planner-of Administration's Vietnam
policy ... since spring of 1969 has been professor of economics
and history at University of Texas ... born Oct., 1916, graduated
from Yale and spent two years at Oxford on Rhodes scholarship,
getting Yale doctorate in 1940 ... began teaching career as
economics instructor at Columbia . . . during World War II,
served in Office of Strategic Services; post-war, taught history at
Oxford and Cambridge and was professor of economic history at
M.LT., 1950-1960 ... became deputy special assistant to President
Kennedy for national security affairs in 1961; counselor to State
Department's Policy Planning Council, 1961-66, President Johnson's
special assistant for national security, 1966-69 ... now lives
in Austin, Tex.
ULYSSES S. GRANT SHARP JR.
Commander in chief, Pacific forces, 1964-68; since 1968, business
consultant. Born Fort Benton, Mont., April 2, 1906 ...
graduated from United States Naval Academy, 1927 ... destroyer
commander, Casablanca landings and Pacific, World War II ...
fleet planning officer for Inchon invasion, Korean war ... promoted
to admiral, 1963 ... succeeded Adm. Harry D. Felt as
commander in chief, all U.S. forces, Pacific, 1964 ... urged U.S.
to "increase our pressures" on North Vietnam, 1967 ... said
bombing limitation "would just prolong the war," 1968 .
retired July, 1968 ... succeeded by Adm. John S. McCain .
awarded two Silver Stars, two Bronze Stars among others . . . a
Rotarian, eager golfer ... lives in San Diego.
MAXWELL DAVENPORT TAYLOR
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1962-64; United States
Ambassador to South Vietnam, 1964-65; special consultant to
the President, 1965-69 ... now on the board of the Institute for
Defense Analyses, chairman of Foreign Intelligence Advisory
Board. Born Keytesville, Mo., Aug. 26, 1901 ... graduated from
United States Military Academy, 1922 ... Command and General
764
Staff School, 1933 ... Army War College, 1940 ... taught
French, Spanish, at West Point . . . assistant military attache,
Pekin, 1937 ... commander 101st Airborne Division, World War
II ... took part invasions Normandy, Holland ... Superintendent
United States Military Academy, 1945-49 ... United States Commander,
Berlin, 1950 ... Commander of Eighth Army, Korea,
1953 ... Army Chief of Staff, 1955 ... resigned 1959 in "limited
war" strategy dispute . . . recalled as adviser by President Kennedy,
1961 was influential in both Kennedy, Johnson Administrations
scholarly, much-decorated . . . now living in
Chevy Chase, Md.
NGUYEN VAN THANH (HO CHI MINH)
Leader of long struggle against French colonialism, was President
of North Vietnam from 1945 until his death of heart attack
in September, 1969 ... born May 19, 1890, in Kimlien, in central
Vietnam, son of an ardent nationalist . . . attended high school
at Lycee Quoc-Hoc in Hue, leaving without diploma in 1910
. . . sailed for Europe as galley boy on French ship, visiting
various ports ... worked at Carlton Hotel in London ... during
World War I, visited U.S., then returned to France, emerging as
self-appointed spokesman for Vietnam at 1919 Versailles peace
conference . . . founding member of French Communist party,
visited Moscow in 1922 ... active in underground activities in
Southeast Asia, and was sentenced to death in absentia by the
French in 1930 ... returned to Vietnam in 1940 and organized
Vietminh, then a coalition of anti-Japanese forces, both Communists
and nationalists, that carried on guerrilla war against the
Japanese .... at end of war, proclaimed Vietnam's independence,
but battled nine more years for this to become a fact. . . . under
Geneva accords, became president and premier of that part of
Vietnam north of the 17th parallel . . . lived modestly and was
known as Uncle Ho ... wrote poetry and described as courtly,
sophisticated and gentle in manner . . . in one poem, written
in jail, he said: "The rice grain suffers under the blows of the
pestle;/ But admire its whiteness once the ordeal is over!/ Thus
it is with men in the world we live in;/ To be a man, one must
suffer the blows of misfortune."
WILLIAM CHILDS WESTMORELAND
U.S. military commander, Vietnam, 1964-68; since then, Army
Chief of Staff. Born Spartanburg County, S. c., March 26, 1914
. . . studied at The Citadel, South Carolina military college . . .
graduated from U.S. Military Academy, 1936 Harvard University
Advanced Management Program, 1954 first combat
experience leading artillery battalion, Casablanca landing, 1942
... saw action in Tunisia and Sicily ... landed on Utah Beach,
Normandy, D-Day, with Ninth Infantry Division ... commander,
Sixth Infantry Regiment, Germany, 1945 ... chief of staff, 82d
Airborne Division, 1947-50 ... instructor, Command and General
Staff College and Army War College, 1950-52 ... commanded
765
187th Airborne combat team, South Korea 1956, promoted to
major general, youngest in the Army commander, 101st
Airborne Division, 1958-60 . . . superintendent, U.S. Military
Academy, 1960-63 ... once said: "Command is getting people to
go the way you want them to go--enthusiastically" ... succeeded
Gen. Paul D. Harkins as head of U.S. Military Assistance Command,
Vietnam, June 20, 1964 replaced on July 2, 1968, by
Gen. Creighton W. Abrams Jr. considered a consistent optimist
about progress in Vietnam occasionally rumored under
consideration as political candidate . . . a former Eagle Scout,
enthusiastic about Boy Scouts, a member-at-Iarge of group's
national council . . . decorations include Distinguished Service
Medal, Bronze Star, Thailand's Most Exalted Order of the White
Elephant, Vietnam's Chuong My medal ... starts day at Pentagon
at 8 A.M. precisely.
EARLE GILMORE WHEELER
Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1964-70; since 1970, retired
to his West Virginia farm. Born Jan. 13, 1908, Washington ...
graduated U.S. Military Academy, 1932 . . . joined National
Guard at new division in U.S .... director, joint staff, 1960-62
... assigned to brief John Kennedy weekly on military matters
during 1960 Presidential campaign ... Protege of Maxwell D.
Taylor, whom he succeeded as Chairman of J.C.S., 1964 ... sole
service chief to support McNamara endorsement of test-ban
treaty, 1963 ... on Vietnam war, once told interviewer "If we
just keep up the pressure those little guys will crack" . . . held
top post longer than anyone else, under two Presidents, three
Defense Secretaries ... retired with disability because of heart
ailment ... now living on 180-acre farm, Martinsburg, W. Va.
Go to Next Page |