Đặng Văn Quang
Personal details
Born(1929-06-21)21 June 1929
Ba Xuyen Province, Cochinchina, French Indochina
Died15 July 2011(2011-07-15) (aged 82)
Sacramento, California, U.S.
Political party National Social Democratic Front
RelativesNguyễn Thị Mai Anh (niece)
Nguyễn Văn Thiệu (nephew-in-law)
Military career
Allegiance Republic of Vietnam
Service/branch
Years of service1949–1975
Rank Lieutenant General
Commands held21st Division (1964–1965)
IV Corps (1965–1966)
Other workSpecial Advisor on Military Affairs (1968–1969)
Advisor of National Security and Intelligence (1969–1975)

Lieutenant General Đặng Văn Quang (21 June 1929 – 15 July 2011) popularly known as Fat Quang, was an officer of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam who served as a special advisor to President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu of South Vietnam.

Biography

Quang started as a non-commissioned officer (NCO) in the French colonial army and was later promoted to Emperor Bảo Đại’s aide-de-camp, then commander of his personal Imperial Guard. He also was in charge of managing resources for Thiệu.[1] This led to his promotion to Brigadier general.

He commanded the 21st Division from 1 June 1964, until 20 January 1965, when he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant general, receiving two further stars.[2]

He then served as the commander of IV Corps, which oversaw the Mekong Delta region of the country, replacing Thiệu, who went on to become head of state. COMUSMACV General William Westmoreland considered him to be "an excellent corps commander and leader." According to common rumors, Quang had "a virtual monopoly on the economic life of the Delta," ran a "brisk trade in rice and opium," and had amassed a small fortune through official corruption. His senior adviser, Colonel George Barton, denied the allegations but admitted that Quang's wife and brother ran a club that catered to both Vietnamese and Americans.[3]: 116 

On 23 November 1966, at the urging of Prime Minister Nguyễn Cao Kỳ he was replaced as IV Corps commander by Major General Nguyen Van Manh.[2] The American position on Quang was ambivalent, he had proved an excellent Corps commander and Westmoreland was reluctant to see him go. Yet Kỳ's charge of corruption appeared to be accurate; Quang had amassed considerable wealth through the sale of offices, furthering the financial interests of his wife and relatives. Westmoreland later urged Thiệu to bring Quang to trial for his alleged corruption, but Thiệu demurred, noting the absence of evidence and the chance that the former corps commander might be acquitted and the government embarrassed.[3]: 192 

Following Thiệu's election as President in September 1967 he served as Minister of Planning.[3]: 267  On 18 April 1968 Thiệu appointed him as special assistant for military affairs and security.[3]: 311  He then served as advisor on national security and intelligence from 1969 to 1975.

According to Frank Snepp, Quang became an important source of information for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) inside the South Vietnamese government and was well rewarded for this.[4]: 14–5  However following the Battle of Ban Me Thuot in March 1975 he failed to inform the CIA of Thiệu's plan to abandon the Central Highlands, jeopardizing the evacuation of Americans and their South Vietnamese staff.[4]: 495 [5]: 206 

He was not popular with the people of South Vietnam and had a reputation for corruption.[6] He was accused of being the most corrupt officer in South Vietnam.[5]: 172  As the North Vietnamese overran the South in 1975 Đăng was reported to charge a US$5,000 bribe for the issuance of an exit visa, rising to US$20,000 as the Fall of Saigon drew closer.[6]

On 29 April 1975 he arrived at the U.S. Embassy where he was evacuated later that day.[4]: 495 

Quang was accused of being involved in the heroin trade, however, these allegations are disputed.[7] Following a visit to Canada in 1975 he was barred from returning to the US until 1989 when he was cleared of all drug charges.[8]

He died on 15 July 2011 at the age of 82.[9]

Honour

References

  1. ↑ R.V. Scheide (4 December 2008). "The trial of General Dang". Sacramento News & Review. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  2. 1 2 Tucker, Spencer C. (2000). Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War. ABC-CLIO. pp. 526–33. ISBN 1-57607-040-9.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Clarke, Jeffrey (1998). The U.S. Army in Vietnam Advice and Support: The Final Years, 1965-1973 (PDF). U.S. Army Center of Military History. ISBN 978-1518612619.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. 1 2 3 Snepp, Frank (1977). Decent Interval: An Insider's Account of Saigon's Indecent End Told by the CIA's Chief Strategy Analyst in Vietnam. Random House. ISBN 0394407431.
  5. 1 2 Veith, George (2012). Black April The Fall of South Vietnam 1973-75. Encounter Books. ISBN 9781594035722.
  6. 1 2 Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. p. F-17. ISBN 978-1555716257.
  7. ↑ Merle Pribbenow (11 November 2009). "Drugs, Corruption, and Justice in Vietnam and Afghanistan: A Cautionary Tale". Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  8. ↑ Bobby Ghosh (28 October 2009). "Who's Who on the CIA Payroll General Dan Van Quang". Time. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  9. ↑ Van Phu, Bui (June 7, 2011). "Đời bi kịch của một vị tướng VNCH" (in Vietnamese). BBC Vietnamese. Retrieved 29 August 2011.

Bibliography

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