Vũ Văn Giai

Brigadier general Vũ Văn Giai (12 May 1934 – 13 October 2012) was a general in the South Vietnamese Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN).

Vũ Văn Giai
Born(1934-05-12)12 May 1934
Nam Định, Vietnam
Died13 October 2012(2012-10-13) (aged 78)
Orange, California, United States
AllegianceSouth Vietnam
Service/branchArmy of the Republic of Vietnam
RankBrigadier general
Commands held3rd Division
Battles/warsVietnam War

Military career

He served as deputy commander of the 1st Division. From 16 April to October 1971 he commanded division elements in Operation Lam Son 720 against PAVN bases in the A Sầu Valley.[1]: 368  In June 1971 he was responsible for the division’s actions around Firebase Fuller.[2]

He was appointed as the original commander of the 3rd Division on its formation in November 1971.[3]: 476 

In an interview with The New York Times in early February 1972 he and 1st Division commander General Phạm Văn Phú expressed doubts about the widely anticipated PAVN offensive in the northern provinces in mid-February, stating that no major action would take place until March at the earliest due to the need for the PAVN to build up their logistics.[4]

Following the defeat of the 3rd Division in the First Battle of Quảng Trị in April 1972 he was made a scapegoat for the loss of Quảng Trị Province.[3]: 484  While the new I Corps commander General Ngô Quang Trưởng wanted to keep him as commander of the 3rd Division he was overruled by President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu.[5]: 166  On 3 May he was relieved of command and placed under investigation. A U.S. official stated at the time that he "was just overwhelmed by the problems that he faced in the invasion."[6]

On 2 October 1973 he was found guilty of abandoning his post by a military court and was sentenced to five years' hard labor.[7]

References
  1. Willbanks, James (2013). Vietnam War Almanac: An In-Depth Guide to the Most Controversial Conflict in American History. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9781626365285.
  2. "Saigon's generals doubt foe gains strength near DMZ". The New York Times. 30 June 1971. p. 3.
  3. 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. Joseph B. Treaster (6 February 1972). "Officers feel foe won't strike now". The New York Times. p. 5.
  5. Ngo, Quang Truong (1980). The Easter offensive of 1972 (PDF). U.S. Army Center of Military History. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 13, 2020.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  6. Fox Butterfield (4 May 1972). "1968 hero sent in". The New York Times. p. 1.
  7. "General at Quang Tri sentenced to 5 years". The New York Times. 3 October 1973. p. 6.
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