North Vietnamese Decision-Making, 1973-1975
A collection of published Vietnamese documents dealing with North Vietnam’s decision-making from the signing of the Paris Peace Accords in January 1973 until the end of the war in April 1975. Compiled by George J. Veith and Merle L. Pribbenow, much of the material in this collection formed the basis of Veith's book, Black April: The Fall of South Vietnam, 1973-1975 (2013). The collection is also introduced and contextualized in CWIHP Working Paper #84, "The Return to War: North Vietnamese Decision-Making, 1973-1975" (November 2017). (Image: Fall of Saigon, April 1975.)
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March 12, 1975
Central Military Party Committee Cable Sent to General Van Tien Dung, Info Copies Sent to Comrade Hoang Minh Thao and the B3 Front Party Current Affairs Committee
Cable sent from the Central Military Party Committee with order to destroy the enemy’s bases in the Ban Me Thuot area and interrogate closely prisoners of war.
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March 13, 1975
Cable from Le Duc Tho to COSVN Providing Ideas on the Possibility of Conducting Attacks and Uprisings to Liberate Local Areas
In response to COSVN’s assessment of the situation and its policy decision to conduct attacks and uprisings at the grass-roots level, Le Duc Tho offers some military insights and suggestions for future actions.
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March 20, 1975
Cable No. 62 from Le Duc Tho to Brother Tuan [Van Tien Dung]
Le Duc Tho sent Van Tien Dung a cable saying that he and Le Trong Tan will meet Dung to brief him on their assessment of the situation and on the new decisions reached by the Politburo and the Central Military Party Committee.
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March 20, 1975
Cable No. 870 from Dien Bien [Central Military Party Committee] to COSVN Military Headquarters and Brother Bay Cuong [Pham Hung]
On behalf of the Central Military Party Committee, Hoang Van Thai sent out a cable to report on the successful results of the attacks and uprisings of the soldiers and civilians of South Vietnam and in Central Highlands.
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March 24, 1975
Comrade Le Duan’s Comments in a Politburo Meeting Held 24 March 1975, after our Victory at Ban Me Thuot (Notes taken by Comrade Vo Quang Ho)
In a Politburo meeting after the Ban Me Thuot victory, Le Duan gives comments on the progress and future direction of the general offensive to liberate South Vietnam.
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March 25, 1975
Cable No. 75 from Brother Tho [Le Duc Tho] to Brother Tuan [Van Tien Dung]
Cable from Le Duc Tho to Van Tien Dung to discuss the decision by the Politburo and the Central Military Party Committee to implement Plan 1 in the immediate future and consolidate forces in the northern provinces.
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March 25, 1975
Central Military Party Committee to Comrade Tran Van Tra and the COSVN Military Party Committee, Info Copy Sent to Pham Hung, the COSVN Party Secretary
Cable from Vo Nguyen Giap on behalf of the Central Military Party Committee to report on its strategic general offensive, beginning with the victories in the Central Highlands and the other battlefields.