失去的天命》。美国对越南总统吴廷琰的背叛

 失去的天命》。美国对越南总统吴廷琰的背叛

杰弗里-肖

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越南共和国第一任总统吴廷琰拥有儒家的 "天命"，这是一个被所有越南人广泛认可的道德和政治权威。这位虔诚的罗马天主教领袖在他的人民眼中从未失去这种授权；相反，他被美国政府发起的军事政变拿下，导致他被残忍地杀害。

普遍持有的观点与军事历史学家杰弗里-肖的上述论断相悖。根据许多美国历史学家的说法，蔡琰总统是一个腐败的领导人，他的暴虐行为使他失去了人民的忠诚和对北越军事胜利的可能性。他们认为，肯尼迪政府不得不撤回对黎明的支持。

根据他对原始资料的研究，包括美国政府的解密文件，肖记录了肯尼迪政府对这个盟友的背叛，事实证明，这不仅是道德上的失败，也是一场政治灾难，导致美国陷入一场旷日持久、代价高昂的战争。一路走来，肖揭示了一个与新闻界在报道越南时描绘的暴君截然不同的蔡琰总统。根据军事、情报和外交方面的目击者的描述，肖描绘了一个具有罕见的正直性的人，一个努力将他的国家从西方殖民主义中解放出来，同时保护它不受共产主义的影响的爱国者的形象。

"他坦诚地叙述了吴廷琰被杀的经过、原因、责任人、发生的原因以及灾难性的结果。对于阅读这本陈述清晰、论证严密的书的美国人来说，特别令人痛苦的是，越南的最终失败其实并不是在战斗方面，而是在政治和道德方面。越南战争不一定会输。压倒性的证据支持它"。

- 摘自乔治敦大学荣誉教授詹姆斯-V-沙尔（James V. Schall, S.J.）的前言

"我是否发现了一个名副其实的康拉德式的'黑暗之心'？是的，我找到了，但它并不在所有流行的美国消息来源指责的地方；换句话说，不是在西贡，而是在华盛顿特区的国务院，以及肯尼迪总统最亲密的白宫顾问圈内，这很矛盾。这些人的行为导致了对黎明的谋杀。随着他的死亡，美国和南越之间九年半的精心工作和伙伴关系被取消了。"

- 杰弗里-肖，摘自序言

 

"这部杰作可能会成为关于这一棘手问题的权威性著作。这是一本写得非常好的、引人入胜的读物，充满了重要的启示和揭露"。

- 威廉-L-斯蒂尔曼，博士，国家安全委员会印度支那办事处主任，1973-1976年

"这是一本了不起的书，它最终以大量的文献资料澄清了暗杀吴廷琰的事实，这最终导致了我们战争的失败。必读之作"。

- 约翰-M-波因德克斯特上将，美国海军（退役），里根总统的国家安全顾问

"肖编写了一部真正具有纪念意义和高度可读性的著作。任何认真研究越南战争的学生都必须阅读此书。"

- 美国海军陆战队安德鲁-R-芬莱森上校（退役），《杀手凯恩》作者

"花了半个世纪的时间，才有一个有决心、有勇气的人揭开了暗杀总统的马基雅维利的阴谋"。

- 西贡艺术、文化和教育研究所（SACEI）所长吴佳美（Nghia M. Vo）。

The Lost Mandate of Heaven: The American Betrayal of Ngo Dinh Diem, President of Vietnam

Geoffrey Shaw

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Ngo Dinh Diem, the first president of the Republic of Vietnam, possessed the Confucian "Mandate of Heaven", a moral and political authority that was widely recognized by all Vietnamese. This devout Roman Catholic leader never lost this mandate in the eyes of his people; rather, he was taken down by a military coup sponsored by the U.S. government, which resulted in his brutal murder.

The commonly held view runs contrary to the above assertion by military historian Geoffrey Shaw. According to many American historians, President Diem was a corrupt leader whose tyrannical actions lost him the loyalty of his people and the possibility of a military victory over the North Vietnamese. The Kennedy Administration, they argue, had to withdraw its support of Diem.

Based on his research of original sources, including declassified documents of the U.S. government, Shaw chronicles the Kennedy administration's betrayal of this ally, which proved to be not only a moral failure but also a political disaster that led America into a protracted and costly war. Along the way, Shaw reveals a President Diem very different from the despot portrayed by the press during its coverage of Vietnam. From eyewitness accounts of military, intelligence, and diplomatic sources, Shaw draws the portrait of a man with rare integrity, a patriot who strove to free his country from Western colonialism while protecting it from Communism.

"A candid account of the killing of Ngo Dinh Diem, the reasons for it, who was responsible, why it happened, and the disastrous results. Particularly agonizing for Americans who read this clearly stated and tightly argued book is the fact that the final Vietnam defeat was not really on battle grounds, but on political and moral grounds. The Vietnam War need not have been lost. Overwhelming evidence supports it."

— From the Foreword by James V. Schall, S.J., Professor Emeritus, Georgetown University

"Did I find a veritable Conradian 'Heart of Darkness'? Yes, I did, but it was not in the quarter to which all popular American sources were pointing their accusatory fingers; in other words, not in Saigon but, paradoxically, within the Department of State back in Washington, D.C., and within President Kennedy's closest White House advisory circle. The actions of these men led to Diem's murder. And with his death, nine and a half years of careful work and partnership between the United States and South Vietnam was undone."

— Geoffrey Shaw, from the Preface

 

"This masterpiece will likely emerge as the definitive work on this troublesome subject. An exceedingly well-written and engaging read, replete with significant revelations and exposés."

— William L. Stearman, Ph.D.,Director of the National Security Council's Indochina staff, 1973–1976

"A remarkable book that finally sets the record straight with copious documentation on the assassination of Diem, which was ultimately responsible for our loss of the war. A must read."

— Admiral John M. Poindexter, U.S. Navy (ret.), National Security Advisor to President Reagan

"Shaw has produced a truly monumental and highly readable account. Any serious student of the Vietnam War must read this book."

— Colonel Andrew R. Finlayson, U.S. Marine Corps (ret.), Author, Killer Kane

"It took half a century for someone committed and brave enough to unravel the Machiavellian plot to assassinate President Diem."

— Nghia M. Vo, Director of Saigon Arts, Culture, and Education Institute (SACEI)