The fate of the general

The fate of the general
This picture revealed to the world the truth about the Vietnam War. But he broke the life of her hero.

Until February 1, 1968, Nguyen Ngoc Loan was a simple brigadier general of the South Vietnamese police. But on that day in Saigon, without a trial, he shot a man in civilian clothes with a headshot. The photo “The Saigon Execution”, which captured this terrible episode of the Vietnam War, was sold out in the world media. She showed with frightening frankness to the Americans the hell that was going on in a distant country, giving a powerful incentive to the anti-war movement in the United States. The famous frame has changed not only the attitude of the Americans towards the war, but also the fate of General Loan. Lenta.ru remembered the story of a man who devoted his life to defending the Motherland, but became known to the whole world as a cold-blooded executioner.

Vietnamese hawk

Nguyen Ngoc Lohan was born on December 11, 1930 in the colony of Cochinchina (South Vietnam), which was part of Indochina subordinate to France. Despite the fact that Loan was one of 11 children, the family lived in prosperity. His father was a respected engineer, his mother a doctor. During the Second World War, Vietnam was captured by Japan, but in August 1945 the Communists came to power in the country. Not everyone liked it: France tried to return the former colony, the First Indochina War began, as a result of which Vietnam was divided into the socialist North and the capitalist South.

During these events, Loan studied at the Institute of Economics in Hue and thought about his career as an accountant. He supported the revolution, but soon became disillusioned with socialism because of too aggressive reforms: the complete nationalization of the lands, universal conscription and the persecution of “undesirable class elements”, including the wealthy father of Loan. After graduating from the institute, he firmly decided to defend the country from the Communists and enlisted as a volunteer in the army of South Vietnam. Excellent vision and good health allowed him to become an air force pilot.

Loan quickly joined the team and became the soul of the company. Colleagues nicknamed him "responsible cutter." Many times they secretly left the air base to drink and dance all night. It is clear that by the morning construction many people lost their statutory appearance, but Nguyen did not allow himself this: his form was always ironed and clean, the shoes shone, and he shaved twice a day.

Nguyen Ngoc Loane and Associates, March 1968 | Source: AP 2019

It was Loan and more formidable nickname - Hawk. He received it during the Second Indochinese War for 12 shot down aircraft. The ambitious and executive pilot quickly became famous among his fellow servicemen, and his superiors were in good standing.

The commanders liked that he never refused to work in parts or from combat missions, an active citizenship and commanders also contributed to his promotion.

In the rank of lieutenant Loan met and became friends with the commander of aviation Kao Ki. In 1965, Ki became the country's prime minister and immediately appointed a friend to head the South Vietnamese police. So in his 35 years Nguyen Ngoc Loan became a general.

However, the high post did not corrupt Loan. After gaining power, he immediately carried out police reform, the purpose of which was to fight corruption, increase the efficiency of work and the prestige of law enforcement. To this were added constant checks and annual military exercises. For two years Loan made many ill-wishers in power, but among the people he was respected.

All this time the civil war continued in the country, but only in 1968 did it reach the capital of South Vietnam, Saigon. January 31 began large-scale Tet offensive northerners. US bases were shelled, and cities were attacked by NLF (The National Liberation Front of South Vietnam, also known as the Viet Cong). Despite the effect of surprise, the attacking side suffered catastrophic losses (45 thousand fighters), and the offensive soon choked.

Fighting ways

In the first hours after the start of the offensive, Loan played a decisive role in the defense and deterrence of Saigon. Fighters under his command managed to break the main forces of the Viet Cong on the approach to the city. The remnants of the attacking group attempted to gain a foothold in the US Embassy, but the police managed to eliminate two commanders, and the squad lost its combat capability.

While part of the fighters tried to defend the courtyard of the embassy (only two of them survived), others rushed scatteringly. Street fights began. According to official South Vietnamese statistics, during this time, Viet Cong executed nearly three thousand civilians in the city. The Communists dealt with cruelty with Catholic priests, wealthy families, relatives of soldiers and officers. They were burned alive.

To inspire his soldiers, Loan personally supervised the sweeping of the city and even participated in the shootings. Soon the pockets of resistance were suppressed; captive managed to capture the field commander of NFLUV Nguyen Van Lem. He was detained near three dozen burned bodies, among which were women and children. Lem was led to Loan.

Everything that happened next is history. And in order to illuminate it in full, you should go back to the day of January 30, 1968. A day before the onset, American photojournalist Eddie Adams arrived in Saigon.

A good friend, Lewis Walt, who served as commander of the United States Marine Corps and wore general's shoulder straps, helped him find the succulent personnel. Adams was assigned personal security, provided an armored vehicle and a place to rest in a sheltered bomb shelter. There he sat out during the fighting in the city. And when I learned that the main forces of the Viet Cong were destroyed, I went outside

On February 1, Eddie walked around the city with a colleague-operator from NBC. Journalists drew attention to two Vietnamese marines who were leading a tattered man to a “strict warrior who looked like a soulless killer”, this was Adams’s first impression of General Nguyen Ngoc Loan’s personality. Eddie took out a camera. He later recalled that he was waiting for interrogation, but Loan, without saying a word, pulled out a revolver, stretched out his right hand and, almost touching the captive's head, pulled the trigger.

Killer shot

"Execution in Saigon" has become the most famous photograph of the Vietnam War. It has been published in newspapers and magazines all over the world. It is believed that this photo was one of the key factors in changing the attitude of American society to the participation of the United States in the war. The fact of the execution of a prisoner of war without trial and investigation has spurred the anti-war movement around the world and was actively used by communist propaganda.

Even then, Adams tried to debunk the myth of the executioner general. He repeatedly publicly stated that he did not understand the situation, but these confessions did not prevent him from receiving the Pulitzer Prize. However, instead of enjoying the success of Eddie fell into depression, and later refused all awards.

Press photographer Eddie Adams in a helicopter over Saigon, 1968 | Source: AP 2019

Loan, shortly after the execution, Lem was seriously injured. He came under machine-gun fire near Saigon, and the doctors were eventually forced to amputate his leg. For treatment, the general was taken first to Australia and then to Washington, which caused serious resentment of the anti-war public.

In 1975, after the end of the Vietnam War, Loan fled to the United States with his wife and five children. He settled in the town of Burke - in the west of the state of Virginia, practically in the suburbs of Washington - he opened a small family restaurant and personally prepared Vietnamese dishes according to his mother’s recipes.

Because of that ill-fated photograph, Loan was wanted to be deported from the USA. Officials even summoned Adams to testify against the general. Instead, the reporter defended him on NBC, the country's largest television station at the time, and offered an official apology to Loan. As a result, the general was allowed to remain in the country, even President Jimmy Carter spoke in favor of such a decision.

But the past has overtaken the former general. Human rights activists, hippies and newspaper men flooded into Burke.

The first staged a demonstration and spread around the district news of the absconding executioner. The second painted Loana's institution with offensive graffiti. Still others guarded the former general at work and near the house, annoying him with questions. Soon there were problems in business, children began to be harassed at school, night calls began with threats. And once, after the cafe was closed, the 48-year-old general was severely beaten in the parking lot. He was in the hospital for a long time, but he survived.

Nguyen Ngoc Loan, March 1968 | Source: AP 2019

After this incident, Eddie Adams published a column in the Times. “I am faced with the fact that society does not care about the truth. People found a scapegoat, and I was the executioner, ”he wrote. As if to confirm these words shortly after the crippled Vietnamese left the hospital, the local newspaper published an article entitled “God's court in Burke”. The author compared the general with Nazi Heinrich Himmler, called on Congress to reconsider his decision and deport Loan to Vietnam, where he was, without a doubt, awaited the death penalty.

Unable to withstand the pressure, Loan closed his restaurant and lived as a hermit until the end of his days. He died of cancer on July 14, 1998, when he was 67 years old.

Shortly after the funeral of General Adams, the last time he made a public statement, which dealt with Nguyen Ngoc Loan. “Loan killed a Viet Cong, and I killed Loan from my camera. Photos - the most formidable weapon in the world. People believe them. But the photos lie, even if they are not manipulated. They are only half true. I'm sorry he's gone. Until the end of my life I will consider him a hero. ”