Nguyen Van Cu
Encyclopedia
Nguyễn Văn Cử was a lieutenant in the (South) Vietnam Air Force
, best known for being one of two mutinous pilots involved in the 1962 South Vietnamese Presidential Palace bombing on 27 February 1962, which aimed to assassinate South Vietnam
's President Ngô Đình Diệm and his immediate family, who were his political advisers.
, a leader of Việt Nam Quốc Dân Đảng (VNQDD), a nationalist party which opposed the regime of Diệm. Cử was trained in the United States as a pilot, and had not been promoted for six years, which he felt was due to his father’s opposition to Diệm, who had him briefly jailed for "antigovernment activities." Cử felt that Diệm was not focused enough on fighting the Vietcong, but was preoccupied with maintaining power. He criticised the Americans for their support for Diệm, which he felt had stifled the war effort, saying "I felt that the Americans had slammed the door on those of us who really wanted the fight against the Communists."
They had planned for Cử, and Phạm Phú Quốc
, who he had recruited from his squadron, to attack the Independence Palace (Dinh Độc Lập) on February 27. Cử had persuaded Quốc by claiming that all the armed services and the United States were aware of the plot, showing him a Newsweek
article critical of Diệm.
to attack the Vietcong, but turned around to attack the palace. The French colonial-era palace was in flames as their two fighter aircraft, World War II
model AD-6s
, supplied by the United States, dropped bombs and napalm
. Several rockets as well as machine gun fire were fired at the compound. The assault ended within an hour, but the pilots did not empty their full load, which would have been sufficient to level the palace. On a cloudy day, they flew at low altitudes of around 150 metres (492.1 ft), completing cycles before ascending above the clouds. Diệm and his family escaped unhurt, with three servants killed and thirty injured. Quốc’s plane was damaged by fire; he ejected over the Saigon River
and landed in Nhà Bè. Cử managed to reach Cambodia
safely, believing his attack had been successful. As a result, he gave reporters a press conference, telling them of the military's hate for Diệm and his regime. Initially arrested by the police, Cử remained in exile in Cambodia where he worked as a language teacher. After Diệm’s assassination in November 1963, Cử returned from exile and resumed his service in the Air Force. In June 1975, after the Communist's victory in the Vietnam War
, Cử was arrested and sent to a reeducation camp
for ten years until his release in 1985. He immigrated to the United States in 1991.
Vietnam Air Force
The Vietnam Air Force began with a few hand-picked men chosen to fly alongside French pilots during the State of Vietnam era. It eventually grew into the world’s sixth largest air force at the height of its power, in 1974...
, best known for being one of two mutinous pilots involved in the 1962 South Vietnamese Presidential Palace bombing on 27 February 1962, which aimed to assassinate South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
's President Ngô Đình Diệm and his immediate family, who were his political advisers.
Biography
Cử is the second son of Nguyễn Văn LựcNguyen Van Luc
Nguyễn Văn Lực was a Vietnamese Lieutenant Commander and leader of the Viet Nam Quoc Dan Dang , which opposed the Ngo Dinh Diem regime. At one point in 1960, Diem had jailed Luc for one month for engaging in "anti-government activities"...
, a leader of Việt Nam Quốc Dân Đảng (VNQDD), a nationalist party which opposed the regime of Diệm. Cử was trained in the United States as a pilot, and had not been promoted for six years, which he felt was due to his father’s opposition to Diệm, who had him briefly jailed for "antigovernment activities." Cử felt that Diệm was not focused enough on fighting the Vietcong, but was preoccupied with maintaining power. He criticised the Americans for their support for Diệm, which he felt had stifled the war effort, saying "I felt that the Americans had slammed the door on those of us who really wanted the fight against the Communists."
They had planned for Cử, and Phạm Phú Quốc
Pham Phu Quoc
Phạm Phú Quốc was a French-trained South Vietnamese flying ace and lieutenant in the Republic of Vietnam Air Force, best known for being one of two mutinous pilots involved in the 1962 South Vietnamese Presidential Palace bombing on February 27, 1962, which aimed to assassinate President Ngo Dinh...
, who he had recruited from his squadron, to attack the Independence Palace (Dinh Độc Lập) on February 27. Cử had persuaded Quốc by claiming that all the armed services and the United States were aware of the plot, showing him a Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
article critical of Diệm.
Attack
Quốc and Cử were scheduled to fly on an early morning mission into the Mekong DeltaMekong Delta
The Mekong Delta is the region in southwestern Vietnam where the Mekong River approaches and empties into the sea through a network of distributaries. The Mekong delta region encompasses a large portion of southwestern Vietnam of . The size of the area covered by water depends on the season.The...
to attack the Vietcong, but turned around to attack the palace. The French colonial-era palace was in flames as their two fighter aircraft, World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
model AD-6s
A-1 Skyraider
The Douglas A-1 Skyraider was an American single-seat attack aircraft that saw service between the late 1940s and early 1980s. It became a piston-powered, propeller-driven anachronism in the jet age, and was nicknamed "Spad", after a French World War I fighter...
, supplied by the United States, dropped bombs and napalm
Napalm
Napalm is a thickening/gelling agent generally mixed with gasoline or a similar fuel for use in an incendiary device, primarily as an anti-personnel weapon...
. Several rockets as well as machine gun fire were fired at the compound. The assault ended within an hour, but the pilots did not empty their full load, which would have been sufficient to level the palace. On a cloudy day, they flew at low altitudes of around 150 metres (492.1 ft), completing cycles before ascending above the clouds. Diệm and his family escaped unhurt, with three servants killed and thirty injured. Quốc’s plane was damaged by fire; he ejected over the Saigon River
Saigon River
The Saigon River is a river located in southern Vietnam that rises near Phum Daung in southeastern Cambodia, flows south and south-southeast for about 140 miles and empties into the Nha Be River, which in its turn empties into the South China Sea some 20 km north-east of the Mekong Delta.The...
and landed in Nhà Bè. Cử managed to reach Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
safely, believing his attack had been successful. As a result, he gave reporters a press conference, telling them of the military's hate for Diệm and his regime. Initially arrested by the police, Cử remained in exile in Cambodia where he worked as a language teacher. After Diệm’s assassination in November 1963, Cử returned from exile and resumed his service in the Air Force. In June 1975, after the Communist's victory in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, Cử was arrested and sent to a reeducation camp
Reeducation camp
Reeducation camp is the official title given to the prison camps operated by the government of Vietnam following the end of the Vietnam War. In such "reeducation camps", the government imprisoned several hundred thousand former military officers and government workers from the former regime of...
for ten years until his release in 1985. He immigrated to the United States in 1991.