The Spy Who Loved Us_ The Vietnam War and Pham Xuan An's Dangerous Game ( PDFDrive )

198 THOMAS A. BASS
at West Point and commander of U.S. forces in Vietnam, asking
‘whether tactical nuclear weapons should be used.” He requested
from Westmoreland a list of targets “which lend
themselves to nuclear strikes.” Westmoreland advised against
using atomic bombs, at least for the moment, although he assured
his boss that he would keep the idea in mind. “I visualize
that either tactical nuclear weapons or chemical agents
would be active candidates for employment,” Westmoreland cabled
Wheeler.
In spite of the bland assurances that Westmoreland publicly
circulated at the time, he was seriously rattled by Têt. “From a
realistic point of view we must accept the fact that the enemy
has dealt the GVN [government of Vietnam] a severe blow,” he
cabled Wheeler. “He has brought the war to the towns and
the cities and has inflicted damage and casualties on the population.
Homes have been destroyed, distribution of the necessities
of life has been interrupted. Damage has been inflicted
to the LOCs [lines of communication] and the economy has
been decimated. Martial law has been evoked with stringent
curfews in the cities. The people have felt directly the impact
of the war.” In another cable to Wheeler, Westmoreland confessed
that the Têt Offensive had allowed the Communists to
inflict “a psychological blow, possibly greater in Washington
than in South Vietnam.”
“The plan was to liberate all of South Vietnam in one stroke,”
An says. “I doubted you could do it in one stroke, but I supported
the Têt Offensive. After the United States began sending troops
into Vietnam, I urged the Vietcong to organize a counteroffensive.
By 1966 I was convinced they needed to do this to raise
morale. This is why Tu Cang moved to Saigon two years before
the offensive. He had to start planning. We had to do it.”
Three months before the offensive, An was directed to
stay in Saigon, where he would scout targets and develop the
Communist strategy to take over the city. “The Communists
wanted people to take a side,” he says. “Either you side with the