 Jen W. Nguye^~n Cuo^'i na(m 1964, chie^'n tranh ba('t dda^`u lan tra`n va` bu`ng no^? du+~ do^.i. Vie^.t Co^.ng (VC) mie^`n Nam nha^.n ddu+o+.c vie^.n tro+. cu?a Co^.ng Sa?n Ba('c Vie^.t (CSBV) nhie^`u ho+n nhu+~ng na(m tru+o+'c. Bo^. ddo^.i Ba('c Vie^.t xa^m nha^.p mie^`n Nam qua he^. tho^'ng ddu+o+`ng mo`n Ho^` Chi' Minh (HCM) do.c ha`nh lang ranh gio+'i tam bie^n Vie^.t-Mie^n-La`o. Vo+'i su+. tro+. giu'p ve^` vu~ khi' va` nha^n su+. cu?a Ba('c Vie^.t nga`y ca`ng gia ta(ng, Vie^.t Co^.ng mie^`n Nam tie^'p tu.c ga^y a'p lu+.c na(.ng ne^` vo+'i nhu+~ng tra^.n dda'nh le^n dde^'n ca^'p trung ddoa`n. Ca'c binh si~ Nam Vie^.t Nam tuy bi. ye^'u ke'm ve^` qua^n trang, nhu+ng su+'c cho^'ng tra? cu?a ho. va^~n co`n ra^'t ma~nh lie^.t. Nhu+ng ngu+o+`i My~ la.c quan va` kho^ng nha^.n tha^'y ddie^`u na`y. Sau tra^.n Bi`nh Gia? va`o cuo^'i na(m 1964, ca'c gio+'i chu+'c qua^n su+. Hoa Ky` cho ra(`ng dda~ dde^'n lu'c pha?i ddu+a qua^n bo^. chie^'n va`o mie^`n Nam. Tha'ng 3 na(m 1965, mo^.t dda.i ddo+n vi. da~ chie^'n My~ ddo^? bo^. ta.i bo+` bie^?n DDa` Na(~ng. Ho. chi'nh la` nhu+~ng binh si~ thuo^.c Lu+~ DDoa`n Expedition Brigade Thu?y Qua^n Lu.c Chie^'n (TQLC) Hoa Ky`. O+? dda^y ta ne^n dda(.t ca^u ho?i vi` sao Hoa Ky` quye^'t ddi.nh ddu+a qua^n bo^. chie^'n va`o Vie^.t Nam? Va` vi` sao la.i va`o na(m 1965 nhu+ng la.i kho^ng pha?i tu+` nhu+~ng na(m tru+o+'c ddo'. Ca^u ho?i tuy ddo+n gia?n, nhu+ng tha^.t kho^ng de^~ ti`m ddu+o+.c mo^.t lo+`i gia?i thi'ch tho?a dda'ng. Tro+? la.i tho+`i ddie^?m mo^.t na(m tru+o+'c ddo' va`o na(m 1964 khi VC ba('t dda^`u gia ta(ng mu+'c ddo^. chie^'n tranh o+? mie^`n Nam Vie^.t Nam, kho^ng pha?i chi? nhu+~ng ddo^`n bo't cu?a Qua^n DDo^.i Vie^.t Nam Co^.ng Ho`a (VNCH) bi. ta^'n co^ng ma` tho^i. Ngu+o+.c la.i, nhu+~ng no+i ddo'ng qua^n cu?a ca'c co^' va^'n Hoa Ky` cu~ng kho^ng thoa't kho?i nhu+~ng cuo^.c ddo^.t ki'ch cu?a VC. DDie^?n hi`nh la` VC ta^'n co^ng ca(n cu+' qua^n su+. cu?a Hoa Ky` o+? Kontum nga`y 3.2.1964, va` dda'nh bie^?n ngu+o+`i va`o tra.i Lu+.c Lu+o+.ng DDa(.c Bie^.t o+? Nam DDo^`ng nga`y 6.7.1964. Ro^`i dde^'n vu. ca'c chie^'n ddi?nh Ba('c Vie^.t ta^'n co^ng khu tru.c ha.m (ship, destroyer type) cu?a Hoa Ky` tre^n bie^?n va`o tha'ng 8 na(m 1965, va` dda(.c co^ng VC dda(.t cha^'t no^? pha' hu?y kha'ch sa.n Brinks, no+i tru' ngu. cu?a nhie^`u qua^n nha^n Hoa Ky` o+? Saigon. Va` sau cu`ng la` vu. VC mo+? tra^.n dda'nh kho^'c lie^.t o+? la`ng Bi`nh Gia? va`o tha'ng 12 cuo^'i na(m. Vi` Hoa Ky` cho ra(`ng cuo^.c chie^'n cho^'ng Co^.ng ta.i mie^`n Nam tha^.t su+. ddang tre^n dda` tuo^.t da^`n ro+i xuo^'ng ho^', va` vi` nghi~ ra(`ng qua^n ddo^.i Nam Vie^.t Nam kho^ng cho^'ng no^?i su+. xa^m la(ng cu?a Co^.ng Sa?n Ba('c Vie^.t (CSBV) ne^n nu+o+'c My~ co' y' muo^'n xu+? du.ng lu+.c lu+o+.ng bo^. chie^'n dde^? tru+.c tie^'p nga(n ca?n su+. ba`nh tru+o+'ng cu?a Co^.ng Sa?n o+? mie^`n Nam. Nhu+ng tha^.t su+. thi` Hoa Ky` kho^ng muo^'n co^ng khai pho+i ba`y chu? tru+o+ng na`y. Ho. so+. du+ lua^.n quo^'c te^', ho. so+. du+ lua^.n cho^'ng chie^'n tranh ta.i My~, va` quan tro.ng ho+n he^'t...ho. so+. Nga So^ va` Trung Co^.ng se~ co' pha?n u+'ng va` tru+.c tie^'p gia nha^.p chie^'n. Vie^.c na`y ra^'t la` nguy hie^?m va` co' the^? se~ ddu+a dde^'n the^' chie^'n thu+' 3. Na(m 1965, cha'nh phu? Hoa Ky` dda~ ba('t dda^`u leo thang chie^'n tranh. Ma'y bay My~ do^.i bom Ba('c Vie^.t va` trong khi ddo' thi` ca'c lu+.c lu+o+.ng lu.c qua^n ba('t dda^`u mo+? nhu+~ng cuo^.c ha`nh qua^n ti`m va` die^.t (search and destroy) o+? mie^`n Nam Vie^.t Nam. Chie^'n di.ch do^.i bom ddu+o+.c dda(.t te^n la` Rolling Thunder (Sa^'m Se't Cuo^`n Cuo^.n) ddu+o+.c thu+.c hie^.n o+? ca? hai mie^`n Nam Ba('c. O+? mie^`n Ba('c, ca'c ca(n cu+' qua^n su+. va` ca'c kho du+. tru+~ nhie^n lie^.u dde^`u la` nhu+~ng mu.c tie^u cho ca'c phi vu. do^.i bom. O+? mie^`n Nam, nhu+~ng ddi.a ddie^?m kha? nghi cu?a qua^n VC cu~ng thu+o+`ng xuye^n bi. oanh ta.c. Mu.c ddi'ch cha'nh cu?a Rolling Thunder la` se~ la`m cho Ba('c Vie^.t bi. da^`n da` hao mo`n dde^? ho. kho^ng co`n kha? na(ng vie^.n tro+. cho qua^n VC o+? mie^`n Nam. Hoa Ky` kho^ng muo^'n "1-2-3" dda'nh mo^.t tra^.n dde^? ddo+`i ba(`ng ca'ch san ba(`ng mie^`n Ba('c vo+'i bom dda.n phi co+. Ho. so+. ne^'u ddi qua' tro+'n thi` se~ ga(.p pha?i pha?n u+'ng ma.nh me~ cu?a Nga So^ va` Trung Co^.ng. Va` hai cu+o+`ng quo^'c Co^.ng Sa?n na`y co' the^? se~ nha?y va`o vo`ng chie^'n ra tay be^nh vu+.c cho ga~ dda`n em Ba('c Vie^.t Nam. No^~i so+. na`y cu?a cha'nh phu? Hoa Ky` cu~ng ddu'ng pha^`n na`o. Vi` ddo' la` kinh nghie^.m ma` chi'nh ho. dda~ ho.c ho?i ddu+o+.c trong tra^.n chie^'n Nam Trie^`u Tie^n tu+` na(m 1950 dde^'n 1953. Nhu+ng chie^'n di.ch do^.i bom Rolling Thunder dda~ kho^ng mang dde^'n mo^.t ke^'t qua? to^'t dde.p nhu+ ngu+o+`i My~ mong muo^'n. Nhie^`u co+ so+? qua^n su+. cu?a Ba('c Vie^.t bi. dda'nh sa^.p, nhie^`u kho du+. tru+~ nhie^n lie^.u bi. pha' hu?y, nhie^`u ddu+o+`ng xa' va` ca^`u co^'ng bi. hu+ ha.i, nhu+ng cha'nh phu? Ha` No^.i va^~n ngoan co^' va` kho^ng quan ta^m dde^'n no^~i kho^? cu+.c cu`ng cu?a ngu+o+`i da^n mie^`n Ba('c. Bao nhie^u nga^n kho^' dde^`u ddu+o+.c du`ng va`o vie^.c vie^.n tro+. cho qua^n VC o+? mie^`n Nam. Te^. ha.i ho+n nu+~a, sau mo^.t tho+`i gian bi. oanh ta.c, cha'nh phu? Ha` No^.i dda~ di chuye^?n ca'c kho vu~ khi' cu`ng va^.t lie^.u quan tro.ng dde^'n nhu+~ng vu`ng ddo^ng ddu'c da^n cu+. Lo+.i du.ng lo`ng nha^n dda.o cu?a Hoa Ky` vo+'i chu? tru+o+ng kho^ng ne'm bom va`o nhu+~ng no+i co' da^n la`nh cu+ ngu., cha'nh phu? Ha` No^.i dda~ ma(.c nhie^n ba'n re? ma.ng so^'ng cu?a da^n la`nh dde^? tie^'p tu.c theo dduo^?i co^ng cuo^.c xa^m lu+o+.c mie^`n Nam. Nhu+ng chie^'n di.ch Rolling Thunder bi. tha^'t ba.i kho^ng pha?i chi? vi` ly' do qua^n Co^.ng Sa?n mie^`n Ba('c la` ha.ng ngu+o+`i "gio?i ddo`n ga'nh chi.u dda^'m a(n xo^i". Mo^.t trong nhu+~ng nguye^n nha^n cha'nh la`m suy ye^'u chie^'n di.ch do^.i bom na`y chi'nh la` chu? tru+o+ng do^.i bom gio+'i ha.n cu?a Hoa Ky`. Ca'c gio+'i chu+'c qua^n su+. ta.i Hoa Thi.nh DDo^'n (Washington D.C.) dda~ chia tha`nh 2 phe. Mo^.t phe u?ng ho^. vie^.c do^.i bom ma.nh me~ dde^? mau le. ke^'t thu'c chie^'n tranh, co`n phe kia thi` chu? tru+o+ng "vu+`a dda'nh vu+`a dda`m", tu+'c la` do^.i bom ti ti' dde^? cho Ha` No^.i tha^'m ddo`n ro^`i bo` va`o ba`n ho^.i nghi.. Phe u?ng ho^. cha'nh sa'ch ma.nh me~ do^.i bom go^`m DDa.i Tu+o+'ng William C. Westmoreland (to^?ng tu+ le^.nh lu+.c lu+o+.ng Hoa Ky` ta.i Vie^.t Nam) va` DDo^ DDo^'c Ha?i Qua^n Ulysses S. Grant Sharp (to^?ng tu+ le^.nh lu+.c lu+o+.ng Hoa Ky` ta.i Tha'i Bi`nh Du+o+ng). Co`n phi'a cho^'ng ddo^'i thi` co' Bo^. Tru+o+?ng Quo^'c Pho`ng, o^ng Robert S. McNamara, va` John McNaughton, Phu. Ta' Quo^'c Pho`ng ve^` An Ninh Quo^'c Te^' (Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs). DDa.i Tu+o+'ng Westmoreland va` DDo^ DDo^'c Sharp dde^`u co' mo^.t chu? tru+o+ng tha(?ng tha('n va` ro~ ra`ng: Pha?i dda'nh nhanh, dda'nh ma.nh, va` dda'nh ngay va`o ye^'u huye^.t cu?a Ha` No^.i. Va` chi'nh vi` ho. la` nhu+~ng qua^n nha^n co' ma(.t tre^n chie^'n tru+o+`ng, am tu+o+`ng mo.i vie^.c, ne^n ho. dda~ co' mo^.t nha^.n xe't ra^'t ho+.p ti`nh ho+.p the^' vo+'i tho+`i co+ qua^n su+.. Nhu+ng trong khi ddo' ca'c o^ng McNamara, John McNaughton, cu`ng nhie^`u gio+'i chu+'c da^n su+. kha'c dda~ kho^ng co' ma(.t ta.i chie^'n tru+o+`ng Vie^.t Nam ma` la.i co' quye^`n quye^'t ddi.nh cho.n lu+.a mu.c tie^u dde^? do^.i bom. Te^. ha.i ho+n nu+~a, nho'm ngu+o+`i na`y thuo^.c the^' he^. lo+'n le^n sau tho+`i chie^'n (sau DDe^. Nhi. The^' Chie^'n) thi` la`m the^' na`o ho. la.i sa'nh ddu+o+.c vo+'i nhu+~ng qua^n nha^n dda^`y a('p kinh nghie^.m nhu+ DDo^ DDo^'c Sharp hoa(.c la` DDa.i Tu+o+'ng Westmoreland? Do ddo' ha^`u nhu+ ta^'t ca? ca'c ca'c gio+'i chu+'c "vu+`a dda'nh vu+`a dda`m" o+? Washington dde^`u co' chung mo^.t no^~i so+. la` ne^'u Ha` No^.i a(n bom dda.n qua' nhie^`u thi` kho^ng chu+`ng Trung Co^.ng se~ tru+.c tie^'p nha?y va`o vo`ng chie^'n. Va` ne^'u nhu+ the^' thi` ngu+o+`i My~ se~ ra^'t kho' ma` da`nh pha^`n tha('ng ddu+o+.c trong cuo^.c chie^'n o+? Vie^.t Nam. Trong quye^?n Vietnam At War, Trung Tu+o+'ng Phillip Davison co' mo^.t nha^.n ddi.nh ro~ ra`ng ve^` vie^.c na`y. O^ng vie^'t: "Su+. suy ddoa'n cu?a hai o^ng "M" (y' no'i McNamara va` McNaughton) dde^`u kho^ng thoa't kho?i mo^.t no^~i so+. se^.t la` Trung Co^.ng se~ can thie^.p trong tru+o+`ng ho+.p ca'c co+ so+? quan tro.ng cu?a Ba('c Vie^.t bi. chie^'n di.ch do^.i bom tie^u hu?y. Ca? hai o^ng dde^`u kho^ng muo^'n khai trie^?n chie^'n di.ch Rolling Thunder, hoa(.c gia ta(ng mu+'c ddo^. do^.i bom, ca? hai ngu+o+`i ai cu~ng dde^`u muo^'n gie^'t che^'t chie^'n di.ch na`y" (Phillip Davison: Vietnam At War, tr.389). Trong ta^.p ta`i lie^.u Vietnam The War In The Air cu?a Rene Francillon, ta'c gia? vie^'t nhu+ sau ve^` su+. tha^'t ba.i cu?a chie^'n di.ch Rolling Thunder: "Khi chie^'n di.ch Rolling Thunder ba('t dda^`u, ca'c mu.c tie^u...dde^`u do Hoa Thi.nh DDo^'n chi? ddi.nh, va` ta^'t ca? dde^`u na(`m trong mo^.t danh sa'nh 94 mu.c tie^u dda~ ddu+o+.c lu+.a cho. sa(~n, nhu+~ng le^.nh oanh ta.c va` con so^' phi vu. ddu+o+.c phe'p xu+? du.ng se~ ddu+o+.c tho^ng ba'o cho ca'c ca^'p chi? huy (ta.i chie^'n tru+o+`ng Vie^.t Nam) sau. Vi` le~ ddo', chie^'n di.ch do^.i bom kho^ng ddu+o+.c thi ha`nh ddu'ng mu+'c ddo^., va` ca'c phi co^ng Kho^ng Qua^n va` Ha?i Qua^n Hoa Ky` dda~ pha?i chie^'n dda^'u vo+'i mo^.t tay, ne^'u kho^ng muo^'n no'i la` ca? hai tay, tro'i qua(.p o+? sau lu+ng ho." (Rene Francillon: Vietnam The War in the Air, tr.46). Trong khoa?ng tho+`i gian tu+` dda^`u na(m 1965 cho dde^'n ga^`n cuo^'i na(m 1968, co' ta^'t ca? 300,000 phi vu. oanh ta.c dda~ ddu+o+.c xu+? du.ng cho chie^'n di.ch Rolling Thunder. Trong ddo' co' 860,000 ta^'n bom dda~ ddu+o+.c tha? va` he^'t tha?y la` 922 phi co+ cu?a Hoa Ky` bi. ba('n ro+'t (Mallar Press: NAM - The Vietnam Experience 1965-75, tr.80). Chie^'n di.ch do^.i bom tru+o+`ng ky` ke'o da`i ga^`n 4 na(m tru+o+`ng na`y dda~ kho^ng ddu? ma.nh dde^? dda'nh cho Ba('c Vie^.t nga~ quy.. Cha'nh phu? Ha` No^.i tie^'p tu.c chi.u ddu+.ng dde^? theo dduo^?i co^ng cuo^.c xa^m la(ng mie^`n Nam. Ro^`i cuo^.c chie^'n ke'o da`i nhie^`u na(m sau ddo'. Hoa Ky` da^`n da` bi. dduo^'i su+'c vi` hao to^?n qua' nhie^`u. DDe^'n khi cuo^.c chie^'n ke^'t thu'c, du+ lua^.n the^' gio+'i ta(.ng cho Hoa Ky` mo^.t ca^u ho?i chua nhu+ me: "ta.i sao ca'c o^ng dda~ thua o+? Vie^.t Nam"? Na(m 1965 cu~ng la` mo^.t tho+`i ddie^?m no'ng bo?ng cu?a chie^'n tranh. Nhie^`u tra^.n dda'nh du+~ do^.i xa?y ra tre^n 4 Vu`ng Chie^'n Thua^.t. Va`o tha'ng 2, ca(n cu+' (Camp) Holloway cu?a Hoa Ky` ga^`n Pleiku bi. ta^'n co^ng. DDe^'n tha'ng 6, qua^.n ly. DDo^`ng Xoa`i bi. tra`n nga^.p. Qua tha'ng 8, tra.i Lu+.c Lu+o+.ng DDa(.c Bie^.t (LLDDB) ta.i DDu+'c Co+ bi. dda'nh bie^?n ngu+o+`i. Ro^`i giu+~a tha'ng 10, mo^.t tra.i LLDDB kha'c ta.i Pleime bi. co^ng ki'ch. Sau tra^.n Pleime, mo^.t chie^'n di.ch ha`nh qua^n ddu+o+.c mo+? ro^.ng ta.i thung lu~ng Ia-Drang (ga^`n Pleime) dde^? ca`n que't ta`n qua^n Co^.ng Sa?n (sau tra^.n Pleime) va`o khoa?ng cuo^'i tha'ng 10. DDa^y cu~ng la` mo^.t chie^'n di.ch vi~ dda.i cu?a lu+.c lu+o+.ng lie^n qua^n My~ va` VNCH. DDa^y la` la^`n dda^`u tie^n qua^n ddo^.i Hoa Ky` mo+? cuo^.c ha`nh qua^n o+? ca^'p su+ ddoa`n vo+'i su+. ye^?m tro+. cu?a ha`ng tra(m phi co+, tru+.c tha(ng, va` ca? pha'o dda`i B-52 kho^ng ye^?m. Do ddo', danh tu+` "My~ ho'a chie^'n tranh" dda~ ddu+o+.c ghi nha^.n ngay o+? tho+`i ddie^?m na`y. Tu+` ddo' ve^` sau, na(m 1965 ddu+o+.c coi nhu+ la` na(m dda^`u tie^n nu+o+'c My~ bi. lo^i cuo^'n sa^u va`o cuo^.c chie^'n.
 
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