TRAO DOI
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TRAN HiTU HUY*
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rong cudc khang cMen chdng My, cim nude. Mat tran Dudng 9 - Bac Quang Tri (ggi tat II Mat han B5) la mdt cMen trudng tigng diem, "mot trong nhimg nai dg siec quyit liet nhdt giiia ta vd dich"\ Quyet dinh md Mat han Dudng 9 - Bac Quang Tri la mdt thanh cdng xuat sac cua nghe thuat dieu hanh, cM dao cMen tianh Viet Nam.Dau nIm 1965, de qude My o at dua quan vao chien tiudng mien Nam Viet Nam, tien hanh cMen luge "cMen tianh cue bd", ddng thdi tang cudng sir dung khdng quan, hai quan danh pha mien Bac, thyc Men mdt budc leo thang mdi tiong cudc cMen tianh xam luge. Budc vao mua khd 1965 - 1966, dya vio uu the quan ddng, hoa lye manh, sue co ddng nhanh. My md cudc phan cdng cMen luge lan thii nhat, tap tiung chu yeu danh vao ddng bang Khu 5 va mien Ddng Nam Bd nham "tim diet" chu lye quan giai phdng, thyc Men cai ggi la "be gay xuong sdng Viet cdng", gilnh lai quyen chu ddng cMen luge tren cMen trudng. Nhung cupe
Vien Lich sir Quan su Viet Nam
phin cdng da bi quan dan ta tien toan mien Nam danh bai. My va cMnh quyen Sai Gdn phai chiu nhung tdn that het sire nang ne. Tuy nMen, vdi ban chat ngoan cd, Meu cMen, chung van tiep tuc tich eye chuan bj vat chat, tang cudng lye lugng hdng md cudc phan cdng cMen luge lan thii hai, dy dinh vao miia khd 1966 - 1967, tap trung dinh vio mien Ddng Nam Bd vdi qui md ldn hon. Nham lam that bai cudc hanh binh nay cua dich, budc chung phai phan tin lye lugng ddi phd vdi ta tren nhQng dia ban xung yeu, tiiang 6 - 1966, Bd Chinh tri va Quan uy Trung uong quyet dinh md Mat tiln Dudng 9 - Bae Quang Tri, dat dudi sy cM huy ciia Bd Tu lenh Quan khu 4, nham mue dieh: "Tao nen mdt hudng tien cdng mdi eiia ta vao noi yeu cua dieh tien cMen tiudng mien Nam, bude dich phai phan tan lye lugng len rung nui, thyc Men tieu diet chiln luge ddi vdi quan co ddng cMen luge cua dich bang lye lugng chu lye manh cua ta d mien Bae, tao dieu kien cho cac cMen tiudng khac - hue tiep nhat II -vimg ddng bang Tri - TMen, lam cho dieh bi ddng cang bj ddng hon, ngan
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chan am muu cua chiing md rdng cMen tianh tren bd ra miin Bic, dac biet la •vung Quan khu 4cuata"l
Khu vyc Dudng 9 - Blc Quang Tri cd mdt vj tri dac biet quan trgng. Day la phan dat phia Nam gidi tiiyen 17 (pMa Bac tiep giap Vinh Linh, Quang Binh; pMa Ddng gilp Men Ddng, phia Tay gilp Trung - Ha Lao, noi tiiyen dudng van chuyen chien luge Bac - Nam di qua, pMa Nam giap huyen Hii Lang, sdng Ba Ldng, Quang Tri). Do dd, ngay tu kM nhay vao mien Nam Viet Nam, My da cho xay dyng d khu vyc nay mdt he thdng phdng thu manh nham "chdng lai sy xam luge eua Bae Viet Nam". Tuy nhien, tmdc thing 6-1966, ta chua day manh dau tranh quan su tai khu vyc niy. Chu tmong "kiem che djch de danh thing chung trong "chien tranh dac biet", "han che den muc thap nhat di den loai tni kha nang dich thay ddi chien luge", chuyen "chien tranh die biet" thanh "chien tranh eye bd"^ la mdt sy tinh toan phu hgp vdi thyc te chien tmdng va bdi canh luc bay gid. Viec dinh sap nguy quan, nguy quyen duge quyet djnh chu yeu tren chien tmdng Ddng Nam Bd va ddng bing Khu 5 (noi tap tmng cae co quan dau nao eiia che do Sii Gdn). Chung ta biet ring. My tim mgi cleh gat bd Phip, nhay vao mien Nam nham bien mien Nam Viet Nam thanh thude dia kieu mdi, mdt can cu quan sy, rdi dung mien Nam llm ban dap tien cdng miin Bic, ngan chan lan sdng each mang giai phdng dan tdc va each mang XHCN lan xudng khu vyc Ddng Nam chau A. Vi the, khi ehi do tay sai d mien Nam Viet Nam dimg tmdc nguy co bi syp dd. My san sang cd nhung hinh ddng leo thang chien tranh. Khu vyc gidi tuyin 17 dugc
xem la khu vyc rat "nhay cam". Tdng thdng Viet Nam cdng hoa Ngd Dinh Diem da timg hiyen bd rang "bien gidi Hoa Ky keo dai den vl tuyen 17". Nam 1962, My da xay dyng dugc mot sd doanh trai lye lugng dac biet d pMa Tay Dudng 9 (giap bien gidi Lao) nham tham dd va pha hoai sy cM vien tu mien Bac vao mien Nam qua he thdng dudng mdn Ho CM Minh. Hdi ky eiia Tdng thdng Johnson cho biet, ngay tu dau nam 1965, tudng Wheeler - Chu tich Hdi ddng tham muu tmdng lien quan da de nghi can phii "dua mpt su doan My vao Viet Nam, bd tri d ngay dudi khu pM quan sy de giup vao viec bao ve mien Nam"''. Dieu dd ed nghia rang, bat cu sy de dpa quan sy nao cua Bac Viet Nam tai viing
"bien gidi" nay eung se thiic day Hoa Ky day manh sy can thiep, ke ca dua quan vien ehinh sang tham chien.
Mat tran Dudng 9 - Bae Quang Tri ra ddi la bude phat trien mdi cua tu tiidng chi dao chien luge kiem che vl dinh thing dich tren cMen tmdng mien Nam. Dua quan vien ehinh My vl quan mdt sd nude ddng minh vao tham cMen d mien Nam Viet Nam, Tdng thdng Johnson da cdng khai mye dich cMnh tri ciia minh, hy vgng se thyc Men dugc "mue tieu chinh tri han che la mudn Nam Viet Nam dgc lap. Cdn mye tieu khdng han che la cMem het dat dai mien Nam, chiem ca mien Bac"l Nhung khi mue tieu chinh tri han che dang dimg tmdc nguy ca that bai, thang 6 - 1966, ta md Mat tran Dudng 9 - Blc QuIng Tri, My lai budc phai phan tan lye lugng de doi phd. My da dieu dgng Trung doan 3, Su doan 3 linh thuy dinh bg My dang lam nhiem vy "tim diet" quan giai phdng tai Quang Ngai, Tam
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Ky, 4 tieu doan tdng dy bi cMen luge quan ddi Sai Gdn, mdt bd phan cua Su doin bd binh 1 quan ddi Sai Gdn thudc Vung 1 chien thuat, cung vdi hang tram khau phao, xe tang, xe thiet giap ting cudng ra bien gidi pM'a Bac Viet Nam cdng hoa nhlm "ngan chin sy tien cdng cua Bac Viet". Westmoreland - Tdng cM huy quan vien cMnh My d mien Nam Viet Nam da cho xay dung, cung cd he thdng tuyen phdng thu tren Dudng 9 bing he thdng hang rao dien tir McNamara, tang cudng dua quan ddn tni len ddng d hudng Tay (Khe Sanh, Lang Vay, quan ly Hudng Hoa). Den cudi nam 1966, bao cao eua Westmoreland gui ve Bd Qude phdng My cho biet da "tap tmng toan bd hon 2 su doin linh thuy danh bd tai Vung 1 cMen thuat vi day la noi "dau sdng nggn gid"
tiep gilp ngay vdi mien Bac Cdng san"^, Tuy nMen, lye lugng niy van khdng dim bio dugc yeu cau chien dau chdng lai quan ddi Blc Viet. Trong buc thu gui ve Washington ngay 18-3-1967, yeu cau tang them quan My sang Viet Nam, chinh Westmoreland da cho rang:
"Tdi thieu, can phai cung cap 1 su doan, cdng them 1 tmng doan cho tinh QuIng Tri de diing lam lye lugng kiem ehe dieh"^ Cang ve cudi cudc chien tranh, nhat la nhung nam cudi ciia cMen luge "chien tranh eye bd", dac biet kM Nixon len lam Tdng thdng My, Mat tran Dudng 9 - Bac Quang Tri lai trd thanh mot tiong cae trgng diem chien dau cua hai ben.
My va quan ddi Sii Gdn khdng chi coi day II Myen dau ngan chan "sy xam lang cua Bac Viet Nam", ma cdn II bin dap de tien hanh cac cudc hinh quan ve phia Tay nham cat dirt Myen ehi vien chien luge Bac - Nam ciia ta.
Mat tran nay trd thanh nai thu hut mdt bd phan
quan trgng sinh lye dich, vao thdi diem dinh cao cua nam 1968, thu hut den 40% lye lugng cMen dau ea ddng cua quan My tren toan bd cMen tmdng mien Nam'. Mac du ludn tap trung mdt lye lugng, binh lye ldn nhu vay, nhimg dia hinh d day chu yeu II ddi niii da lam cho sue cMen dau, kha nang co ddng cua quan My bi han che. CQng bdi dia Mnh khdng thuan lgi, cung vdi viec bd tri hau can phuc vu cMen tranh khdng phu hgp nen trong qua trinh tien hanh cac hoat ddng cMen dau, cdng tic dim bio hau can ludn la mdt trong nhung van de khd khIn ddi vdi dieh. Theo hrdng Bmee Palmer (trong Bd cM huy vien trg quan sy My - MACV) tM "ngay tu dau khi quan My den Viet Nam, nhung ca sd hau can cua My chu yeu dugc tap trung d nhung khu vyc xa phia Bac Viet Nam cdng hoi (Vung 1 chien thuat)""'. Hau can cua My tap tmng ehu yeu d tdng kho Long Binh (Vung 111 chien thuat) vl cIng Cam Ranh (Viing 11 chien thuat). Nhan thay khd khan nay, Westmoreland da tim each khac phuc bang viec xay dyng cIc co sd phuc vy hau can ngay tai cMen tiiyen phia Bac: "Vi cho ring cudi cung se phai trien khai them quan len phia Bae, tdi da cM thi xay dyng 1 san bay mdi d pM'a Blc thi xa Quang Tri (san bay Ai Tu) va cac ben cang dgc sdng Cira Viet tai Ddng HI"". Tuy nhien, nhung cd gang nay van khdng the cii tMen dugc nhieu khi nang dip img hau can cua quan My tai vung rimg nui Quang Tri nay, bdi the, trong nhQng cudc hanh quan ldn, nhung cudc giao tranh ac liet tai khu vyc Dudng 9 - Bac Quang Tri, mac du da huy ddng tdi da mgi phuong tien van chuyen dudng bd, dudng thuy, dudng hang khdng nhung hau can cua My van khdng thi
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dip ung kip thdi yeu ciu cMen dau cua quan My, nhat la trong chiln dich Dudng 9 - Khe Sanh Xuan He 1968. Rd rang, bi budc vao tinh thi phai dua quan My len cMen dau d khu vyc Nam vl tuyIn 17 la dilu cac nha chi huy quan sy Hoa Ky khdng mong mudn, bdi 2 ly do:
Thu nhdt, phii phan tan bmh lye dua quan len chiln diu d mdt dia ban cMen luge ma chiing khdng thi bd, lam tang them mau thuan giQa tap tmng va phan tan lye lugng, lam dIo ldn thi bd tri cMin luge tren cMen tmdng mien Nam; Thu hai, kM dua quan vien ehinh My sang miin Nam Viet Nam, theo ke hoach, linh thuy danh bd My dy dinh se duge dieu ddng vao thyc Men ho trg cdng cudc "binh dinh" d vung ddng bing sdng Cim Long - dia ban dugc eho la rat phu hgp vdi kha nIng chien diu cua linh thuy danh bg vi chu yeu la mdi tmdng sdng nude, nhung ngugc lai, linh thuy dinh bd My lai bi dieu ddng ra khu vyc rimg niii QuIng Tri chang khae nao nhu bi "trdi chan", "el voi mac can". Ve phia ta, day lai la dia ban bd ddi ta de phat huy sd tmdng ve hoat ddng tie chien, ke ca nhung chien dieh ldn cQng nhu nhung tran danh nhd nham tieu diet, tieu hao lye lugng dich. Thang lgi cua nhung cMen dich ldn nhu cMen dich Dudng 9 - Khe Sanh Xuan He 1968, chien dieh phan cdng Dudng 9 - Nam Llo nIm 1971, cMen dich tien cdng Tri - TMen nam 1972 da chimg minh cho nhan dinh dd. Mat tran Dudng 9 - Bac Quang Tri ra ddi da gdp phan tao nen mdt the tran cMen tranh nhan dan vung manh. Tren chien tmdng mien Nam da hinh thanh nhQng qua dam cua nhQng binh doan chu lye dung tren the bd tri chien luge hgp ly va hilm hdc tren cMen tmdng sudt tir Quang Tri, Tay Nguyen,
miin Trung Tmng Bd, miin Ddng Nam Bd ya ddng bing sdng Cim Long. Vdi thi tran cMin hanh nhan dan nhu thi. My - cMnh quyin Sai Gdn khdng cdn kha nang danh ra Nam Quan khu 4 eiia ta nua. Tinh Mnh dd cang khang djnh them nhan dinh cua ca quan chi dao cMin luge each mang ciia ta tmdc dd, kM My tien hanh "cMln tranh cue bg" d miin Nam, la
"ta van khing dinh cd the kiem che dich d miin Nam va quyit thing dich hen cMen tiudng chinh dd"'^ bdi vi, "kien quyet danh djch va thing djch tren cMen tmdng chinh la miin Nam eung tire la kien tri phuang cham ra sire han chi cudc chien tranh xam luge cua dich va thing dich trong cupe cMen tranh han
chldd"'l
Dang ta da khing dinh: "Thing lgi cua each mang Viet Nam va khang chien ehdng My, cuu nude la thing lgi ciia tu tudng chien luge tien cdng, danh thing timg budc hen len gianh thing lgi hoan toan"'''. Nhu vay, tu tudng nhat quan xuyen sudt cudc khang cMen ehdng My, cim nude la tu tiidng chien luge tien cdng. Sy ra ddi va hoat dgng ciia Mat tran Dudng 9 - Bic Quang Tri la mot bude "tao thi"'' mdi d cMen tmdng mien Nam, la thue Men sy cM dao tu tiidng chien luge tien cdng dich. Quyet dinh md mat tran Dudng 9 - Bac Quang Trj cho thay sy ke thua va phat trien cua nghe thuat tao the trong lich sir quan sy Viet Nam.
Khdng cM tao ra the tran tien cdng hue tiep eho chien tmdng Dudng 9 - Blc Quang Tri, ma nd cdn tao dieu kien thuan lgi cho cac chien tmdng khlc tren toan mien Nam ed dieu kien day manh tien cdng han nua, budc My ludn d vao tinh trang phan tan binh lye, nam trong tay hang trieu quan ma van cam thay bi
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thieu hyt lye lugng va bj tien cdng khap mgi ncri. Day la sy van dyng, ke thua vl phat trien phuang cham cMen luge cua ta trong Ddng - Xuan 1953 - 1954, thdi ky khang cMen chdng Phap: "Tap tmng lye lugng md nhung cudc tien cdng vio nhung hudng quan trgng ve chien luge ml djch tiiong ddi yeu nham tieu diet mdt bd phan sinh lye cua dich, giai phdng dat dai, ddng thdi budc chung phii bi ddng phan tin lye lugng ddi phd vdi ta tren nhQng dia diem xung yeu ma chung khdng the bd, do phai phan tin binh luc ma tao ra cho ta nhQng dieu kien thuan lgi mdi de tieu diet them timg bd phan sinh lye cua chung"'^. Nghe thuat quan sy Viet Nam rd rang da cd budc phit trien mdi. Dudi sy lanh dao cua Dang, quan dan ta tren toin mien Nam day manh tien cdng quan My tren khap chien tmdng. Ta khdng nhimg khdng thyc hanh nit lui chien luge, khdng phdng ngy ma edn md them Mat tran Dudng 9 - Bac Quang Tri dinh My. My da khdng the xoay chuyen dugc gi dang ke trong the bd tri chien luge d mien Nam. Ve co ban, chung ta van giu vQng eye dien chien tranh, van giu vung chien luge tien cdng khien cho cac nhi hoach dinh chinh sleh d Washington, trong dd cd Bd tmdng Qude phdng My Me Namara phai nhan ra mdt dieu rang: cho du ed dua them bao nhieu linh My sang Viet Nam di chang nua thi "quan My cQng khdng bao gid dil sd lugng de kiem solt dugc toin bd dat dai trong cung mdt thdi gian"". "Day la mdt dieu bat ngd ldn ddi vdi de qude My"'^ "Tu bat ngd dan chung den lung tung, bi ddng khdng chi ve chien luge ma cl ve chien djch, cMen dau"''. Su lung tung, bi ddng ve cMen luge eiia My ngay cang Id rd. CIc nghi si trong
Qude hdi My da phe phin cMen luge quIn sy ma My dang tien hanh d mien Nam Viet Nam II bj ddng, dinh theo cleh danh ma ke thu lya chgn, chu khdng phai theo each dinh cua My.
Tudng Bmee Palmer cung phai thua nhan rang, viec quan Bac Viet Nam md cIc cudc tien cdng d khu vyc phi quan sy da gay ra mdt sy ehu y ddi vdi My. Dieu dd mdt lln nQa cho thay: "NhQng mye dieh dugc xic dinh rd rang cua hg (Bac Viet Nam) ludn ludn bat budc cac nude ddng minh phii chien dau (dinh) theo ldi danh cua ke thu, tai nhung khu vyc do ke thu lya chgn, tren lanh thd Nam Viet Nam"^''. Tu trong sy bi ddng ve chien luge quan sy dd ma dng da ket Man rang sy syp dd cua Nam Viet Nam la dieu tat yeu phii xay ra.
Trong dudng ldi, chu tmong ciia Dang ta, tu tudng cMen luge "tien cdng" va "kiem che"
dich duge xem II mdt trong nhung net ndi bat ve nghe thuat ehi dao, dieu hinh cudc chien tranh cleh mang trong thdi ky 1954 - 1975.
Kiem che djch la tao dieu kien day manh tien cdng, va ngugc lai thyc hien cMen luge tien cdng "II each thyc hien phuong cham kiem che dich de thang chung d mien Nam tich eye nhat"^'. Nhu vay, viec md Mat tran Dudng 9 - Bae Quang Tri cho thay ca mdt nghe thuat dieu hanh cMen tranh mdt cleh rat chu ddng, sing tao cua Ding ta, diing nhu nha su hgc My, Gabrriel Kolko da ndi: "Ngoli nhQng cMeu canh ve the chat va ve quan sy rat dac biet eua Viet Nam, ke thu dd cua My cdn cd nhiing vdn quy ve chinh tri va ve tri thirc rat nguy Mem cho My bdi vi phuang phap luan sang tao cua Cach mang cd the ap dung khdng phai chi d Viet Nam ma cdn d khap noi khac
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nQa. My da chgn nham mdt nude de thii long tin"^l Mat tran Dudng 9 - Bic Quang Tri la
"mdt quyit dinh cMen luge kip thdi, tao bao va khoa hgc dya tren ca sd danh gia chinh xic vl kha nIng cua ta va dich"^\ la mdt trong nhQng "quyit dinh xuat sic ve chi dao chien luge" cua Ding ta. Nd gdp phan khang dinh dudng loi chinh tri, quan sy ddc lap, ty ehu, dung dan, sing tao cua Dang ta trong cudc dyng dau Hch su vdi de qude My.
1. Bg Quoc phdng - Vien Ljch sir quan su Viet Nam: Lich sic Mdl Iran Dudng 9 - Bdc Qudng Tri (1966 -1973), NXB QDND, H, 2001, tr.348
2. "Nghi quyet cua Thudng true Quan uy Trung uong ve nhiem vu chien trudng Tri - Thien thang 4,5,6 nam 1966" (Theo Bg Quoc phong - Vien Lich sir quan su Viet Nam: Lich sic Mat trdn Dudng 9 - Bdc Qudng Tri (1966 -1973), NXB QDND, H, 2001, tr.30
3. 6, 12. Le Duln: Thu vdo Nam, ST, H, 1986, tr.73-74,257,120
4. Lyndon B. Johnson: Ve cupe chien tranh xdm luge d mien Nam vd chien tranh phd hogi d mien Bdc Viel Nam, Viet Nam thdng tin xa phat hanh,
1972, tr.61
5. Larry Berman: "My thua vi thai do tu tin den mire "ngao man" cua minh", Tgp chi Lich sii qudn su, thang 7-2008, tr. 10
7. Le Kim: Tudng Oel-mo-len Irong cupe chien tranh Viet Nam, NXB QDND, H, 1995, tr.l 17. Hai su doan My d Viing I chien thuat la Su doan linh thuy danh bg so 1 va so 3
8. Tdi lieu mat Ldu Ndm goc ciia Bp QuPc phong My ve cupe chien tranh xdm luac Viel Nam, Tap II, Viet Nam thong tdn xa phat hanh, 1971, tr.215
9. Xem: John Prados: The hidden history of the Vietnam war, CWcago, 1995, tr.l70
10,20. General Bruce Palmer, Jr: The 25 -year war, The university Press of Kentucky, 1984, tr.l 82,177
11. W C. Westmoreland: A soldier's report, Double Day and Company, New York, 1976, tr.200
13. Vdn kien Ddng Todn lap, CTQG, H, 2003, T26, tr.636
14. Ban cM dao tong ket chien tranh true thuoc Bg Chinh tri: Tong kit eupc khdng chien chong My, cicu nude - Thdng lai vd bdi hpc, CTQG, 1995, tr.l55,103
15. "The" hieu mpt each don gian nhat la sy
"bay binh, bd tran", "la hinh thdi bo tri trien khai de chudn bi ldc chien vd thuc hdnh tdc chien ciia nhiing luc luang ddnh giac, ldm sao de phdt huy mgnh nhdt tdc dung cita mPi lice luang vd ldc dung long hap cua cdc luc luang phoi hap". Bo Quoc phong - Hgc vien Quan sy cap cao: Vdn de
"the" trong nghe thugl qudn su Viet Nam, H, 1985,tr.47
16. Vo Nguyen Giap: Dien Bien Phu, NXB QDND, H, 1964, tr.47
17. Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler: Vietnam - Why we fought. New York, 1990, tr.88
18. Bg Quoc phong - Hgc vien quan sy cap cao:
Vdn de the trong nghe ihudl qudn su Viet Nam, H, 1985,tr.'41
19. Bg Quoc phdng - Vien Lich sir quan su Viet Nam: Lich sie khdng chien chPng My, cuu nude 1954 - 1975, Tap FV {Cuoc dung dau lich su), CTQG, H, 1999, tr.200
21,23. Dai tudng Van Tien Diing: Vi cupe khdng chiin chPng My, cdu nude, NXB QDND, H, 2005, tr.95,95
" 22. Gabrriel Kolko: Gidi phdu mpt cuoc chien Iranh, NXB QDND, 2003, tr.204.
