[Reading level: C1 – Advanced]
On April 30, 1975, in the historic moment of the nation, Pham Xuan An, in his role as a veteran journalist for Time Magazine, witnessed firsthand as the tanks of the liberation army smashed through the gates of the Independence Palace, ending more than 20 years of the Vietnam War. Few knew that the famous reporter, highly valued by both the officials of the Republic of Vietnam and American advisors, was actually one of Vietnam’s most outstanding spies.
Pham Xuan An, born Pham Van Thanh in 1927 in Bien Hoa (now part of Dong Nai Province), came from a family with a patriotic tradition. From a young age, he exhibited a strong national spirit and a keen awareness of current events.
As he grew older, Pham Xuan An studied at the Indochinese Veterinary College in Saigon. During his student years, he became involved in the patriotic movement, joined the youth organization led by the Viet Minh, participated in anti-French propaganda, and encouraged students to support the resistance. This marked the beginning of his career in intelligence.
Recognizing Pham Xuan An’s exceptional abilities, senior leaders such as Mai Chi Tho and Tran Quoc Huong (alias Muoi Huong) arranged for him to be sent to the United States in October 1957 to study journalism in preparation for strategic intelligence work. He enrolled at Orange Coast College (OCC) in Orange County, California, becoming the first Vietnamese student to study journalism there. His time in the U.S. allowed him to gain a deep understanding of American culture and society, laying the groundwork for his future work in intelligence.
Having earned this prestigious degree not only enhanced his professional skills but also helped him craft a perfect cover, shaping the image of a pro-American intellectual, which allowed him to infiltrate the upper echelons of the Saigon government and American intelligence circles.
Throughout his intelligence work within enemy territory, in order to protect his identity and ensure absolute safety, Pham Xuan An used many different pseudonyms. Within the revolutionary organization, he was known by the code name Hai Trung, while in internal intelligence documents, he was often referred to as X6. In Western media circles, he was also known simply as “An” or “Mr. An,” maintaining a perfect cover as an international journalist.
Behind the guise of a reporter for Reuters, Time Magazine, and the New York Herald Tribune, he skillfully built the image of a sophisticated and elegant playboy, frequently appearing at high-society parties, diplomatic events, and festivals, thus establishing wide-ranging relationships with senior officers of the Republic of Vietnam, CIA advisors, and even high-ranking American officials.
One notable aspect that later astounded people was his calm, humble, and gentle personality. Pham Xuan An never showed extremism or unusual behavior, always remaining calm in every situation, even when danger was imminent. This composure led no one, not even his closest friends like Tran Kim Tuyen (Director of the Republic of Vietnam’s Intelligence Service), to suspect his true identity.
The trust placed in Pham Xuan An was so great that he was even allowed to board American helicopters to inspect battlefields and attend many top-secret internal meetings—privileges that even many officers of the Republic of Vietnam could not easily obtain.
In transferring classified documents to the North, rather than using traditional espionage methods such as signals, encryption, or intermediary messengers, Pham Xuan An drove directly, passing through strict checkpoints, hiding the documents in ordinary disguised items, demonstrating audacity and skill that few could match.
The reports Pham Xuan An provided to the Politburo, Central Military Commission, and the Southern Command were of immense importance. The information he sent back helped the Vietnamese forces anticipate and neutralize major American military operations, such as Operation Starlite and Operation Junction City. Additionally, he provided detailed information about America’s “Special Warfare” and “Limited Warfare” strategies in Vietnam, which helped the Vietnamese develop appropriate countermeasures. Notably, Pham Xuan An warned early about plans to pacify rural areas and the Phoenix Program, which helped the Vietnamese effectively respond to operations targeting revolutionary bases.
Pham Xuan An’s reports not only provided information on American and Republic of Vietnam military strategies but also deeply reflected the chaotic internal political situation, the conflicts, and divisions within the Saigon government and the American military. As a result, the Southern Command and the Politburo were able to quickly devise flexible strategies, effectively exploiting the enemy’s weaknesses. The importance of these documents was such that General Vo Nguyen Giap remarked: “It feels like we’re sitting in the US planning room.” When President Ho Chi Minh read the reports, he was moved and commented: “Reading the reports felt like sitting right in the heart of New York.”
After the reunification of the country, Pham Xuan An’s true identity was officially revealed by the state, causing a shock both domestically and internationally. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the revolutionary cause, the state awarded him the noble title of Hero of the People’s Armed Forces in 1976, along with the First-Class Military Merit Medal. In 1990, Pham Xuan An was further promoted to the rank of Major General in the Vietnam People’s Army Intelligence Service, solidifying his special place in the history of Vietnamese intelligence.
The truth about the man who had long been known as a devoted international journalist stunned the world. Major newspapers such as Time, the New York Times, Washington Post, and Le Monde all published articles praising his extraordinary intelligence work, calling Pham Xuan An “one of the greatest spies of the 20th century.” Many Western colleagues who had been close to him could hardly believe the truth, exclaiming: “No way! An was too kind, too sincere to be a spy!”
WORD BANK:
veteran /ˈve.t̬ɚ.ən/ [B2] (n): kỳ cựu
journalist /ˈdʒɝː.nə.lɪst/ [B1] (n): phóng viên
journalism /ˈdʒɝː.nə.lɪ.zəm/ [B2] (n): báo chí
liberation army /ˌlɪb.əˈreɪ.ʃən ˈɑːr.mi/ (n): quân giải phóng
smash sth /smæʃ/ [B2] (v): đập tan, phá hủy cái gì
official /əˈfɪʃ.əl/ [B2] (n): quan chức
outstanding /ˌaʊtˈstæn.dɪŋ/ [B2] (adj): kiệt xuất
spy /spaɪ/ [B1] (n): điệp viên
patriotic /ˌpeɪ.triˈɑː.t̬ɪk/ [C1] (adj): yêu nước
exhibit sth /ɪɡˈzɪb.ɪt/ [C1] (v): bộc lộ, cho thấy điều gì
keen awareness (of sth) /kiːn əˈwer.nəs/ [C1] (n): tư duy nhạy bén (về cái gì)
veterinary /ˈvet.rə.ner.i/ [C1] (adj): thú y
propaganda /ˌprɑː.pəˈɡæn.də/ [C1] (n): tuyên truyền
resistance /rɪˈzɪs.təns/ [B2] (n): kháng chiến
intelligence /ɪnˈtel.ə.dʒəns/ [B2] (n): tình báo
General Secretary /ˈdʒen.rəl ˈsek.rə.ter.i/ (n): Tổng Bí thư
in preparation for sth /ˌɪn ˌprep.əˈreɪ.ʃən fɔːr/ [B2] (prep phr): để chuẩn bị cho cái gì
lay the groundwork for sth /ˈɡraʊnd.wɝːk/ (v): tạo điều kiện thuận lợi cho sth
covert /ˈkoʊ.vɝːt/ [C2] (adj): kín đáo, bí mật
prestigious /presˈtɪdʒ.əs/ [C1] (adj): danh giá
craft a cover /kræft ə ˈkʌv.ɚ/ (v): tạo ra một vỏ bọc
pro-American /ˌproʊ.əˈmer.ɪ.kən/ (adj): thân Mỹ
intellectual /ˌɪn.t̬əlˈek.tʃu.əl/ [C1] (n): nhà trí thức
infiltrate /ˈɪn.fɪl.treɪt/ [C2] (v): thâm nhập
upper echelons /ˈʌ.pɚ ˈeʃ.ə.lɑːnz/ [C2] (n): tầng lớp chóp bu
territory /ˈter.ə.tɔːr.i/ [B2] (n): lãnh thổ
absolute /ˈæb.sə.luːt/ [B2] (adj): tuyệt đối
pseudonym /ˈsuː.də.nɪm/ [C1] (n): bí danh
internal /ɪnˈtɝː.nəl/ [B2] (adj): nội bộ
in media circles /ɪn ˈmiː.di.ə ˈsɝː.kəlz/ (prep phr): trong giới báo chí
guise /ɡaɪz/ [C2] (n): vỏ bọc
sophisticated /səˈfɪs.tə.keɪ.t̬ɪd/ [B2] (adj): hào hoa
elegant /ˈel.ə.ɡənt/ [B2] (adj): lịch lãm
playboy /ˈpleɪ.bɔɪ/ (n): dân chơi
high-society /ˌhaɪ səˈsaɪ.ə.t̬i/ (n): thượng lưu
diplomatic /ˌdɪp.ləˈmæt̬.ɪk/ [C1] (adj): ngoại giao
wide-ranging (relationships) /ˌwaɪdˈreɪn.dʒɪŋ/ [C1] (adj): rộng rãi (các mối quan hệ)
senior officer /ˈsiː.njɚ ˈɑː.fɪ.sɚ/ (n): sĩ quan cao cấp
high-ranking /ˌhaɪˈræŋ.kɪŋ/ [C1] (adj): cấp cao
notable /ˈnoʊ.t̬ə.bəl/ [C1] (adj): nổi bật, đáng chú ý
astound sb /əˈstaʊnd/ [C1] (v): khiến ai đó ngỡ ngàng
calm /kɑːm/ [B1] (adj): điềm đạm
humble /ˈhʌm.bəl/ [B2] (adj): khiêm nhường
extremism /ɪkˈstriː.mɪ.zəm/ [C1] (n): cực đoan
imminent /ˈɪm.ə.nənt/ [C1] (adj): cận kề
composure /kəmˈpoʊ.ʒɚ/ [C2] (n): sự bình thản, điềm tĩnh
suspect /səˈspekt/ [B2] (v): nghi ngờ
board sth /bɔːrd/ [B1] (v): lên (tàu, xe, máy bay)
inspect /ɪnˈspekt/ [B2] (v): thị sát
privilege /ˈprɪv.əl.ɪdʒ/ [C1] (n): đặc quyền
transfer sth /ˈtræns.fɝː/ [B2] (v): chuyển cái gì
espionage /ˈes.pi.ə.nɑːʒ/ [C2] (n): gián điệp
encryption /ɪnˈkrɪp.ʃən/ [C2] (n): mã hóa
intermediary messenger /ˌɪn.t̬ɚˈmiː.di.er.i ˈmes.ɪn.dʒɚ/ [C1] (n): trung gian giao liên
checkpoint /ˈtʃek.pɔɪnt/ [C1] (n): trạm kiểm soát
disguise /dɪsˈɡaɪz/ [C1] (v): ngụy trang
demonstrate sth /ˈdem.ən.streɪt/ [B2] (v): thể hiện điều gì
audacity /ɑːˈdæs.ə.t̬i/ [C2] (n): sự táo bạo
match /mætʃ/ [B2] (v): bì kịp, sánh kịp
Politburo /ˈpɑː.lɪt.bjʊ.roʊ/ (n): Bộ Chính trị
Military Commission /ˈmɪl.ə.ter.i kəˈmɪʃ.ən/ (n): Quân ủy
Command /kəˈmænd/ [B2] (n): Bộ Chỉ huy
be of immense importance /ɪˈmens ɪmˈpɔːr.təns/ [C2] (phr): có tầm quan trọng vô cùng lớn lao
anticipate sth /ænˈtɪs.ə.peɪt/ [B2] (v): dự báo điều gì
neutralize sth /ˈnuː.trə.laɪz/ [C2] (v): vô hiệu hóa cái gì
operation /ˌɑː.pəˈreɪ.ʃən/ [B2] (n): chiến dịch
appropriate /əˈproʊ.pri.ət/ [B2] (adj): phù hợp
countermeasure /ˈkaʊn.t̬ɚˌmeʒ.ɚ/ [C2] (n): đối sách
pacify /ˈpæs.ə.faɪ/ [C2] (v): bình định
phoenix /ˈfiː.nɪks/ (n): phượng hoàng
revolutionary /ˌrev.əˈluː.ʃə.ner.i/ [C1] (adj): mang tính cách mạng
chaotic /keɪˈɑː.t̬ɪk/ [C1] (adj): hỗn loạn
division /dɪˈvɪʒ.ən/ [B2] (n): chia rẽ
devise sth /dɪˈvaɪz/ [C1] (v): đề ra, phát minh ra cái gì
flexible /ˈflek.sə.bəl/ [B2] (adj): linh hoạt
exploit sth /ɪkˈsplɔɪt/ [C1] (v): khai thác cái gì
reunification /ˌriː.juː.nə.fəˈkeɪ.ʃən/ [C1] (n): thống nhất
identity /aɪˈden.t̬ə.t̬i/ [B2] (n): thân phận
officially /əˈfɪʃ.əl.i/ [B2] (adv): chính thức
reveal /rɪˈviːl/ [B2] (v): công bố
in recognition of sth /ˌrek.əɡˈnɪʃ.ən/ [C1] (phr): ghi nhận điều gì
the revolutionary cause /ðə ˌrev.əˈluː.ʃə.ner.i kɑːz/ (n): sự nghiệp cách mạng
noble /ˈnoʊ.bəl/ [C1] (adj): cao quý
title /ˈtaɪ.t̬əl/ [B2] (n): danh hiệu
Military Merit Medal /ˈmɪl.ə.ter.i ˈmer.ɪt ˈmed.əl/ (n): Huân chương Quân công
Major General /ˌmeɪ.dʒɚ ˈdʒen.rəl/ (n): Thiếu tướng
solidify sth /səˈlɪd.ə.faɪ/ [C2] (v): khẳng định cái gì
devoted /dɪˈvoʊ.t̬ɪd/ [B2] (adj): tận tụy
stun sb /stʌn/ [C1] (v): khiến ai bàng hoàng kinh ngạc
extraordinary /ɪkˈstrɔːr.dən.er.i/ [B2] (adj): kiệt xuất
sincere /sɪnˈsɪr/ [B2] (adj): chân thành
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