Cao Van Vien
Cao Văn Viên (December 21, 1921 – January 22, 2008) was a Vietnamese soldier who served in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) and rose to the position of Chairman of the South Vietnamese Joint General Staff. Considered one of "the most gifted" of South Vietnam's military leaders, he has been called "absolutely a key figure" and one of "the most important Vietnamese military leaders" in the American-led fighting during the Vietnam War. Along with Trần Thiện Khiêm, he was one of only two four-star generals in the entire history of South Vietnam.
Read more about Cao Van Vien: Early Life, Military Career, Assessment, Post-war Life, Other Awards
Famous quotes containing the word van:
“His reversed body gracefully curved, his brown legs hoisted like a Tarentine sail, his joined ankles tacking, Van gripped with splayed hands the brow of gravity, and moved to and fro, veering and sidestepping, opening his mouth the wrong way, and blinking in the odd bilboquet fashion peculiar to eyelids in his abnormal position. Even more extraordinary than the variety and velocity of the movements he made in imitation of animal hind legs was the effortlessness of his stance.”
—Vladimir Nabokov (1899–1977)