HCM City Television began broadcasting yesterday a documentary on the life of retired colonel Tu Cang, a well-known intelligence officer of the Viet Nam Army.

Pham Xuan An. (Photo: TT)

The film’s director, Le Phong Lan, took more than three years to complete the film.

“I decided to make a documentary on Cang’s life after I made the film Huyen Thoai Ve Tuong Tinh Bao Pham Xuan An (The Legend of Intelligence Agent Pham Xuan An),” Lan said.

“During my interviews with An, my attention was drawn to Cang, the leader of the intelligence network where An worked,” Lan said.

While An worked brilliantly under the cover of a journalist in US-occupied Sai Gon, Cang was a talented organiser and planner of spying activities, including organising the 1968 Tet Offensive in the city.

Born Nguyen Van Tau in 1928 in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, Cang joined the revolutionary army in 1945. In 1954 he left his family to serve the army in the north.

At the outset of the American war, Cang travelled back to the south in 1961 through the Truong Son Range as chief of an army intelligent network code-named H63.

Larry Berman, a professor of political science at the University of California, in his book A Perfect Spy about the double life of An, described Cang as a brilliant commander and a skilled gunner who could hit a target at 50m with either hand.

Cang and the legendary H63 intelligence network were awarded the title of Hero of the People’s Army by the Vietnamese Government in recognition for their contributions to the country.

The 81-year-old former spymaster now lives in HCM City, spending most his time writing stories about revolutionary soldiers.

Several of his books including Hoang Hon Tren Chien Truong (Sunset on Battlefields) and Sai Gon va Mau Than 1968 (Sai Gon and 1968 Tet Offensive) have been published and warmly received by readers.

Produced by HCM City Television Film Studio, Walking Amid the Enemy will be screened at 22pm everyday on HTV 9, and telecast again at 7.25am the following day on the same channel.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News