THE AN LAC OPERATION – DAK LAK (1962-1963): A HISTORICAL, MILITARY AND SOCIAL ANALYSIS

The An Lac Operation (1962-1963) in Dak Lak province was a key experiment in the Strategic Hamlet Program under the U.S.–Diem 'Special War' strategy. Based on Vietnamese archival sources and international records (FRUS, RAND, CIA, Western scholarship), this study reconstructs the objectives, course, and consequences of the operation. Findings reveal a failure on military, political, and social fronts: revolutionary bases persisted, ethnic minorities resisted forced relocation, and nearly 8,700 households (~37,000 people) were displaced. The article argues that An Lac epitomized the collapse of the Strategic Hamlet Program in the Central Highlands, underscoring the decisive role of legitimacy and socio-cultural context in asymmetric warfare.