X6 - Perfect Spy

I remember reading X6 - Perfect Spy (produced by First News and published by Hong Duc Publishing House) by Larry Berman - an American professor and historian, on a rainy evening and just kept reading without stopping. Not because the book was written in a dramatic, suspenseful style, but because it was so real that I felt like I was sitting in front of a storyteller, clearly seeing the eyes, the smile and even the fatigue of a famous intelligence officer.

The person I am referring to is a Vietnamese intelligence officer in the 20th century - a name that anyone who loves history knows - Pham Xuan An (1927-2006). A man who lived two parallel lives: a famous international journalist, and at the same time a strategic spy of Vietnam.

Historian Larry Berman overcame many obstacles to come to Vietnam more than 30 times to interview Mr. Pham Xuan An and his teammates and related people to make this very valuable book.

Perhaps, Larry Berman's relationship with Pham Xuan An was not simply an academic interview. Between two people from two opposing worlds - an American professor and a Vietnamese spy who had worked against the United States - a trust that was difficult to explain arose. Reading the work, I imagined the author Larry Berman in his first meeting with Mr. Pham Xuan An: Sitting in front of a man who had gone through many storms of life, his eyes were both gentle and cold, telling stories in a deep voice that was sometimes mixed with a bit of humor.

There were times when I believed that author Berman was not just taking notes to write a book. He listened like a friend, a traveler following the remaining traces of a war that they both witnessed, albeit on two different fronts. It was that listening, that patience, that made Pham Xuan An - who was once known to the world as a mysterious figure - gradually open up.

And then, after many years, the book X6 - Perfect Spy is not only a story about a historical figure, but also a testament to the power of understanding: War can divide people, but memory and truth can connect them on a deeper level.

Professor Larry Berman and Major General of Intelligence - Journalist Pham Xuan An. Photo: nhandan.vn

Set against the backdrop of the turbulent Vietnam War, the book opens a journey deep into the information machinery of the US and the Saigon government, where Pham Xuan An was both a respected international reporter and a loyal communist soldier. With the serious writing style of a scholar, Larry Berman not only records important historical milestones, but also reconstructs the picture of the times with intelligence networks, tense battles of wits and silent dedication to national independence. The book is a living testament to the intelligence, courage and mettle of the Vietnamese people in the fight for sovereignty ; at the same time, it is a valuable document for anyone who wants to understand more deeply the history of the Vietnam War from an international perspective.

Not simply a biography, the book is also a comprehensive portrait of Pham Xuan An, depicting him from his childhood, his time studying abroad in the US, his years as a reporter for Time, Reuters, New York Herald Tribune... until he became one of Vietnam's most important strategic spies during the war.

“Pham Xuan An was my colleague, my friend, my mentor – and the man who saved my life during the Vietnam War. I thought I knew Pham Xuan An as well as any other American, until I read Larry Berman’s book. There were many surprises on every page.”

ROBERT SAMANSON - author of War News: A Young Reporter in Indochina

What is special is that author Larry Berman did not write this book to flatter or criticize, but to recreate a real person with inner conflicts, struggles between personal feelings and duty to the Fatherland.

In the eyes of international friends, Mr. Pham Xuan An is an intelligent, witty, and knowledgeable journalist. But parallel to that image is a “silent warrior”, working for Vietnam’s intelligence network, providing strategic information that greatly influenced the war situation. The genius here is that he lived both roles fully without anyone suspecting him. This requires extraordinary courage, excellent improvisation, and above all, immeasurable personal sacrifice…

With less than 400 pages, Larry Berman has brought readers a view from both sides of the war. The writer, as an American scholar, was very fair in exploiting documents, interviewing witnesses, to tell the story with respect for the truth. So that we can see that Pham Xuan An was not only a "perfect spy" in terms of his profession, but also a man of peace . He loved his American friends, respected Western culture, but remained steadfast in his ideal of national liberation. His intelligence, skillful handling of situations, and steadfast spirit are examples for the younger generation in any field.

X6 - Perfect Spy is a book not only for history lovers, but also for anyone who wants to understand more about the power of intelligence, bravery and patriotism. The name Pham Xuan An is forever engraved in the golden pages of national history, as an immortal testament to Vietnamese intelligence and steadfastness in the journey to gain independence and freedom.

In September, the whole country looks forward to Independence Day - National Day September 2. And coincidentally, strategic intelligence officer Pham Xuan An was born in September, in Bien Hoa, Dong Nai. Re-reading X6 - Perfect Spy, I admire strategic intelligence officer Pham Xuan An even more. He lived a passionate and courageous life between two fronts, two lines of fire.

Van Anh

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/dong-nai-cuoi-tuan/202508/x6-diep-vien-hoan-hao-728118c/