VIEWS OF NGO DIMH NHU ON THE VALUE OF STRATEGIC HAMLETS

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 01487914
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: January 18, 2017
• Case Number: F-2015-01452
• Publication Date: July 24, 1962

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IN. 3RMATIOW-REPC AT
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
, This .material contains information affecting :the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage- Laws, Title IS, LE.S.C. Secs.
\793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
CLASSIFICATION �_ PASM A/icI
CONFIDENTIAL NoFoRlitcoNtim
(When Filled In)
COUNTRY SOUTH VIETNAM
SUBJECT VIEWS OF NO0 I) IVO* NHU ON THE VALUE OF
STRATEGIC HAMLETS
DATE OF
INFO.
PLACE &
DATE ACQ,
APPRAISAL
VIETNAM, SA I QON
SEE BELOW
1.1 , TROLS
REPORT NO.
DATE DISTR. 24 JULY 1962
PRECEDENCE
ROUT I NE
IN 33,475
THIS
Is UNEVALUATED INFORMATION, SOURCE GRADINGS ARE DEFINITIVE. APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTAT1V2.
I. NGO DINH NHU, BROTHER AND POLITICAL ADVISOR OF PRESIDENT
NGO DINH DIEM SAID
THAT HE HAS NO ILLUSIONS ABOUT THEI4LAyst;N-.
DANGER IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TOO MANY STRATEGIC HAMLETS TOO
QUICKLY AND THAT HE IS AWARE OF THE FACT THAT MANY OFFICIALS OF
THE GOVERNMENT OF VIETNAM (ON) HAVE NOT GRASPED FULLY ENOUGH
THE VARIETY OF CONCEPTS BEHIND THE STRATEGIC HAMLET PROGRAM.
CERTAIN OF THE MEDICAL AND CIVIC ACTION BENEFITS ENVISIONED FOR
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
( b)(1 )
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
_ _KILDUFF
.PFITERSEN
.....SCA1LE SINGER
ITJAASKIN
PROGRAM MIGHT BE PREMATURE BECAUSE SOME OF THE HAMLET AND VILLAGE SAUNDERS
--
LEADERS ARE INCLINED TO TAKE OVER THESE BENEFITS FOR THEIR PERSONAL
AND PRIVATE USE.
2. AS A RESULT OF NHU�S COMPLAINTS OVER THE POOR QUA
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CtINFITTAL�NOFORNiCONTINUE0 COMER
TRAWS..SELECTED FOR THE
AND HIS. INSISTENCE ON MORE
THOSE SENT TO THE SECOND
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IRST. STRATIGICHHAMIET TRAINING COURSE �
GARETOL ..!74.'"Atct/6 OF -�JuRz TRAINEES.
JRSE, WHI(H oi-'.1'WD 2 JULY, wmr, AssilTANT
DISTRICT CHIEFS OR PERSONS OF COMPARABLE LEVEL IN UHF PROVINCIAL
ADMINISTRATION. NHU,PLANS TO ENSURE THAT ALL 200 DISTRICT CHIEFS
AND OTHER PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS Of COMPARABLE RANK ATTEND THE TRAINiNG,
COURSE. WHEREAS, UP UNTIL A SHORT TIME AGO THE STRATEGIC HAMLL
PROGRAM WAS NEITHER FULLY UNdERSTOOD NOR ACCEPTED OFFICIALLY OR
POPULARLY, IT HAS NOW STARTED TO GAIN MOMENTUM.
3. USING THE STRATEGIC HAMLET PROGRAM AS A BASIC APPROACH
TO THE PROBLEM OF ECONOMIC UNDERDEVELOPMENT, ESPECIALLY IN THE
AWRIANSECTOR THAT IS REPRESENTATIVE OF MOST UNDERDEVELOPED
COUNTRIES, NHU PLANS TO AVOID THE COMMUNIST SOLUTION OR THE STATE
SOCIALIST SOLUTION BEING ATTEMPTED IN OTHER COUNTRIES. WHILE
RECOGNIZING THE NEED FOR ADEQUATE GOVERNMENT CENTRALIZATION IN
DEALING WITH THE ECONOMIC PROBLEMS OF SOUTH VIETNAM, HE HOPES TO
ACHIEVE A PROPER BALANCE BETWEEN GOVERNMENTAL. 'CENTRALIZATION AND
LOCAL AUTONOMY, I.E., VILLAGE OR COMMUNITY AUTONOMY, BASED ON
LOCAL DEMOCRACY AND INITIATIVE, THE STRATEGIC HAMLET PROGRAM
IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP A SENSE OF SOLIDARITY OR COHESION AMONG
THE VILLAGES. THE VIETNAMESE VILLAGER HAS GROWN UP HISTORICALLY
UNDER THE CONFUCIAN "HIERARCHY OF VALULSt BUT - ' SYSTEM HAS
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BEEN OVERTAKEN BY HISTORY AND IS NO LONGER APPLICABLE. THIS
SYSTEM TENDED TO BENEFIT THE ESTABLISHED CLASSES PRIMARILY AND
TO PERPETRATE ABUSE, CORRUPTION, USURY,- AND TO A CONSIDERABLE EXTENT,
HEREDITARY LEADERSHIP BASED ON WEALTH AND POSITION. WITH THE PASSING
OF THE CONFUCIAN SYSTEM IT BECAME NECESSAY TO SEEK A NEW MEANS
OF PROVIDING FOR SOCIAL INTEGRATION AND COHESION AS WELL AS FOR A
NEW "HIERARCHY OF VALUES."
4, NHU HAS BEEN SEEKING THIS MEANS THROUGH THE CONCEPT OF
PERSONALISM AND THROUGH THE STRATEGIC HAMLET PROGRAM, NHU SAID THAT
HE HAD GRADUALLY ACQUIRED HIS IDEAS DURING HIS STUDENT DAYS AND
ASSOCIATIONS IN FRANCE DURING THE NINETEEN THIRTIES. HE CLAIMS
TO BE A HEGELIAN IN BELIEVING THAT THE IDEA IS THE PRIMARY MOTIVE
POWER AND BECOMES REALITY SO LONG AS THE IDEA IS RIGHT OR RATIONAL;
COMMUNISM MUST BE COUNTERED BY OPPOSING VALUES AND IDEAS OR WITH
SOME SORT OF DOCTRINE.
5. UNTIL RECENTLY THE RURAL PEOPLE WERE CAUGHT BETWEEN _TWO
OPPOSING FORCES, I.E., THE COMMUNISTS AND THE GVN, AND THEY WERE
INCLINED TO CHOOSE NEITHER SIDE IN ORDER TO AVOID TROUBLE. THE
PEASANTS HAVE HAD NO REASON TO CHOOSE THE DIEM REGIME WHICH HE
DESCRIBED AS OLIGARCHIC, CORRUPT, BOURGEOIS, AND NOT SUFFICIENTLY
MODERN. IT IS TACTICALY WRONG TO ASK THE PEASANTS TO FIGHT THE
COMMUNISTS IN DEFENSE OF THE GVN3 THEY SHOULD BE ASKED TO DEFEND
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THEMSELVES THEIR INTERESTS, THEIR VALUES, AND THEIR VILLAGES.
THE PRESENT REGIME WILL BE REPLACED SOONER RATHER THAN LATER UNLESS
IT ACHIEVES A MORE REVOLUTIONARY QUALITY.
6. THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS, BY BRINGING THE PEOPLE INTO
PERSONAL COMBAT WITH THE COMMUNISTS FOR THEIR OWN SELF INTEREST,
HAVE A VARIETY OF ADVANTAGES, BEFORE THE PEASANTS BECAME COMBATANTS,
THEY TENDED TO REJECT THE YOUNG MEN OF THEIR VILLAGES WHO JOINED
THE ARMY, REPROACHING THEM AS DUPES OR INSTRUMENTS OF THE REGIME
WHO WERE BEING USED TO FIGHT THEIR OWN PEOPLE. THE SOLDIER WAS
NO HERO IN HIS HOME VILLAGE AND FOUND IT DANGEROUS TO GO THERE
ON LEAVE BECAUSE OF THE PROBABILITY THAT THE COMMUNISTS WOULD
KILL HIM. WITH THE EXPANSION OF THE STRATEGIC HAMLET PROGRAM AND
THE PARTICIPATION OF THE LOCAL CIVILIANS IN THEIR OWN SELF DEFENSE,
THE SOLDIER CAN SAFELY RETURN TO HIS VILLAGE WHERE HE IS VIEWED
AS A DEFENDER OF THE PEOPLE AND CONSEQUENTLY MORE OF A HERO TO THEM.
7, NHU HAS OPPOSED THE USE OF MILITARY GUARD POSTS FOR EIGHT
YEARS. THESE POSTS HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN ISOLATED FROM THE LOCAL
POPULACE, WHO HAVE OFTEN BEEN VICTIMIZED BY THEM. THE SOLDIERS,
FOR INSTANCE, WOULD POCKET THE MONEY PROVIDED BY THE GOVERNMENT
FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE POSTS AND WOULD LEVY WORK AND MONFTARY
REQUIREMENTS ON THE PEOPLE IN ORDER TO BUILD THE Pow. NHU FEELS
THAT THESE POSTS ARE USELESS BECAUSE THEY ARE NN STRONG ENOUGH
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AND PARTICULARLY BECAUSE THEY SEPARATE THE PEOPLE AND THE ARMY.
8. FIELD DISSEMI STATE ARMY NAVY AIR USMACV MAAG LISOM
CINCPAC PACFLT ARPAC PACAF.
END OF
CLASSIFICATION - DISSE
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