VIEWS OF TRAN KIM TUYEN ON THE STRATEGIC HAMLET PROGRAM

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02379260
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: January 18, 2017
• Case Number: F-2015-01452
• Publication Date: July 3, 1962

Approved for Release: 2016/12/20 CO2379260
INFORMATION REPoRT
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This 'material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Lawn., Ti 10, U.S.C. Secs.
191 and Y44. the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an una uthorized Dorton is prohibited by law.
CUIDENTIAL
(Who Filled In)
COUNTRY
SUBJECT
DATE OF
INFO.
PLACE &
DATE ACQ.
VIETNAM
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VIEWS OF TRAN KIM TUYEN ON THE STRATEGIC
HAMLET PROGRAM
22 JUNE 1962
V I "I NAM, SAIGON
APPRAISAL
THIS is UNEVALUATFIIINFARLIATinwi CAI nr-r fn
REPORT NO.
DATE DISTR.
PRECEDENCE
REFERENCES
3 JULY 1962
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1. ON 22 JUNE 1962 DR. TRAN KIM TUYEN, CHIEF OF THE PRESIDENTIAL
SECURITY SERVICE, DISCUSSED THE STRATEGIC HAMLET PROGRAM WITH A LOCAL
NEWSMAN WHO WAS PLANNING A SERIES 07 ARTICLES ON THE SUBJECT AFTER A
PERSONAL SURVEY OF THE PROVINCES. TUYEN TOLD THE NEWSMAN THAT HE
WOULD BE WASTING HIS TIME VISITING STRATEGIC HAMLETS N CENTRAL
VIETNAM AS AMERICANS WERE LARGELY CONTROLLING THE PROGRAM THERE AND
WERE ESTABLISHING THE HAMLETS ON Ai4 ExPERNENTAL BASIS WHICH WAS
NOT PROVING SUCCESSFUL. TUYEN ADvISED THE NEWSMAN TO CONCENTRATE
ON THE MEKONG DELTAAREA WHERE THE HAMLETS REPRESENTED THE REAL
GOVERNMENT OF VIETNAM EFFORT'.
2. TUYEN STATED THAT THE ENTIRE STATLGIC HAMLET PROGRAM IS BEING
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SABOTAGED BY MILITARY FIELD COMMANDERS AND, MOST DANGEROUSLY, BY THE
PROVINCE CHIEFS, WHILE TUYEN SYMPATHIZES WITH THE MILITARY VIEW THAT .
THESE HAMLETS FORCED TOO MUCH OF THE ARMED FORCES INTO STATIC DEFENSE'
HE IS COMPLETELY OPPOSED TO THE PRACTICE OF IGNORING CHAINS OF COMMAND
AND PROPER COORDINATION PRACTICED BY THE MILITARY COMMANDERS,
PARTICULARLY THE FIELD GENERALS AND THE REGIONAL AND ZONE COMMANDERS.
TUYEN SAIG THAT THE INDEPENDENT APPROACH OF THE PROVINCE CHIEFS,
RATHER THAN THE MILITARY ATTITUDE, IS WHAT MAY WRECK THE WHOLE
STRATEGIC HAMLET PROGRAM. HE CITED AS AN EXAMPLE THE FIRST CLASS
OF TRAINEES AT THE THI NGHE STRATEGIC HAMLET TRAINING CENTER FOR
WHICH PROVINCE CHIEFS SELECTED PERSONNEL FROM THE LOWEST ELEMENTS
POSSIBLE. THE TRAINEES WERE ILLITERATE PEASANTS, THE LOWEST RANKS
OF THE SELF DEFENSE CORPS AND THE CIVIL GUARD, CRIMINAL ELEMENTS,
JUVENILE DELINQUENTS, AND OTHERS WHO CONSTITUTED A CONTROL PROBLEM
OR WERE PERSONS OF WHOM THE PROVINCE CHIEFS SIMPLY WANTED TO BE RID.
THIS INDICATED THAT THE PROVINCE CHIEFS HAD PAID NO ATTENTION TO
. THE INITIAL REQUESTS FOR TRAINEES IN GOOD STANDING IN THEIR
COMMUNITIES AND HAVING ENOUGH PRESTIGE TO INFLUENCE THE PEOPLE
WHEN THEY RETURNED FROM THE TRAINING COURSE. TUYEN SAID THAT NGO
DINH NHU, BROTHER AND POLITICAL ADVISOR OF THE PRESIDENT, WAS ENRAGED
BY THIS AND TOOK IT AS A PERSONAL AFFRONT. NHU DEMANDED THAT THE
PROVINCE CHIEFS SELECT TRAINEES OF THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE CALIBER-
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FOR THE SECOND TRAINING CLASS, SPECIFYING THAT THEY BE CHOSEN
FROM AMONG DISTRICT CHIEFS, ASSISTANT DISTRICT CHIEFS, AND GOVERNMENT .
BUREAU CHIEFS. IF SUCH PERSONS COULD NOT BE DESIGNATED TO ATTEND THE
CLASS, TRAINEES WERE TO BE DRAWN FROM RESPECTED ELEMENTS OF THE BUSINESS
COMMUNITY OR FROM THE EDUCATED CLASSES. TUYEN SAID THAT THE PROVINCE
CHIEFS HAD POINTEDLY IGNORED NHUIS ORDERS AND THAT THE SECOND CLASS
AT THE NGHE WOULD PROBABLY PROVE TO BE LITTLE BETTER THAN THE FIRST.
3. TUYEN SAID THAT THE PRESIDENCY IS CONCERNED OVER THE CONTINUED
MISUSE OF THE PEASANTS BY THE
PROViCE CHIEFS IN BUILDING THE STRATEGIC
HAMLETS. THE FAILURE HERE IS NOT SO MUCH A QUESTION OF THE NECESSITY
FOR USING THE PEOPLE AS IT IS OF THE HARSH, DICTATORIAL APPROACH BY
THE PROVINCE CHIEFS, WHICH IS TURNING THE PEASANTS MORE AND MORE
AGAINST THE GOVERAMENT AND ENCOURAGING A DEEP-SEATED HATRED AMONG
THE PEASANTE AND THE ENTIRE CONCEPF OF STRATEGIC HAMLETS. TUYEN
ALSO SAID THAT THERE HAS BEEN EXTENSIVE CORRUPTION IN THE USE OF
FUNDS AND SUPPLIES PROVIDED THE PROVINCE CHIEFS FOR SETTING UP THE
.HAMLETS.
4. TUYEN INDICATED THAT PRESIDENT DIEM IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY
FRUSTRATED WITH THE STRAGEGIC HAMLET PROGRAM AS CONCEIVED AND IMPLEME-
ENTED BY NHU, DIEM IS ALSO CRITICAL OF NGO DINH CAN'S APPROACH TO THE
PROBLEM IN CENTRAL VIETNAM AND HAS TOLD TUYEN THAT HE DOES NOT
REALLY CARE WHAT THE AMERICANS DO, DIEM RECENTLY TOLD TUYEN THAT
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HE IS BECOMING TIRED OF HEARING ABOUT THE DOCTRINE OF PERSONALISM
AND REMARKED THAT HE APPARENTLY WAS EXPECTED TO BELIEVE WHAT HE
REFERRED;TO AS "THIS NONSENSE."
5. FIELD DISSEM. STATE ARMY NAVY AIR USMAC USOM MAAG CINCPAC
PACFLT PACAF ARPAC.
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