VIEWS OF AN ARVN OFFICER ON THE VIET CONG TET OFFENSIVE

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06766055
• Document Creation Date: January 28, 2019

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Intelligence Information Cable
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IN 42115 13526J
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STATE/INR DIA N CC/MC (SECDEF JCS ARMY NAVY AIR) CIA/NMCC NIC NSA SDO ONE CRS;
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This material contains Information affecting the Natlepal Defense of the United States within the meaning of thp Espionage Lews. Title le. U.S.C.
Seca. 793 and 794. the transmisson or revelation of which In any manner ir an unauthorized person Is prohibited by law.
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DOI I oFE BR UeARY 19 63
SUBJEC: V M/S OF' AN ARVM OFFICER ON THE V IET coNG T FT OFFZNSIVE
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CITE'
FEIVAIAIIIY, .1968
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fACQ VIETNAM SA LGON (4 FEBRUARY 196S)
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1 w_LOWING IS A SER IES OF QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE. PRESENT SITU-
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AT ION IN SOUTH VIETNAM (SVN) RESULTING FROoll THE CURRENT V IET CONG (VC)
OFFENSIVE AND OF ..ANSWERS TO THOS� QUEST IONS BY A KNOWLEDGEABLE SVN ARMY
OFFaER : sitt
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(A) Q: WHAT IS THE REACTION OF tHE $VNTEQFLE TO THE VC ATTACKS?
460
THE PEOPLE HAD NovREACTION INItIt3LLY SINCE THEY THOUGHT THE
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ACTIvITX WAS CONCERNEg WITH NEW INTERNAL:COUP. TH2S UAS CAUSED BY A
DEFECT I'VE TNFORmATIQN POLICY ON IHE.PART OF novERNRENT OF VIETNAM (GVN)
LEgOER 5. THE LAR. SHOULD' HAVE GONE OJ 31 AI !MEDIATELY AND IN PER-
SI:51 EXPLAM IMAt WA � 'HAPPEN,IN.G AND WV.AT 1.0 DO AP OUT 17.
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SouRc; -SPECIFI.CaLY NAKED PRESOENT NG.UVEN VAN THIEu, VICE PRESIDENT
NqUYEE CAD. xv END cH1EP OF ?HE 'JOIN!' IENERAL STAFf (JCS) GENERAL CAO VAN
VIEN SPERSDNS 'WHO SHOULD HAVE'AONE;AN THE AIR.; SOME PEOPLE NOW THINK
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TM;\'t 1VS1 Bit VERY STRONG ('SINC-THEI ARE FIGHTING AGAINST THE U.S. THEY
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AE N8R4 RowEvtR. THAT THE yC BROKE THEIR PROMISE TO OBSERVE A TET
TRuct: LAEN THOUGH THE ALLIES, HAD AGREED To. OBSERVE ONLY PART OF IT. THE
Saym PEA04 D,EFTN/TELY WILL NoT)11E PERSUADED TO APPROVE NEGOTIATIONS
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BEtAusE OP MC TERROR. THIS IS DUE IN PART TO THE STRONG SVN RESISTANCE
AND CO THE VC LOSSES.
(B) Q; WHAT Ig THE REACTION oP THE PEOPLE TO GVN ACT VMS COR INACTIONS)
IN,THI5 gITUAtJOTA?
A: THE PEOPLE� FEEL -THEIR ARMED FORCES ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO STOP THE
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VC AND TO�COVNTER THE ACTIONS �E3E�ING tAKEN tiy THE VC. THE POTENT IAL OF THE
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ALLIES IS MUCH GREATER ESPECIALLS 135CA1gt Q111 Tie AIR POWER.
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COMMLIT : THIS ANSWER OBVIOUSLY REFLECTS0SOURCEt PROFESSIONg. MILITARY
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STATUS AND NOT POPULAR ATTITUDES.?
(C) 0: 'HAT ARE THE POPULAR REACTIONS TO THE MARTIAt LAW ICCIi.EZ AND
ITS VARIOUS SPECIFIC PROVISIONS AND RESTRICTIONS,3
A: THE PEOPLE ALL0UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT THE NECESSITY Of t HZDECREE
AND ITS RESTRICTIONS�AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO AS LONG AS THE. SITUATION
WARRANTS THEM. PROLONGATIa OF THE RESTRICTIONS BEYOND W&IT it PEOPLE
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FEEL IS WARRANTED0WILL LEAD TO ANTAGONISMS WHIC( t4,11.7� CROW UNTIL THE
DECREE 'IS RESCINDED.
CD) : HAT INTENTF3NS DO LEGISLATORS OR ofifu PigetricAL tiADERS HAVE
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TO EXPLOIT THE SITUATION? 0
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A: AT PRESENT THE SITUATION IS) IN AN INTENSE IIILITARY PHASE* UNTIL
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THIS CHANGES, THEE WILL BE LITTLE THOUGHT OF tXPLOVEATIOM.
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(E) Q: uAT IS TtE MAJOR SP.3,NIFICA1FE OF THE VC e0ORDINATED ATTACKS AT
THIS PARTICULAR TIME?
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A: SINCE THE BEGINNING OF 1967, SVN HAS WON 19ARGE VICTORIES OVER
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THE VC AND HAS RECEIVED MANY HOI CHANHS (RALLIERS). THE VC WANT TO SET
UP A COALITION GOVERNMENT, BUT THE . SVN PEOPLE WILL NOT WItLING ACCEPT
THIS. THEREFORE, THE: VC MUST ATTACK IN A MAJOR DEMONSTRATION OF STRENGTH
AND FORCE, EVEli THOUGH THEY CANNOT LONG H6LD WHATEVER GAINS
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THEY ME. THIS IS A CRITICAL TEST FOR THE VC. THEY ARE WILLING TO
LOSE MVP( MEN TO GAIN WORLD-WIDE RECOGNITION POLITICALLY. THUS, THEIR
GOAL IS TO SHOW THE SVN PEOPLE WHAT THEY CAN DO AND ALSO TO GAIN INTER-
NATIONAL PRESTIGE.
(F) DO .YOU PERSONALLY THINK OF THEGVN'S OWN INTERNAL RESPONSE
To TiE 'SIC CHALLENGE?
A: !:.SIDE FROM THE INITAL FAILURE TO NOTIFY THE PEOPLE OF WHAT WAS
HAPPENI-3, THE GVN RESPONSE HAS BEEN CLEARLY ADEQUATE TO THE THREAT.
(G) Q: HAT POLITICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ACTIONS SHOSLD THE GVN TAKE
IN CONvECTION WITH THE VC ATTACKS?
A: YASS MEDIA SHOULD BE USED TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND IS NOW
HAPPENIG AND WHAT MUST AND SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT IT. ARV N OFFICERS IN
CIVILIA- CLOTHING SHOULD GO INTO VC-CONTROLLED AREAS AND EnOURAGE THE
VC TO RrLLY TO THE GVN SINCE THEY CAN OTHERWISE HAVE NO FUTURE. STRAFINC
OF THE VC INT HEAVILY POPULATED AREAS SHOULD CEASE, SINCE THIS IS CAUSING
THE DET'i OF MORE INNOCENT CIVILIANS THAN OF VC AND SINCE THE ARVN
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CERNED YITH SUCH MATTERS IS FINDING IT NECESSARY TO ENGAGE IN A LARGE
CIVIC ACTION PROGRAM TO COUNTER THE SITUATION BEING CAUSED BY STRAFING.
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REPORT CLAss.,,ANatrik FORE SEM
ADVANCE COPY TRANSMITTED TO: WHITE HOUSE STATE DIA ARMY NAVY AIR JCS NIC NSA CCI.
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