SAIGON GIVES GLOOMY REPORT TO MCNAMARA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00001R000300090035-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 10, 1998
• Sequence Number: 35
• Content Type: NSPR

U S. Defense Chief
Sees'Juntd;'Atter
Ame`rican Advisers .
a e72f11S vep* Nam_ Teo. 20
Secretary Robert S. McNamara
met South Viet Nam's ruling
military junta today bearing a
depressing report on progress
of the war against the Com-
imunist Viet Cong. .
Mr. McNamara and top
American officials in Viet Nam;
had an afternoon-long confer-1
ence with the full junta, in-~
eluding Chief of State Maj.'
GQn. Duong Van Minh ands
Premier Nguyen Ngoe Tho.
It was Mr. McNamara's con-
eluding meeting of a 36-hou.mss
visit which ends with his de-k,
parture for Hawaii tonight. i McCone Attends Discussbasa. i
Mr. McNamara reportedly,
got a bard appraisal Of a de-._1-.
terioratng.situation from.-, c:
American advisers in three keYcNamara'a discussions.
prpvinces this morc}ing.Mr. McCone is believed to be
worst mt in V1GY .? . -?? following the recall to Wash-i
Long An, on Saigon's southern
fringes; Kien Hoa, in the Me-, of his chief operative. I
kong Delta, and Binh Duong, aJohn H. Richardson.
Riehardsona replacement
Mr
.
the edge of "D" zone north of
Saigon. Pierre da Silva, who has been,
mnrlrlno in None KOn?. came
three hours, taking copious was recalled at the insistence 1,
one American source said. ,"""Y ?""-
Although Mr. McNamara, ' Mr. Lodge was sent to South
the late President
t Nam b
Vi
y
e
after a visit three monthq Kennedy after the administra-
ago said he believed the V tion decided to take a tougher
Namese could handle the 31ne with President Ngo Dinh
monists without the prese esent;. Vi 's regime following its
massive United States help; crackdown on Buddhists.
United States officials here note head of the 200 or so
'. As
say the junta is spending too CIA agents in South Viet Nam.
much time on politico at tb4.MrRichardson worked closely
expense of the war. with the regime, particularly
,,if things don't get moving the President's aggressive
In 00 days we are .lost," said brother and chief adviser, Ngo
~.,., ..,,.... - A conincb vrnr w~, J
that senior Americans hers i-on Mr_ Lodge and W.
the ro~atbt"