THE POLITICAL SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00826A000500010057-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 31, 2006
• Sequence Number: 57
• Publication Date: April 8, 1966
• Content Type: IM

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OCI No. 1263/66
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Office of Current Intelligence
8 April 1966
INTELLIGENCY MEMORANDUM
The Political Situation in South Vietnam
s of o
1. Various sources have tended to substantiate
the Vietnamese government's plan to move forcefully
into Da Nang. However, the specific timing of the
move is not yet certain. General Vien, chief of
the Joint General Staff, has been placed in command
of the operation and is reportedly scheduled to ar-
rive at Da Nang Air Base early tomorrow (Vietnam
time). Additional troops are apparently-already
enroute to Da Nang.
2. 1
the antigovernment forces in the city
now have under their control 17 M-4l tanks and a
number of mortars, in addition to some 3,000 armed
youths. Earlier, one regular Vietnamese army bat-
talion and two Ranger companies were reported in
the city, apparently under the control of dissident
Vietnamese military officers. The loyalties of
armored personnel carrier squadrons in the area are
not certain.
3. In addition, antigovernment forces are in
the process of moving more reinforcements into the
city. One coIt.pany of national police with small
arms and Drowning automatic rifles left Hue for
Da Nang today. Some 120 "student suicide troops,"
earlier reported to have received two or three
days military training, also left Hue for Da Nang
this morning. A US air observer reported a convoy
of busses and trucks carrying uniformed personnel
,moving south to Da Nang this afternoon. A VNAF
kyraider fired a smoke rocket at the column, but
the rocket missed. The convoy, which later arrived
ARMY review(s) completed.
State Dept. review completed
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in the city of Da Nang, may have been the national
police group, the student suicide troops, or addi-
tional reinforcements. An earlier report from US
military sources stated that one battalion of the
Vietnamese First Division in the Hue area was put
on alert today for immediate deployment. The re-
coilless rifle elements of two other battalions in
the same regiment were also reported to be on alert
today.
4. According to press sources, Buddhist leaders
in Saigon today announced the creation of a "Com-
mittee of Struggle Against the Government" to be
headed by Thich Thien Minh. A recorded statement
by Minh, who is the Buddhist Institute's youth com-
missioner, declared that "we are determined to go
on to the bitter end, even if it means bloodshed."
5. The US Embassy reports that elements of
the Catholic community, particularly northern
refugees, are becoming more restive about the gov-
ernment's inaction in central Vietnam thus far.
Vague hints of some kind of action "in the next
few days" by a group of northern refugee priests
and Some-sympathetic Vietnamese generals were
passed to a US Embassy official today by a Catholic
political figure.
6. No further details have yet been received
on the demonstrations held this evening in Saigon.
The US Embassy has reported that the grenade inci-
dents and the bomb explosion apparently are the
work of Viet Cong terrorists taking advantage of
the unrest.
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OCI No. 1136/66
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Office of Current Intelligence
8 April 1966
INTELLIGENCE MEMORANDUM
The Political Situation in South Vietnam
s of 1000 A'MO
1. Violence is again underway in the streets
of Saigon. Random vehicles and bystanders are re-
portedly being attacked by roving bands of demon-
strators, One American has apparently been shot,
and several other Americans have also been injured
thus fare. A grenade explosion in a refreshment
stand located about a mile southwest of Cholon
injured eight Americans and three Vietnamese. An
explosion near the main gate of Tan Son Nhut air-
field has also been reported, but there were no
casualties,. As yet, details are not available on
these incidents.
2. The city of Da Nang is relatively quiet
today, although VNAF aircraft continue to fly low
over the defensive military positions of antigovern-
ment forces in the city. Two unidentified Vietnamese
military officers today delivered to the press cen-
ter in Da Nang a document signed by some 50 I Corps
officers denouncing the Ky government. I Corps com-
mander General Chuan, who apparently did not sign
the denunciation, flew from Da Nang to Saigon today
to attend a meeting of the military Directorate,
3. According to a late report, a meeting of
the military Directorate in Saigon today decided
to use necessary force to restore governmental
authority in the Da Nang area, General Vien will
be in command of the military operation in Da Nang,
I Corps commander General Chuan, who attended the
meeting today, will not be permitted to return to
Da Nang. US military sources have reported that
two Vietnamese Ranger battalions are now in the
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 .process-of being airlifted from:the Saigon area to
Da Nang Air Base in VNAF aircraft, Vietnamese
Marines already at the. air base will apparently re-
main there, General Vien, chief of the Vietnamese
Joint General Staff, is to arrive at Da Nang Air
Base from Saigon tomorrow morning (Vietnam time).
Premier Ky yesterday had asked for-US aircraft to
transport two Ranger battalions to Da Nang, and then
cancelled his request,
4: Elsewhere in I Corps, the Hue radio station
has broadcast at denunciation of the forthcoming govern-
ment-sponsored national political congress and of
the Buddhist Institute communique which yesterday
called for a temporary cessation of the "struggle"
movement. In a private conversation with a US offi-
cial in Hue, ranking Buddhist monks in the area also
declared that they would not abide by the Institute
order, Regarding the recent evacuation of American
civilians from the Hue area, the monks stated that
Buddhists in the area had no intentions of harming
Americans or American property, However, they said
that "defensive" measures would be taken against the
Saigon government until it made a firm commitment to
establish a civilian government, withdrew its troops
from Da Nang, and granted amnesty to those participating
in the struggle movement. A Catholic priest in the
Hue area has expressed to US officials the belief of
Catholics there that the antigovernment movement is
heavily infiltrated by the Viet Cong, and their fear
that a Viet Cong takeover is imminent.
5. In Saigon, Vietnamese government officials
are preparing a list of those to be invited to the
national political congress, now scheduled to be con-
vened sometime next week. The purpose of the congress,
which was announced by the government on 3 April,
is to obtain a broad consensus on the institutions
of an eventual civilian government. Government
intentions are to issue invitations today to repre-
sentatives of each municipal and provincial council,
representatives of the sects, political parties, and
professions, and to other notables. Minister of
Interior Tiet, who is involved in arranging the
congress,. hopes that between 150 and 200 will attend
the meeting, but admits that the major problem facing
the government now is to make certain that those in-
vited will agree to participate. Viet said that
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Buddhist Institute representatives and some individuals
.actually.associated with the struggle movement in
central Vietnam would also be invited to attend.
Buddhist Institute chairman Tam Chau boycotted the
preliminary consultative session of the congress held
earlier this week,
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