RECENT NEWS MEDIA ARTICLES ON THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR INTERESTS IN SOUTH ASIA(Sanitized)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R000100040009-0
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 20, 2003
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: February 2, 1966
• Content Type: MF

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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
_._.7
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS
Op-92/ell
Ser 08888P92
2 FEB 1966
MEMORANDUM FORK ice Admiral W. F. Raborn, USN (Ret.), Director of
Central Intelligence
Lieutenant General Joseph F. Carroll, USAF, Director,
Defense Intelligence Agency
Subj: Recent news media articles on the importance of our interests
in South Asia (U)
Encl: '(l) DNI Conf Memo of Info Ser 012253P92 of 1 Feb 1966
(2) DNI Unclas Memo for SECNAV dated 1 Feb 1966
1. The enclosed two memoranda drawing attention to certain recent articles
on South Asia in general and Vietnam in particular are considered of in-
terest and well worth reading. I think their importance lies in the im-
plications they contain of Communist objectives in that area and what the
consequences might be to us if those objectives were achieved.
2. I think discussions of this sort help us orient our thinking so as to
read through the ambient noise that always plagues the intelligence analyst
in times like these. I would recommend that those of your people that are
concerned with estimates on this subject and with analysis of information
bearing on Communist interests and objectives read these articles.
Very respectfully,
S L. TAYL
Dire fct'or of Naval biftelligence
NAVY review(s) completed.
Downgraded at 3 - year Intervals
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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20350 OP-92Bl/dgl
Ser: 012253P92
FES 1 1966
114 EMORANDUM OF INFORMATION FOR THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY
Subj: Neue Zurcher Zeitung Article on North Vietnam (U)
1. The Washington Post of 28 January under a byline of
The 'cago a y News correspondent in Bonn carries a
summary o? an arT c e in the Neue Zurcher Zeitung, gener-
ally considered to be one of a wor s most reliable
newspapers. The views of the researcher on Communism of
that newspaper are summarized as follows:
a. The US campaigns may have been more successful than
they sometimes appear.
b. There is resistance among the youth and defeatism
among the general public. There probably was an upsurge of
patriotic enthusiasm when US bombings commenced but this
gave way quickly to discouragement. Party officials have
warned repeatedly against the belief that the US cannot be
defeated and that a long war simply means additional
suffering for the people.
c? The economy of North Vietnam is probably stagnating.
The harvest may have been good but as late as last December
stern measures were ordered to assure its collection. There
are complaints that the peasants are black-marketing and
paying more attention to private plots. Last summer there
was a major switch to local industries and handicrafts to
relieve damaged transportation facilities. Big factories
not converted to war production are probably idle. The
.exodus to the countryside may have diminished Hanoi's
controls.
d. The intransigence of Hanoi's leaders is the result-
of a false estimate of their own capabilities and of the
international power relationships. Hanoi appears to be
still equating both the military power and domestic
situation of the US in 1966 with that of a weakened and
divided ,France in 1954. Moreover, it appears that Peking
has assured Hanoi that "volunteers" would be sent to North
Vietnam when necessary, as in Korea.
2. ONI Comment. The Neue Zurcher Zeitung views on the
above su i ec are o Inter es in e g of that news-
paper's customary careful approach to such analysis, and
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CONFIDENTIAL OP-92B1/dgl
Ser: 012253P92
Sub,: Neue Zurcher Zeitung Article on North Vietnam (U)
the fact that they represent a longer, more detached and
more comprehensive approach than we are getting in our
news media. ONI would caution that the author of the
article, although stressing weaknesses, probably believes
that North Vietnam was beginning to hurt before the stand-
down rather than being critically affected at that point.
His statement that Hanoi appears to be equating both the
military power and domestic situation of the US in 1966
Qith that of a weakened and divided France in 1954 is
considered correct and in fact the core of the problem.
For this reason, Hanoi is probably misreading our signals
concerning peace to reinforce their basic and miscalculated
estimate.
RUFUS L. TAYLOR
?I.tECTOR OF NAVAL INTELLIGENCE
Distribution List:
U DERSECNAV
CNO
VCNO
OP-01
OP-03
OP-04
.OP-05
OP-06
OP-07
OP-090
OP-60
Op
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OP-95
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 DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS
WASHINGTON. D.C. 20350 IN REPLY REFER TO
Op-92/ell
1 February 1966
MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY
Subj: Recent articles on the importance of our interests in South Asia
1. `: he January 1966 issue of the, MARINE CORPS GAZETTE contains. an article
which, in my opinion, is an excellent statement of reasons as to why, one,
sea power is a vital. factor in today's world, and, two, the Indian Ocean
area is of strategic importance to the United States. The article is en-
titled "The Afro-Asian Ocean Heartland" and is written by Dr. Rocco M. Paone,.
who is a Professor of International Relations at'the Naval Academy. One
of the reasons why the article is of particular importance at this time is
that it could well be titled "Why We Can't Afford to Lose in Vietnam".
2. A second article of major importance, in my view, is one in the January
27, 1966 issue of THE REPORTER magazine. The article is entitled "Back
From Vietnam" and describes the author's dismay over what he terms "dip-
lomatic professionalism breaking free from the gravitational field of
twentieth century political reality and orbiting in a universe of pure
fancy". The burden of the message in the above article is that we should
"mobilize all the power necessary to crush the enemy's resistance and
achieve a rapid, clear-cut victory". The author also points out that any
betrayal of our mission in South Vietnam cannot fail to deny us any future
Allies in Asia.
3. Inasmuch as both the MARINE CORPS GAZETTE and THE REPORTER magazine
articles deal with the consequences of Communist domination of South Asia,
they are complementary and make good reading together.
Very respectfully,
S L;-. TAY
Direr or of Naval/ntelligence
Copy to:
UNDERSECNAV
CNO
VCNO
CHINFO
OP-06
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9 Feb 66
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FORM NO. 237 Use previous editions
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