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

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R000300150006-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Sequence Number: 6
• Content Type: MEMORANDUM

Approved For Release 2006/05/03: CIA-RDP80BO1676R0003OO-1-50C006:2-..
.DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY ? ~~~_ _.L/Z_~
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20350 IN REPLY REFER TO
Op-92/ell
Ser 08888P92
2 FEB 1966
MEMORANDUM FOR''Vice 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: '(1) 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,
Direr or of Naval Itthelligence
Downgraded at 3 . ycsr Intervals
Declassified after 12 years
DOD DIR 5200.10
 Approved For Release 2006/05/03: CIA-RDP80BO 1676R000300150006-9
0 DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
?
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS
WASHINGTON. D.C. 20350
OP-92B1/dgl
Ser: 012253P92
FEB 1 1966
LEMOO ANBUM OF INFORM:.ATIO'NI FOR THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY
Subj: Neue Zurcher Zeitung Article on North Vietnam (U)
The Washington Post of 23 January under a byline of
The Z~hicago Dally News correspondent in Bonn carries a
summary of an artI.cle in the Neue Zurcher Zeitung, gener-
ally considered to be one of the world 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.
a. 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 hnd 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. ONl Comment. The Neue Zurcher Zeitung views on the
above u30 7c: V are o.: rater es - in the of that news-
paper's customary careful approach to such analysis, and
DC SGT,:: :?~ '~` 3 INTE,ViA ;S ; CONFIDENTIAL
DECLASSIFI D AFTER 12'Y'EARS
DOD DI R 5000.10 &s u It"'
 Approved For Release 2006/05/03: CIA-RDP80BO1676R000300150006-9
OP-92E1/d ;l
Ser: 012253P92
Subj : ??eue Z cher Zei tang Article on North Vietnam (U)
the Lac t that they rep:. e ent a longer, more detached and
more comprehensive approach than we are getting in our
news media. ONI would caution that the author of the
a tic e, alt -hough stressing weaknesses, probably believes
that worth Vietnam was be i r: mu ~G hurt before the stand-
down rather than being critically affected al'.- ';','.ha -'L-, point.
His s to ..ement that Hanoi appears to be equating both the
m ? i tar y power and domestic situation o the US in 196.6
vi th that o a we 1 erred and divided Trance in 1954 is -.
considered correct and _act 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
DI LECTOR OF NAVAL INTELLIGENCE
Di stribu;;i on List:
U. ` :J 1:SECNAV
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Op-O?
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OP-95
 Approved For Release 2006/05/03: CIA-RDP80BO1676R000300150006-9
? DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS
WASHINGTON. D.C. 20350
?
Op-92/ell
1 February 1966
ME;IORANDU2+i "L "OR THE 'SECRETARY OF THE NAVY
Subj : Recent articles on the importance of our interests in South Asia
1. The January 196o issue of the, MARINE CORPS GAZETTE contains, an article
which, in my opinion, is an e::cellent 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
Fro;:: Vietnam" and describes the author's dismay over what he terms "dip-
lo:,atic 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
'Ir.obilize 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,
Dire- of Naval ntelligence
Copy to:
UNDERSECN AV
CNO
VCNO
C'-'INFO
OP-06