NOTES FOR DDCI

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R001300100028-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 12, 2006
• Sequence Number: 28
• Publication Date: May 7, 1964
• Content Type: NOTES

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25X1
7 May 1964
ILLEGIB
1. At this week's meeting of the Country Team in Saigon,
Lodge raised the same question he did a few days ago with Khanh;
namely, is there a possibility of some catastrophic development
such as Dien Bien Phu which could take us all by surprise and ring
down the curtain in South Vietnam? II thought the possibility
extremely remote. He characterized the war as "43 separate wars
in 43 separate provinces", none of which is large enough to be a
catastrophe by itself. Westmoreland, however, thought that NVN
might well build sizable forces just north of the DMZ or along
route 9 in Laos and move quickly to take over the northern tier of
provinces in SVN in the event of another coup.
2. As you requested, sometime in the next few days, another
gray phone will be installed, this one at Barbara's desk. It will
rin g at Barbara rather than in your ear and she will be able to
monitor calls at your request.
3. I am concerned about the manner in which you so frequently
become the brunt of DCI's criticism when components within the
Agency begin to quibble over an NIE at a pre -USIB meeting. As you
know, Sherman Kent always provides a brief memo which tells how
State, DIA and others have been reacting to the NIE in question but
what has been lacking is a DD/I memo to you which alerts you to
any differences of opinion within the Agency. I have asked the DD/I
office to develop procedures to button this up.
programs. Even a tour could create the impression that we were
inviting a more direct military role. Furthermore, MACV officers
should be too busy in SVN to take the time for a trip. In addition,
position is simple and direct given current emotions over
inviting MACV officers to tour Their
4. FE Division emitted howls of anguish at the prospect of
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FE will, of course, su side
if you overrule them, but I suggest that you not press the matter now.
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5. As I told you the other day, I still find it very difficult
in my own mind (and I think this is true of most others in the Agency
as well) to determine or define what really constitutes a security
breach or a damaging revelation in a book like "The Invisible
Government. " We all agree that such books are terrible and damag-
ing but we don't have any professional definition of what it is that
makes them so. Even if we did have this definition, one then has
to be in a position to argue the case against the lofty belief that
"the American public has the right to be informed. " I think it would
be a good idea to ask some bright young fellow who will be going to
one of the war colleges to work on this subject as a thesis. There
wouldn't be any harm in this and we might all learn something.
25X1
H. noche
ILLEGIB
Approved For Release 20Q6/09/25 : CIA-RDP801P01676R001300100028-9