ATTITUDES OF PHAN KHAC SUU TOWARD CURRENT CRISIS

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02787192
• Document Creation Date: January 28, 2019

Approved for Release: 2019/01/17 CO2787192
LEO
13526
/2.3(h)(2)
-E0
SE
T
5 Feb.
1968
13526
3.c(r1
3.5(c)
Subject: Attitudes of Phan Khac Suu Toward Current Crisis
Source: Vietnam, Sai
3.3(h)(2)
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on
1. During a conversation on the morning of 5 February, Phan Khac Suu,
defeated Presidential candidate and southern Buddhist, commented that in
the wake of the government's (GVN) defeat of the Viet Cong/North Vietnamese
attacks, the spirit of the people in the greater Saigon area is strongly
anti-Viet Cong. He compared the people's mood of excitement with that
which existed after the overthrow of the Diem regime on 1 Nov. 1963.
Suu felt that the opportunity to exploit the Saigon.ese's awareness of the evils
of the Viet Cong must not be neglected, and that everything possible must
be done to unite the peoples of all faiths. He felt particularly that the
Government of Viet Nam must gain the confidence of the people by making
food available immediately to prevent fear of shortages and to drive prices
down. If the Government of Viet Nam can do this, he said, it will gain the
people's confidence in social as well as military affairs.
Z. Suu said that as a politician he planned to offer his services to
the Government of Viet Nam to help mobilize Vietnam's manpower to lead
the country back to normalcy. He added that he planned to talk with "all
political leaders" before calling on any Government of Vietnam officials.
He insisted, however, that he was prepared to work with any GVN official
or organization.
SE GET
Approved for Release: 2019/01/17 002787192