THE SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00826A000800010018-8
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 1, 2004
• Sequence Number: 18
• Publication Date: May 26, 1966
• Content Type: IM

Approved For Wease 20&Q'1 (Z2W00800010018-8
103
OCI No. 1496/66
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Office of Current Intelligence
28 May 1966
INTELLIGENCE MEMORANDUM
The Situation in South Vietnam
(As of
Saigon
1. An estimated 5,000 Buddhists, demonstrated
in Saigon this evening (Vietnam time), according to
late press reports. Led by monks on bicyles, the
demonstrators streamed out of the Vien Hoa Da pagoda
and were met several blocks away by government security
forces. The demonstrators were forced to scatter by
tear gas used by the riot police. Banners seen in
the crowd displayed anti-American sentiments calling
Secretaries Rusk and McNamara "warmongers."
2. US officials report there were scattered
demonstrations throughout the afternoon (Vietnam time),
but all were of small scale and were contained with-
out violence by government security forces. In one
incident, police were confronted with a demonstrator
with a grenade and when the police attempted to ap-
prehend him, he fled into the security.of a nearby
pagoda. The police now have orders to shoot on the
spot any demonstrator found armed with guns or
grenades.
Hue
3. Official reports indicate the city was gen-
erally quiet as of 6:00 F.M. (Vietnam time) with
ARVN units continuing to guard US installations.
Radio Hue has announced the suspension of Buddha's
birthday celebrations as a protest against the
Thieu-Ky administration.
State Department review completed
CONFIDENTIAL
GROUP 1
Excluded from automatic
downgrading and
declassification
Approved For Release 2005/04/22 : CIA-RDP79T00826A000800010018-8