FRAGILITY OF POLITICAL SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79R00967A001000020015-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 30, 2005
• Sequence Number: 15
• Publication Date: May 19, 1966
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 2005/07/ g P79ROOW001000020015-
19 May 1966
SUBJECT . Fragility of Political Situation
in Vietnam
1. In estimates and memoranda of the last year or
two we have obviously taken official note of what we referred
to as the "fragility" of the political situation in Vietnam.
In some of our documents we have pointed out a range of possible
happenings in Vietnam which could cause the fragility of the
political base virtually to disintegrate. The one of these
possibilities which has come most insistently to mind in the
last few days has been the one we dubbed a major military reverse.
2. Given the turmoil in ARVN forces in the northernmost
provinces of South Vietnam (I Corps), it seems to me that we
should all be extremely alert to the possibility of some major
military action by VC and PAVN forces adjoining the area. For
example, might this not be an auspicious moment for the DRV
to try to push the demilitarized zone 50 miles to the south?
3. This is the sort of thing I had in mind when I mentioned
my apprehensions at the morning meeting.
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Approved For Release 2005/07/13 : CIA =F,6~ 9' F00967A001000020015-3