.... -.-- ...... --.- •.. ~~-.~._ •.•.. _ .••.•... ' .~··""'''''''·_·;;..·~, ... '.k·''.;'".i.._'.'-'-'''''·.~

... '

• .. k<\~ ...

." .

ISECRET

•

~. ~- -~

DO NOT LOAN

"This transcription of lectu ;., • .~ . The National War Coli h re delIVered It and corrected b . ege as not been edited

. '1 author. In • • ed/ted capy is de;ired" qUire at deski'

tOPIC U.

CUI.!UII AIm POLITICS D YD1'IWI

tlJItr. Is all erner" aocum~nt or The National War College. QUi)~'ntion frG:n Abstraction from, cr R':rroduct>,n ci aH 01' Iny I'Ilrt of this dl>o~'Wlf;]t I. ['.)T AUTHORIZED without s/fflcific pecmi~e::; .. of 11111 Commandant of Ihe l'atiol).1 .fiar .~qrp./

tXCUJD£:O FROM AUTOM,iTIC REGR.t.OING: !Jog DIR 5200.10 DO.£S NOT APPLy'

l'reaented at the .. tional War Colleae

W •• hingtOll. D. C. 29 'ebruar, 1961

~;~" iSECRET f' j,

'SECRET

toPIC lSI CULTUU AItD POl.lTlCS D VllTlWI

By ~. c;.or,e .... Can". h.

(zt rebruar,r 1961)

CAPr4D1 JACOC.h (btroclv~..s die .peakft.)

Da. CA&VD. Gelati_In

1 "'Ilt to talk fot: about n hour OIl cultvre aD4 poUtic.

la ~1et_. 1 iec14ed at die laet IIlDvte to ~ tilt. .Uptl,

aDd 81.0 talk about toda,'. f.t offeaJl.e.

Ibe dtuatlOil la Vi.t .... I.e OIle of extr_ complmtJJ

that I.e .-thf.q that 1. w.ll IaIovIl to all of JOU hft.. ODe of

the nuOIlt for the complexity 11 til. parUcvler poUUcal aa4

cultural .. trlK wit hiD Which the offea.i.. 1. betas va,ed COD­

aUtut. the a.text fot: the C:-'1Iht .tRUll. 111M of the ••

futor. art DOt Iillique to VletDU; :rou w111 flll4 til .. ill other

areu of tbe vorU.

lractleall), 811 of the. 70U ha.e III VletllllZl are through

the locll.u1_. U tha)' art npre ... tathe of I .. eric probl_

that occur el,tWbere. the particular local .. ulfe.tatlO1lt 1 tbtDk

are .0000thf.q to be appreciated if ve are to wutereta114 Vi.t .....

cultura.

I thhk ou. thf.u.a VI Dee4 to lmder.taDd at th. outset •

1

. SECRET.

. . . ... '. .\.\ . . , , .

. )., .

: (\ .. \ , . \

1ibn w. tr, to aul)'ll' political fore ••• WI tlUt ... tlNl ..

~> of a09.~tI. b t ... of .tlt ...... tenll of aagr ... 1011. all .f .-' ;;., .

;. #<3:

whlch cOIIItitute word. ill a .ocabular, that are ba.ed ... lIltiall,

011 a W •• ten ~ aperlnc. aDd a We.ten Europeall trac!1tloa.

littla of whicb ha. _h r.la.-ne. whlch oODfrOllti 81 ill Soutbea.t

A,ia b anerd aDd V1et1lalll III ,.rtloular.

to und.r.tn4 whJ thl. 1 •• 0 aDd to underataDd wh,. th.

Vht_a. ".bn. b a_ .. ,.. tb ... ,. that the,. do I'equlrea a

certaiA anderltan41na of V1etaase .. hbtory aDd a certatll aDder­

Itandlna of th. cultural .trlx v1tblll which their poUtical leS ...

are .hapecS aDd take I_ aDd _ulna. We do IIOt ba". t1ll. th1l

afterllOOll for a coapl.t. detal1.eS coura. i. Vietna.e •• hl.tDrJ.

aor _ 1 aur. 1 .. tha .. 1I\I&1lfiecS to alY. it. but thera are _

or two broa4 th_a aDd brOld the... of background that 1 would

llke to call to your attntiOli 10 ve are talldll8 fro. a c_

frame of refereacl.

flrat of all. 1 think you have to I'ellllllllber that th.

VI.tuaea. 01'1,111&11,. arOee •• III ldntlf1ab1,. leparat. hOlllOgenetlo

athlllc group 111 j:he tollld.1I Delta or b the craeSle of the led II.er

"sb. 'l'bh .. , th.lr parnt bOlle. aDd thh 11 tb. plac. whll"

tb.,. emerged a celltu,. or two before tb. birth of Chrht a. a

r

--- .-.

i~' ',' separate people. Sinc. thill, tb •• tbulc V1It_. dowl,. aDd ve~t~.. ~

'. . '8r~ually .preaeS .outhwareS clOllll the COlltil lowlalld.. .tay1111 prt': -:- ;-,

S:~::~~11Y out of the hlghland, tbrough what 11 DOW central VietlUUll i~<':: " 2

tato what 18 _ louth Ybt_. cUllliaatiDa thb araclual lacr.a •. '.' . .~.

u4 apr .. d vlth th.ir _rleDe. ta the clelta portloa of what u':.'. .

_ South Vbtull. which u ace-117 a .... loplleDt of the relatl".l, ...

td.d- to lat. 18th cellturr aD4 a __ thua that .... IIDt Uaa1l7 C_ pl.ted UDtil the &&rlJ 19th CeDtury.

~1a a1lloet ..,.baUlte proe ... of tIU. eODqUut aD4 _ ..

_t took. al 1 jUllt iac!icated. _thlllS Uk. 18 cnturi.a to c_

pl.te. aDd the fact of thb 81'aduel ..,_t to the Bouth aD4 the

laDSth of time it requ1red hac! cutaia .ffecta which are atUI "Hf

IUCh with UII to4a,. It u, for _,le. OIl' of th. I' .. a_ wh7 811

of the Vi.t_a. lin •• "err In.t. hl.shlJ clevelopeel In •• ef

.thldc prid. &Dc! c-tJ-abarec! .thnic huiUS" ~8J hav, "'1'1 littl •• enl. of political or lDltltutlonal lo,alt7 or Datioaall ..

ia that coatat .... VOIlld IIftdlretaul it la the Weat. ~11 ,nel.

la lort of Selleral .thllle heritage b la the poUdcal .IIUI. oampl_teel bJ aD latllUl ... t of loed. nslOClllI lo,altba which

..u for tl .. to pel'l_ of JOUr OWD particular locaUc, or real_ •

. .tl1ch ar.atl, ~r&DIceud your .... e of leletttUicatiOll "lth or ti_

to peopl. who COIle frOll other parU or other 1'.&10lIl wlthJ.a tho

.... Vletaamea. famll,.

Alao. It la important to remember aac! DeV.r to fora.t

that lU'LetDlm vaa oriainal17 aD4 traditioaal1J • rice-arovlua cultur.

,~," ad that ODe of the f_tur •• of a 1'1ce-&rowlua cultan " the ""7' ";>: ' ;: .... '.

hl.shlJ elev.lopee! &Dc! arUcu1atecl luaUtuU01I of the ext.nded fllllU, _:'; .'

oi ClaD wlthla vh1ch • pen 011 who 81'ova up la that tJPI of cu1t~a1';'

"'e~OUDd flDd. purpo ... -1IiD& aDd IlplfiC&1II:. 'a ht. Uf •• "'-~~-'."-:

t'bb -,. eOUDd like a lot of hish-flowtaa aDd perhap. eloubtful h ... .-, , . hbtoric&l or .ociological aul,..i., but I c:&D ... ur. J'OU 't ,,<-

. . t:'·. rdnant to a maher of practical aDd lmediate probl_. Yo

cit. a .pecific example. the OBI to ¥hlch it i. the .oet.r.l .. ant.

" the age-old problem of CorlL'llptlOll. which Ye7:)' weh llee1 .. U. III

at til. pre. eDt tbae and about which .ucla iDk b .heel. both ill of­

ficial traffle and 'a the claU,. pr ....

ID our ow IOClet,. aDd cll1tar. w. tnd to think of oar-

.Ilv .... .or. or 1 ... aud.tle iDdlYiduall, aach of vbCIII

operat.. III ar ... ,lIch a. the .outh, wher. there iI a Itl'Oll8 .eue

of f .. U,. tie or f&1ld.l,. tradit1C1D. III America aDd .1Ievbert ill

the Vut U ODe it throw lIlto a poeltlOll wher. !e hal ace ... to

pocI. or •• nic .. or a podtloa to coa.fer profit or pr.f_t ..

other., 't ,. cODtlelerecl Vlguel,. Immoral aDd certalal,. .... th1aa

JOU do BOt want to I.t cauabt at If J'OU take care of JOII1' ow ...

.-diat. f&1ld.l,. an4 th ... who have t..ediat. tie. of kia.hlp to JOU.

III V1etll&ll till. worka quit. the rever .. bec&u.. :rour prime ob11 .. -

UCID withi. the .trlx of the culture ia _leh JOU arft up " to

take car., firet and forUlOlt, of th08. bouDd to J'OII "" ti .. of

'-diat. kiDebip. U J'OII do BOt look &tt.r them. iattea4 of

eloinS ._thlaa that II ,ODe! aDd aohle and wortbvhl1. withlll that

:f. < ".' .oclal cOlltn:t, JOU are t:wm1aa "l'1 .uch agabet the grata of .. ' ~-'-> ".;.' .', " ,~ # ..

_. f;, \"~.; - '~';'

.0', . eve7:)'thtaa that 11 tradltioual and .anctlODecl la ,.our ow .ocl.t,.< , • c,_,

To put it III "'7:)' c1L'll4. tel'llll t Wh.r ... ,bing :rour hrother-lD-la .,.

a cOlltract in the Unlted St.t •• i. coaald.r.d bad, BOt alvinS 't

4 . ,

..

.,' _;.:.;-;.}i-.... -~~::-< .. ::-: _~c- •• ~-~.:~,,~-~ •. ...-!. ":.

~- ,,~ - -.- ,-., -,-::." -' . . . .• " .. !, .. .' - -'-"Y

;:-' '

;,r . r---'

SEClET

to JOU1' brotber-bl-law ill V1etllUl, eperaUIl8 wUhlll the 1,,' :' b couUered aquall, ba4 or perbap.'"

t:; , tradltlooal .. tds aD! lIOCla,

"

Wa could go 011 for houri, "bf.cb we ,,111 Ilot, I allura

~--.. ,

)'OU. explailliag .oae of tbe •• historical per.pectiv •• aD! back­

srOUlld, but tb. poillt I vaat to _ka l. that the ViatllalMae, becaua

of thelr traciltlOil. 40 aot hava a 1&IlI. of aatiOllllU .... ". uacler-

8taocl ltl they hava ao illltltutlooal loyalt)' developed to lIlItltu­

tlOil. wlth ~radltlooal "lItorical dJlCtiOll al ". "- th .. , aD!

thelr ..... of pridt ... tbelr ethlllc Ia.rlus. do .. aot r .. dU, or

... ll, traulate Lato a .&IlIt of obllpt1oa to participate .... _

lort of lar,er politlcal eocIeavor a. w. would uacler.taIlcI tbe tl1'II •

.loci thb u "er)' 8UQh thl can for practf.ca11), all YiltMMtIl,

with 011. rather lar,l aocI -.terllJlg axceptioa. !bat lar,l _

.terlf.lla axcept10ll it tho .. Vlltllbllal who are MIIbar. of tbl

YletUlDeI. Cc_ milt 'art)' who havl a I_I of orpn1&atlOll, •

'_1 of dlaclpUaa &D4 • I_I of .tructure wb1cb 'bre.D throuab

the famil), tie SA. __ that DO _C-mflt oraallicatioa baa

ever beeD able to achiev. althoush the __ tbroush whicb thll

breakthrough b acbl..,e4 molva the "I of terror aocl calculated

aocl Iy.t_tf.c ruthlelllll .. that all of .. 011 the DOIl-ComaIImbt

aide of the f.uea would cooeUer unacc.ptabll.

there b ODe lDOra piece of hlltorical bacqrOUlld whlch 1', .

.J.- ...... tMu yoU Dead to ba aware of before wa beslll to talce a look at ;" "

.,' ;,,: .;:

b~ lome of th .. 1 pltterlll and cultural outlooltl aocl activlU .. "

5

IICUf

r .. U,. ahape aDd MY. aDd operate la the coatext of tbe "OU of c·' _0 ~ -~

experince or the aperinc. of Frncb coIOlllaU ••

low remember there va. aner la hi. tor,. a Vl.tDaae ••

• tat. a. we Imow the tfl'lll. ther ..... onl,. tbe brhfe.t of later-

"all. aDd the lIltervab would be tecbD1caUy literal b.twen 1802

aDd 1853. WeD aU of what b _ net1lUl Val avID _lllaU,. uader

a tillgte poHtlcal coatl'01. !bat va. 4urillg the .. rl,. ,. .. 1'1 of

the ISlI)'n DJDut,.. WeD control over aU of Vlatnam va ••• teblbbe4

bJ • IIl11tl_a who took the ralp (Gla LoDa) ill 1802 aDd ade bb

writ I'UD lIOl'e or Ie .. trOfi the Chllla border to the Up of the c.._ Mau reDlaula.

fact. the Freacb helped Gla tons SO to bb throae aDel prosre .. btlr

beSAD detachias certeb parte of V1et_ .. territor,. frOfi Vlet_.e

eoatrol. We do DOt have tlM here to 110 throvah the whole cOllpla

.tor,. of Frncb coloaf.al hlltor,.. but eufflce It to .a,. that the

rreach Ipllt the eOUDtr,. lato three reslaa.--the DOrth, the ceater.

aD4 the louth--or, lIOl'e bldca11,.. tbe led I1ver Delta. tbe Mtkoaa

Delta. aDd the coa.tal Itdp la betwen (or the cOaltal ar .. la

betwen). the.e w.re trad1tlO1U1II,. laactloaed r.gioaal dlvl.10D1

which the Freach kttned onto. but the,. .pUt the COUDtr,. lato

:'c_, the .. three parte aD4 ver,. activel,. fo.tered a .eDle of local or" Y- - .. ...~ -.' .-: -~""-:':'. - -- . -

:":-~ regloaal tie., dolaa everythlag the,. could to aDdereut a politlcel

lense of Vletam .. e unit,.. There \/48 a lot of work done oa

6

SECU! -.

,­..

"let_ ••• Il1Uft7. "IatllUl' •• litaratur •• 'fi.~. tra41tiola •.. . "

1"at the hnc:b did nft)'thiDi tbe, eoa1' to .audNI • .,. develop.....··.

avareu ••• of political uult7 or orgaailatloaal or la.titutioaal \i .

uait7 vbich would ba.,. complicated th. probl ... of colO8ial rul ••

SeeODdI7. th. hnc:h did n.rytM_g 9ithlD their pcIVft',

aud th.ir pow.r v •• enald.rabl. aad thelr cucce •• equal17 .0, to

esac.rbat. aad explolt aad .ncourag. all tbe dl.1.1 •• tead~i •• "

ID 'flet_a. political Uf.. '!he, eJlCouraged th. fOUDdatlO8 .f

•• rlOUI local ,ua.l-r.llliOUI aeeta aach a. tb. Boa lao aad th. Ceo

Del III th •• oath. '!he, nc:ouragecl regioaaU... !be, nc:ouraaed

parUcularl... '!be, _aged local l07altl.I, &ad tbe, eli.

n&r)'thiDi poll11l1a la tb. eultural &ad atUtudinal .pher. to

MIte It difficIIlt for th. 'fiat_ •• to eOlllbla. th_du. around

a aiDila poUUcal loal ••• lagl. pollt1eal I'''. Furth.nora. la

the cour •• of the hnc:h colO81al experieac. th. political ... 1~

ti08 aDd dnelOJllMllt thet cUd crow lip La "I.cu., the lIIalk of tIIa

expread08 of tbl •• ort of athaic natioaal .euUIICDt. Inw up 1_ •

• ft)' c_piratorial ad Claad •• tiD. COiltat. So 70IIr tra4iUOIIOI

political parU •• --JOIIr "I.tDAa Quoc lin DaDi. for ...,1 •• or r­Dei "let-cae lato 'aiD& DOt aa poUt1ea1 luUtuti_ or orgaai_

Uou .. va 1aIov tb. t.I'II, lIIat .. dlade.tille, eonrt. rnoilltioaary

bod1e. vboa. fllJlCtiOD " •• to overtbrow &II exbUDI .tracture n4

whoa. ury aunbal depended 08 • ldad of cODtrolled paraaaoia a4 -:~. - .~'._ ,..; ',"" r~

," .u'ic101l of .U tho .. who ver. DOt .-era of tbe 1.aae4iat. fol •• " " " ,

of di.truet of otb.r people •• Dd a lort of .ery conspiratorial.

7

sr.cur

•

.' ;.-

•

backdoor approaeb to all for.. of political Itt •• ~: ~.: - .

th1l ... equally true 111 tha ca ••• f the Co_'lIbta .o. ~. ; .

~ 11lto bdlll at about tbe ._ tSae the 'let_.e Coamuubt t· Party cl1d, a. I .hall .laborate .ore 18 • _mt, bavll18 ben

founded 111 1930. Jut the Coaawd.tI had .omethtll& that theU

other aatloual1.t oppoIIeIIta cltd DOt have, aucI that _. a .et of

orgaD1&adoaal doctrllla., pracdce. aDd dllciplille. &rowtlll out

I:"

of a larger CODtaxt-to wit I the illtenJatloaal axperimce of th.

Co 'Ilht II09ft1l1lt--aDd they alao bad 111 the periOD of the M1l who

_ call. bUI .. lf .. C211 K111b a rather chari_tic Usure vbo

... ill II&IIJ W&JI •• beer orsall1zat1oaal ,emlll. Be _. able to

brpo.e OD tbe Co mi.t .,._t a IdDd of cobedOl1 aDd dbclpllDl

that DOua of bll dvab were abl. to lIDpo.e on their 0IrII folloven.

It we. apl .. t thb broad backsround of cultural attttDdn

aucI politleal dlvl.10Dl aDd lack of polttlcal axparteace aDd lack

.f lDltltutloaal elUDt aDC! lO)'aICJ that the .tl'lll81e ve are _

vltDI •• ll1& c ... lilto .. 111&. thl. cODItltuted, If you would, tb.

nq., tb •• ettilll aDd the ec_I aD4 It .... apll18t thi. backdrop

that the .arlout Yi.t...... actor. have played their re.pectl ••

rol •••

the rol •• that they have played, •• I .hall try to COW

In a few minute., have bem very heavily condltioned by thll klDd

of backdrop ln thll ewlro=ent out of which the prillCipal pllyerl ~ .:. : ". '. -:. .- .... "'.' ~,

i~' '~;P"~~, " . came • . . '

.. ,' .. • : ,

I I / ' '

! -' \ ., \ , . , ,

, ... " . .

,

, .

"

", ~.

~-

-~, , .. :, ......

IJCUr

!h. nNllle ill which v. art _ euaaaed III Vietlla. h.

,of cour ... rooted III _" caUl ... ht the FIIICIpal ODe eo f.r ~', ':­

the etruaale .ppearilla 111 Ite F ••• llt _lIlfeltatlOli Ie oOllCerae4'

18 the COll8ta11t &lid _ ..... dlll and UDChang1llg d.tel'llill&t1011 of

the Vlet_e •• Commulll.t rart" to acqulr. polltlcal cOlitrol oy.r

all of Vhtllam. !h18 ha. beeD the Used etar 111 the hrtJ' e

horhOli. the pole .tar .,aiIiU whlch it ha. COll.tellt1" II&Vlgated.

If )'011 vUlt ever dllCe the 'art)' vaa Cl'uted 111 1930.

We do DDt have the tlme DOl' vl11 lt Dec •••• ril" .erYe

our purpo.e to trace the whole h18t01'7 of the evolutlOD of the

'art)' atructure III the 1930e aDd the va" the rart)' alva)'. bad ..

lt1 _ill elltIDJ. perhape. the hench. but ltl _.t ~di.te elltlli.. tho.e II&t1011&Ult e1_t ... bo oppo .. d to the lTellCh. who

.re aot uDder complete c-lDlIt cOlitrol. AIle! the prillCipal ef.

foru of the '.rty durllla the • 30. vere devoted .uch .ore to ellb­

... ertillS aDd vadercuttllla aDd dOWllpla71l1S. aDd. If DlCe .. &I')'.

betra7111S to the 1T.lICh th.ir II&t1011&lbt DDII-CCumSIt d".b.

~ I •• id. th.ir,effortl vlre devoted .uch .ore 111 thie directiOll

thall to actual opposltiOD to lTellCh rille.

Tho.. of )'011 who etudl.d the hiltOl")' of VletDam .Dd who

have followed the cour .. of the Franco-Vlet Millh W.r .eU know the

chaotic eveDt. .t the clo.e of World War 11 gave the Vl.tllam.e.

, Communbt 'art)' itl loldtll opportulllt)'. You know 111 1941 the

ChiDe .. BatiOll&l18u took Bo. vbo at that tlme va. 1lI11l1 the

9

SICUT

'.i " ... , .. ,-

~" -~~'?)~~-~~~~'?::.~;:'~-"~:::"~~'::'--': ~--~-- .-~.' ,:.' ~:. "! ~.

. ' !

•

,. > .~

IICUf

.... of -iVY- Ai Quoo, out of • jdl aDd au-.pted to aet 11111 te ;~--,".,. ,. . .

orpnbe • &roup of 'let_.ela South Olin •• bopl ... that ther.",.··

the Chlne.e coul4 cr.at. a political actlou aDd latelillne ..

collectinl "ehlcle that coul4 har ... the J.paa .... who at that

tiN occul*4 Vletnaa. Jfo.t of 1011 probably know that the uPlhot

of tbb orgaabat1012el activity va. &11 lnaUtutloa or a body k-.

a. the Viet_ Quoc Daa DaDS IUnh 101 (or League for 'beDUIn.

Ind.peDdnee), Httft' bow anerally .,. It •• hort title of the

Vtet tiah.

!he en Wll.t Party adft' 110 nittty took control of all

the by podtlona la ,lac •• withia the Yiet IUIIh __ t aDd

utUbed the "Uonalllt haann to df.rect the .truggle aadnat the

he'DCh frOil 1946 to 1954. wh .... by the hooch vere thrOVD out of

Indochlu. aDd the J)naocratle lepubl1c of Vbtuu •• o-ca11ed,

which va. the poUtical apre .. lon of puty rule. ft. aiven lID­

conte.te4 cad uachalleased political aDd adalal.tratl"e coatrol

ov.r tho •• portloaa of ,i.taaa north of the 17th rarall.l.

\'be eituat10a that allted 1D 1954 va. of cour.e the

011. that ".. the fruit of the Gen."a Confft'.oce which .ettled that

Urlt rraoco-'iet IU.Dh .traggle aDd whleh theoreUcally

la a temporary fashion partitioned the country' at the 17th 'arali.l,

leaving the northern half under the direction of ODe polltlcal

sroupillg completely domf.uted aDd cODtrolled by the c-mbt Party. ~~; .. .

..... .- ~ • ".< ;'-. ··'-~t.~>-

.... . allll. the .outhern half uDder another polltical laltitutlonal _trla· c·. ~~"., -. ... "!"', : '.:: <:'

headed at that time by Kso Dtnb Diem. who at the tilll. of Ceneva ~ •... ,

Prlll!ft' eDd .ubuquently became the Chief of State of th. tb ..

10

• -- ",

1!'CUr

... oclated ltat. of South Vle~, whlch h .. evolved illto tile " ~i;",. .. -">- .

prallllt GVJI, or Goge~t of Viet_. ,

I •• lure .olt of )'OU kDov. but if you do IIOt. you lhouU

rllHlllbar that both of the .. political In.titutiOlll (the ODe III

Hanoi and the one ill Saigon) claim ~ rightfull,. can run the

whole country, though in point of fact. the DOrtharn ODe had l1li­

challenged iDternatlODal IUpport for .&aillietratl"e directiOD dOWll

to the 17th r.rallel aDd the louthern ODe up to the 17tb rarall.l.

At tbl U .. of CeIl .. a practically aU ob •• nere, &III!

c.rtall11y thole Who coa.titated tba majority of tbe Politburo of

tbe C-Slllit Party. bad ""ary reasOD to luepect that the acquid­

tiOIl of eo-um.lt cODtrol over the louthern part of Viet_ bad

been 0Il1,. temporarily iela,.ed. 'Ih8)' bad rHloa to IU.pect tht. OQ

two COUIItI, firat. there vas a provlliOll ill tb. GIII""a Accorda.

a. )'011 ".11 Ialow. for a eet of .1ectlOlll to occur 111 the ._r

of 1956 wher.by the cOUIItry ill .000e yqae and DODdefiDed. DOt

clearl,. .palled oat, fomva. to bl reunlfiecl. U JOIl .top .Dd 1'.­nKt for a .oIDIIIt that a. of that IIOIDdt ill tln th. aortharn part

of tha COUIItry bad approxiMtal,. 17 1I1111on to 18 1I111101l people

aDd the .outhern part of the COUIItry at that tlme bad approximately

13 millioa to 14 mllliOll, you viii recognize tbat right there

there va. a populatioa disparit,. which the Communlst. could ea.l1y

exploit becaus. vith two year. to orche.trate alld Adminlatrate aDd

organhe the northern part of the country the,. could "irtuall, ,., ... .' , .

suarantee nnder any kind of conceivable international .upervldOli

11

SECUt l "

~'~~-'~?I~·Z;:~H:;.~~?~;~·~~:~~~'~~:·'~·::~".' ~<\~'¥';- ~~?";~;?:~.~:~ '~~;'; - ~ .. '

. or ilUlpectioa. particularly ODe which " .. ba.ed OIl a '_D'mSty

rule of a troika which had a Polhh or Cowm·uht _ber. that

they could deliver ".9 percent of the .ote for whatever pr.,..l-

tioa the Co -'Piat Party wanted. thllI. in any uti_l p1ebbdte

the deck H. nacked aDd there va. DO chance for aD outcome other

thai that dictated by RaDOi. 'lbh. of cour ... va •• ery .uch

recophed and appreciated by thou la the .outhel'D !ovenDent.

and thb " the r ... OIl why Din refilled to have any part ta tIM

electoral proce .. and why he ignored the 1956 0._ deadllu.

III RaDOl the Politburo (01' the Party) I' .. ted it. IIopu

or it. expectatiOil of the acquidtiOil of cOlltrol DOt JUlit -POll the

.lectiOil. which voul4 provUe the final .. al. but. I thiDk ....

_1'1 OD their underat8Slding aDd appreeiatiOil or lD tho .. "1'

perfectly legitimat. expectation that even Without the electlaa

the lOUth would colla,.a lato aDarcby aDd ChaN auch that thl ea...

..mit Part1. lIelng tha OD1y organized and dbdpllned body. couU

.aaily move in and ,iclr. up the pieeel. Very f.v people 1I0Il14 haYa

expected anything ataa. You ba4 in South Vietnu a DOIlSOVel"lIDl!Ilt

prlddiq oval' a DOnItaU. You bad all the probl_ I cited earUer.

You had DO IClltle of iutitutioual loyalty. You had DO eClltla of

protection. You bad a loverllDl!llt with a .ery queaUouab1e utiODaI

al'lll7. and 10U had a aovel'lllllellt who had wi thin ita bordel'l bodS. ..

" lach a. the Boa Rao and the cao Dat vith thelr _ indepeDdent {<, •. i:"~' ~ '. ~.~ -.: .:.~.

armed atrength very lINCh apart frOil !ovel'llDent control aDd .ery "·,'f:',i : . ~--, .' ..

anxiou. to overthrow the total structure in their own intere.t.

12 \ 1 I , I

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!bue. _ oae ill hu Z'laht a1JId _lei have antldpated ~, ,

aurthlaa but tbe IdDel of Ul&rcby aDel chao. that va. til fKt

allticlpateel til Ballol. All of JOU Imov thll b DOt what ill fact . ~ -'-. . ,

occuned. To ftft)'Olle' •• urprbe (ill. vay, the t.na "-traculou-

b DOt tnapproprlate). tb. Diem lov'1'DIIIent DOt OII1Y"Delee! to

.univ. but __ SeeS to NIt. the fint .t.pe of cooerete progrea.

towarel the cruUoa of at ha.t a pot.lIti.lly vlable .outhm

n.te .tructure th.t va. lDe1.pendmt of C-U1l1lt coatrol. !bl.

w •• the .tory, aDd tbll 11 what happeDecl b.tw •• 11 1954 aDel 1956.

!bb ... a _ Iltuatloa •• lIew df.aelldoa which po.ed tbl

hlltburo 111 Balloi with • 11ft .et of probl_ they hael lIot alltld­

,.ted aDcI for whicb they "lI'e DOt lnitially prepared to cope.

ay 1956 lt became ol7vlou. that tll.t.ael of collapdaa, Soutb Vl.toa

va. 101aa to la.t aDd va. s01ll& to exl.t. !b. relative plcture

pre •• llted betw.en politic.l aDd acOllOm!c I1fe IIOrtb aDel .outb of

tbe 17tb 'arallel "a. 1IDY1118 ill • directloa that " .. tocre .. 1aa1y

lIDfavorabl. to IIanot aDcI tDCZ'eaa1ngly favor.ble to SatSOll. Do DOt

II1RDc1I1"taDcI .. 01' do IIOt th1ak I _ c1a1ralaa or eay1aa tbtlll'

that 1 _ DOt c1a1ll1lla aDel IIOt .ay1118J DO OIl' b .u8senlaa that

llf ••• pareell .. below the 17th 'arallel} DO 011. b .uu,.tina

that tbe Di .. love~t evlll 111 tho .. day. "a. any lIIOcIel of per-

fectlO1l 01' Jaff,r.oni.1I lib.r.ll1m or politically le1eal 111 .117 v'y,

Ibe, .hapa, or fon. It va., bowever, doing aometblng whlch •

BallOi or tbe PoUtburo or th, Coma!un1.t 'arty would DOt have

thousbt po.l1bh.-that t •• creat1llg or developiaa tb. OIl. thiaa "

13

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that the Cc mbt Party could Dot tolerate aDd could DOt allow. ~::'"

'%bat va. a "lable ,tate etruc:ture DOt uncler C 'lliit coatrol. ;.' l' '-...

'DIb va. a Foce .. the Party had to thwart, had to 111140, if Ita I-' '*

lifelong ambltloa of the acqul.ltloa of political coatrol of South

Y1etlWl "a ... er to .ee fulfillment aDd frultloa.

raced vUh thi. Dew dtuatioll, the Party .. de a lift e.t

of decldous aDd UDdertook a 11ft coune of actloa. 'DIat cour.e of

actloa va, to illitiate ill 1956 aDd 111 1957 a progr .. of terrorb.

aDd ,ubvar81oa ludil18 to 11l8urrectloll which va. 4el11'IIed to

exacerbate the latent ten,loaa i. the Yietaame.e body politic.

recrute the kind of &DUchy. 11lC1plent aoarchy aDd chaoe that had

exlated 111 1954, unclo the work that _. bt1ug dOllt, all4 recreate &Il

Cloa of Cc Allet coatrol 09er the COUlltry.

'1'bi, terrorbm aDd vlolellC' 111 their 1llltia1 atase. "ara

vary ,elective aDd ... ry lkillful aDd dellpe4 to affect thole

poillte of coatact between the burgeolllllS Itate .tructure ill Salgoa

aDd the bulk of the populaCloa--affect thou poilitl of coatact 1D

two v8711 It val dedpt4 to take out tho .. wbo,e fuuctioaa "u •

•• ,ential to the .. olutioa of the ltate aII4 the acqu18itioa of

popular coafldeocI 1D It--that b, the doctor, the health worker.

the malaria eradicator, the teacher, the village official, all of

'{ '.~ . vhom "'Ire targete for illtlmi4atlou, bara'lIMllt, or 111 many cue •• ',' 'I" ..

,"' ,."

:.: actual assauiaatiou. It va. aho cles1gDed to take advalltage of ... ;.' -;. ~-;

. . the latellt tellalou. ill the .ociety and the malfeasance or

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.,emfealece of certalla I09UlIlHot perlODDeI to project the Iob~"_. ~_ .

Hood bag •• the t..,e of the !laacent Coaal11ht __ to which of· course cUd DOt preach Harzht doctrlDe ... the protector of the

peopl ••

1.1Ie other target. "ere the unpopular police chief. the

unpopular provillCe chief. the unpopular local official a,dut

whom the local badigenou. population had legitimate reuon to be

ruentful or have grievanc •••

1.1118 terrorist aDd .u!ward.e campaign va. conducted b7 aDC! lar,e throu.gh two a.t. of lledla. 1.11. fl.r.t ODe .,., the latnt

cellular atructure that the ('_mtat .arty or the Viet Minh _ ..

IM'IIt. whlch at the c1o.e of the Franco-Viet Minh War UDder complete

Part)' control, had left behind io South VietD&1ll after 1954 at the

tt.e of the partition of the COUDtry. The word came out for thll

cellular .tructur. to reactivate ltaelf, beglo It. actlviti •• , ...

acut new recruitlag and bu1lcliq.

1.1Iere wer. a coupl. of other adDdolatrative atep' takeD at thi •• _ time, tha full impact &JII4 conaeq_e. of which did

aot COllIe illto pla)' untU _h later. t1Ie lIOat isIportallt of the ••

"a. the creatlOll la the .WIIDe1' of 1956 of a body which atUI

ext.u today. bow .. the Reunifi.catiOll Bureau. which WI 1Ditlall:r

ao arm of the Part),'a Central Commitee ed .ubsequentl)' became aD ana of tbe govel'tDellt, but ill both case. va, headed b)' the __ :., ~ .• -., .

\' . - ~.

pH.OII, a ,enerd _ad IIglI)'en Van Vinh, an ethnic northerner, who .;" '.,. -

bad rhell to I'romillaDCe 111 the lloutheru wing of the .truggl. clurlDa "

15

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'!CUT

the haDCo-Viet lU.aIl Val' and who nUl .arva. la thb poet toc!q. : .... ""':-.

Be b al.o Deput, Chief of Staff of the Sorth netulM.' Antt. ;'_ . - . ' • ... '

Too, "ll1b'a a4m1nbtratbe control "u ,ben reapoael~'· "'., >.

bUlty for direction of the eo,~or to,OOO-maa. pool of etha.1c

aouthemer. who hac! fought la the Viet IU.IIh lIOY_t who wer, talt ..

DOrth la 1954 aDd who CODItltuted e bod, of In aoae ea.e. hlahl,

trained and dedicated and In aU case. _l1e.b1, and tratubb

,outben talent that could be tapped for tala la the ,outhen

,uuggl, ill the futura aDd Mr' abortl, '0 tapped and eo tubcl.

he. thb pool of athD1c ,outbll'Dara, NsillD1l1& probab1, .. aad,

.. 1957 tbough ltitiall, la a nan trickle, th, Part1 .elected

and traiDe4 &l1li dbpatched peopb 4_ to tb. 'outb to aid la tht

devalopeea.t of thb buraeoa.1l1& lDiurrecUoD1at. tenorbt .. _t.

th,.. people wera DOt te atne .. IDIlDpOWer nllera, lIut th., wart

to atne a. tb, oadr" tb, train,ra, the or&AniElI'a. the dlrectiaa

al_enta thareof.

tou hne a "&r1 oOllplicatecf dtaadOl1 that nobed 0911'

chi, tf.ma becaua, aa thb tenorbt aDd .ub¥era1", __ t lI'ev

OD tb, ODe haDd. OD tha otbar hand the Saisoa. '09~t uDdu

Df._ created ita on tllterul high _t&Z'll&rlt probab11 .000tf.ma

earl, In 1957 aDd aftar that besan to belle tb, proml., &l1li ta­

Itiad", and acbiev_t of ita eadhr ,ear. to tbe point whera

the SoYenDeut iucreaatq1, fell into pattHU of acUvlt, a4 '_~.' . ~. ~,

pattems of behavior which IDlted of dr..,ll1& people to Ice caUla ...

. and improYill& OD ita .fficieDC1 of operatlO11 aDd 1'&11,111& aupport

16

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ture of all7 consequencs prior to the Df._ 8O\'~tta cQllll, lD:to "-

power, lIIst •• d of eloil1g ths.s tUng I which _ld he •• her ... .:! the

progrs .. It had Md., It began fanag iDto •• erie. of lIehe.lor

patt.ru. aDd aetl.ltJ patterna and attitudinal patterus which

turued people ava,. &OlD it aDd created a hod,. of legit_ta,

,ezlullle iDd.lS_ arl..,aac •• , particularl,. amoug the rural part

of the )OpUlatiOll.. which ia thos. da,.. coutltuted the predOlllnaat

part of the populatl ...

tau hael ebb eloable-actlOil thiDa 101111 OIl b_ •• the

.arty la It. orsaDizati01l41 activlti •• elid averythlug it coulel

to uacerbat. aDd _Ita full azploitatiOil of th •• hortfalb aad

ahortcOll.1ug. ia per1'c",oaac. of thb central 8OYs~t to cr .. t.

aew probl_ for it ad at the __ tllDa to draw I'ecl'ulu to ita

cau.. by pla,.laa OD the .hortc0mU!8. aud vaab..... of the ,1J'farD­

_t 111 leneral or itl peUDlllle1 111 key rural ar ... iD partlCQ1u.

Here a .. lII. of cour.e. the Part,. .ade full lUe of cartaill othft'

traditloaal a.pect. of ,i.tnamel •• ociet,.. ..peclell,. that very

locall .. aDd iDt_el,. local oril!lltatloD thet I .pok. about a f_

minutes .arll.l'. &emember that particulal'l,. the rural Vietnames.,

wen he think. of IlJ'ferument. he does DOt think of {IlIUtutions,

h. eloea DOt thlDk of cODItitutions, be 4011 Dot think of padle-i. ,_." , ; <.... t. ."'-. -

-"Ilt., h. thlw of the ellltdct chief or the AlVlI offlcer iD the •.

Immediat. area b. kDowa. thll i8 the .ymbolic .urrogats for o·

17

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_ ,"erMdt. aDd if he Uke. thb fellow. he le preparecl to llb ,;; _

llhat he .. epre.nt., if he eloe. IIOt. he 11 DOt. !herefore. ill

le .. thn Idaht have .... iedr". the c-a1.t Part)' Iaad a do,. field for recrult .. nt lleeau •• the local attltud •• towardth •

• "er_t 1a leneral were abo.t eatlre17 fuaed aad coadlUoa" ., local att1tucl .. toward the ,"emmmtt. local .. epr ... Dtatbe.

who la -127 ca .... "a. aUen to the area b • .,.. ada1Jli.terlaa aacI

benc. regard .. a. aD out1ll1lder or forl1gner b7 thOle peopl.. 1lnc.

th ....... a t ... ioa •• t up ., which the 'art)' _. quick to prollt.

tou lot a ine10paeut aad nolutiOil of thil terrorllt

.tl'1lCtur •• al_7' at.ecl at UDdoing aDd prnenUII8 the noilitioa of

thil _-",Cc.lt'IIIDLl.S.t atate .tructur. aDd profltll18 fro. all it. .bon-

cCllllq. aDd cOIIpl1catlaa the Saigon ta.k of creatlaa tbat whlcb lid .... r exi.t" lI.for.--to vita a viable DOn-eo ms.t _thera etat ••

De.pit. the ... laUve d.gree of prO&l'II' that VA .all., the proare .. wa. DOt coneider" b7 the Politlluro 1a BaDOI to ..

.. tllfact.,. aefor. I .orr. oa i_ the I'OId l.t .. _b 0lIl th.I.JIa Il:)'Ital clear. It 11 certa1n17 tru that .. en 1a tbil Wtbl

or,an1utional .ta,e the 'art7 appar.t took full ....... t&&e of .. _ . _d. IIIlXl_ .xploitation of ,enu1D. and legltimat. local erlnaDCe.

and ill. vithln the bod;, pollUCI, ._ of th_ of long bbtorical

or1&in' aDd .taDdlaa ncl ._ of tb .. call." 117 or cOIIIpOIlDdecl ., _'; ,.':_ " ' . .bortfdla 1a perfo .... nc. aDd coacepUoa on the part of the satcoa - :

-,o;el'Dlllent. So It 11 certa1n17 true that the orsanbatlonal

II

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'y1-~_~_::--~ '.'..~.:"._""~-;. :--:'-_~'_";''-

.- " '".

, . ' .. '-'., . . '-;~ :~ r-~ -', -.';'

,. '-

~ .- ..

actlvS.ty of the iDauraellC, profited &0IIII aeDutne local probl_. '.'-, .".'

What 18 DOt true. hovwn. 11 that the insurgetlC, iUeU -prans

up lpoDtalleous1, a. lD4iS8Doud, becauae the apparat which

directed the inauraetlCY aDd controlled it. which lp0D8ored itt

recrus.tment and other actlvit1e_. vas &om the ioceptlon a. out­

I.t UDd.r tbe cOllllPlet. domination and control of the Vs..tname.e

c-nllt 'ert, with a chain of C01lllllllnd that raD directl, frca

. - .

tbe ~llelt "il1aa. 40wa io the delta of South Vi.tnam to the

'arty folltburo I1ttiDg in Banoi. So bad there DOt been • eo.­_bt Party. had tbere DOt been a deUberate polic, dec18ion OIl

the part of the 'arty to ~t an inalU'g8llC,. 70U would have had •

areat cleal of trouble in Soutb Vs.etnam. Tou probabl, would have

had a areat deal of local cSborder •• ome banditry aDd 100000e arae4

exprells.on of political clllContent. perhaPS. but you vould _&I'

ha". had all wuraetlCY par .e aDd cert&1nl,. DODe that would haYe

war cleveloped to a1l1thS.ns llke tbe lort of probl .. vith .t\lcb v.

are DOW faced.

ColDS to the yery root, the wuraeDC)' batteaed GO

legiti_t. local ar1IftDCe •• but tbe Wlll',eDC, frOllll itl OUtlet

val the fruit of a controlled aDd deUberat. pollc, clecblon .. cl.

by the .01ltburo lD 1IaDol.

10 1958 the 1011tburo 1Ia1 forced to take Itock. probabl,

a. the relult of an Inspection tdp mel. to South Vietnam b, the ." ,- '~. " ,

DOW Secretary-General of the Part" a seDtlemaD named I.e J)uall. WO '<.' ". . .

-~ .. , , ~-- . '

.at hlllUlelf a toutberner aDc! wbo 1'0" to prominence b,. runniDg the .

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~:·(~f~~;~:::?:'~~:;;i:r::~~~~~::7~1z.·~~~";~:,~~~';'::;":'-':'~f~-~: ~'::,:·:-"_',;~~:~~~:T~r:.:~-~.~~r~';'~~~·-~~;~:;~:,:'w~~·'-~·.~:::::~-;}'·7:·"·~: ' .:;~~--~ "

.. '~'. -:-.-.

• •

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" .

.outben willi of th. __ t dur1Ds tb. lruco-V1et Hiob Vu. ;.:

'l'h. d.cldOil va. uUD at tbat tf.1lltl thet duplt. th. prop'u. belSll : '-;' .. ,

.or. va. a .ovemeut out of thl. flr.t .tage of .truggl. tato th.

actual .tase of armed t~urrectiOil. 'l'hh dec:1I1011 va. probabl,.

tabn In lat. 1958, certainly by aul,. 1959. aDd hUtl,. _ulfe.t"

It .. U 011 th. arOl1D4 lD two va,. ••

CIa', ther. Hpn to b •• quutlD .tump lD th •• cal. mil

tatnaltJ of YC 1Il11tal'J activ1tJ. au ... b.retofor. )'OU bad

plat_d.ed aetlou. JOU ,egan to .... compeny-Ilzed actlou u4

.. Ill battaUOIl-.bed actlOGl. 'l'bere a. a rapld 1'1 .. 11l recruit­

..at. nd tbtre a •• rapid 1' .... 111 the .tructurlq of local fore ...

'l'bere •• allo • _Red iac:r..... though ve cUd DOt tuU,. appre­

clat. tbl •• t the t ..... 11l th •• tr ... of lafUtratloa trOll the

DOrth back to tb. IOUth. althou&h agalD III th ... perlod tbat I _

DOW ulU", about (1951-1959), ad ,.rticularl,. th. 1958 to 1960

perlod, the taflltratlOQ •• r.lat .... l,. ... 11 ta mabel" wt '''.0-lutd,. critical 11l tlftll of quallt,. au4 parfGnIIUIC.. It •• _d.

tip as.o.t aclud.,l,. of .thu1c: .outheraer •• wt It .. the .t1mtc

.outhaner. who ver •• eat "ack cludlll tbte perlod who buUt thl

.ovemeut aDd who cOllstltuttd aDd created the core arouDd whlch both

thl Viet ColIS polltlcal 'pparatua came to be &I it DOW exbt. aDIl , .

th. V1et COIla local aDd .ala foree a,peratue •• it DOW ~.tI, ;:~.',.'

without whlch Il,ither thi. pollt1c~l nor military apparatue could

have b,eu developed or could have bed created.

20

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filler. J th.y _re the .quad l .. der. b acme ca.... the cCllDp&Dy V' ClQ ·""er. In allllo.t all ca .... tbe c0llpa1l7 G-b. the artU1ery p - ' .

• peclall.t., the future dl.trlct committee cbatr.eu, the future

true proaelytlElug .ubcommltte. chairmen, the future frout .ffalre

commlttee chalrmen, tbe key ne~ of orgau1&atloaal and admlnietra-

tlve talent whlch buUt up tbe l1\.8urgenc:y and whlch have conataDtl,

kept It vader Party 4laclplln. and UDder Party control.

!hI • .ove iato a belghtened .tage of etruggle came at a

tUte when tbe pot vaa rapidly bolUug 011 the DOD·c-mht dde-­

agala for tbe'. cultural and ,ou't1ca1 r ... ona that ve have outUDe4.

!he tendoa vader Dies began to become DOre and lII01"e manife,t UDtll

finally In 1963 the t_lona vader the .urface bunt through the

.urfac,. What happened tben va. that Di_ and hi. lovel'Dlllent, almost

.y.tematicall, in a .. , that i. atrOQgl, remiDilCent of a Creek

tragedy. proer .. d .... l' aUenated ,acb segment of the .oclety without

whoa, eupport DO lovdi6lleDt could b, expect" to function. !hla

.. a "ery _b a culturally coadltioned atyl' of operation OIl the

,.rt of the Di_ love1'1lUDt because despite b1l podUOIl .. U

elected chlef of atat" Diem had a .ery eandarlnal concept, • "ery

tradlticmaUat cODCept, of ,oUtlc., • concept which C01\.8trued tb,

chief of .tate a. bad been the emperor before hlm a. U exten.101l

of the father figure withln 01lO'. OWD femUy. In Dlem'. concept .

of polltlc. polltlcal IUpport, polltlcal respect. political loyalty

(If you wUl) Val Dot aomethins that ODe bad to go out and BOUCit

r

IICJtE'l'

obedlnce. dbclpU. ... aJI4 re.pect 'line aometh1ng a f.thar IIad f

to 10 out nc! .. n ad SeMnte frOll hb ow chUdr... !hh at)'J.e. , ~ .. ~ "':"~

aDd cODCept of poUtiCl coupled with cntaill other periOllDe1 GIll

peuOII&l probl ... coupled vf.th the iDeuadngl,. _Ievolent '1IIfl_e

of bb ow brother would .... Dtwall,. prov. the uDdolng of tbb 'Yft7

brave aDd 'Yery dedlcated aDd in aome ".ye very DOble (bllt 111 other

".ya cOIIpletel,. lIi.guided) _ "ho to following the 0111,. Ughe. tNt

be bew aDd 111 following what he law to be the belt to btl ow

traditlOli cr .. ted a political cUute ill whlcb hil overtbrCllr .1 . foregoae cODCllUllcm. ad thou who oppoaed the rile of the eo.­

Dmiat Party CODIldered al_t a DeC .... ry dneloPllllllt if there "..

to be any chalICe of defaating thll .owt1ng lD8urSIDC7'

III 1963 those force. whlch Dhlll hiuelf had craated &DIS

let la IIOticm aSailUlt hi. buret through the lurfaca aDd be .a

overthrow. What happened to the perlod frOll 1963 to 1965 appaara4

to .. ay of lUI to Welten .,.el a. a auccell1cm of total poUtical

ChaOI nc! cODful1cm, where you had coup dtetat .fter coup dtetat.

a proce .. wblch finall,. did Dot eDd aUl Ma,. of 1965, vb .. wb-

.tantlally the pr •• eDt gov.rament came toto power.

Let me lovitt you to consider for • llliliute .CIIIa of the

poiDt. we have JUBt beell talking about aDd di.cll8.1Ilg together.

t.lbat really happened vas Dot .0 III\lch that you bad • aerie. of r~. "~.' . . ~ J __ -~_-:

volvlng door goveroment. or a uries of coups, bllt what nell,. ~.' ',.' ,.'

hsppeDed wa. that you were getting 011 the DOn-Comnmht I1da • , ..

\

\

,

'-, .'.

!ECRET

atr1k1DS of fOl'c:e balallCel. a bumerlllg out of F081'-. a be_-- . -~

illS out of d1ffereDee. that within the Ve.t would lie dODe "lthb •. •

parllame11tu)' or a_ fot'll of lutltutlooal for __ -tbe onl,. probl_ 1. { ... r

balDS that ill VletDIUII tbere w. DO luU.tutioul forU1ll1 there "u

DO wa,. of fiD:Uag out who had the lIIOlt lIIUIc1e uotU the IDOb, aDd

tanka were turDe4 out OD the .treeU, there va. DO ".,. of tak1na a

vote, there va. DO accepted eet of umpire', 11ke a court atructure,

to ¥bleb the .. dhpute. could be taketl for eettl_t in peaceable

ter.a. So the k1n4 of political Jock.,.lag (tbil 11 perbape DDt

j

tha .,.t apt .. upllor. "ut it ,,111 abed aOllle light on the pobt I

.. tryiDS to uke) that Uke. place vitbin a paru.a_tary a .... l,

at the tilDe the a"-17 la COll'le11ed. the klad of arraD8_eat for

orgall1dq the ._te. tbeit aUoc:atlOil of cOllllll1tt ... had to taka

place 1D • dUfernt CO!Itctt. iu .1 41ffereat fora. in 'letDall M­

fore )'OU cou14 "ea11, ... where the actual liDe. of political force

la,., bow etrooa the Juddh1lt. "ea11,. were. llow .t"ooa the Catholic.

rea11,. wera, aDd how .trooa whleh CCIiiIpODomt of the a1'lll)' " .. 11,. •••

It •• tbb .hakeout aDd adJuatlHDt p&'OCe" that occupied the perlolS

frOll lIonabar 1963 to lfa,. 1965.

ihlle thia .. ,oina oe, there ... a .ec0D4 poillt that baa

to be bonae very clearl,. 1D Iliad. Thh adJU.tmellt FOC'" WIll M-

1118 ",aged b1 .. ill fact the .trllgsle agaiut Diem had bem waged

by,aad .. a .. tter of fact the overthrow of Di,8111 had baen execut~

by, penou a1lllO,t ntirel,. OD the DOD·c-mht .lde of the - ... ':"

.Pactl'lllll. The CoaIDu1Iists tried to let illto thb proce .. aad vere"

. .,

~,r_ •• ,~._L.:~.~.·'~.·~;';'~.··::~-\:: ;.:;::~' '\.>:::-;'~-;'·I ,-~ ~~'.:~~:: :,-. -:: ::-~ ":-: ::';:.:~-<.~.~'~:: -t~:\;~.,::,~~r·~~~~~<'~-'f"'-~;·· ~'''.~--'"":~ ~';' ~ .'.~ .. ~-'-- .... ~'2)-.7.-:: .. -:.:: "'"":-:-~~:ri .~~ ...... :~. '-,". -'_.' ~.~' ~.'~ -<

. .: 'r" .. :~.:~;-.:' F:""" : .'. ' .~- .'. . ,,' ~.':' .-.-.,,: .

IIClft

,enenlly rebuffed by an particlpallt. iDcludlll1 ev .. III th~e ~ t· ?

. ~ .

clays tbe klk of the JudtShl.t. aecl ''lell tbo .. who .ub.equ .. tl, f ,c. i>',' ,

became the .ore mUltant BudoShilUI because the OIle polllt 011. whlcll -!iO:.

all of the people who were tak1ng part til tbll proce .. were agre"

upOll (11l fact, tbe OIlly polllt they were agreed UpOIl) va. that th.,.

wanted DO part of c-mht dlrectlOll a1I4 that tbey W&JIted DO part

of CoaauIlbt rule ad tbey _ted DO part of .. 1tl1ll &D1 c_

cauae for thll Commwlf.8t-cOlltrolled ltuurgeut apparatua. However,

a. 1 .&lcl. that _. the OIlly point OIl whlcb the, agreed. BeDee,

their lDteractloe v1thlll tbemselve. aecl wltblll eacb other creatH

&11 ac-epbereof chaoa aecl lIIICertainty wbleb the Coaauni.ta were

quick to talte advantage of.

!he advantage that tbey took va ... king tbe calculated

clecbiOll III the aprilll of 1964-_1t1lll two calculated clecll101l1.

DecldOll ODe wal that thb period of chaos and lIIICertalnty III

the ahakeout prodded tb .. with a golden opportunity. Declaloa

two val tbe reaUzatlOll. tbat once tbb period of .ha1teout ended.

clrcUlllltallC .. "ere 11.&ble to move ill a cllrectlOll. very adverte to

eo.munllt llltere.t. because If you ever cll4 get a sovernmeat that

vaa l'elpoDllve to local polltlcal clrcWDltallCea and l'elponalve to

local polltical Ileed •• you might then get reeved progre .. OIl the

evolutlon of • viable loutherD Btate. which va_ the one tblQ1 that

the Party could not tolerat ••

:~~ ~-~ ~ '.-.- ~ - -So tbe calculated decision va_ .. de III the' late IFl", , '. :.;

;.: . "

" ' of'l964 to try to topple or collaple the Iltuatlon b~,fore It

24 '.

\ i I I

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, .

. : "

changed 1II a ullUr advane to CoaIauDi.t inure.te aDel whUe lt -r .... "-

va •• till fluid and whil' there va •• till th' opportunity to ,," ~ .

capitalize on political .Del In.titutional disarray among th. (,

~ .. ' The decldon va ..... de to inject thOle Uae

tl_u of the Horth Vietnam .. , Anry tbat would be requlred to

Up th' balance lrrevocab1y in Communht favor. Thul JOU be&&ll

to let tbe .ovement lnitiall, of the 324tb Divl.ion down tbrouah

Lao. and tb, 325th and the other CommuDist North Vi,tDame.e uDit.

whlch began .howing up ln Vi,tnam ear17 in 1965 and have COllIe ill

iacreadog nlllllben line, tha.

It va. dllrina 1964 that thh crlUca1 chang, va. mad, ill

th, pattern of lnflltratlon from ethnic .outhemer. going down to

organize •• outhem movement •• outhem in per'ODDel bllt controlled

frOll th. Polltbllro--the chang .... de frOID tending tho .. to eendlna "

tho., Une tlllllentl of the IIortb Vietnamese Anry ln who vere neee.­

.. ry to Up th. dtllItlon lrrevocab1y ill C:-IDht favor. You lot

•• a realiit of the lnjection of thea. line element. of tbe IIortb

Vl,taem .. , Artrry a very parloue dtuatlon developing in the spring

aDel .arl, 'llIIIIDer of 1965. where defeat va. very really aDel very

aeDIline1, atarina tbe whole .outhem apparatlll of the whole non-

Communllt Itructllre in the fac ••

Let me dtgre.. 30 leconde to polnt out a .ort of historical

tequence of evenU that ia 1mportant. You will hear lt argued that

It val not the Horth VletDame.e who escalated the etruss1e but the

injection of the North Vletaame., Artrry va. a reaction to our input - " ~

25

. '.,"', .""

r

r , , , I \

__ -,< ".7_._.:_.0 '"

.: ;. ~ :: .

, ,

~ .

..;;' ',I

'1CU'f

of V. •• troop. aDd .boY. all to oar boabime of lartb Vl.taa.. i' "

'!'ber •• re -ay polat ••• eatl_. about "luDaII over whlcb honor- ,~

.bl. aeB aDd w.ll iofor.ed .ea C.D l'aitlaat.l1 .Dd 40 legitlaat.lr ~ , ..

cUffer. but tbb partlcul.r .llea.Uoadon DOt happen to be oa.of

tb .. bec.a.I. the iofudoD of Uae at .. enu of tb. lIortb Vla~ ..

Army beg.a to b. DOtabl. ia tb. latt.r part of 1964 ••• ra.ult of

• d.cbioa that _It hav. be.n t.ken DO later than th. lata .prlme

of 1964 If OIl. resardl the lea4 time required for t.p1_nUng luch

decldODI lJl that cOIltat. ADd tbb ftI wall blfon aay V •••

ro&E troops went tato \,1It_. bee.UI, "en the Harla .. did DOt SO

luto the De leas alrfi,ld UDtil "1'17 1965 aDd tbll va. certain17

w.ll blfor. aay opa1dng lip of aarlal boIIbar4MDt In tb •• uata1Jled

f .. bioa OIl JIortb ".t_. 10 tbe DOtioa that tb. lartb vf.taa.e ..

i1lVol .. _llt 11 ia r.lpoDI' to our .lcalatiOll -1 r.ad very v.ll os

thl frODt peS' of tbe .ew fork '1'illlll "ut happenl to hav. DO Nd.

1. blltorical fact.

'!'bla fore. lofullon that val .. de al_t luccmed lD lt1

purpo ... whicb "'1 col1apllme tbe DOD-c-Inht political ItructW.

in • wa7 whicb would .ak. It po.aibl. for tb ... ift acqui.ltion of

c-nult politlcal cODtrol. !he onl7 thtaa that l.ve4 it val th.

rapid infuaion of U. S. troop. In tb. lummer of 1965 aDd ln ear17

1966. '!'be l.au. wa. extremel1 crltlcal for a period of ti ... a.

all of 1011 Vbo were lnvolv.d ill .Dcb aff.lr. or 1. VietDam .t tb.

time yell kDow. Th. hlue va ... "ed. bovever; the troops 4141 I.t' t

th.r. in tlme, and you I .. III 1965 .Dd 1966 • rather drastlc

26

\

\ I

\ '

~ .' .-~ -

~''''',--:;~''':~ ,?"~-. '~.'-. ~.~ •. 1,.-.:-:'~-!"'-·7_:~":"-··'-'·~~"'.: .

>;'''~'~::?_~-2_T':-:.- -.-:;;/~~~·L~;3c~~':{' ,:;":.

"

. ' ~

:!, .

.1ICIft

,turllllrOllQlS of the dtuatioa--a turuarOllQlS III c.o dlrectlODll. tou . -.-' . uw a 10 .. OIl tbe ec-unbt dde of the atrate,lc: f.Ilf.tlatlYe whleb '~.' , ....

, ,

tbe)' bed beretofore eDjoyed, aDd ,oul" a ltd .. of tactic:al ~ ." t . ~ .. ',

feata durt .. 1965 aDd 1966 whic:b ahlttered the aura of luviDclbUltJ

which hid beretofore beeD ODe of tbe Communiat" prlme polltical

ad"antaaea. tou alao aav aDOtber ldud of turuarOllQlS wbicb va. Ie ..

obvioua but IMICb lIOn profound 111 tbe lODger tena because you bad

withill tbe ahielel of temporary .11ltary aecurlt,. a cOlltlnuation of

tbb evolutlOil toward a ,,1&bl. aouthern atat. Itructure that bad

beeD temporarU,. lllterrupted 111 1963. if JOII VaIIt to data It frOil

tbe clOWllfaU of tbe Di_ l'egille, or 1957 if JOU vallt to SO back to

tbe point wher. Di.'a poUtical progr81111 besan to lie reall,.

counterprocluctl"e.

Dupit. all of the alarIM a1l4 ~urliOlll, ,ou hid frOil

1965 up to the fall of 1967 a real I,. remarkl1l1e .at of IlItloaal,

poUtical, f.IIIltituti_l evolutionl whlcb cut.1l11lted 111 the

exiltellee of a 1I1ca.eral lealilatura aD4 a prelldent aDd a "lce

preddent who were alecte4 111 terIM of a COIlItitutlon which 111

lUe1f bad bUD 'raftee! b7 an.lecte4 a .. _1,.. 111 botb of thel •

• lectionl, tbough far frOil perfect or U .. l 111 tarllll thlt the ACtU

would uDdentaDd. botb of them COllltltuted an electoral proce .. III

wbicb over half of tbe entire adult population of VietD&lll bad tak_

. part. A1I4 ,ou began to let. tbea. the genuine Itepa tOll8rd at ~!, \0-. ;; .,

1eaat the kind of laltltutiOlllI frlllleWOrk Itructure wbich bad neV~r" . t.' ~,- ... -.

:". extlted before aDd which waa absolutely necessary if tbere val to

27

\ SBCUl'

, \

~~tr~{;.(-~·~:-·\;;r)~:?~.:f~~.5[.~r~~_·~~:~-r~:'-~-·:-=( ?~-:=;-';~:~:~?~~;,:':~~;.'~7?f~,r·:2::~!.~:· 7~':'~;~~:~:~ -::';" >. ';'~-' 't't''7~~!~}~:;~:~:-.~'-': _r:-~·f:7,~-~:'"~··-'· '-f • ... _._- ;.-~-: -, . . . I"'"

- ',:" ~: .. . '

1-·

- - .... :~~ - '.,'

.. kilt a 'liabl •• outhen .Ute. Jut ~-"er tllat la the fall ef

1967 It IuI4 0Il1:r th. f~~k ad til •• tl'llCtar.. It 1le4 ..

tl'acUtl_l .allCtlOll; it ba4 DO bbt~lcal _tlOll; it ba4 ..

,

..,U_l .aDctlOll fro. th. lllllk of tho populaUOIl becau. it bad

Mt :r.t pron4 lu.U la tb. cruclbl. of nent. a. beilll ._tbllll

whlcb .... capable of actiDa la a _I' wltb whlcb tb. balk of tba

populatlOll could lelntlf:r.

You al.o bad elal'lus 1966·'7 •• I'loaa acldl'.' • .ad. to th.

badc Pl'obl- of nrd ar ... la the _ailed "paclflCltlOll" or

.... nolatl_r:r 4 .. a18p1M1lt" Pl'oal'U _lell aplD cut lato thl re­

cnltlllB ba •• the Cc IbhU bad ber.tofore eIIjo:red aad chua"

.... of tb. local COIltat ill dt:uatiou _d probl_ fr .. whlch

the Cc mhu bael beretofore .. ttned aJlcl out of _lell th.:r bad

b.retofore Mel. politlcal profit. 8o:rou ba4, tbua, a ravar .. l of

flo14 aad • Dn OIIVlr~t aad the relumptloll .f

n.pa toward tb. IdDd of political &'VolutiOll tllat tb. hrt:r IlJIpl,

COIllel DOt allow or to1erato if It verI to acbinl ltl ,oal of ac-

qalrlllB poHtlcd cJom1 .. UOIl evil' tb. c_tr:r.

rro. tb. 'prilll of 1967 OR th. ,lctare let • .ucb .or.

_rq. What 1 .. about to laue.t 18 a tbeor.tlcall:r polllbl •

• equaac. of avent.. Soate of lt call b. proyen aDel .0lIl. 1 ••

personal bypotbed., vith which 1 elo DOt aak :rOIl neeellun,

aaree auel to wbleb 1 walel not want to cQSlt aU of '111 colleagu ..

lD tbe GoverDlllent aDel DOt .. ell aU III)' coUeag1lea wltbb tb. AseDC:r •. ..

~ own belief la tbat tbe elecl.loll .... taken, or, ratber. tbat •

SEClE'r

<' -' ... "',

, "-':"~"'''': ~.-,~

-'>:.- .

~.- ~.,

. ~-...... ,.

81CU'f

'!,..:- ...

lafercUal .. 14l1DCe. lucb AI tile recall .f .. bau.don. a coupl.~· ,:: .

• f doc_tl. aDd ODe or two other dau). tbat tbere "a. a polic)r : ..

r..,lev -.4e l1l SaDOl ._time dudq lalt 1_'1'. probably III July,

poadbly III late JuIlI, poadbly l1l .. rly Auguat (but rlabt Ul'11I&

that .,.11). II)' 0WIl beUef 11 that "hat ".. 4eclde4 4url111 that

revl'" of evnta ".. that tbe overaU tl'aD4 l1l South Vlet __ •

be,lllll1l11 to .ove polltlcall,.. culturall,.. aDd eliltal'll,. III a

dlrecUOD fl'OII the _taUy advene to c-llllt lIltere.ta. I do

IIOt thlllk the 4ecldOD .... "e that the 'art)' ". .... k or III the

rope. or .uffedlll the klDcl of attdtlOD vblch _. 801111 to .. te It

throw III tbe towei. but I 4o thlllk the recoplt1Oll ....... that

the Itl'at'&7 beretofore of srlDclll11 40wa aDd of ,ravntllll the

.. oluUIIl of a poUtlcal or mUtary .tracture l1l th. louth _ . tbe _c-llllt e14e va •• bpl,. DOt 801111 to payoff becau.e J'OII

bad .et l1l eoUOD loBa-tere tl'eD4. that were vork11l& III thl other

411'acUOD aDd wh1cb if DOt rner.ed could cbaII8e the poUtlca! aDd

cultural cll_t. l1l • faahlOD 11l whlch the c-mt.t rnolutllll

_14 be 4-.4 to fallure. 'DIu. I thlllk, thl ciacldOll "a ... ,

to take a .,ery blab rllk polle,. to try to r..,erae thb treM. to

try to Fevellt tUI 11l8tltutloual .tnacture frOll beglll1l1ag to &alll

lOll. lort of .. uctlon and loyalty a04 to altar tha courae of evellt •

. .~

. , . before it ".a too late to do .0 by ,ollla off the 'Very low 01' DO- • " • _~ . t ~ ~ .. ..;

riak pollc,. of ladeflnitel,. protr.cted war .Dd tak1ll8 the relatlvel,.~ .

hlgb-rllk poUc)' of • major cOllllllt1Dellt of .... t. des1gne4 to r .... j\:, verae the.e political trend. III a relatl."I,. Ihort tiee fr ....

29 i

:/

\ I

I II.U...,e tIl1a ... the 'octd_l thlllkl", that la, lI.hlDd the ! "

,.tt.n of MttOD that v. have .. eD dllC. thell whlch h .. lI.co.e <: ,.i kDowu a. the .iIlter-.pdllg offeu.s.v.~ who .. .o.t dr_tlc _Il~"­

•• re the ud •• of attacu throughout the cOWItr, right arOUDd a1li

dud", the tet perlod, whlch hal Ju.t pa •• e4.

It ..... to .. that the other, the badc, ourrldtaa

.trateglc dechlO1l that wa. _d. at that time (.Del ths.. 11 ._

thilll that s.. lICIt ... DecalUl. thb h .. llee1l t.he doctrlill of the

'artf all alema) ... that the _, to 10 about achievll18 vhat ueded

to lIa achl...,ed •• to I.t acc... to alad to dl.turb the thought. aM

..ott ... ad .hak. the l07alti .. of the populatlOll of South Vi.tllla.

la other word., the t&ra.t of thh people', w.r val to b. the peopl.

all4 tb ... , JOU .er. ,oill, to do that vu to dhper .. alUe4

(pr1Dclpall, u. S.) foreH ""a, frOll popu1;ated ar ... eo that )'OU

.outd 10 ,. ad trWk .-ua, dbn,t ~ prlllCtpal tara.t, vb1ch

.a.. of eoar •• , the JIOPIlla ttOll.

It •• _ to .. if )'011 taka th ••• trWklll8 hypoth ....

( •• I .. ld. the, caDIlOt lie prove4 b.:road r .. _bl. doubt, but

.quare "lth aU the ..,idene. of which I __ re a. b.1Il8 ."aUabl.),

the .equeDCe of ...,eDU that have followed lalla iIlto rather ... t,

10glcal ,lace ••

Th. lnitial move. of thl. offeaatv ••• r. the engag~t'

arouod Oak To, toe .tab, aDd al ... here 1. the V.ItUIl part of th.'··· ,:!'~ .... ' ..

'. . COUlltry durlll8 laet fall. tb ••• were coni trued OD our ddt at the . ,.

.. ·,t· >;

ti .. a. b.1Il8 tactical luecelle. J ill a IIIlII they vere tact+cal .~ ; .. ' .

30

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f I

81C11f

.ucc...... We deu1ed th. 81leII1 t.n'.ta •• DCI ve inflicted 101." _ . , ,-

.poD hi. which vere eDti~e1y di.propo~tiOD&t. to ~ PWD ''t.:. . -,

;. c .. ua1tte.. Iiovevlr. I .. DOt 10 .ur. that 1D C-mht eye. tbe1

t " .. -

vere .tr.teste faUur ... becaull 1D ntro.pect it certa1llly .ppean

that IIOt tbe 1e •• t of the function of the.e mgaS_eDti v •• to take

U. I. tl'OOP' avay fl'OII tbe lmmedute dcWty of Selson ud the

otbel' cmtr.1 .rea tOll'l1l aDcl dra. them out to the .eltern part of

the c_try. _y from where th. people vere. av.y frOli tbe ar ..

Vb.e~. tbey vere directly protectbl& tbe tarset to which the eo.-

~.tI wanted _.t baedlate ace ••••

'I'ou lav. tb_. th. po.ture aacS tha atbb1" 011 aesotia­

tt_ whteh hav. c_ arOUD! the world. the .t~idmt bld.t.nc.

that th. C: __ htl _teeS • lev.n-day t.t true,. that ve ver.

r •• lly vicked for vantlDS 01117 a three-cia! t.t true.. aacS all of

the .'ry c.reful. detailed. 10si.Uea1 p1ellDina aDd par.01UIe1

p1eDllina that ve _ "- vmt illto tbe preparation of the .... u1t

011 tb. clUe •• launcbed the atgbt of tet lueU.

'lbe .... u1t .... 1euached ... you know. th. c-ni.t.

faUed f.D tbdr Wtia1 objective of obtain1q .Dd bo1diDS cODtro1

of &D7 1iD81e clty. 'lbey vere evelltua1l7 drivm out of evm Bu ••

'lbey rather dra.tica11y .Dd .eriou817 failed in th'ir attempt. to

leDerate allY kind of popular ra11yina or ~l.lDS whlch thelr awa

doo_t •• Dd thdr 0W1l pd.OIIeT. auss .. t tbey anlmated. U thh' .~~-. ..

h th. c .... tbey _de • .,.ry ledou. atlllt1lllate of the altuaticni .". ;. , '-' . .-

-.~:" .Dei th. mood ud temper of cb. Vietname .. people. III tbe proce.a

• SICU't

, .

,"

.

.... '.

IICUt

they abo took .... r,o ..... n. ca.ualti... All of th .... of oOUI'I'. . " .

ar .... ar,o 4.fiait. 'lu.... aad arOUDd. for eDCoura, ... nt a. far .. , .j ..

•• ar. CODC.rDe4. f . .. '

1 .ou14 like to lDYit. you to reme.b.r ao4 to poa4.r ,~", ... .

aD4 r.al1l. thlt thh .ev ... abllt th. citi .. va. wt a dr_tic

.tep ia a .uch loaaer-range total campaign which ~.gan 18 It.

actiOll pba .. lalt Septllllber aad whlcb h 4.Ilpe4 to ,la,. ... lat

thOIl .... r,. cultural .ualltle. an4 tbo ..... ar,o political ... baa •• ,

ia tb. whole Yl.tDllle ... truccur. thlt we hav. lI.ta outlinill& allll

talk1na about .. rlier a. thit lectur •• becau. althotJ&h the

initial .ew. aplat thl dU .. va. cbecked aD4 copacI vith. the

battle or the 'tru"le I, far frOll "ere !he Cc 'Dht ottat _

1a to r_ia 0 tb. '--diat. prozlll1t,. of the -Jor urban popula­

ti_ Ctat.1'I to tb. eKttat they All to bottle the CV!I', lillitar)'

unit u, i8 th ... -Jor urban ctat.n '0 that the cOlllltr,.Il4. I,

lI)' aIIII lar,. free for the aotlYltl .. of the Cc nlt.t recruiten.·

an4 Co mht asitaton an4 c-mi,t orpniall'l. an4 at the ._

tla •• lI)' poIln8 thr .. U at lb. SaDb. et Dak To. along the .. ,

fr_t, allll .ltevber •• to fore •• dhperll_ of V. 8. troopt 00

that v. ca1lDOt 10 Into eitber the delta or the couDtr,.Il4. ar ...

or, hopefull,. aDd ldeall,. fro. a ..n_ Coaauaitt pollti_. CQR

to tb. relief of citie. Whlcb ar •• ubjecte4 to furtber pre •• ur ••

hlraulIIfllt aDC! attack.

JUlt how the ...,ent.

~ t- • .-". -~.

of tb. flltur. will unfold vltho the ~~ .. ' . , ,'"" ",','

>{- .. 'J' •• ant fev veeke 1I .00000thing that 110 one can .. ,. with a .. uraDC. .<

,.:::.

32

SECIE'f

' .

..

becaua. a arut a .. l aepA4e "POD tibet OU&" _" .. net tz7 to .. ,

a arut deal 4epn4. upoa what •• 4eel.4. to 40. a Feat a .. l--la .. " '" ' .

'£:!,,' . ,: .• ' ,~ .... '-~-"..

fact, penap' _.t thtttp--4epeDb oa bow our Yi.t ...... aUt ... ,-";';": :."';'" ....... ~ _ .. " .

hhav. to thb period ef .tr ... a4 .erata. lb. oa1y Mf. pce- ~\ ,_:r: •. :: "

~. -~ ~. .

dlctloa 1 th1IIk 'II)'OIUI CA1l _Ita t •• wtW" .be happeu, _ U.

1lOt JOiDa to ao 1wack to dI. at.tUl qao ct. of 28 Ja-rJ _

that out of ebb Cllrrlllt pr ... ur. of ftmtl. oat ddt (tb. CVJf _

tbe VC) i. soiag to -rae ill I INCb Mttu nleUn ,oalt1oll

.11-1-,,11 tt. ad,,"nd •• tIwl tt .a _eD lt "mt lllto It.

lb. ,olat 1,*,14 llu to direct Jour atte.Uoa to awn

t. that th. _Ill focIII a_ tlmut ef th. eurrmt attack. the thUa

aBaillit which tt t. el1reet", la that ~ lDBtltutloael fallrie

a1Id .tructur. that 11ft. ,.lAfIIlly evobe4 free 1965 to tb. ,r ... t

allll which war •• erJ frln &lid ta" f1oIrel" ~. tbq "ft. arorilll! ill culturally aU .. 8011 lUllS W DO .allCtloa of bluOr)'

_ tr.clf. tiOD behiDd u.., ad 10 tt')'lJta to work asaillit tM. the

c-mt.u are tl'Jilll! to burr like aa Ibrall... dnll Ipilllt the

abllitJ of tbi. lO'fer_t atractor. la ttl cbll aU. to fullctt.

-.5 tb. alliUtJ of ttl Id.Utal'J .... D vta to I_dOll, IIIlIf .1Ioft

.11, th., are trJilll! to hn qallllt the attitude, thoushta, _

b.U.fa or coafidnc. of tile kllt of til. Vi.ttlAlle •• people la

tbelr _ sovel_t t • ab111tJ to protect them or to prD"fld. tb_

vtth llins.- .oclal •• nic... til doiDa tbb they an £01111 to

, .

take fllll GPloUaUv. ad"ctq. of the locaU •• -.5 partlculal'laa-:~'~" '-<;~~ .. ,;- ::~:

'", of the Vletllllllele people, of th.ir lack of Institutional loyalt1~: .::.-:~'< _:~~·:t· .~.: .

IICUf

••

of tbeir CODCerll for thdZ' CIWII '-df.at. f.U.... aa4 their ...

" " .• "_l.. " ...

I did DOt _ to len. '" vf.th • p1ct=. of are1tWt14 . ~'':.;;,-/

11_ .114 depre.dOll. 1 ct ...... t to ..", •• 1Be that I .. IIOt UJlaI

whtch _,. tbh ... .ece .. uU,. SOtlll to 0_ out becau.. if the GVII

h able. vith CUI' a .. ht ... a4 bel,. to capita1f.n 011 their

tatUd 8UCce •• t. &uatl'atf.ac OUI' a.huaut .. ' laUlit aa4 to ..

out all4 vor1t asalaat tbe w.w expeI.ed C:C-mbt .tl'UCture aDd tbrCIW

back lato tbe l'al't,.'a fac. the aauented c1a1M of polutcal

acb1evtme'llt tbet ven _de ... tb. eel,. .. ,.. of the ~t off_I.,.

aa4 bane •• popular Il'l'1tatiOil at th ... "'8Cl'atf.OIl of tbe IIOIt .

.. cred of all Viet_.e boltc!a,.., a "fe1'7 ,r .. t d .. l oa be

achieved poltticall,. OIl 0Il1' dd.. Jut la picldlll th •• tep. that:

v111 hav. to be ta1tell aDd ... IIIWlaI the -1 that .,. ,,111 have to ".

-

_e. a4 f.a aaal,..iq& th. thiIIse that vf.11 have to be d .. , ,..

lU.t I'emember tbe IdJI4 of _tl'1x .,. baye. the k1ll4 of polltlcal

dtuatiOil we beve. tbe ldllCl of cultlll'e .,. have. all of whf.cb

condlUOII the problems .,. face a4 th. auweI" ve v111 have to

provide to .eet th .. vf.tbl. 0\Il' ow IIIltlOD&l luter •• t •• , : ... ! . . :,' '"

'l'hank )'OU "fert IIJcb f.1td.eIl. , ..•. : ," ..... - ... ',,> .

~,~-- .... ~ , .;' <

:..- . ~.

. 1