176-10037-10494
2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992
JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM
IDENTIFICATION FORM
AGENCY: NARA
RECORD NUMBER : 176-10037-10494
RECORD SERIES: National Security Files
AGENCY FILE NUMBER
ORIGINATOR: CIA
FROM:
TO :
TITLE: Information Report Re: Strategic Hamlets
DATE: 2/20/1962
PAGES: 5
SUBJECTS :
DOCUMENT TYPE :
CLASSIFICATION :
RESTRICTIONS :
CURRENT STATUS :
DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 9/10/2000
OPENING CRITERIA :
COMMENTS: NSF: Countries: Vietnam, General, 2/62, Box 195. Box 8.
r
TELEGRAM INFORMATION REPORT TELEGRAM
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY Hellowow asked that
This material contains Information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title 18, U.S.C. Secs.
7.93 and. 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited be law.
This be called to
CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS
NOFORN/CONTINUED CONTROL
C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L
COUNTRY
SOUTH VIETNAM
SUBJECT
STRATEGIC HAMLETS
DATE OF
NFO.
PLACE. &
DATE ACQ.
APPRAISAL
SOURCE
MID-FEBRUARY 1962
VIETNAM, SAIGON (14 FEBRUARY 1962)
Your attention
REPORT NO. TDCS-3/502,553
DATE DISTR.
BICS
20 FEBRUARY 1962
FILE
PRECEDENCE ROUTINE
:
FIELD NO. FVS-7075 IN 30145
RETAIN OR DESTROY
IT IS PROBABLY TRUE THAT NHU'S VIEWS ARE AS EXPRESSED, AND THAT LUONG
CORRECTLY REPEATED NHU'S STATEMENTS A
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION. SOURCE GRADINGS ÁRÉ DEFINITIVE. APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
AN AMERICAN OBSERVER (B), WITH PARAS. 1-3 FROM NGO DINH NHU, AND PARA. 4 FROM
BUI VAN LUONG.
...
1. NGO DINH NHU, BROTHER AND POLITICAL ADVISOR OF PRESIDENT NGO DINH DIEM,
STATED ON 14 FEBRUARY 1962 THAT THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS' PROGRAM WOULD BE MORE
THẬN A METHOD OF AFFORDING DEFENSE FOR THE POPULATION OF VIETNAM, IT WOULD BE A
BASIC STRATEGY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF VIETNAM. HE STATED THAT A COMMON COMPLAINT
IN VIETNAM WAS THE WEAKNESS OF ITS CADRES, WHO FAILED TO TURN THE GOVERNMENT'S
REVOLUTIONARY PROGRAM INTO REALITY. HE STATED, HOWEVER, THAT THE COMPLAINT WAS
ONLY PARTIALLY TRUE, AS THE OTHER ASPECT. HAD BEEN THE INABILITY OF THE CADRE TO
OPERATE IN THIS CONDITION OF INSECURITY IN THE COUNTRYSIDE. IT WAS NECESSARY
.1
FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO SO ORGANIZE THE SITUATION THAT THE CADRE COULD BE PLACED
IN THE AREA OF HIS WORK AND AFFORDED THE NECESSARY PROTECTION AND FACILITIES
FOR THE WORK. THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS' PROGRAM WOULD' PROVIDE BOTH OF THESE.
☐
1.
:
CLASSIFICATION - DISSEMINATION CONTROLS
C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L
NOFORN/CONTINUED CONTROL
STATE
VTF
ARMY/ACSI
NAVY
AIR
JCS
SECDEF
NSA
NIC
.USIA
OCIONE
OCR ORR 00
ADDED:
AID DIA
EXO
TELEGRAM INFORMATION REPORT TELEGRAM
SMITH-BUNI
DUNGAN
GILDNER
KAYSEN.
PETERSEN
SCHLESING
BELK
FORRESTAIKO
KOMER
RASKIN
SAUNDERS
CLASSIFICATION-DISSEMINATION CONTROLS
C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L
NOFORN/CONTINUED CONTROL
IN 30145
TDCS-3/502,553
PAGE TWO
2. THE PROGRAM AS PLANNED BY. NHU HAD THREE MAIN ELEMENTS WHICH WOULD MAKE
IT PARTICULARLY APPROPRIATE FOR VIETNAM.
VIETNAM
A. IT WAS FIRST OF ALL TRADITIONAL, RESTING UPON THE BASIC UNIT OF
VIETNAMESE SOCIETY. THUS IT CAPITALIZED UPON THE INGRAINED HABITS OF THE
POPULATION.
i.
B. THE SECOND ASPECT WAS THAT IT WOULD AFFORD THE MEANS TO MODERNIZE
VIETNAMESE LIFE. NHU STATED THAT IT WAS LESS A PROBLEM OF RAISING THE STANDARD
OF LIVING THAN OF CHANGING THE MODE OF LIVING. HE SAID THAT IF ATTENTION WAS
GIVEN TO INSERTING NEW MODES OF LIFE INTO THE ORDINARY PEASANT'S EXISTENCE, İT
WOULD INEVITABLY BRING SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES IN HIS ORIENTATION. NHU COMPARED
THE RESULT OF THE INSERTION OF SMALL AUTOMOBILES, WASHING MACHINES, ETC., INTO
THE LIFE OF THE EUROPEAN WORKING CLASS WHICH HE CLAIMED HAD DISRUPTED COMMUNIST
INFLUENCE OVER THIS CLASS. AS A RESULT, NHỤ SAID, MOST EUROPEAN COMMUNIST
PARTIES OPPOSED MODERNIZATION. HE STATED THAT THE ASIAN COMMUNIST PARTIES
WERE LESS INTELLIGENT IN THEIR APPROACH, AS THEY ADVOCATED MODERNIZATION OF
ASIAN LIFE WITHOUT REALIZING THAT IT WOULD INEVITABLY REDUCE THEIR OWN ORGAN-
IZATIONAL POWER. NHU STATED THAT A STUDY OF STEPS APPROPRIATE FOR VIETNAM ALONG
THIS LINE SHOULD BE MADE AND A CONSCIOUS EFFORT DEVOTED TO INSERTING THESE NEW
MODES OF LIFE INTO VIETNAM. AS AN EXAMPLE, HE CITED THE EFFECT OF DISTRIBUTING
BICYCLES WITH MICROMOTORS, THUS MAKING THE PEASANT MOBILE AND CHANGING HIS MODE
OF LIFE. THE STRATEGIC HAMLET, HE REITERATED, WOULD AFFORD THE NECESSARY
PROTECTION AND ECONOMIC BASE FOR SUCH A MODERNIZATION PROGRAM.
CLASSIFICATION - DISSEMINATION CONTROLS
C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L
NOFORN/CONTINUED CONTROL
CLASSIFICATION DISSEMINATION CONTROLS
C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L
IN 30145
NOFORN/CONTINUED CONTROL
TDCS-3/502,5.53
PAGE THREE
THE THIRD ELEMENT, NHỦ SAID, WOULD BE DEMOCRATIZATION.
HE
DEFINED IT AS THE APPLICATION OF LAW AND ORDER TO RURAL LIFE. HE STATED THAT
AT PRESENT THE PEASANTS WERE EXPOSED TO ILLEGALITY BY THE VIETNAMESE COMMUNISTS
AND BY GOVERNMENT OF VIETNAM (GVN) ELEMENTS, BOTH MILITARY AND CIVIL. THIS WAS
IN PART A RESULT OF THE DISPERSION OF THE POPULATION AND ITS INABILITY TO ASSUME
ITS OWN GOVERNANCE. AS AN INDUCEMENT TO FORM A STRATEGIC HAMLET, NHU SAID THE
POPULATION SHOULD BE ASSURED THAT THE HAMLET WOULD BE GUARANTEED THE FULL
APPLICATION OF LAW BY ITS OWN AUTHORITIES, THUS MOVING IT TOWARD A SYSTEM OF
DEMOCRATIZATION APPROPRIATE TO THE COMMUNITY. HOWEVER, IT WOULD HAVE LITTLE OR
NOTHING TO DO WITH CHANGES OF THE GOVERNMENT IN SAIGON. NHU STATED THAT HE HAD
:
BROUGHT OUT IN A RECENT TALK TO GVN OFFICIALS THAT ONE COULD CHANGE THE
GOVERNMENT IN SAIGON 35 TIMES WITH NO EFFECT UPON THE REAL SITUATION IN THE
COUNTRYSIDE, BUT THAT THE APPLICATION OF THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS' SYSTEM WOULD
DEFINITELY AFFECT THE DEMOCRATIZATION OF THE COUNTRYSIDE IN A WAY WHICH TOUCHED
THE POPULATION ITSELF. THE STRATEGIC HAMLET WOULD ALSO, ACCORDING TO NHU, AFFORD
BASIS FOR THE BUILDING OF INSTITUTIONS IN VIETNAM TO GIVE ADDITIONAL STABILITY,
E.G., COOPERATIVES, MEDICAL SERVICES, EDUCATION, WOMENS' MOVEMENTS, YOUTH
MOVEMENTS, ETC.
3. NHU STATED THAT HE HAD DISCUSSED THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS' CONCEPTS WITH
A GROUP OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS RECENTLY, AND HAD MADE ONE VERY STRONG ADDITIONAL
POINT TO THEM. (FIELD COMMENT. FVS-7034, TDCS-3/501,110 GAVE AN ACCOUNT, FROM
A FAIRLY RELIABLE SOURCE, OF NHU'S REMARKS AT THE MEETING.) HE STATED THAT HE
:
CLASSIFICATION - DISSEMINATION CONTROLS
C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L
NOFORN/CONTINUED CONTROL.
CLASSIFICATION - DISSEMINATION CONTROLS
C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L
IN 30145
NOFORN/CONTINUED CONTROL
TDCS-3/502,553
PAGE FOUR
WAS AWARE THAT THERE WAS MUCH DISCONTENT AMONG THE VARIOUS LEVELS OF THE
GOVERNMENT, WHICH, HE SAID, STEMMED FROM THE GOVERNMENT'S APPROACH TO THE JOB.
ANY LOCAL OFFICIAL WHO FACED A PROBLEM MADE A REQUEST TO HIS NEXT HIGHER AU-
THORITY FOR ASSISTANCE AND WAS DISCONTENTED IF THE ASSISTANCE WAS INADEQUATE.
THE NEXT LEVEL REQUESTED THE CHIEF OF PROVINCE, WHO REQUESTED ASSISTANCE FROM
THE MINISTRY, AND HAD THE SAME REACTION. THE MINISTER MADE THE REQUEST OF THE
PRESIDENT AND WAS DISCONTENTED AT INADEQUATE SUPPORT. THEORETICALLY, THE
PRESIDENT SHOULD MAKE REQUESTS OF THE AMERICANS AND BE DISCONTENTED WITH THE
AMERICANS FOR LACK OF ADEQUATE SUPPORT. NHU STATED THAT THE ENTIRE PROCESS WAS
INFANTILE, AND A CHILDISH WAY OF DEPENDENCE UPON A SUPERIOR TO SOLVE ONE'S
.
PROBLEMS. HE STATED THAT IT WAS NECESSARY TO DEVELOP A MATURITY IN THE
VIETNAMESE PEOPLE SO THAT THEY WOULD TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SOLVING THEIR
OWN PROBLEMS, UTILIZING SUCH ASSISTANCE AS WAS GIVEN THEM, BUT NOT ATTEMPTING
TO SHIFT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM. HE STATED THAT THE
STRATEGIC HAMLET WAS THE WAY TO INTRODUCE THE PROCESS OF BEGINNING MATURITY
TO THE “VIETNAMESE PEOPLE AND THE GOVERNMENT. NHU SAID THAT THE OFFICIALS WERE
MUCH AMUSED AT THE DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCONTENT AND FOUND MUCH VALIDITY IN HIS
STATEMENT OF HOW TO OVERCOME IT. HE SAID, HOWEVER, THAT IT WAS NECESSARY TO
KEMEP REPEATING THE LESSON, AS OTHERWISE THE OLD HABITS OF DEPENDENCE UPON
POWERS ABOVE WOULD RETURN AND THE WHOLE VICIOUS CYCLE OF DISCONTENT WOULD START
AGAIN.
CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS
C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-Ï-A-L
NOFORN/CONTINUED CONTROL
CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS
C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L
NOFORN/CONTINUED CONTROL TDCS -3/502,553
IN 30145
PAGE FIVE
MINISTER OF INTERIOR BỤI VAN LUONG, IN A SEPARATE CONVERSATION ON 13
FEBRUARY, STATED THAT NHU HAD GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS THAT THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS
PROGRAM RE CONDUCTED UNDER THE FULL CONTROL OF THE NEW INTERMINISTERIAL
COMMISSION. HE SAID THAT NHU HAD SPECIFICALLY STATED THAT THE GOVERNMENT DID
NOT WISH A REPETITION OF THE ERRORS MADE IN THE INITIATION OF THE AGROVILLE
PROGRAM. NHU EMPHASIZED THE NECESSITY OF EXPLAINING TO THE POPULATION WHAT
IT WAS BEING ASKED TO DO AND OF FOLLOWING VERY STRICT RULES, FOR INSTANCE,
THAT THE POPULATION BE ASKED TO ASSIST ONLY IN ITS OWN LOCALITY AND NOT BE
REQUIRED TO WORK ON DISTANT AREAS. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE PROVINCE CHIEFS
WERE INSTRUCTED NOT TO LAUNCH OFF IN ALL DIRECTIONS, CREATING STRATEGIC HAMLETS
ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN IDEAS, BUT TO FOLLOW THE PROGRAM AND PATTERN TO BE
ESTABLISHED BY THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS' COMMITTEE.
5. FIELD DISSEM. STATE ARMY NAVY AIR MAAG AID CINCPAC PACFLT
ARPAC PACAF.
END OF MESSAGE
CLASSIFICATION— DISSEMINATION CONTROLS
C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L
NOFORN/CONTINUED CONTROL