176-10036-10137
2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992
JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM
IDENTIFICATION FORM
AGENCY: NARA
RECORD NUMBER: 176-10036-10137
RECORD SERIES: National Security Files
AGENCY FILE NUMBER :
ORIGINATOR : CIA
FROM:
TO :
TITLE: CIA Information Report
DATE: 10/8/1963
PAGES: 5
SUBJECTS :
DOCUMENT TYPE :
CLASSIFICATION :
RESTRICTIONS :
CURRENT STATUS :
DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 9/10/2000
OPENING CRITERIA :
i
COMMENTS: National Security Files, Box 200: Vietnam, 10/6/1963-10/14/63. Box 2
:
SER NIT1200
Vང་ད་པོ1UN
NIK-8a-55 RACS 1.
TELEGRAM INFORMATION REPORT TELEGRAM
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws. Title IB. U.S.C Secs
773 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS
NO FOREIGN DISSEM/NO DISSEM ABROAD/BACKGROUND
USE ONLY/CONTROLLED DISSEM
C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L
COUNTRY
SOUTH VIETNAM
SUBJECT
SITUATION APPRAISAL AS OF 5 OCTOBER 1963
DATE DISTR.
REPORT NO. TDCS DB-3/657,133
PRECEDENCE
8 OCTOBER 1963
ROUTINE
IN 33775
DATE OF
INFO.
PLACE &
DATE ACQ.
APPRAISAL
SOURCE
VIETNAM,SAIGON (5 OCTOBER 1963)
COMMENTARY
REFERENCES
FIELD REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION. SOURCE GRADINGS ARE DEFINITIVE. APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE..
STAFF OFFICERS OF THIS ORGANIZATION.
1. THIS IS A FIELD APPRAISAL OF THE CURRENT SITUATION. IT IS NOT AN
OFFICIAL JUDGEMENT BY THIS AGENCY OR ANY COMPONENT. IT REPRESENTS THE
OBSERVATIONS AND INTERPRETATIONS OF STAFF OFFICERS BASED ON INFORMATION AVAILABLE.
TO THEM AT THE TIME OF ITS PREPARATION. PREPARED FOR INTERNAL USE AS A GUIDE TO
THE OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT, THIS COMMENTARY IS DISSEMINATED: IN THE BELIEF THAT H
IT MAY BE USEFUL TO OTHER AGENCIES IN ASSESSING THE SITUATION FOR THEIR OWN
PURPOSES.
2. THE MOST STRIKING FEATURE OF THE INTELLIGENCE REPORTS FOR THE WEEK OF
29 SEPTEMBER-5 OCTOBER 1963 HAS BEEN A GREATER DEPTH OF REPORTING ON COUP.
PLOTTING, PROVIDING INFORMATION IN CONSIDERABLE DETAIL AS TO THE PERSONALITIES
INVOLVED AND THEIR ALLOTTED ROLES. STILL LACKING, HOWEVER, IS SOLID INFORMATION
AS TO THE COHESIVENESS OF VARIOUS GROUPS REPORTED READY TO LAUNCH A COUP AND TO
CLASSIFICATION - DISSEMINATION CONTROLS
C-Q~N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L
STATE INF DIA ARMY ACS NAVY AIR
STATE DIR
JCS
NO FOREIGN DISSEM/NO DISSEM AEROAD/BACKGROUND
USE ONLY CONTROLLED DISSEM
SECOEF
NSA NIC XXX N CC 1
ONE
LOCA
درولی
Excluded from
doww.groding and
declairfranos.
☑XX
TELEGRAM INFORMATION REPORT TELL GRAM
FORM
☑;2
1kb
OBSOLETE PREVIOUS EDITIONS.
[25-200
CLASSIFICATION - DISSEMINATION CONTROLS
C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L
IN 33775
TDCS DB-3/657,133
PAGE
TWO
NO FOREIGN DISSEM/NO DISSEM ABROAD
BACKGROUND USE ONLY/CONTROLLED
DISSEM
THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY ENJOY FIRM LEADERSHIP AT THE TOP OF THE ICEBERG OF WHICH
WE ARE STILL GETTING ONLY TANGENTIAL GLIMPSES
:
3. THE GENERALS MEANWHILE ARE NOW PRESSING PRESIDENT NGO DINH DIEM FOR A
REPLY TO THE DEMANDS MADE SEVERAL WEEKS AGO DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE MARTIAL
LAW PHASE. AS DESCRIBED BY GENERAL TRAN VAN DON, THE LIST OF DEMANDS ARE QUITE
EXTENSIVE, INCLUDING THE ASSIGNMENT OF MILITARY MEN TO THE POSTS OF MINISTERS
OF DEFENSE, INTERIOR, CIVIC ACTION AND EDUCATION. THEY ALSO ASKED FOR CONTROL
OF THE SAIGON/CHOLON POLICE AND. THE PLACEMENT OF THE CAPITAL REGION UNDER A
PERMANENT MILITARY GOVERNORSHIP. DON SAYS THAT HE AND HIS FELLOW GENERAL OFFICERS
:-
:
DO NOT EXPECT DIEM TO ACCEDE TO THIS PACKAGE OF PROPOSALS, ACCEPTANCE OF WHICH ⠀: *
WOULD INDEED AMOUNT TO A VIRTUAL SURRENDER ON THE PART OF DIEM AND NGO DINH NHU.
THE LATTER WILL PROBABLY GO PART WAY, HOWEVER, IN MEETING THE DESIRES OF THE
MILITARY IN AN EFFORT TO DETER THE LATTER FROM ATTEMPTING AN EARLY COUP. THEIR
TACTIC IS LIKELY TO BE ONE OF SEEKING TO ENMESH THE GENERALS: IN TIME-CONSUMING
NEGOTIATIONS RELATED TO THE PROSPECTIVE REVAMPING OF THE GOVERNMENT WITH A VIEW
TOWARD GAINING TIME IN WHICH TO MONITOR AND BREAK UP ANY COUP COMBINATION WHICH
MAY BE DEVELOPING. THE OUTCOME OF MANEUVERING BETWEEN DIEM AND NHU AND THE
MILITARY DURING THE COMING FEW WEEKS, OR POSSIBLY EVEN DAYS, IS LIKELY TO BE
OF DECISIVE IMPORTANCE TO FUTURE COURSE OF EVENTS IN SOUTH VIETNAM.
4. DESPITE THE IMPRESSION OF THE RETURN TO NORMALITY THAT IS BEING FOSTERED
BY THE REGIME, THE ATMOSPHERE IN SAIGON CONTINUES TO BE PERVADED TO A CONSIDERABLE
DEGREE BY FEAR AND UNCERTAINTY. ARRESTS REPORTEDLY ARE CONTINUING, AS WELL AS
C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L
A
CLASSIFICATION - DISSEMINATION CONTROLS
NO FOREIGN DISSEM/NO DISSEM ABROAD/BACKGROUND USE ONLY/¨
CONTROLLED DISSEM
:
CLASSIFICATION – DISSEMINATION CONTROLS
C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L
NO FOREIGN DISSEM/NO DISSEM ABROADCSDB-3/657,133
BACKGROUND USE ONLY/CONTROLLED
DISSEM
SEARCHES OF PRIVATE HOMES BY THE SECURITY FORCES.
IN 33775
PAGE THREE
5. THERE ARE SCATTERED INDICATIONS THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF VIETNAM (GVN) IS
PLANNING TO SPRING SOME SURPRISES ON THE 26 OCTOBER NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATIONS.
"
0.
NHU, FOR EXAMPLE, IS REPORTED TO HAVE TOLD THE GENERALS THAT IN A FEW WEEKS BE-
WOULD UNDERTAKE AN UNSPECIFIED ACTION OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL NATURE WHICH NEITHER
."THE WEALTHY NOR THE AMERICANS WOULD LIKE." WE ALSO HAVE A REPORT THAT SWEEPING
CHANGE IN THE POLICE AND CIVIL INTELLIGENCE COMPLEX WILL OCCUR. MORE FRIVOLOUS
.
"
..י
BUT PERHAPS SUGGESTIVE OF THE DESIRE BY THE REGIME TO EASE THE CURRENT ATMOSPHERE
IN SAIGON ARE THE RUMORS THAT THE BAN ON DANCING WILL BE LIFTED. NATIONAL DAY
WOULD BE THE LOGICAL TIME FOR DIEM TO ANNOUNCE REVAMPING OF HIS GOVERNMENT, PROVIDEI
THIS DELICATE OPERATION CAN BE COMPLETED IN TIME.
6. A STRIKING THING ABOUT THE ELECTIONS WAS THE FACT THAT THEY WENT OFF
VIRTUALLY WITHOUT, INCIDENT, EITHER IN SAIGON OR IN THE COUNTRYSIDE. THERE HAD
*
BEEN SEVERAL INDICATIONS. THAT THE VIET CONG (VC) INTENDED DISRUPTION AS A COMPANION
TACTIC TO THEIR PROPAGANDA CALL FOR THE BOYCOTT OF THE ELECTIONS.
ཤྲཱི**t
NEITHER DURING
THE ELECTIONS, NOR DURING THE PRECEDING BUDDHIST CRISIS, DID THE COMMUNISTS SEEM
ABLE TO CAPITALIZE ON THEIR IMMEDIATE OPPORTUNITIES. ESPECIALLY LACKING WAS THE
EXERCISE OF THEIR MUCH VAUNTED CAPABILITIES FOR TERRORISM, RAISING SOME QUESTION
WAS
IN OUR MINDS AS TO WHETHER VC ABILITY TO USE TERRORISM IN CITIES/AS GREAT AS WE
HAD BEEN LED TO BELIEVE. IT WAS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO MEASURE. THE SUCCESS OF
THE VC BOYCOTT APPEAL SINCE THE GVN, IN MANY AREAS MORE OR LESS FORCED THE ELECTORATE
TO VOTE AND IN AREAS WHERE ITS CONTROL WAS NOT THAT STRONG, THE REGIME ALMOST...
CERTAINLY FALSIFIED THE PERCENTAGES OF THE VOTE.
C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L
CLASSIFICATION - DISSEMINATION CONTROLS
NO FOREIGN DISSEM/NO DISSEM ABROAD/BACKGROUND USE ONLY/
CONTROLLED DISSEM
CLASSIFICATION - DISSEMINATION CONTROLS.
NO FOREIGN DISSEM/NO DISSEM ABROAD TDCS DB-3/657,133
C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L BACKGROUND USE ONLY/CONTROLLED DISSEM
IN 33775
PAGE FOUR
7.
ONE INDICATION OF THE REGIME'S INCREASED CONFIDENCE THAT IT HAS THE
SITUATION UNDER CONTROL IS THE FACT THAT COLONEL TUNG HAS RELEASED TWO COMPANIES
OF SPECIAL FORCES TROOPS FOR OPERATIONS AGAINST THE VC.
8. ALTHOUGH MOMENTARILY QUIESCENT BECAUSE OF THE HEAVY GVN SECURITY CONTROLS,
THE STUDENTS CONTINUE THEIR ORGANIZATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND ARE DEVELOPING. PLANS FOR
FURTHER ACTION AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT. THERE APPEARS TO BE CONSIDERABLE DIVISION
OF OPINION AMONG THE VARIOUS STUDENT GROUPS, SOME OF WHICH EXISTED PRIOR TO THE
BUDDHIST CRISIS AND SOME HAVE SINCE EMERGED. REPORTING RECEIVED TO DATE WOULD.
INDICATE THAT THE VC HAVE NOT YET MADE SIGNIFICANT INROADS INTO THE STUDENT MOVE-
MENT, ALTHOUGH THIS IS OF COURSE AN INCREASING POSSIBILITY IF RELATIONS BETWEEN
THE STUDENTS AND THE GVN LONG REMAIN IN THEIR PRESENT UNSATISFACTORY STATE. IN
PARTICULAR, WE HAVE LITTLE EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE THESIS THAT THE STUDENTS ARE.
TO
i
.:.
FLEEING/THE COUNTRYSIDE TO JOIN THE VC ALTHOUGH SOME REPORTEDLY DID LEAVE SAIGON
AND HUE TO AVOID ARREST DURING THE PERIOD OF THE GOVERNMENT CRACKDOWN
9. A REPORT FROM A VIETNAMESE TRADE UNION OFFICIAL PROVIDES ADDITIONAL..
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE NHỤ-MANELI MEETING IN EARLY SEPTEMBER AND ON: THE
GENERAL SUBJECT OF POSSIBLE GVN-DRV RAPPROCHEMENT. ACCORDING TO INFORMATION
RECEIVED BY THE SOURCE FROM A FRENCH EMBASSY OFFICER, HO CHI MINH HAD AT ONE TIME
INDICATED TO A FORMER FRENCH REPRESENTATIVE IN NORTH VIETNAM HIS DISCOURAGEMENT
OVER CASUALTIES SUSTAINED IN THE WAR IN THE SOUTH, HIS DISTASTE FOR THE CHINESE
PRESENCE IN THE DRV, AND HIS RESTIVENESS OVER SOVIET "INTERFERENCE" OF AN
UNSPECIFIED NATURE.
..
LALOUETTE. WAS REPORTED TO HAVE PASSED THIS ON TO NHU WHO,
C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L
CLASSIFICATION - DISSEMINATION CONTROLS
NO FOREIGN DISSEM/NO DISSÉM ABROAD/BACKGROUND USE ONLY/.
CONTROLLED DISSEM
1
CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS
C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L NO FOREIGN DISSEM/NO DISSEM ABROAD TDCS DB-3/657,133
BACKGROUND. USE ONLY/CONTROLLED DISSEM
:
IN 33775
PAGE FIVE
ACCORDING TO THE FRENCH, LEAKED IT TO JOSEPH ALSOP, THUS BETRAYING THE CONFIDENTIAL
.
FRENCH CONVERSATION WITH HO. THE FRENCH ALLEGEDLY FEEL THIS PUT LALOUETTE IN AN
UNTENABLE POSITION; HENCE, HIS FAILURE TO RETURN TO SAIGON. IT IS DIFFICULT TO
BELIEVE THAT THE FRENCH REALLY CONSIDER NHU'S "INDISCRETION" AS SERIOUS, AS THEY LET :
ON.
SOURCE CLAIMS, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT MANELI TOLD NHU PRRCTICALLY THE SAME STORY
ABOUT HO'S PREOCCUPATIONS.
10. FIELD DISSEM. STATE (AMBASSADOR, DCM), USMACV (HARKINS), CINCPAC, PACFLT,
PACAF, ARPAC.
C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L
END OF MESSAGE
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CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS
NO FOREIGN DISSEM/NO DISSEM ABROAD/BACKGROUND USE ONLY/..
CONTROLLED DISSEM.