176-10036-10158 JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION FORM AGENCY : NARA RECORD NUMBER : 176-10036-10158 RECORD SERIES : National Security Files AGENCY FILE NUMBER : ORIGINATOR : DOS FROM : Saigon TO : Secretary of State TITLE : Embtel 748 DATE : 10/19/1963 PAGES : & 7 SUBJECTS : DOCUMENT TYPE : CLASSIFICATION : RESTRICTIONS : CURRENT STATUS : DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 9/10/2000 OPENING CRITERIA : COMMENTS : National Security Files, Box 201: Vietnam,10/15/63-10/28/63, State Cables. Box 2
oat aia "INCOMING TELEGRAM _ Department of State H ~ Action. . SS info TOP SECRET Control: } 5256 Rec'd: @CTOBER 19, 1963 SAIGON Xe 256 AM oR VES - GS © TO: Secretary of State we , Gus ea NO: 748, OCTOBER 19, 1 PM (SECTION ONE OF Two) he ACTION DEPARTMENT 748, INFORMATION CINCPAC 439. _ EYES ONLY SECRETARY: EXCLUSIVE FOR FELT DEPTEL 558 REQUESTED TF SAIGON EVALUATION ON CONTINUING BASIS OF US ACTIONS BRING PRESSURE ON GVN (DEPTEL 534). FOLLOWING ASSESSMENTS REFLECT COMBINED JUDGMENT OF TASK FORCE. le GENERAL, TO DATE THERE HAVE BEEN NO RPT NO CLEAR INDICATIONS THAT US ACTIONS HAVE HAD AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON WAR EFFORT EITHER IN MILITARY OR ECONOMIC SPHERES, PEOPLE {iN COUNTRYSIDE LARGELY UNAWARE OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS. IN US=GVN RELATIONS OR IF AWARE DO NOT FEEL THESE DEVELOPMENTS AFFECT THEIR LIVES DIRECTLY. AMONG EDUCATED CLASSES IN URBAN AREAS GENERAL AURA OF UNREST AND DISCONTENT PERSISTS BENEATH SURFACE. MOST SIGNIFICANT PSYCHOLOGICAL REACTION UNDERSTANDABLY. - TAKING PLACE AMONG BUSINESS COMMUNITY (US, VIETNAMESE, CHINESE AND OTHER FOREIGN. BUSINESSMEN) 1!N SAIGON/CHOLON AREA.- WE HAVE RECEIVED INCREASING NUMBER REPORTS BUSINESSMEN WORRIED OVER SUSPENSION Ci PROGRAM AND ITS EFFECT ON PRICE STRUCTURE AND OVER POSSIBLE CUT-OFF OF US AID. PRICE OF GOLD HAS INCREASED SHARPLY. OTHER BUSINESSMEN SEEKING UNLOAD LARGE SUMS PIASTERS AT 12% TO DOLLAR OR FIND INVESTMENTS YIELDING HARD CURRENCY RETURN (SEE EMBTEL 715 PARAGRAPH 7). COMMCDITIES AND RELATED TRADES PRIMARILY AFFECTED ARE SUGAR, FLOUR, CONDENSED MILK, - AND CEMENT. WHILE REPORTS STILL SOMEWHAT CONFLICTING, CONCERN IN BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AND TO CERTAIN EXTENT IN GENERAL PUBL ICs HAS DEFINITELY DEEPENED CVER PAST FEW DAYS (SEE BELOW) o REACTION BY GVN TO US MEASURES CONTINUES: aC ‘SUBTERRANEAN St: WAYS. WE HEAR CONTINUED RUMORS» PROBABLY! OFFICIALLY INSPIRED, wee REPRODUCTION FROM THIS Copy Is TOP SECRET» PROHIBITED UNLESS “UNCLASSIFIED” f
C4 a TOP SECRET oe TS, OCTOBER 198 1 PM (SECTION ONE OF TWO) 5 FROM SAIGON OF PLANS FOR SACKING EMBASSY AND USISe TIMES OF VIETNAM HAS CONTINUED ITS DRUMFIRE OF ARTICLES STRONGLY SUPPORTING GVN POLICIES AND ATTACKING ELEMENTS OF US MISSION ALLEGEDLY OPPOS ING GYN BY QVERT AND CGVERT MCANS. REPORTS FROM VARIOUS SOURCES INDICATE GVN CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN PLANNING BELT=TIGHTENING MEASURES 6 26 ECONOMIC. -KEY PRICES OF {IMPORTS DURING WEEK REVERSED. PATTERN AND TOCK LONG-EXPECTED RISE. MOST IMPORTANT WERE SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK (BY UP TO 1% PERCENT, DEPENDING ON BRAND), WHEAT. FLOUR (33. PERCENT), AND CEMENT (39 PERCENT), AS WELL AS CHEMICAL PRODUCTS, SOME IRON AND STEEL PRODUCTS IN SHORTEST SUPPLY, AND MISCELLANEOUS MANUFACTURED IMPORTS. FAILURE TO RISE PREVIOUSLY IN SPITE OF EXPECTED SHORTAGES WAS REPORTEDLY GVN- INSPIRED BELIEF PROCUREMENT AUTHORIZATIONS WOULD BE ISSUED MID-OCTOBER. TRADE SOURCES REPORT THERE HAO BEEN SOME QUIET SPECULATIVE. BUYING. NOW CANNED MILK AND FLOUR HARDER TO FIND, AND GVYN LIMITING MARKETING OF LAST FLOUR SHIPMENTS AND.tS EXPECTED DO SAME WITH COMING MILK ARRIVALS. - THUS, THOUGH SUPPLIES OTHERWISE ADEQUATE TILL JANUARY, APPEARS SPECULATORS HAVE STARTED CREATE ARTIFICIAL SHORTAGES NOw. IN CASE OF CEMENT, PRICE RISE CAN BE EXPLAINED IN PART AS NORMAL SEASONAL FLUCTUATION, AS END OF RAINS ALLOW RESUMPTION BUILOINGs RECENT RISE BRINGS FRICE ONLY TO OFFICIAL LEVEL. WHOLESALE RICE PRICE ALSO ROSE & PERCENT SINCE. SEPTEMBER 2h, FOLLOWING 7, @9-TON SALE PHILIPPINES, 38,203 TONS OF WHICH. WAS FROM PRIVATE STOCKS. GVN REQUIRED EXPORTERS DELIVER EQUAL AMOUNT NO. | RICE TO SECURITY STOCK, CREATING PRESSURE ON MARKET RISE KEY ITEMS TOUCHED OFF RISE SOME OTHER PRICES, PARTICULARLY . FOODSTUFFS» EVEN THOUGH NO RPT NO SHORTAGE wAS IMMINENT « PO COMMERCIAL BANKS REPORT RISE IN DEMAND DEPOSITS, NO RPT NO CHANGE IN LOANS, WHICH DIFFICULT EXPLAIN. BLACK MARKET TOP SECRET
Ue AY TOP SECRET -3- 748, OCTOBER 19s 1 PM (SECTION ONE OF TWO) s FROM SAIGON RATE ON PLASTER CLIMBED 15 PERCENT To 128, AND THERE iS SPECULATION IN GOLD. IN SUM, IMPACT ON GVN OF ECONOMIC PRESSURES TO DATE HAS NOT RPT NOT RESULTED IN REQUEST BY DIEM TO SEE AMBASSADOR, ALTHOUGH THUAN HAS TOLD AMBASSADOR THAT DIEM WORRIED. FURTHER TIME NEEDED FOR PRESSURES TO TAKE EFFECT AND PRESSURES SHOULD BE CONTINUED UNTIL POINT WHERE THEY LIKELY RESULT iN SEVERE ECONOMIC DISLOCATION. THERE ARE NO RPT NO FIRM INDICATIONS THAT DIEM/NHU WILL BACK DOWN IN FACE CONTINUEO PRESSURE» oO 3. ASSISTANCE TO VIETNAMESE SPECIAL FORCES. THUAN AND GEN DON PERSONALLY ADVISED ON 17 OCT THAT MAP | |SUPPORT OF RVNAF AIRBORNE RANGER COMPANIES, CIVILIAN AIRBORNE RANGER COMPANIES AND C1V!L GUARD COMPANIES, PRESENTLY UNDER CONTROL OF VIETNAMESE SPECIAL FORCES (COL TUNG), WILL BE WITHHELD UNLESS THESE UNITS PLACED UNDER OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF JGS AND COMMITTED TO OPERATIONS. COMUSMACV LETTER TO PRESIDENT DIEM OF 18 OCT ADVISED HIM OF SAME. COL TUNG WILL BE PERSONALLY NOTIFIED WHEN HE RETURNS TO SAIGON. GP=3 @ LODGE BAP NOTE: ANVANCE CORY DELIVERED TC S/S-0 AT 83:3 AM OCTOBER. 19TH. - PASSED WHITE HOUSE 7350 AM 12/19/63 PASSED OSD 7:55 AM. 1419/6 PASSED CIA S3gl aM 19/19/63 YOP SECRET .
uy TOP SECRET -4. 748, OCTOBER 19, 1 PM (SECTION TWO OF TWO) FROM SAIGON . ~ OUTCOME AND SIGNIFICANT INDICATIONS AS A CHANGE OF ATTITUDE MAY NOT RPT NOT APPEAR FOR SOME TIME, GP-1. REE NOTE : NOTE; NOTE: LODGE ADVANCE COPY TO S/S-0-AT 10:15 AM 10/19/63 PASSED WHITE HOUSE AT 10:25 AM 10/19/63. PASSED OSD AT 10:35 AM 10/19/63 PASSED CIA AT 11:00 AM 10/19/63 #AS RECEIVED, WILL BE SERVICED UPON REQUEST, TOP SECRET
INCOMING TELEGRAM Department of State : H | TOP_SECRET Action | Control: 1 5281. s$s- Rec'd: OCTOBER 19, 1963 | . _ 8:35 AM Info FROM: SAIGON | a el | | 002 TO: Secretary of State a2 NO: 748, OCTOBER 19, 1 PM (SECTION TWO OF TwO) 2 | of*, pelt ACTION DEPARTMENT 748, INFORMATION CINCPAC 430, EYES ONLY FOR SECRETARY EXCLUSIVE FOR FELT 4. MILITARY, IN ADDITION TO CONTINUATION OF PRESSURES WHICH HAVE BEEN UNDERWAY FOR SOME TIME THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC ACTIONS _ HAVE BEEN TAKEN CN MILITARY SIDE WITH RESULTS AS INDICATED: A. PREVIOUSLY PROPOSED AND RECENTLY RE~EMPHASIZED SUGGESTION TO RELOCATE CORPS BOUNDARIES IN ORDER TO PLACE GREATER EMPHASIS IN DELTA HAS (WITH MINOR MODIFICATION) BEEN ADOPTED BY PRESIDENT DIEM AND WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE | NOVEMBER« ake + B, PREVIOUSLY PROPOSED SUGGESTION TO PLACE VIETNAMESE SPECIAL FORCES ELEMENTS OPERATING IN VARIGUS CORPS AREAS UNDER THE THE OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF ‘CORPS COMMANDERS HAS BEEN ADOPTED BY GEN DON AND JGS DIRECTIVE PROMULGATED, A, USMACV J3 AND GEN DON HAVE MADE COUNTRY WIDE TOUR VISITING ALL CORPS AND cMD WITH VIEW TO DETERMINING’ TEAR# MEASURES REQUIRED; TO PLACE GREATER EMPHASIS IN DELTA; TO STIMULATE INCREASE IN OPERATIONAL TEMPO IN ALL AREAS; AND TO: ACCOMPLISH OTHER DIRECTED ACTIONS, THESE MEASURES WILL BE SUBJECT OF ANOTHER COMUSMACV LETTER TO PRESIDENT DIEM, 5@ POLITICAL, IN GENERAL THERE HAVE BEEN NO RPT NO FAVORABLE DEVELOPMENTS ON VARIOUS MEASURES WE WOULD LIKE SEE ADOPTED IN POLITICAL AREA, DIEM/NHU HAVE REACTED TO. PRESSURE HY. DIGGING IN MORE DEEPLY AND ATTEMPTED EXERT D1StREET COUNTER PRESSURE REPRODUCTION FROM THIS COPY IS TOP SECRET PROHIBITED UNLESS “UNCLASSIFIED”