476-10036-10137 AGENCY : | : 176-10036-10137 os - RECORD SERIES : AGENCY FILE NUMBER : RECORD NUMBER nc nt a A tS A AD ORIGINATOR : FROM:: TO: TITLE : DATE : PAGES : SUBJECTS : DOCUMENT TYPE : CLASSIFICATION : RESTRICTIONS : CURRENT STATUS : DATE OF LAST REVIEW : OPENING CRITERIA : COMMENTS : JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION FORM NARA National Security Files CIA Information Report 10/8/1963 5 9/10/2000 National Security Files, Box 200: Vietnam, 10/6/1963-10/14/63. Box 2
PINT Uke VIS LOM SER a miner’ 5S mers bo SRMATION REPURT ey eit N x STE GENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY This mateslal contalas laformation affecting the Nations! Delonte of the United States within the moaning of the Erponege bows, Tifle 38, U.S.C Secs 793 ond 794, the feeasmission ae revelation of which in any manaeé fo an unauthorised person is prohibited by law CLASSIFICATION a= DISSEMINATION CONTROLS C-OoN-PeI-D-E-N-Tul=~Ael, - NO FOREIGN DISSEM/NO DISSEM ABROAD /EACKGROUND USE ONLY /CONTROLLED DISSEM country SOUTH VIETNAM . | . . REPORTNO. TDCS DB-3/657,133 suaect) SITUATION APPRAISAL AS OF 5 OCTOBER 1963 ~~ oare bistr, 8 OCTOEER 1963 PRECEDENCE | ROUEINE DATE OF - ee . OO REFERENCES : IN 33775 INFO. a 7 PLACE & DATE ACO, VIETNAM, SAIGON (5 OCTOEER 1963) . Appraisal COMMENTARY ; "FIELD REPORT NO. THIS is UNEVALUATED InForMATION. SOURCE GRADINGS ARE DEFINITIVE. APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE, } source STAFF OFFICERS OF THIS ORGANIZATION. an a ‘1. THs IS A FIELD APPRAISAL. OF THE CURRENT SITUATION. IT IS NOT AN. - | OFFICIAL JUDGEMENT. BY THIS AGENCY OR ANY COMPONENT. If REPRESENTS THE, OBSERVATIONS AND INTERPRETATIONS OF STAFF OFFICERS BASED ON INFORMATI Oi “AVAILABLE. TO THEM AT THE TIME OF ITs PREPARATION - PREPARED FOR INTERNAL: USE ‘AS. A GUILE TO THE OPERATIONAL BNVIROWEN?, THIS. COMMENTARY IS DISSEMINATED: IN ‘THE EELIEF THAD - It MAY EE USEFUL 20 OTHER AGENCIES IN ASSESSING THE SITUATION: FOR: THEIR OWN PURPOSES. . . 2, THE MOST STRIKING FEATURE OF THE INTELLICENCE REPORTS FOR PHE WEEK -OF 29 SEPTEMBER-5 OCTOBER 1963 HAS HEEN A GREATER DEPTH OF REPORTING ON CQUP. . PLOTTING, PROVIDING INFORMATION IN CONS TPERAS DETAIL AS TO THE PERSONALITIES INVOLVED AND THEIR ALLOTTED ROLES. STILL LACKING, HOWEVER, IS SOLTD INFORMATION AS TO THE COHESIVENESS OF VARIOUS GROUPS REPORTED READY TO LAUNCH A CCUP AWD & 4 ‘CLASSIFICATION —= DISSEMINATION CONTROLS lene = C- OoN-P-I DB-NDT-AL - NOE PORE T ius NO SEE ABROAD /BACKGRCUND | | “Saatetechen. 2 4a a Soe sTaTev ine ola sTeswrracsifia Ts are STATES TS] SEINFORMAT TON, REPOR RE 1 Kb OBSOLETE PREVIOUS EDITIONS.
CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS C-O-N-F-I-D-E -N-T-I-A-L NO. FOREIGN DISSEM/NO DISSEM ABROAD on oy, | BACKGROUND USE ONLY /CONTROLLED Toes PB-3/6573133 __DISSEM’ . te THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY ENJOY FIRM LEATERSHTP. AT THE TOP OF THE: ICEBERG. OF WHICH WE ARE STILL GETTING ONLY TANGENT TAL: CLIMISES 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 vaw DON, THE. LIST OF DEMANDS ARB. QUITE : EXTENSIVE, INCLUDING THE ASSIGNMENT OF MILITARY MEN: TO THE POSES 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 oo ns 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 wee MILITARY IN AN EFFORT TO TETER ‘THE LATTER FROM, ATTEMPTING AN: EARLY. COUP: THEIR. TACTIC IS LIKELY TO BE ONE OF SEEKING TO. ENMESH THE GENERALS: IN TIME-CONSUMING NEGOTTATTONS RELATED TO ‘THE PROSPECTIVE REVAMPING: OF THE GovERMEENT. WILH A VIEW “TOWARD GAINING TIME IN WHICH TO MONITOR AND -BREAK UP ANY COUP COMBINATION WHICH MAY Ee DEVELOPING. ‘THE ourCOME OF MANEUVERING BETWEEN DIEM AND NHU AND ‘THE: - MILITARY DURING THE COMING FEW WEEKS, OR POSSIBLY EVEN DAYS, Is LIKELY TO BE OF TRCISIVE IMPORTANCE TO FUTURE COURSE OF EVENTS IN SOUTH VIETNAM. h, DESPITE THE “IMPRESSION OF THE. RETURN TO NORMALITY THAT IS BEING FOSTERED . BY THE REGIME, THE ATMOSPHERE IN: SAIGON CONTINUES TO BE PER VADED ' TO A CONSIDERABLE DEGREE ‘BY FEAR AND UNCERTAINTY. ARRESTS REPORTEDLY ARE CONTLAUING, ‘AS wei’ AS | ‘CLASSIFICATION = DISSEMINATION CONTROLS C-O-N-F-I-D-8-N-T-I-A-L ‘NO FOREIGN DISSEM, AS ) DISSEM, ABR ABROAD/BACKGROUND USE omy
002 ae Le Oars ek RY Hie CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS _. — | NO FOREIGN DISSEM/NO DISSEM ABRG C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L — BacKGROUND USE ONLY/CONTROLLED DISSEM WhcsD8-3/657,133 SEARCHES OF PRIVATE HOMES BY THE SECURITY FORCES. 7 5. THERE ARE SCATTERED. INDICATIONS THAT {THE GOVERNMENT OF VIETNAM (GyN) IS PLANNING TO SPRING SOME SURPRISES, ON. THE .26 OCTOBER NATIONAL, DAY CELEBRATIONS, NHU, “FOR EXAMPLE, IS, REPORTED TQ HAVE TOLD. THE GENERALS THAT IN A FEW WEEKS HE 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. CHANGH!3 IN THE POLICE AND CIVIL THTELLIGENCE COMPLEX WILL. ‘occur. ,MORE FRIVOLOUS _ 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...BR. LIFTED. ,'WATTONAL, DAY. WOULD.HE THE LOGICAL TIME FOR DIEM TO ANNOUNCE, REVAMPING OF. HIS, GOVERNMENT, . PROVIIEL THIS TELICATE 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. | BREN SEVERAL INDICATIONS. THAT THE VIET.CONG (VC) INTENDED DISRUPTION .AS A COMPANION TACTIC TO THEIR ‘PROPAGANDA CALL FOR THE ‘BOYCOTT, OF THE. ELECTIONS. NEITHER DURING THE ELECTIONS, NOR DURING THR PRECEDING, BUDDHIST CRISIS, DID THE. COMMUNISTS SEEM fore TO. CAPITALIZE ON THEIR IMMEDIATE, OPPORTUNITIES. -ESPHCIALLY LACKING WAS. .THE “EXERCISE OF THEIR. MUCH VAUNTED. CAPABILITIES FOR TERRORISM, .RATSING. SOME .QUESTION WAS IN OUR ‘MINDS. AS TO. WHETHER vc. ABILITY TO USE TERRORISM IN crTTEs/ As GREAT AS WE HAD BEEN LED TO. HELIEVE. IT,WAS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO MEASURE THE SUCCESS’ OF THE VC BOYCOTT APPEAL. SINCE THE GVN, IN MANY.AREAS MGRE.OR LESS FORCED THE ELECTORATE TO. VOTE AND IN AREAS WHERE .I'TS CONTROL WAS . Nor THAT. STRONG, THE ‘REGIME. ALMOST... . CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS — a : CuO-N-FaI-D-B-N-T-I-AcL - NO FORRIGN DISSEM/NO DISSEM ABROAD/BACKGROUND USE owy/— CONTROLLED DISSEM ee
“CLASSIFICATION = DISSEMINATION CONTROLS. - - NO FOREIGN DISSEM/NO DISSEM ABROAD, TDCS « DB+3/657,133- + C-0-N-FaI-D-B-N-T-I-A-L BACKGROUND USE ONLY/CONTROLLED DISGEM - : oT. ONE INDICATION OF THE REGIME 'S INCREASED CONFIDENCE THAT IT. HAS; oe, SITUATION UNDER’ CONTROL Is THE ‘PACT THAT COLONEL, TUNG HAS RELEASED TWO. COMPANTES OF SPECIAL FORCES | TROOPS FOR OPERATIONS AGAINST THE VC. 8. _ ALTHOUGH MOMENTARILY (QUIESCENT BECAUSE OF ‘THE HEAVY GVN. SECURITY, CONTROLS, THE STUTENTS CONTINUE THEIR ORGANIZATIONAL. ACTIVITIES AND ARE TEVELOPING. PLANS FOR | FURTHER ACTION AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT, THERE APPEARS TO HE CONSITERABLE 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 AVE | NOT YET. MATE . SIGNIFICANT INROADS . INTO THE STUDENT MOVE- MENT, ALTHOUGH THIS Is OF COURSE AN INCREASING. POSSIBILITY If. RELATIONS:. BRIWEEN THE ‘STUIENTS AND THE GN LONG REMAIN AN THEIR PRESENT UNSATISFACTORY STATE . IN PARTICULAR, WE HAVE LISLE EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE THESIS THAT THE STUDENTS ARE. FLBEING/ THE COUNTRYSIDE TO JOIN THE ve ALTHOUGH SOME REPORTEDLY DID LEAVE SAIGON AND HUE TO AVOID ARREST DURING THE PERIOD OF, THE GOVERNMENT CRACKDOWN. ayiges) othe ne 9. A REPORT FROM ~PROVIIES ADDITIONAL... BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE NHU>MANELI MEETING IN EARLY SEPTEMBER AND ON: THE :. GENERAL SUBJECT OF POSSIBLE GyN- -DRV RAPPROCHEMENT. ACCORDING TO INFORMATION | RECEIVED BY THE SOURCE FROM A FRENCH ‘EMBASSY OFFICER, HO CHI MINE. HAD AT ONE Te INDICATED TO A FORMER | FRENCH REPRESENTATIVE, IN. NORTH: VIETNAM HIS “DISCOURAGEMENT OVER CASUALTIES SUSTAINED IN, THe WAR ‘ti THE, ‘SOUTH, HIS ‘DISTASTE FOR, THE ‘CHINESE PRESENCE IN THE TRV, AND HIS RESTIVENESS. OVER ‘SOVIET "TNTERFERENCE * OF AN - UNSPECIFIED | NATURE. a REPORTED TO HAVE PASSED THIS ON TO "NEU, WHO, , CLASSIFICATION - = DISSEMINATION CONTROLS | CeO-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L | NO FOREIGN DISSE - DISSEM ABROAD /BACKGROUND USE ONLY / | ee CONTROLLED DISSE
CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS C-OnN-F-I-D-B-N-T-IoAcl NO FOREIGN DISSEM/NO DISSEM ABROAD ToCs DB~3/657,133 BACKGROUND. USE ONLY /CONTROLLED DISS 131 ACCORDING ‘TO THE FRENCH, ‘LEAKED IT P20 JOSEPH ALSOP, - THUS BETRAYING THE. CONFIDENTIAL FRENCH CONVERSATION WITH HO. ‘THE FRENCH ALLEGEDLY FEEL THIS PUT IN AN UNTENABLE POSITION; HENCE, HIS FAILURE 10 RETURN TO SAIGON. IT 1S DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THAT THE FRENCH REALLY CONSIDER ‘NEU'S "INDISCRETION" AS SERIOUS, As THEY LET ON. . SOURCE CLAIMS, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT MANELI TOLD NHU PRROTICALLY THE SAME STORY ABOUT HO'S PREOCCUPATIONS. | | 10. FIELD DISSEM. . STATE (AMBASSADOR, DCM), USMACV (HARKINS ),. CINCPAC, PACFLT, PACAF, ARPAC. | a END OF MESSAGE — \ CLASSIFICATION -— DISSEMINATION CONTROLS mt: ” NO FOREIGN DISSEM/NO.DISSEM ARNOAD /BACKGROUND USE SONY C-O-N-F-I-D-B-N-T-I-A-L CONTROLLED DISSEM.