176-10036-10090 t JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION FORM AGENCY : NARA - RECORD NUMBER : 176-10036-10090 RECORD SERIES : National Security Files AGENCY FILENUMBER : ORIGINATOR : CIA FROM : | TO : TITLE : Central Intelligence Agency information Report DATE : 11/26/1962 PAGES : 3 SUBJECTS : ~ DOCUMENT TYPE : CLASSIFICATION : RESTRICTIONS : CURRENT STATUS : DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 9/10/2000 OPENING CRITERIA : ‘ COMMENTS : National Security Files, Box 197: Vietnam, 11/62. Box 2
tae \ \ SAAN YIg WOT LAID 115 TER VET tet ee oy 5 CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY This material contains information aflecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionege Laws, Title 16, Use Secs “793 and 194, the transmission of revelation of which in any manner to an unsuihorued eerion is prohibited by lew CON FIDENTIAL CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS (When Filled In) NO -FORE IGN DISSEM Lh “7 COUNTRY SOUTH VIETNAM rerortNO. ToCS ~3/529,470 SUBJECT PROGRESS OF FREE ELECTIONS IN DATE DISTR. 26 -NOVEMBER 196 e~ ner , STRATEGIC HAMLETS ; . H 3 -€ a€ i PRECEDENCE ROUTINE fies INFO. ‘PLACES = VIETNAM, SAIGON (24 NovemBeR 1962) DATE ACO. : ' Bo} APPRAISAL 3 FIELD REPORTNO, —-*FYS~O2T7 THis is UNEVALUATED infoRMATION, SOURCE GRADINGS ARE DEFINITIVE. APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE. SOURCE — 1. DO CAO MINH, SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, CONJECTURED IN LATE NOVEMBER 1962 THAT THE MOST SIGNIFICANT LONG. | TERM ASPECT OF THE STRATEGIC HAMLET PROGRAM MAY WELL BE THE CONCEPT OF FREE ELECTIONS AT THE HAMLET LEVEL, AND THE EVOLUTION OF THE ELECTED ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEES AND ADVISORY COUNCILS INTO THE FIRST ORGANIZED ADMINISTRATIVE ENTITIES BELOW THE VILLAGE LEVEL, THE PROGRAM IN EACH AREA WILL BE ADVANCED OR RETARDED ACCORDING TO THE ABILITY OF THE INDIVIDUAL CIVIC ACTION PERSONNEL SENT INTO THE HAMLETS TO ORGANIZE INSTITUTIONS, INCLUDING ELECTIONS, MUCH ALSO WILL DEPEND ON THE ABILITY (OF THE PROVINCE AND. DISTRICT CHIEFS TO ADAPT THEIR THINKING TO THE NEW CONCEPTS. THUS, WITH CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS CONFIDENTIAL NO FOREIGN DISSEM oe vacaneten se (15-20) faa Ka OBSOLETE PREVIOUS EDITIONS. we os
CLASSIFICATION. — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS ‘(When Filled: ‘inj : CONFIDENTIAL : a) FORE DSS a os -5e5 80 : DEA RTH OF HIGHLY ¢ CAPABLE ADMINISTRATORS FREE FROM TRADITIONAL AUTOCRATIC PROCEDURES, THE PROBLEM WILL’BE ONE OF TRAINING AND INDOCTRINATION, “MINH, WHO HAD THE TASK OF SPONSORING THE | "ORIGINAL STRATEGIC HAMLET PROGRAM IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, AND 2 HAS BEEN CAREFULLY FOLLOWING ITS SEVERAL NECESSARY MODIFICATIONS, | STATED THAT. HE WAS NOT YET SURE WHETHER THE STRATEGIC HAMLET TRAINING SCHOOL: AT THI NGHE WAS GETTING ACROSS TO THE STUDENT 2 ADMINISTRATORS THE FULL SCOPE AND INTENT OF THE PROGRAM, FOR | THIS REASON, HE PLANNED TO ATTEND THE NEXT COURSE AT TH! NGHE | 2-15 DECEMBER AND, INSOFAR AS HIS POSITION ALLOWS, TO 7 PART.LCIPATE AS AN ORDINARY STUDENT. | 2, AS FOR IMPLEMENT ING THE ELECTORAL PROCESS IN STRATEGIC HAMLETS, MINH CANDIDLY ADMITTED THAT RESULTS HAVE BEEN UNEVEN, ‘ IN SOME AREAS ELECTIONS HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN THE DESIRED SPIRIT. OF FREEDOM, WHEREAS IN OTHER AREAS ADMINISTRATORS HAVE. BEEN "OVERS ZEALOUS IN EXERTING CONTROL EVEN AFTER COMPLETION OF THE SECURITY SCREENING PROCESS, WHILE THEIR INSTRUCT IONS REQUIRE A CLEAR CHOICE BY. SECRET ‘BALLOT BETWEEN INDIV#DUAL CANDIDATES ON AT LEAST TWO SLATES, THEIR ARBITRARY ACTIONS HAVE “IN SOME INSTANCES VITIATED THE SPIRIT OF EDUCATING THE PEOPLE” ON. THE PRIVILEGES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF FREE ELECTIONS. -3.- ELECTIONS OF ANY. TYPE: HAVE BEEN HELD IN ONLY. ABOUT 600, a "CLASSIFICATION — ‘DISSEMINATION. ‘CONTROLS
CLASSIFICATION: _ ~ DISSEMINATION CONTROLS (When Filled In) | CONFIDENTIAL HO FORE DSSeal _ 00s 3/50, ‘70 AND NOT MORE THAN 700, OF ote arproxinare 1800 STRATEGIC HAMLETS THAT MAY ACTUALLY BE CONSIDERED AS COMPLETED, 1.E., WHERE PERIMETER DEFENSES HAVE BEEN. CONSTRUCTED AND WHERE BASIC ORGAN! ZAT IONAL TASKS HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED, (FIELD COMMENT: THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR REPORTED 2872 STRATEGIC HAMLETS COMPLETED BY 30 AUGUST 1962, WHICH IS.OVER 1000 MORE. THAN THE FIGURE GIVEN BY MINH, ON THE WHOLE, PROGRESS, ALBEIT SLOW, HAS BEEN GOOD, CONSIDERING THE DIFFICULTIES® INVOLVED. ONCE A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF GOOD EXAMPLES EXIST, THE PROGRAM SHOULD GATHER / MOMENTUM.) 0 | | 4. FIELD DISSEM, STATE ARMY NAVY AIR USMACV MAAG USOM CINCPAC PACFLT ARPAC PACAF 9TH FIELD STATION 2ND AIR DIV USIS. END OF MESSAGE CLASSIFICATION = ~ DISSEMINATION CONTROLS AO Tui bist oiSStil wit CONFIDENTIAL