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176-10038-10005

JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION FORM

AGENCY : NARA

RECORD NUMBER : 176-10038-10005

RECORD SERIES : personal Papers of Roger Hilsman

AGENCY FILE NUMBER :

ORIGINATOR : CIA

FROM :

TO :

TITLE : Information Report

DATE : 7/16/1962

PAGES : 9

SUBJECTS :

DOCUMENT TYPE :

CLASSIFICATION :

RESTRICTIONS :

CURRENT STATUS :

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 9/10/2000

OPENING CRITERIA :

COMMENTS : Hilsman, Countries, Vietnam, 3/1/62-7/27/62, box 3. Box 8.

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TELEGRAM

sanitized unde: Rac let

INFORMATION REPORT

"H

TELEGRAM

CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY

This

nolerial contains: information affecing the National Defense.of the. United States within the meaning of the Esplonoge Laws, Title 18, U.S.C. Secs

793

and 794, the tranimission or sevalation. of which in any. manner to an unautherized persen is prohibited by law:

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COUNTRY

SOUTH VIETNAM

REPORT NO. TDCSDB-3/650, 769

SUBJECT

ANALYSIS OF THE STRATEGIC. HAMLETS'

PROGRAM AND OF THE MONTAGNARD SITUATION

IN SOUTH VIEINAM

DATE DISTR.. 16 JULY 1962

PRECEDENCE ROUTINE

DATE OF

I JULY 1962.

REFERENCES

IN

INFO:

PLACE &

VIETNAM, SAIGON (11 JULY 1962)

DATE ACQ.

APPRAISAL

2

FIELD REPORT NO.

THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION. SOURCE GRADINGS ARE DEFINITIVE. APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE

SOURCE AN AMERICAN OBSERVER (B).

STRATEGIC HAMLETS' PROGRAM

1. IN ASSESSING THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS: PROGRAM IN. JULY 1962, IT IS

IMPORTANT TO MAKE THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE PROGRAM AS A GENERALIZED NATIONAI

RAILYING SIMBOL AND AS A SPECIFIC TACTIC COUNTERINSURGENCY CAMPAIGNY. IN THE

FORMER SENSE, THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS' PROGRAM HAS GROWN IN RECENT MONIHS INTO THE

GOVERNMENT OF VIETVA'S (GVN) MAJOR IDEOLOGICAI AND INSTITUTIONAL TOOL IN

ATHIEMPTING TO GENERATE POPULAR CONSENSUS IN SUPPORT OF ITS EFTORTS TO DEFEAT THE

ENEMY •

THIS WAS MADE CLEAR IN PRESIDENT NGO DINE DIEM'S DOUBLE SEVEN MESSAGE ON

THE EIGHTH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS ACCESSION TO POWER.

HE PROCLAIMED THIS THE YEAR OF

STRATEGIC HAMLETS, DESCRIBING THEIR ESTABLISEMENT AS CONSTITUTING "THREEFOLD

POLITICAL, SOCIAL AND MILITARY REVOLUTION ADAPTED TO UNDERDEVELOFED COUNTRIES.

encinted from automatic

Twingranny In

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STATE

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ARMY /ACSI

NAVY AIR ICS

ONLY

SECDEF

TELEGRAM

INFO

RMATION REPORT

TELEGRAM

C1)

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TWO:

STRATEGIC HAMLETS BRING THE SOLUTION TO OUR TRIPLE STRUGGIE AGAINST UNDERDEVELOP-

MENT, DISUNITY AND COMMUNISM,"' DIEM DEFINES A STRATEGIC HAMET AS "MILITANT

DEMOCRACY IN UNDERDEVELOPED COUNTRIES, •

.. THE GAINING OF LIBERTY, OF HARAS

CORPUS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE BY ALI. THE PEOPLE, LIBERATING THEM FROM THE GRIP OF ALI

DETERMINISMS. "

2.

THESE CONCEPTS ARE NOT NEW, HAVING FEEN FREQUENTLY EXPRESSED BY NGO

DINH NHU, BROTHER AND POLITICAL ADVISOR OF. PRESIDENT DIEM, DURING THE PAST YEAR.

IN HIS EFFORTS TO ARTICULATE THE STRAIGIC FAMLETS CONCEPT AND BRING IT INTO

SHARPER FOCUS. IT IS ENCOURAGING, HOWEVER, THAT THE PRESIDENT SAW. FIT TO EMBRACE

THESE IDEAS AND MAKE. THEM THE MAIN THEME OF HIS DOUBLE SEVEN MESSAGE. HITHERTO;

THERE HAS BEEN SOME INDICATION THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS NOT ENTIRELY SOLD ON THE

PROGRAM. NHU AND OTHER GVN SPOKESMEN HAVE BEEN AT PAINS TO MAKE CLEAR THAT THE:

STRATEGIC HAMLETS' PROGRAM IS IN THE MAINSIREAM OF THE "PERSONALIST" PHLLOSOPHY,

WHICH THEY CONSIDER SOUTH VIETNAM'S ALTERNATIVE TO COMMUNISM ON THE ONE HAND, AND

WESTERN-TYPE LIBERALISM ON THE OTHER. WHATEVER MERITS THIS PHILOSOPEY HAS IT HAS

SUFFERED FROM DIFTUSENESS AND ITS LACK OF DISCERNIBLE APPLICATION TO DAY TO DAY

PROBLEMS. BY TYING IT TO THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS CONCEPT, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THEY

HAVE FINALLY FOUND A MUCH NEEDED FOCUS, WHICH MAY SERVE TO AROUSE A CERIAIN AMOUNT

OF SUPPORT FROM AMONG THOSE INEELLECTUALS WHO ARE NOT IRREPARABLY ALTENATED FROM

THE DIEM REGIME.

•3.'

NHU AND OTHER SUPPORTERS OF THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS' PROGRAM SEEM QUITE

AWARE OF THE NEED TO DESCEND EROM

PLATN OF PEILOSOPHY IN ORDER TO. MAKE THE

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PROGRAM ATIRACTIVE TO THE PEASANTS WHO ARE THE MAIN TARGET. IN A RECENT CON-

VERSATION WITH NEU, HE STATED THAI HERETOFORE, THE APPEAL THAI THE VIEINAMESE

COMMUNISTS (VC) HAD FOR THE PEASANTS WAS IN TERMS OF THE PRIVATE AND IMMEDIATE

INTERESTS OF THE PEASANTS, WITH THE LATTER PERSUADED OR DELUDED INTO BELIEVING

THE VC .COULD BEST LOOK TO THEIR MATERIAL NEEDS. (FIELD COMMENT. SEE FVS-7609,

TDCS-3/516,128.) THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS' PROGRAM IS TO

COUNTER THIS APPEAL BY PROVING TO THE PEASANTS. THAT THE GVIN CAN HELP ORGANIZE

THE DEFENSES AGAINST THE VC WHILE AT THE SAME TIME GIVING THEM TANGIBLE EENEFITS

WHICH WILL CONVINCE THEM THAT THEY HAVE A STAKE IN THE SUPPORT OF THE GVN AND THE

DEFEAT OF THE ENEMY. THE EXIENT TO WHICH THE GOVERNMENT CAN ACTUATE THE PROMISE

OF A "TRIPLE REVOLUTION" IN THE COUNTRYSIDE MAY IN THE LONG RUN BE THE MOST

IMPORTANT RESULT OF THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS' PROGRAM, OUTWEIGHING THE IMMEDIATE

TACTICAL ADVANIAGE.

4.

AS A TACTIC OF THE COUNTSRINSURGENCY PROGRAM, IT SHOULD BE EMPHASIZED

THAT THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS CONSTUTUTE ONLY ONE OF A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT APPROACHES

BEING DEVELOPED TO PACIFY FEE COURTSIDE, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A GENERAI

TENDENCY, EVEN AMONG THE VIETNAMESE, TO LUMP ALL THE APPROACHES TOGETHER UNDER

THE GENERAL TERM OF STRATEGIC HAMLET..

UNDER CURRENT GVN PLANNING, THE STRATEGIC

HAMLETS PER SE ARE A PREVENTIVE MECHANISM AIVED AT ARRESTING THE EROSION OF THE:

GOVERNMENT CONTROL AND PRESENCE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE. THE STRAIEGIC HAMLETS ARE

BEING CONSTRUCIED IN WHAT NHU CALIS "A"' AREAS, I.E., AREAS WHERE THE VC THREAT

IS LEAST SERIOUS AND WHERE THE GOVERNMENT CAN ORGANIZE THE VILLAGE DEFENSES MOST "

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QUICKLY AND WITH THE LEAST EXPENDITURE OF THE OVEREXTENDED CONVENTIONAL MILITARY

CAPABILITY. IN THESE HAMLEIS, PEASANTS GENERALLY MUST LOOK AFTER THEIR OWN

DEFENSE. IN "B" AREAS, PROVISION HAS BEEN MATE, IN THEORY AT LEAS, FOR OUTSIDE

HELP. FROM CIVIL GUARD • SELF-DEFENSE CORPS FORCES, AND IN SOME CASES FROM THE

VIETVAMESE NATIONAL ARMY (UNA) ELEMENDS. IN "C" AREAS, WHICH ARE DEEP IN THE

TERRITORY CONTROLLED BY THE VC, THE CONCEPT IS TO ESTABLISH LARGE SETTLEMENTS

REMINISCENT OF DIEM'S EARLTER ACROVILIES, INTO WHICH EVEN THE VC WOULD BE HERDED

AND KEPT, PENDING "RE-EDUCATION" AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE SECURITY SITUATION. THIS

KIND OF RESETTLEMENT LARGELY AWAIT THE FUTURE, AND IS PERHAPS THE MOST DEBATABLE

FEATURE OF CURRENT GN PLANS. THE FOURTH TYPE OF HAMLE'T DEFENSE NOW ENVISAGED BY

NEU, IS A STRING OF KIBBUTZ-TYPE POSTS TO WHICH YOUNG, HIGHLY MOTIVATED FAMILIES

WOULD BE SENT TO LIVE ON A PERMANENT BASIS IN AREAS ADJACENT TO VC SIRONGHOLDS.

5.. THE TECHNIQUES USED IN THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS' PROGRAM, IN OPERATION

SUNRISE, AND IN OTHER PROGRAMS ARE INCREASINGLY BEING INCORPORAIED INTO OVER-ALL

PROVINCE PACIFICATION PROGRAMS, OF WHICH OPERATION HAI XEN IT IN PHU YEN PROVINCE

IS A PROTOTYPE. TWO MORE PLANS, FOR BINE DINH AND QUANG NGAI PROVINCES IN CENTRAL

VIE IVAM, ARE CURRENTLY BEING PLANNED AND THE OUTLOOK IS FOR SEVERAI, MORE IN THE

NEXT FEW MONTHS.

6. BY 30 JUNE 1962 THERE WERE APPROX IMAGELY &, 000 STRATEGIC HAMLETS

ALREADY COMPLETED,. WHICH REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF 1,300 SINCE JANUARY 1962,

INDICATING A MONTHLY CONSTRUCTION RATE OF SOMETHING OVER 200. GVN SOURCES CLAIM

THAT 7,000 ARE SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION BY THE END OF THE YEAR. QUALITATIVELY,

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THERE IS CONSIDERABLE VARIATION, SOME B

SOME BEING VIRTUAL FORTRESSES AND OTHERS HAVING

ONLY TOKEN SIZE FENCES OR OTHER DEFENSIVE DEVICES, WHICH COULD BE RASILY BREACHED

BY THE VC IN THE PAST, MUCH HAS DEPENDED ON THE DEGREE OF ENERGY, INITIATIVE AND

RESOURCES OF THE

PROVINCE CHIEF, AS WELL AS HIS UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT NEU AND OTHER

NATIONAL LEADERS WANIED IN TERMS OF STRATEGIC HAMLETS. IT IS HOPED THAT SOME

STANDARDIZATTON EFFORT WILL ENSUE AS THE PROGRAM BECOMES MORE CLEARLY DEFINED,

ESPECIALLY THROUGH THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS' CADRE SCHOOL, THE SECOND COURSE OF

WHICH BEGAN ON 2 JULY.

7•

GEOGRAPHICALLY, THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS ARE WIDELY DISTRIBUTED.

BY 30

JUNE, ABOUT 950 HAD BHEN CONSIRUCIED IN THE VNA III CORPS AREA, OF WHICH OVER 300

WERE BUILT IN THE SINGLE PROVINCE OF VINE BINH; 858 IN THE II CORPS AREA, 173 IN

DARLAC PROVINCE AND 164 IN BINE DINE PROVINCE; AND, 195 IN THE I CORPS AREA, WITH

85 IN QUANG NAM.

THE LOW RATE IN THE VNA I CORPS AREA MAY REFLECT IN PART NGO

DINH CAN'S OFTEN REPORTED COOLNESS TOWARD THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS' CONCEPT. _ THERE

HAVE BEEN INDICATIONS RECENTLY, HOMEVER, THAT CAN HAS REACHED AT LEAST TACIT

UNTERSTANDING WITH HIS EROTHER NGO DINE NHU TO EXCHANCE GREATER SUPPORI FOR THE

STRATEGIC HAMLETS FOR FULIER SAIGON SUPPORT OF CAN'S CHERISHED REGIONAL FORCES:

PROGRAM

8.

GENERALLY, THE PRESENT STRATEGIC JAMIETS. ARE. BEING. CONSTRUCIED IN SAFER

AREAS AWAY FROM THE MAIN CONCENTRATIONS OF VC STRENGIE. THIS DOES NOT MEAN,

FOREVER, THAT THEY ARE NOT WITHIN STRIKING DISTANGE OF VE ELEMENTS SUFFICIENILY

STRONG TO ATTACK ISÓLATED HAMLETS WITH SERIOUS EFFECT. TO DATE, THERE HAVE BEEN

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ONLY A FEW SCATIERED INSTANCES OF VC ATTACKS ON STRATEGIC HAMLETS, BUT THE PACE

IS EXPECTED TO STEP. UP CONSIDERABLY, PARTICULARLY AT THE END OF THE RAINY SEASON.

THAT THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS' PROGRAM IS BOTHERING THE VC IS WELL DOCUMENTED IN THE

FORM OF VIRULENT PROPAGANDA ATTACKS BY RADIO HANOI AND BY NATIONAL PRONT FOR THE

LIBERATION OF VIETNAM OUTLETS, IN ADDITION TO CAPTURED DOCUMENTS AND AGENT REPORTS,

WHICH INDICATE THE PROBLEM OF HOW TO COPE WITH THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS IS NOW ONE

tata: +55 1007566

OF THE MAIN VC PREOCCUPATIONS. THIS PAST SPRING TERRE WERE SEVERAI: INSTANCES OF

VC ATTACKS ON LARGER AGROVILLES AND LAND DEVELOPMENT CENTERS, WHICH MAY SUGGEST

SOME CONFUSION IN THE VC MINDS, AS WELL AS THE WESTERN, AS TO THE DISTINCTION

BETWEEN STRATEGIC. HAMLETS AND. OTHER DEFENDED INSTALLATIONS:

AT THE PRESENT STAGE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS' PROGRAM,

ONE MAJOR WEAKNESS IS THE HIT AND MISS CONSTRUCTION WITH THE INSUFFICIENT INTEGRA-

TION OF HAMLET DEFENSES INTO OVER-ALL DISTRICT AND PROVINCIAL SECURITY PLANS

HAMLETS THUS VARY CONSIDERABLY IN VULNERARILITY TO VE ATTACK. LOCAL OBSERVERS

RIGHTLY STATE THAT UNTIL THE COUNTRY IS CONSIDERABLY MORE SATURATED WITH STRAIEGIC

HAMLETS, MANY OF THOSE ALPADY IN BEING WILL BE EXPOSED IO VC DESTRUCTION. I

BEST WAY TO USE THE STRATEGIC FAMIS AS A TACTIC IN THE COUNUERINSURGENCY PROCRAM

IS, WHEN POSSIBLE, TO MAKE THEIR PHASED CONSIRUCTION AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE

BROADER PACIFICATION PROGRAMS, EXTENDING PHESE PRACTICABLE TO PROVINCE WIDE SCOPE.

THIS IS ONE OF THE MORE ATTRACTIVE ASPECTS OF FAI YEN II IN PHU YEN PROVINCE,

WHERE CONSTRUCTION OF STRATEGIC HAMLETS WAS CAREFULLY PHASED WITH OTHER ASPECTS OF

THE PLAN, SUCH AS AVAILABILITY OF CIVIC ACTION TEAMS, EMPLACAMENT OF VILLAGE

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DEFENDERS, AND THE GRADUAL DISPLACEMENI OF THE VC BACK TOWARD THE MOUNTAINS.

5:029

10.

AS TO THE OVER-ALL POPULAR REACTION TO THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS! PROGRAM;

IT MUST BE CONFESSED THAT, AS IN MANY OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SITUATION IN SOUTH

1FV03

VIETNAM, IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULI TO COME UP WITH FIRM GENERALIZATIONS. PEASANT

REACTION VARIES FROM DISTRICT TO DISTRICT AND FROM PROVINCE TO PROVINCE DEPENDING

ON HOW THE QUESTION IS EANDLED BY IHE RESPECTIVE AUTHORITIES. IN CERTAIN CASES,

WHERE PEASANTS HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY HARASSED OR ATTACKED BY THE VC, THEY OFTEN WELCOME

OR SEEK SELF-DEFENSE. IN OTHER INSTANCES, THE PEASANTS REPORTEDLY FEEL SOME

lat?

INITIAL RESENIMENT AT CHANGES ENFORCED IN THEIR WAY OF LIFE AND IMPOSED BY THE

wit

PROCRAM, AS WELL AS AT THE EXACTIONS OF MONEY AND LABOR. IN SOME CASES AT LEAST,

INITIAL COOLNESS LARGELY DISAPPEARS AS ADVANTAGES OF THE PROGRAM BECOME MANIFEST.

ONE OF THE MOST ENCOURAGING DEVELOPMENTS IS THE TREND TOWARD THE ELECTION OF

tisf

HAMLET COUNCILS.

11:

IN SUM, THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS' PROGRAM IS DEFINITELY MOVING FORWARD,

BOT AS AN ORGANIZING PRINCIPLE AROUND WHICH THE WHOLE GYN COUNTERINSURGENCY

PROGRAM. HAS A FAIR CHANCE OF BEING SOLD TO THE PEOPLE, AND AS A SPECIFIC TACTIC

IN PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF VC INFLUENCE AMONG THE PEOPLE. BUT STRATEGIC HAMLETS

THAT

IN THEMSELVES ARE NOT SUFFICIENT TO CARRY THE DAY AGAINST A STILL STRONG AND

DETERMINED ENEMY:

UNTIL. THEY ARE SUPPLEVENJED BY

BROADER PACIFICATION PROGRAMS

INVOLVING A WIDE VARIETY OF COUNTERINSURGENCY MEASURES, THEY REMAIN VULNERABLE TO

VC COUNTERMEASURES.

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„.ai.:

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PAGE "EIGHT

MONTAGNARD SITUATION

3 2 122440

12. A MIXED AMERICAN-GVN TEAM IS CURRENTLY MAKING A SYSTEMATIC SURVEY OF

BICHUEEN PROVINCES IN WELCE THE MONTACARDS LIVE. UNTIL THE SURVEY IS CONSTEL

AND THE RESULTS ARE MADE AVAILABLE, FULE STATISTICAL EXPOSITION OF THE PROBLEM

CANNOT BE PROVIDED. IN THE FIRST FOUR PROVINCES VISITED (DARLAC, TUYEN DUC, LIAM

DỌNG, AND NINH THUAN), SOME 18,000 OUT OF A TOTAL MONTAGNARD POPULATION OF ABOUT

165,000 HAVE MOVED AHAY FROM THEIR NORMAL LIVING AREAS IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS

ON

THE BASIS OF THE SURVEYS OF THESE PROVINCES, AND SOME SUBSEQUENTLY VISITED, THE

TEAM HAS REACHED THE CONCLUSION THAT THERE HAS BEEN EXTENSIVE RELOCATION OF THE

MONTAGNARDS DURING THE PAST SIX MONTS, STEMMING FROM A COMBINATION OF FACTORS,

INCLUDING FEAR OF THE VC, RESENIMENT OF THE ENEMY CONFISCATION. OF MUCH OF THE

FOOD SUPPLY, AND A NEW FOUND RESPECT FOR THE POWER THE GUN LAS MANDESTED IN

BOMBING ATTACKS AND THE USE OF HELICOPTERS, IN SOME INSTANCES, HOWEVER, MOVEMENT

HAS BEEN AT THE INVITATION OF THE GVN IN ACCORDANCE WITH LONG-TERM PLANS 10

RESETTLE TRIBEMEN. THUS THE MOVEMENT OF 4,500 OF THE 11, 000 MONTAGNARDS IN

TUYEN DUC PROVINCE WAS MADE AT THE INVITATION OF PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS TO AREAS

19 103 W?

PREPARED IN ADVANCE. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TUYEN DUC PROVINCE, WHERE THERE ARE

6 is

rite

10, 000 REFUGEES, MANY OF WHOM SEEM IN NEED OF IMMEDIATE PROVINSION OF FOOD AND

OTHER ESSENTIALS, MOST OF THE PROVINCES VISITED TO DATE ARE- NOT CONSIDERED TO

2747

HAVÉ EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. IN TERMS OF MONTAGNARDS NEEDS. IT IS BECOMING

Missi

d:T29

??C1241

INCREASINGLY APPARENT, HOWEVER, THAT THE GN AND THE UNITED STATES ARE FACED WITH

-A LONG TERM PROBLEM- IN LOOKING AFTER UPROOTED MONTAGNARDS; EICHER BY MAKENG

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PAE? NINE

SETTLEMENT IN THE PRESENT LOCATIONS PALATABLE TO THEM, OR PREFERABLY, IN CREATING

CONDITIONS OF SECURITY NECESSARY TO INSPIRE THEM TO RETURN TO THEIR ORIGINAL

LOCALES. WHATEVER INSPIRATION THEIR MOVEMENT TOWARD GVN-CONTROLLED CENTERS, GVN

IS FACED WITH THE OPPORTUNITY AND CHALLENGE TO FORCE A NEW AND BETTER RELATIONSHIP

WITH THE TRIBAL PEOPLE. FAILURE TO DO SO COULD CONCEIVABLY MEAN THE LOSS OF THE

ENTIRE PLATEAU AND MOUNTAIN AREAS TO THE COMMUNISTS.

13. IT IS HOPED THAT WHEN THE CURRENT SURVEY IS COMPLETED, THE SITUATION :

WILI, BE CLARIFIED, AND THE GVN AND AMERICAN AGENCIES WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD

WITH MORE EXFEDITIOUS ACTION. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT BY PROVIDING AN ALLOCATION OF

FIFTY MILLION PIASIERS DIRECTLY TO THE PROVINCE CHIEFS, A GREATER FLEXIBILITY IN

DEALING WITH THE VARYING PROBLEMS IN CONNECTION WITH THE MONTAGNARDS IN DIFFERENT

PROVINCES WILL BE ACHTEVED.

14. FIELD DISSEM. CINCPAC ARPAC PACAF PACFLT.

END OF MESSAGE

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