Document date: 10/18/1961
Document type: PAPER-TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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176-10036-10160

2022 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION FORM

AGENCY : NARA

RECORD NUMBER

: 176-10036-10160

RECORD SERIES : National Security Files

AGENCY FILE NUMBER :

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FROM :

TO :

TITLE :

DATE: 10/18/1961

PAGES: 1

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CURRENT STATUS :

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 9/10/2000

OPENING CRITERIA :

COMMENTS : National Security Files, Box 194. Box 2

MH 49061

DocId: 32626239

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SEE JAMIEU

. .

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SECRET

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16b

=*..

18 October 1961

1.

The following report has been received by CAS, Washington from

CAS, Saigon:

"A! Dr. Iran Kim Tuyen raised the issues stated in IDCS-3/490,238

(18 October 1961) himself with CAS representative and made a

very strong plea. that it be handled discreetly but to determine

what action could be undertaken. As alternative proposal to

sending Ngo Dinh Nhu to talk with President Kennedy and bring

back gospel, Dr. Tuyen suggested that General Lansdale 1n

capacity of

desired measures,.

especially the delegation of authority in a

friendly but firm heart-to-heart talk. Dr. luyen expressly

stated that President Dien would not take such advice fran

Ambassador, and cited the example of the serious breach

between Ambassador Durbrow and President Dien which was

occasioned by the former's blunt insistence on the need for

government reforms. Dr. Tuyen also ruled out any such récon-

mendations by General Taylor as inappropriate and unacceptable

to President Diem. Dr. "Tuyen said that only the Presidential

level should be used. (51c)

"B. Ambassador and political counselor briefed immediately

following the conversation on the above as well as the inform-

ation in TDCS- 3/490,238.

"C. In view of IDCS-3/490,238 and the close link of political

viewpoint of Dr.. Tuyen and Col. Nguyen Van Chau, believe both

may be singing different versions of the same tune. Will

try

to find out how President Diem's declaration of national

emergency of 18 October, and particularly the means of imple-

mentation, affect both.

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NH 19061 Docid:32626239 Page 2

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-2- 748, OCTOBER i9, 1 PM (SECTION TWO OF TWO) FROM SAIGON

ON THEIR OWN. ON RESUMPTION OF NORMAL UNIVERSITY LIFE, UNIVERSITY

OF HUE HAS REOPENED EXCEPT FOR MEDICAL FACULTY WHICH EXPECTED

OPEN THIS WEEK; HOWEVER, STUDENT ATTENDANCE FROM 60-70 PERCENT

AND GENERAL ATMOSPHERE AT UNIVERSITY REMAINS SULLEN. NO FIRM

INFORMATIOIN WHEN UNIVERSITY OF SAIGON MAY REOPEN, APPEARS. THAT

GVN NOW RPT NOW ATTEMFTING ASSESS WHETHER STUDENTS ACTUALLY

WILL ATTEND GLASSES IN SUFFICIENT NUMBERS TO GIVE

APPEARANCE OF NORMALCY

GVN GENERAL POSITION RE BUDDHISTS IS THAT BUDDHIST ISSUE

SOLVED. WHILE OVER ONE HUNDRED BUDDHIST BONZES ARE FAITHFUL

RELEASED FROM JAIL IN HUE RECENTLY, MANY REMAIN UNDER DETENTION

INCLUDING TWO LEADING BONZES WHO NEGOTIATED JOINT COMMUNIQUE

OF JUNE 16 AND RANKING LAY LEADER. SUCH ACTIONS TAKEN BY GVN

TO DATE CAN BE INTERPRETED AS MOVES ON GVN PART TO DEMONSTRATE

BUDDHIST PROBLEM. SOLVED RATHER THAN AS CONCESSIONS TO BUDDHISTS.

ALSO, SOME INDIGATION THAT GUN WILL NOT RPT NOT MOVE QUICKLY

TO REPEAL OR MODIFY DEGREE LAW 10% IN MEANTIME BUDDHIST FAITHFUL

STAYING AWAY FROM PAGODAS THROUGH FEAR OF GOVERNMENT REPRISALS.

IN SUM, GVN APPEARS BELIEVE ANY PREVIOUS CONCESSIONS. TO BUDDHIST

UNDER US PRESSURE ARE INTERPRETED BY BUDDHIST LEADERSHIP AS

WEAKNESS AND FURTHER CONCESSIONS NOT RPT NOT WARRANTED AND

SELF-DEFEATING.

NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO REPORT RE LAND REFORM, SIMILARLY FEW

RECENT INDICATIONS (IF ANY! RE SPECIFIC RE-EMPHASIS OF POLITICAL

ASPECTS OF STRATEGIE HAMLET FROGRAM, WICH WOULD BE GEARED

IN ANY EVENT TO TEMPO OF CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF

STRATEGIE HAMLETS, HAMLET ELECTIONS ARE PROCEEDING AS HAMLETS

BUILT AND ORGANIZED, SELF-HELP. PROJECTS

AND ECONOMIC FOLLOW-ON

ASSISTANCE IN DEVELOPMENT PHASE ARE RECEIVING GOOD RECEPTION

BY HAMLET POPULACE. CONCRETE BENEFITS CAN BE EXPECTED TO

RESULT IN PROGRESSIVE IDENTIFICATION OF. HAMLET POPULACE WITH

THE GOVERNMENT AT LEAST ON LOCAL LEVEL:

GN HAS NOT RPT NOT ABANDONED EXTREME POLICE MEASURES AND SHOWS

NO RPT NO INCLINATION DO SO IN IMMEDIATE FUTURE, NIGHT ARRESTS

CONTINUE ALTHOUGH ON REDUCED SCALE, SIMILARLY, NO RPT NO

ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN BY GVN TO RESTORE CIVIL LIBERTIES.

ON CONTRARY, ACTIONS TO DATE SEEM DESIGNED TO IMPRESS ANY

POTENTIAL OPPOSITIONISTS AMONG EDUCATED CLASSES THAT THEY CAN

NOT

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-3- 748, OCTOBER 19, 1 PM (SECTION TWO OF TWO) FROM SAIGON

NOT COUNT ON ANY GUARANTEES OF CIVIL LIBERTIES AND ARE AT MERCY

OF SECURITY ORGANS OF. THE REGIME.

WITH REGARD TO REFURBISHING GVN IMAGE THROUGH. BROADENING OF

GOVERNMENT, ETC; NO CONCRETE ACTIONS HAVE BEEN TAKEN. RUMORS

PERSIST THAT DIEM WILL ANNOUNCE CABINET CHANGES AND REALIGNMENT

CERTAIN GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS, HOWEVER, SHOULD THIS OCCUR. IT

LIKELY TO BE MERE WINDOW DRESSING SINCE MOST UNLIKELY. DIEM NOW

CONTEMPLATES ANY ACTION WHICH MIGHT UNDERMINE POWER POSITION

AND SOLIDARITY OF NGO FAMILY. WHILE WE CANNOT DISCOUNT POSSIBILITY

OF CABINET SHUFFLE FOR OPTICAL PURPOSES, WE SEE NO SIGNS

THAT

ANY REDUCTION OF INFLUENCE OF THE NHU'S IS IN THE OFFING.

IN FACT, HARASSMENT OF AMERICANS BOTH THROUGH NEWSPAPER ATTACKS,

ARRESTS OF EMBASSY AND USOM LOCAL EMPLOYEES, AND GENERAL

FREEZE ON NORMAL CONTACTS BETWEEN AMERICANS

AND THEIR VIETNAMESE

COUNTERPARTS WOULD INDICATE THAT FAMILY STILL BELIEVES IT

HAS STRONG CARDS TO PLAY.

AT THIS JUNCTURE LITTLE PROSPECT FOR PUBLIC AND OFFICIAL

STATEMENT BY DIEM BEFORE NATIONAL ASSEMOLY SETTING NEW TONE FOR

GOVERNMENT. DIEM'S SPEECH ON OCTOBER 7 CHARACTERIZED BY AMBIGUOUS

POSITION TOWARD US, A CALL FOR SELF-SUFFICIENCY WITH XENOPHOBIC

OVERTONES, A CATALOGUE OF NATIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND AN

EFFORT TO BLAME NEGATIVE FACTORS ON COMMUNISTS AND OTHER

MACHINATIONS FROM OUTSIDE SVN.

6. US/GVN RELATIONS: NO RPT NO GENERAL IMPROVEMENT HAS BEEN

NOTED IN GUN CAMPAIGN OF DIVISIVE PRESS ATTACKS ON CIA, USIS,

EMBASSY, ETC. RECENT TREND IS TO PLÄCE: BLAME ON US GOVERNMENT

RATHER THAN SINGLING OUT SPECIFIC AGENCIES.. WHILE. CAMPAIGN

WAXES AND WANES, MAJOR THRUST IS STILL ONE OF CONFRONTATION

WITH US POLICY AS GVN WISHES TO INTERPRET IT.

GN. APPEARS TO HAVE FOCUSED ON PARAGRAPH IN WHITE HOUSE

STATEMENT OF OCTOBER 3 ON SERIOUSNESS OF POLITICAL SITUATION

AS INDICATION US WILL CONTINUE APPLY PRESSURE FOR POLITICAL

CHANGES WHICH THEY NOT PREPARED GRANT. WE BELIEVE US PROGRAM

OF PRESSURES HAVE PUT DIEM/NHU OFF-BALANCE AND THEY ATTEMPTING

ASSESS STRENGTH OF US RESOLVE; HOWEVER TOO EARLY JUDGE ULTIMATE

/OUTCOME.

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