Embtel 748
Originator: DOS
From: Saigon
To: Secretary of State
Document date: 10/19/1963
Document type: PAPER-TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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176-10036-10158

2023 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

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

Cables. Box 2

COMMENTS : National Security Files, Box 201: Vietnam, 10/15/63-10/28/63, State

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wH

INCOMING TELEGRAM

Action

SS

Info

Department of State

SEE SANTITED VERSION NI. U -82-156: NA 02-325

TOP SECRET

Control: 15256

Rec'd:

OCTOBER 19, 1963

6:56 AM

FROM: SAIGON

TO:

EVES ONLY

NO:

Secretary of State

748, OCTOBER 19, 1 PM (SECTION ONE OF TWO)

ACTION DEPARTMENT 748, INFORMATION CINCPAC 430.

008

cytt 2 of Sectin

pto destr

45/0t

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.

1. 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) IN 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 I2D TO DOLLAR OR FIND INVESTMENTE YIELDING HAFD CURRENCY

RETURN (SEE EMBTEL 715 PARAGRAPH 7) • COMMODITIES AND RELATED

TRADES PRIMARILY AFFECTED ARE SUGARS FLOUR, CONDENSED MILK,

AND CEMENT• WHILE REPORTS STILL SOMEWHAT CONFLICTING CONCERN

IN BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AND TO CERTAIN EXTENT IN GENERAL PUBLIC,

HAS DEFINITELY DEEPENED OVER PAST FEW DAYS (SEE BELOW) •

REACTION BY GVN TO US MEASURES CONTINUES IN SUBTERRANEAN

NAYS: WE HEAR CONTINUED RUMORS, PROBABLY OFFIGIALLY INSPIRED COPY IS

TOP SECRETE

REPRODUCTION FROM THIS

PROHIBITED UNLESS "UNCLASSIFIED"

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c2= 748, OCTOBER 190 1 PM (SECTION ONE OF TWO) ,. FROM SAIGON

OF PLANS FOR SACKING EMBASSY AND USISO TIMES OF VIETNAM HAS

CONTINUED ITS DRUMFIRE OF ARTICLES STRONGLY SUPPORTING GVN .

POLICIES AND ATTACKING ELEMENTS OF US MISSION ALLEGEDLY OPPOSING

GN BY OVERT AND COVERT MEANS. REPORTS FROM VARIOUS SOURCES

INDICATE GN CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN PLANNING BELT-TIGHTENING

• MEASURES.

20 ECONOMIC. KEY PRICES OF IMPORTS DURING WEEK REVERSED. PATTERN

AND TOCK LONG-EXPECTED RISE. MOST IMPORTANT WERE SWEETENED

CONDENSED MILK (BY UP TO ID PERCENT, DEPENDING ON BRAND),

VIHEAT. FLOUR (33 PERCENT), AND CEMENT (30 PERCENT), AS WELL

AS CHEMICAL PRODUCTS, SOME IRON AND STEEL PRODUCTS IN SHORTEST

SUPPLY, AND MISCELLANEOUS MANUFACTURED IMPORTSO

FAILURE TO RISE PREVIOUSLY IN SPITE OF EXPECTED SHORTAGES WAS

REPORTEDLY GN: INSPIRED BELIEF PROCUREMENT AUTHORIZATIONS

WOULD BE ISSUED MIC-OCTOBER. TRADE SOURCES REPORT THERE HAD

BEEN SOME QUIET SPECULATIVE BUYING. NOW CANNED MILK AND FLOUR

HARDER TO FIND, AND EVN LIMITING MARKETING OF LAST FLOUR

SHIPMENTS AND. IS 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

BUILDING; RECENT RISE BRINGS FRICE ONLY TO OFFICIAL LEVEL.

WHOLESALE RICE PRICE ALSO ROSE & PERCENT SINCE SEPTEMBER 24,

FOLLOWING IT DOG-TON SALE PHILIPPINES, 38, DOSS TONS OF WHICH..

WAS FROM PRIVATE STÜCKSO GUN REQUIRED EXPORTERS DELIVER EQUAL

AMOUNT NO.. I RICE TO SECURITY STOCK, CREAMING PRESSURE ON MARKET:

RISE KEY ITEMS TOUCHED OFF RISE SOME OTHER PRICES, PARTICULARLY

FOODSTUFFS, EVEN THOUGH NO RPT NO SHORTAGE WAS IMMINENT.

THO COMMERCIAL BANKS REPORT RISE IN DEMAND DEPOSITS, NO RPT

NO CHANGE IN LOANS, WHICH DIFFICULT EXPLAIN: BLACK MARKET

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12%

28

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-3= 748, OCTOBER 195 1 PM (SECTION ONE OF TWO) & FROM SAIGON

RATE ON PIASTER CLIMBED 15 PERCENT TO 128, AND THERE IS SPECULATION

IN GOLD.

IN SUM, IMPACT ON GUN 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 CONTINUED PRESSURE.

3. ASSISTANCE TO VIETNAMESE SPECIAL FORCES. THUAN AND GEN

DON PERSONALLY ADVISED ON 17 OCT THAT MAP AND/OR CIA SUPPORT

OF RUNAF AIRBORNE RANGER COMPANIES, CIVILIAN AIRBORNE RANGER

COMPANIES AND CIVIL 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: ADVANGE COPY DELIVERED TO S/S-O AT 8:83 AM OCTOBER, 19TH.

PASSEU WHITE HOUSE 7:50 AM 1D/19/63

PASSED OSD 7:55 AM. 1D,19/63.

PASSED CIA 8:04 AM 19/19/63

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.. ...

28

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_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.

LODGE

REE

NOTE: ADVANCE COPY TO 5/5-0 AT 10:15 AM 10/19/63

NOTE: PASSED WHITE HOUSE AT 10:25 AM 10/19/63

NOTE: PASSED OSD AT 10:35 AM 10/19/63

NOTE: PASSED CIA AT 11:00 AM 10/19/63

#AS RECEIVED. WILL BE SERVICED UPON REQUEST.

TOP

SECRET

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## Page 6

INCOMING TELEGRAM

Department of State

TOP SECRET

a8

H

Action.

SS

Info

Control: 15281

Rec'd:

OCTOBER

:19, 1963

8:35 AM

LIES OMY

FROM: SAI GON

003

TO: Secretary of State

NO: 748, OCTOBER 19, 1 PM (SECTION TWO OF TWO)

of Sache

11/8/67

ACTION DEPARTMENT 748, INFORMATION CINCAC 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 ON 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 I NOVEMBER.

B. PREVIOUSLY PROPOSED SUGGESTION TO PLACE VIETNAMESE SPECIAL

FORCES ELEMENTS OPERATING IN VARIOUS CORPS AREAS UNDER THE

THE OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF CORPS COMMANDERS HAS BEEN ADOPTED

BY GEN DON AND UGS DIRECTIVE PROMULGATED.

• A. USMACV U3 AND GEN DON HAVE MADE COUNTRY WIDE TOUR VISITING

ALL CORPS AND CMD WITH VIEW TO DETERMININGITEAR# 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 BY. DIGGING

IN MORE DEEPLY AND ATTEMPTED EXERT DISCREET COUNTER PRESSURE

LON

REPRODUCTION FROM THIS COPY IS

TOP SECRET

PROHIBITED UNLESS "UNCLASSIFIED"

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