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176-10037-10494

2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION FORM

AGENCY : NARA

RECORD NUMBER : 176-10037-10494

RECORD SERIES : National Security Files

AGENCY FILE NUMBER :

ORIGINATOR : CIA

FROM :

TO :

TITLE : Information Report Re: Strategic Hamlets

DATE : 2/20/1962

PAGES : 5

SUBJECTS :

DOCUMENT TYPE :

CLASSIFICATION :

RESTRICTIONS :

CURRENT STATUS :

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 9/10/2000

OPENING CRITERIA :

COMMENTS : NSF: Countries: Vietnam, General, 2/62, Box 195. Box 8.

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I...

ILLEGRAM FIN-URMATION REPURT TELEGRAMI

CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY

Hellswon asked that

Lows.. Tille 18, U.S.C:

C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L

¿OUNTRY

SOUTH VIBINAM

SUBJECT

STRATEGIC HAMLETS

CASSIFICATION - DISSEMINATION CONTROLS

Man attutio

NOFORN/CONTINUED COWEROL

BIES

: REPORT NO...TDCS-3/502,553

DATE DISTR.

20 FEBRUARY 1962

PRECEDENCE ROUTINS

JATE OF

MID-FEBRUARY 1962

FIELD NO.

FVS-7075

IN_ 30145

NFO.

PLACE. &

VIETNAM, SAIGON (14 FEBRUARY 1962)

RETAIN OR DESTROY

JATE AÇQ.

IT IS PROBABLY TRUE THAT NHU'S VIEWS ARE AS EXPRESSED, AND THAT LUONG

APPRAISAL

CORRECILY REPEATED NHU'S STATEMENTS:

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

jOURCE

AN AMERICAN OBSERVER (B), WITH PARAS. 1-3 FROM NGO DINE NHU, AND PARA.. 4 FROM

BUI VAN LUONG.

L. : NGO DINH NAU, BROTHER AND POLITICAL

ADVISOR OF PRESIDENT NGO DINE DIEM,

¡STATED ON 14 FEBRUARY 1962 THAT THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS' PROGRAM WOULD BE MORE

TEANÀ METHOD OF AFFORDING DEFENSE FOR THE POPULATION OF VIETNAM, IT WOULD BE A

BASIC STRATEGY FOR THE DEVELOPMENY OF VIETNAM. HE STATED THAT A COMMOIL COMPLAINI

IN VIINAM WAS TIS WEAKNESS OF ITS CADRES, WHO FAILED TO TURN THE GOVERNMENT'S

REVOLUTIONARY PROGRAM INTO REALITY. HE STATED, HOWEVER, THAI THE COMPLAINT WAS

ONLY PARTIALLY TRUE, AS THE OTHER ASPECT HAD BON THE INABILITY OF THE CADRE TO

OPERATE IN THS CONDITION OF INSECURITY IN THE COUNTRYSIDE. IT WAS NECESSARY

FOR THE COVERNMINT TO SO ORGANIZE THE SITUATION THAT THE CADRE COULD BE PLACED

IN THE AREA OF HIS WORK AND AFFORDED THE NECESSARY PROTECTION AND FACILITIES

FOR THE WORK.

THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS'. PROGRAM WOULD' PROVIDE BOTH OF THESE.

STATE

C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L

ARMY/ACSI •

NAVY. AlR

CLASSIFICATION - DISSEMINATION CONTROLS

SECDEF

NIC:

•USIA

NOFORN/CONTINUED CONTROL

ALD

DIA

TELEGRAM

INFOR

A TI

SMITH-BU

:DUNGAN

GILDNER

KAYSON

PETERSEN

SCHLESING

REP

BELK

• FORRESTAI

KOMER •

RASKIN

SAUNDERS

R T

ADDED:

EX

TELEGRAM

---

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C-O-N-F-I-D-B-N-I-I-A-L

: CLASSIFICATION - DISSEMIMATION CONTROLS

NOFORN/CONTINUED CONIROL

TDCS - 3/502, 553

IN .30145

PAGE TWO

2. THE PROGRAM AS PLANNED BY. NHU HAD THREE MAIN ELEMENTS WHICH WOULD MAKE

IT PARTICULARLY APPROPRIAUE FOR VIETNAM.

IT WAS FIRSI OF ALL TRADITIONAL, RESTING UPON THE BASIC UNIT OF

THUS IT CAPITALIZED UPON THE INGRAINED HABITS OF THE

VIEINAMESE SOCIETY.

POPULATION.

B.

THE SECOND ASPECT WAS THAT IT WOULD AFFORD THE MEANS TO MODERNIZE

VIETNAMESE LIFE. NEU STALED THAT IT WAS LESS A PROBLEM OF RAISING THE STANDARD

OF LIVING THAN OF CHANGING THE MODE OF LIVING. HE SAID THAT IF ATTENTION WAS

GIVEN TO INSERTING NEW MODES OF LIFE INTO THE ORDINARY PEASANT'S EXISTENCE, IT

WOULD INEVITABLY BRING SUBSTANTIAL CHANCES IN HIS ORIENTATION. NEU COMPARED

THE RESULI OF THE INSERTION OF SMALL AUTOMOBILES, WASHING MACHINES, ETC:, INTO

• THE LIFE. OF THE EUROPEAN WORKING CLASS WHICH HE CLAIMED HAD DISRUPTED COMMUNIST

INFLUENCE OVER THIS CLASS. AS A RESULT, NHU SAID, MOST EUROPEAN COMMUNIST

PARTIES OPPOSED MODERNIZATION. HE STATED THAT THE ASIAN COMMUNIST PARTIES

WERE LESS INTELICET IN TEEIR APPROACH, AS THEY ADVOCATED MODERNIZATION OF

ASIAN LIFE WITHOUT REALIZING THAT IT WOULD INSVITABLY REDUCE THEIR OWN ORGAN-

IZATIONAL. POWER.

NHU STATED THAT A STUDY OF STRPS APPROPRIATE FOR VIETNAM ALONG

THIS LINE SHOULD EE MADE: AND A CONSCIOUS EFFORT DEVOTED TO INSERTING THESE NEW

MODES OF LIFE INTO VIEINAM.: AS AN EXAMPLE, HE CITED THE EFFECT OF DISIRIBUTING

BICYCLES WITE MICROMOTORS, THUS MAKING THE FEASANT MOBILE AND CHANGING HIS MODE

OF LIPE. THE STRATEGIC HAMLET, HE REITERATED, WOULD AFFORD THE NECESSARY

PROTECIION AND ECONOMIC BASE FOR SUCH A MODERNIZATION: PROGRAM:

C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-I,

CLASSIFICATION - DISSEMINATION CONTROLS

NOFORN/CONTINUED CONIROL

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LASSIFICATION - DISSEMIN

NATION CONTROLS

C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-I-I-A-L

NOFORN/CONTINUED CONTROL

TDCS -3/502,5.53

IN

30145

PAGE THREE

C.

THE THIRD ELEMENT, NEU SAID, WOULD BE DEMOCRATIZATION. HE

DEFINED IT AS THIS APPLICATION. OF JAW AND ORDER TO RURAL LIFE, HE STATED THAT

AT PRESENT THE PEASANTS WERE EXPOSED. TO ILLEGALITY BY THE VIETNAMESE COMMUNISTS

AND BY. GOVERNMENT OF VEINAM (GVN) ELEMENTS, BOTH MILITARY AND CIVIL. THIS WAS

IN PART A RESULT OF THE DISPERSION OF THE POPULATION AND ITS INABILITY TO ASSUME

IIS OWN GOVERNANCE. AS AN INDUCEMENT TO FORM A STRATEGIC HAMLET, NHU SAID THE

POPULATION SHOULD BE ASSURED THAT TEE HAMLET WOULD BE GUARANTEED THE FULL

APPLICATION OF LAW BY ITS OWN AUTHORITIES, THUS MOVING IT TOWARD A SYSTEM OF

DEMOCRATIZATION APPROPRIATE TO THE COMMUNITY. HOWEVER, IT WOULD HAVE LITTLE OR

NOTKING TO DO WITH CHANGES OF THE GOVERNMENT IN SAIGON. NHU STATED THAT HE HAD

BROUGET OUT IN A RECENT TALK TO GVN OFFICIAIS THAT ONE COULD CHANGE THE

GOVERNMENT. IN SAIGON 35 TIMES WITH NO EFFECT UPON THE REAL SITUATION IN THE

COUNIRYSIDE; BUT THAI THE APPLICATION OF THE SIRATEGIC HAMLETS' SYSTEM WOULD

DEFINITELY AFFECT THE DEMOCRATIZATION OF THE COUNTRYSIDE IN A WAY WHICH TOUCHED

THE POPULATION ITSELF.

THE STRATEGIC HAMLET WOULD ALSO, ACCORDING TO NEU, APPORD

A BASIS FOR THE BUILDING OF INSTITUTIONS IN VICINAM TO GIVE ADDITIONAL STABILITY,

I.G.; COOPERATIVES, MEDICAL SERVICES, EDUCATION, WOMENS' MOVEMENTS, YOUTH

MOVEMENTS, BIC.

NHU STATED THAT HE HAD DISCUSSED THE SIRATEGIC HAMLETS' CONCEPTS WITH

A GROUP OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS RECENILY, AND HAD MADE ONE VERY STRONG ADDITIONAI

POINT TO THEM, (FIELD COMMENT. EVS-7034, IDCS-3/501, 110 CAVE AN ACCOUNT, FROM

A FAIRLY RELIABLE SOURCE, OF NHU'S REMARKS AT THE MENTING.) HE STATED THAI HE

'CLASSIFICATION - DISSEMINATION CONTROLS

C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L

NOFORN/CONTINUED CONTROL.

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CLASSIFICATION - DISSEMINATION CONTROLS

C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-I-I-A-L

NOFORN/CONTINUED CONTROL

TDCS - 3/502,553

IN 30145

PAGE

FOUR

WAS AWARE THAT THERE WAS MUCH DISCONTENT AMONG THE VARIOUS LEVELS OF THE

GOVERNMENT, WHICH, US SAID, STEMMED FROM THE GOVERNMENT'S APPROACH TO THE JOB.

ANY LOCAL OFFICIAL WHO FACED A PROBLEM MADE A REQUEST TO HIS NEXT HIGHER AU-

• THORITY FOR ASSISTANCE AND WAS DISCONLENTED IF THE ASSISTANCE WAS INADEQUATE.

THE NEXT LEVEL REQUESTED THE CHIEF OF PROVINCE, WHO REQUESTED ASSISTANCE FROM

THE MINISIRY, AND HAD THE SAME REACTION. THE MINISTER MADE THE REQUEST OF THE

PRESIDENT AND WAS DISCONTENTED AT INADEQUATE SUPPORT.

THEORETICALLY, THE

PRESIDENT SHOULD MAKE REQUESTS OF THE AMERICANS AND BE DISCONIENTED WITH THE

AMERICANS FOR LACK OF ADEQUATE SUPPORT. NHU STATED THAT THE ENTIRE PROCESS WAS

INFANTILE, AND A CHILDISE WAY OF DEPENDENCE UPON A SUPERIOR TO SOLVE ONE'S

PROBLEMS. HE STATED TRAT IT WAS NECESSARY TO DEVELOP A MATURITY IN THE

VIEINAMESE PEOPLE SO THAT THEY WOULD TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SOLVING THEIR

OWN PROBLEMS, UTILIZING SUCH ASSISTANCE AS WAS GIVEN THEM, BUT NOT ATTEMPTING

TO SHIPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM. HE STATED THAT THE

STRATEGIC HAMLET WAS THE WAY TO INTRODUCE THE PROCESS OF BEGINNING MATURITY

TO THE VIEINAMESE PEOPLE AND THE GOVERNMENT. NEU SAID THAT THE OFFICIALS WERE.

MUCH AMUSED AT THE DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCONIENT AND FOUND MUCH VALIDITY. IN HIS

STATEMENT OF HOW TO OVERCOME IT. HE SAID, HOWEVER, THAT IT WAS NECESSARY TO

KEEP REPEATING THE LESSON, AS OTHSRWISE THE OLD HABITS OF DEPENDENCE UPON

POWERS ABOVE WOULD RETURN AND THE WHOLE VICIOUS CYCLE OF DISCONTENT WOULD START

AGAIN.

•CLASSIFICATION - DISSEMINATION CONTROLS

C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L

NOFORN/CONTINUED CONTROL

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CLASSIFICATION - DISSEMINATION CONTROLS

C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L

NOFORN/CONTINUED CONTROL

TDeS -3/502,553

IN

30145

PAGE FIVE

4:

MINISTER OF INTERIOR BUI VAN LUONG, IN A SEPARATE CONVERSATION ON 13

FEBRUARY, STAYED THAT NEU HAD GIVEN INSIRUCTIONS THAT THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS'

PROGRAM BE CONDUCIED UNDER THE FULL CONTROL OF THE NEW. INTERMINISIERIAL

COMMISSION. HỆ SAID THAT NHU HAD SPECIFICALLY STATED THAT THE GOVERNMENT DID

NOT WISE A REFETITION OF THE ERRORS MADE IN THE INITIATION OF THE AGROVILLE

PROGRAM. NEU EMPHASIZED THE NECESSITY OF EXPLAINING TO THE POPULATION WHAI

'IT WAS BEING ASKED IO DO AND OF FOLLOWING VERY STRICT RULES, FOR INSIANCE,

THAT THE POPULAIION BE ASKED TO ASSIST ONLY IN ITS OWN LOCALITY AND NOT BE

REQUIRED TO WORK ON DISTANT AREAS. HE ALSO SIATED THAE THE PROVINCE CHIEFS

WERE INSTRUCIED NOT TO LAUNCH OFF IN ALL. DIRECTIONS, CREATING STRATEGIC HAMLETS

ACCORDING TO HEIR OWN IDEAS, BUT TO FOLLOW THE PROGRAM AND PATTERN TO BE

ESTABLISHED BY THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS' COMMITISE.

5. FIELD DISSEM. SIATE ARMY NAVY AIR MAAG AID CINCPAC PACILI

ARPAC. PACAF.

END OF MESSAGE

GLASSIFICATION = DISSEMINATION CONTROLS

C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L

NOFORN/CONTINUED CONTROL

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