VIET CONG INVOLVEMENT IN CURRENT POLITICAL UNREST IN SOUTH VIETNAM: SITUATION A

Created: 5/10/1966

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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VIET CCNG INVOLYEMENTURRENT POLITICAL UNREST IN SOUTH VIETNAM: SlTUATlCPi APPRAISAL AS6 VIETNAM, SAIGON

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AL Cf THE CURRENT SiS NOT AN OFFICIAL JUDGMENT BY THiS AGENCY OR ANYENT. IT REPRESENTS THE OBSERVATIONS AND INTERPRETATIONSTAFF OFFICER BASED ON INFORMATION AYA1LASLE TO HIM AT THE TIME OF ITS PREPARATION. PREPARED FOR INTERNAL

COMMENTARY IS DISSEMINATED IN THE BELIEF THAT IT MAY BE USEFUL TO OTHER AGENCIES IN ASSESSING THE SITUATION FOR THEIR CWN PURPOSES.

2. (SLM4ARY. THE STRUGGLE MOVEMENT WHICH STARTED IN EARLY6 IN HUE AND OANANG, OSTENSIBLY IN RESPONSE TO THE REMOVAL OF GENERAL NGUYEN CHANH THIORPS COMMANDER, WA5 QUICKLY TURNEDOVEMENT, DIRECTED FROM THE PAGODAS IN HUE AND CONTROLLED BY THICH TRI QUANG, TO OVERTURN THE GOVERNMENT OF VIETNAM. THE VIET CCNG

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(VC) ARE UNQUESTIONABLY INVOLVED IN MANY Cf THE STRUGGLEIN VARIOUS PARTS Of THE COUNTRY, BUT IT IS DIFFICULTTHE DEGREE Cf VC CONTROL OVER ORGANIZATIONSTHE STRUGGLE. IN DANANG, BECAUSE OF APPARENTTHE VC MAY NOW BE ABLE TO MANIPULATE THE MOVEMENTOWN ENDS, AND QUANG MAY NO LONGER BE ABLE TO CONTROLKNOWN COMMUNISTS WHO HAVE BEEN ACTIVE IN THE DANANGALMOST FROM ITS INCEPTION ARE DANANG PEOPLE'SHA XUAN KY, IDENTIFIEDEOPLE'S REVOLUTIONARYMEMBER, WHO IS CHAIRMAN OF THE PEOPLE'S FORCES TOREVOLUTION, DANANG, (PFSRD) EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE; ANDTO THE PFSRD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TRAN DUY TAM, WHO WASMEDICAL ASSISTANT TO DANANG MAYOR DR. NGUYEN VAN MAN. KY ANDIN CONTACT WITH CHE VlET TAN, SECRETARY OF THE PRPEMBER OF THE VCOMMITTEE. THEY ARE INTO CONSOLIDATE THEIR HOLD ON THE PFSRD BY FILLING IT HIGHER VC ECHELONS REPORTEDLY DIRECTED SUBORDINATEJOIN STRUGGLE ACTIVITIES BECAUSE OF THE IDENTITY OF VC INTERESTSCf THE PFSRO. THE ASSAILANT WHOIETNAMESE(VNQDD) MEMBERAY HAS BEEN TENTATIVELY IDENTIFIED ASNGUYEN HUU TRANH. THE VC HAVE REPORTEDLY SENT 50

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INTO DANANO TO BE INFILTRATED INTO THE STRUGGLE MOVEMENT

BY VC ALREADY IN PLACE,C CELLDA NANG LABOR ORGANIZATION

WAS DIRECTED TO TRY TO WREST CONTROL OF THE DANANG SYNDICATE OF WORKERS

UNI CMS FROM ITS PRESENT LEADERS AND REPLACE THEM WITH PRP MEMBERS. OUTSIDE

THE OANANG AREA, VC PENETRATION OF THE STRUGGLE MOVEMENTCR?S

REMAINS ESSENTIALLY CONCEALED, BUT DR. LE KHACEADER OF THE

HUE STRUGGLE, HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED BY SEVERAL PERSONSOMMUNIST

OR roO-COMMUNlST. DETERMINATION OF VC INVOLVEMENTORPS

IS STILL MORE DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE, BUT VC AGITATORS PARTICIPATED

IN DEMONSTRATIONS IN SAIGON, KONTUM, BAN ME THUOT, NHA TRANG, AND

DALAT, AND IN NHATUDENT ARRESTED FOR STRUGGLE ACTIVITIES

ADMITTED WORKING FOP THE VC UNOER THE DIRECTION OF THE SECRETARY OF

THE NHA TRANG MUNICIPAL VC COMMITTEE. APTURED VC QUI NHON

COMMITTEE DOCUMENT OFARCH DIRECTED SUBORDINATE ORGANIZATIONS TO

TRY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LEADERSHIP OF DEMONSTRATIONS AND TO SELECT

SUITABLE DEMONSTRATION LEADERS FOR DEVELOPMENT AS VC UNDERGROUND CADRES.)

3. VC INVOLVEMENT IN THE POLITICAL UNREST WHICH HAS PLAGUED SOUTH VIETNAM SINCE6 HAS SEEN WIDESPREAD AND VARIED. PROPAGANDA OVER THE VC LIBERATIONAS URGED PEOPLE TO JOIN IN THE STRUGGLE MOVEMENT AND OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT OF PRIME MINISTER NGUYEN CAO KY. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE VC ARE INVOLVED WITH MANY OF THE ASSORTED

GROUPS WHICH HAVE BEEN FORMED IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THEC-O-

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BUT ITIFFICULT TO ASSESS WHICH ORGANIZATIONS ARE UNDER VC CCNTROL AND TO WHAT DEGREE. ALL Cf THESE GROUPS ARE TARGETS FOR VC PENETRATIONS; SOME MAY ACTUALLY BE ORGANIZED AND CONTROLLED BY THE VC IN ACCORDANCE WITH PRP DIRECTIVES.

k. THE STRUGGLE MOVEMENT WHICH STARTED IN EARLY MARCH IN HUE AND OANANG, OSTENSIBLY IN RESPONSE TO THE REMOVAL OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL NGUYEN CHANH THIORPS COMMANDER, WAS QUICKLY TURNEDOVEMENT TO OVERTURN THE GOVERNMENT Of VIETNAM. THE STRUGGLE EFFORT WAS ORGANIZED AND DIRECTED FROM PAGODAS IN HUE, WITH ULTIMATE CONTROL IN THE HANDS OF THICH TRI QUANG. ALTHOUGH QUANG HAS BEEN ABLE TO DIRECT THE NATIONWIDE MOVEMENT EFFECTIVELY UP TO THIS TIME, THE SITUATION IN DANANG MAY HAVEOINT WHERE, BECAUSE OF APPARENT HIGH-LEVEL VC PENETRATIONS, QUANG MAY NO LONGER BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE MOVEMENT, AND THE VC MAY NOW BE ABLE TO MANIPULATE THE DANANG MOVEMENT TO THEIR OWN ENDS. QUANG MAY BE AWARE OF THE COMMUNIST BACKGROUNDS AND CONNECTIONS OF SOME Cf THE TOP LEADERSHIP Of THE PFSRD, BUT HE MAY STILL FEEL THAT THEY WILL RESPOND TO THIS DIRECTION WHILE QUANG MAY HAVE MISCALCULATED HIS OWN STRENGTH, HE MAY ALSO BE SYMPATHETIC WITH THE OBJECTIVES Cf VC PENETRATION AGENTS.

5. CN THE EXECUTIVE CCM41TTEE Cf THE PFSRD ARE AT LEAST TWO KNOWN COMMUNISTS WHO HAVE BEEN ACTIVE ALMOST FROM THEN Cf THE STRUGGLE MOVEMENT. ONE Cf THESE IS HA XUANOCAL HIGH

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SCHOOL TEACHES, AN ELECTED MEMBER Cf THE DANANG PEOPLE'S COUNCIL,

AND CURRENTLY CHAIRMAN Cf THE PSFRD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. KY HAS

A PREVIOUS HISTORY Of CCWUNIST ACTIVITY AND HAS BEEN IDENTlflED BY

TWO RELIABLE SOURCESRP MEMBER. HE HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH

CHE VICT TAN, WHO IS IDENTIFIED AS SECRETARY Of THE PRP COMMITTEE

fOR OANANGEMBER Of THE VCOMMITTEE. ANOTHER

IDENTlflED PENETRATION Of THE PfSRD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE IS TRAN DUY

TAM, MORE COMMONLY CALLED DR. TAM. THIS MAN HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS

THE POLITICAL AOVISCR TO THE PFSRD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND AS SUCH

HE WIELDS CONSIDERABLE INFLUENCE ON COMMITTEE ACTIONS. TAM HAS ALSO

BEEN IN CONTACT WITH CHEVlET TAN, AND HE HAS INTERFERED IN LOCAL

POLICE MATTERS BY PERSONALLY ORDERING RELEASE Of AN INDIVIDUAL DETAINED

C CADRE. TAM PREVIOUSLY WORKEDEDICAL ASSISTANT FOR DR.

NGUYEN VAN MAN, MAYOR OF DANANG. ACCORDING TO ONE UNVERIFIED REPORT,

TAM INTERCEDED WITH GENERAL TH! TO HAVE DR. MAN APPOINTED AS MAYOR

OF DANANG. THE FULL EXTENT Of THE INFLUENCE OF THESE TWO MEN ON THE

COURSE OF THE STRUGGLE MOVEMENT IN THE INTEREST OF DIRECT ASSISTANCE

TO THE VC IS YET TO BE DETERMINED. IT IS CLEAR THAT THEY ARE IN

A POSITION TO CONSOLIDATE THEIR HOLD ON THE ORGANIZATION BY CAREFULLY

SEEDING THE MOVEMENT WITH FELLCW CGVMUN:SIS TO THE EXTENT THAT IT WILL

NO LONGER BE RESPONSIBLE TO ANY AUTHORITY BUT THEIRS.

COMMENT. REPORTED ON DISSIDENT GROUPS

AOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES IN OANANG FROM II MARCH TOPRIL, LISTED KY AS CHAIRMAN Of THE "PEOPLE'S STRUGGLE COMMITTEE FORATHER THAN THE PFSRD, WHICH WAS SHOWN IN THAT REPORT AS "THE POPULAR FORCES TO STRUGGLE FORED BY euddhlst BONZE THICH TRI HUU AS CHAIRMAN OF ITS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. TAM WAS NOT LISTEDEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF EITHER ORGANIZATION IN THAT REPORT.)

HAS ALREADY BEEN SOME INFILTRATION OFINTO THE LOWER LEVELS OF THE STRUGGLE MOVEMENT.

A PARTICULARLY OUTSTANDING INSTANCE IS PENETRATION OF THE SO-CALLED "SECURITY SERVICE" OF THE STRUGGLE ORGANIZATION, WHICH IS COMPOSEO LARGELY OF LOCAL HOODLUM ELEMENTS. THE ASSAILANT INAY SHOOTINGNQCOHAS BEEN TENTATIVELY IDENTIFIED AS NGUYEN HUUNOWN COMMUNIST AND AN AGENT OF DR. KAN. IN ADDITION TO HIS CONNECTION WITH THE VC, THANH HAS AN OLDER BROTHER IN THE DANANG GARRISON COMMAND WHO IS KNOWN TOEMALE VC LIAISON CADRE-COURIER LIVING IN HIS HOUSE. AIRLY RELIABLE REPORT INDICATES THAT THE VC HAVE SENT INTOROUP OFRAINED POLITICAL AND PROPAGAIOA CADRES TO BE INFILTRATED INTO THE STRUGGLE MOVEMENT BY VC ALREADY IN PLACE.

BY VC TO PENETRATE AND MANIPULATE THEHAVEJEEN CONTINUOUS SINCE ITS INCEPTION, AND IT IS POSSIBLE

START AGITATING TO WREST CONTROL FROM THE PRESENT LEADERS OF THE DANANG SYNCICATE OF WORKERS UNIONS, WHOSE PLACES WOULD THEN BE FILLED BY PRP MEMBERS.

EXTENT OF VC PENETRATIONORPS OUTSIDE THEREMAINS ESSENTIALLY CONCEALED. in HUE THERE may BEAT THE TOP OF THE MOVEMENT in THE PERSON OF OR.QUYEN, WHO HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED BY SEVERAL PERSONS AS

A COMMUNIST, OR AT LEAST VERY PRO-COMMJNIST. THERE ARE PROBABLY VC PENETRATIONS AMONG THE MEMBERS OF THE HIGHLY ACTIVE HUE UNIVERSITY STUDENT BODY, BUT THERE IS NO CLEAR LINK TO VC ORGANIZATIONS, AND THE STUDENT LEADERS RETAIN CONTROL OF THEIR FOLLOWERS. STUDENTS FROM THIS UNIVERSITY APPARENTLY PROVIDED CADRES WHO WENT TO OTHER PARTSORPS, AND PERHAPS BEYOND, TOTRUGGLE MOVEMENT AMONG STUDENTS AND OTHER GROUPS.

is MORE DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT OFin THE STRUGGLE MOVEMENT AS IT SPREADORPS

TO OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTRY. THE VC ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS TO THEIR

MUNICIPAL COMMITTEES TO EXPLOIT THE SITUATION. VC AGITATORS

PARTICIPATED in DEMONSTRATIONS ORGANIZED AND DIRECTED BY BUDDHISTS

in SAIGON, KONTUM, BAN ME THUOT, NHA TRANG, DALAT, AND OTHER CITIES.

A CAPTURED DOCUMENT DATED l6 MARCH FROM THE VC COMMITTEE FOR QUI NHON

TO SUBORDINATE SECTIONS REVrAt^HrjACTICSTHAT THE VC WERE USING . 1

OOCUMENT REQUESTED THAT THE SUBORDINATE SECTIONS: "REPORT URGENTLY EVENTS AMONG STUDENTS AND BUDDHISTS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES, AND LISTEN TO THEOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. PREPARE MATERIALS FOR USE, INCLUDING FLAGS, SLOGANS, LEAFLETS, EXPLOSIVES, AND GRENAOES. DURING OEMONSTRATtONS URGE PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE. ATTEMPT TO PARTICIPATE IN LEADERSHIP OF DEMONSTRATIONS ANDUMBER OF LEADERS SO THAT VC SLOGANS WILL BE USED. AT NIGHT SPREAD PROPAGANDA AND MOUNT MILITARY ACTIONS AGAINST AMERICANS. SELECT DEMON STRAT CM LEADERS WITH POSITIVE, ADVANCED, AND ENERGETIC ACTIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT AS UNDERGROUNDIMILAR INSTRUCTIONS PROBABLY WERE ISSUED IN ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.

THE MOST CLEAR-CUT EXAMPLE OF VC INVOLVEMENTSTRUGGLE MOVEMENTORPS IS THE CASE OF NGUYENWHO WAS ACTIVE IN THE STUDENT STRUGGLE MOVEMENT IN NHAPHUNG WAS ARRESTED ONPRIL AND ADMITTED WORKING FOR THE

VC UNDER THE DIRECTION OF HUYNH TUONG, SECRETARY OF THE NHA TRANG VC MUNICIPAL COMMITTEE. SHE APPEARED TOECENT VC RECRUIT, INDICATING THAT THE VC MOVED QUICKLY TO PENETRATE STUDENT GROUPS.

DISSEM. STATE USMACV USAID JUSPAO NAVFORV

7TH AIR FORCE ClNCPAC ARPAC PACAF PACFLT.

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