FRUSTRATION AND DISCOURAGEMENT AMONG VIETNAMESE ARMY OFFICER

Created: 8/23/1963

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

SJZJj INFORMATION REPORT

telegram;

OFFICER CORPS OF THE ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM (ARVNjWAS DISCOURAGED AND FRUSTRATED, THAT MANY OFFICERS WANTED CHANGES MADE BUT WERE AFRAID TO SUGGEST THEM TO AMERICANS BECAUSE OF FULL AMERICAN SUPPORT OF PRESIDENT DIEM, AND THAT MANY OFFICERS BELIEVED THAT CHANGES WERE NEEDED IN/o'RDER TO PROSECUTE THE WAR AGAINST THE VIET CONG SUI CESSFIHBB^^BBP ACCORDING TO RUMORS, THE AMERICANS PLANNED THEUGUST OPERATION AGAINST THE BUDDHISTS.

CONFIDENTIAL.

INFORMATION REPORTV

-TELEGRAM

1 KO

PREVAILING WITHIN THE ARVN OFFICER CORPS, PRINCIPALLY BEFORE, BUT ALSO TO SOME EXTENT AFTER THEUGUST EVENTS.

OFFICERS ARE DISCOURAGED AND FRUSTRATED; THISWIDESPREAD ANO INTENSE, AND HAS BECOME WORSE SINCE THETHE PAGODAS AND THE DECLARATION OF MARTIAL LAW.

WILL TO FIGHT THE VIET CONG (VC) HAS NOTMANY OFFICERS BELIEVE THAT IT IS NOT POSSIBLEINAGAINST THE VC GIVEN THE PRESENT SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM.

GENERAL OFFICERS SHARE THE ATTITUDE ON FRUSTRATIONGENERAL TRAN THIENOF STAFF, JOINT GENERAL STAFF AS ONE OFFICER WHOIF CHANGES WERE NOT MADE, THERE WOULD BE NO CHANCETHE WAR.

0. AS EXAMPLES OF DISCOURAGEMENT AMONG THE OFFICER CROPS,

(FNU) PHU, COMMANDER OF THEH (ALSO RCVDCROUP, AN UNIDENTIFIED VNSF CAPTAIN SERVING UNDER MAJOR LE QUANG TRIEU,AJOR (FNU) MAUECENTLY ASSIGNED AS CHIEF OF THUA THIEN PROV

DISCOURAGING FACTOR IS" THAT THE UNITED FIRMLY SUPPORTS DIEM THAT THEMAKE NECESSARY'CHANGES AND MANY OFFICERS ARE AFRAIDFRANK OPINIONS TO AMERICANS.

THERE IDESPREAD RUMCR THAT WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR PLANNING THEUGUSTBELIEVED THIS BECAUSE THE VIETNAMESE SPECIAL FORCESTHE ARMY, ATTACKED THE PAGODAS ON THE MORNING OFUGUSTEVERYONE KNOWS, THE AMERICANS SUPPORT THE VNSF.

COLONEL LE O'JANG NOTHING ABOUT MILITARY AFFAIRS AND SOME OFFICERSTHAT TUNG'S TROOPS WILL SHOOT THEK,

3'LD BEET0F

NGO OINH NHU AND MADAME NHU AND BRING NEW PEOPLE INTO THE

GOVERNMENT. HE REALIZED THE AMERICANS WERE AFRAIDHANGE BECAUSE OF WHAT THIS MIGHT MEAN TO THE WAR EFFORT AND, IN FACT, IT MIGHT LEAD TO THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF SEVERAL PROVINCES. NEVERTHELESS,MBHANGE SO THAT THERE WOULD AT LEAST

r* f

SOME CHANCE OF ULTIMATELY WINNING THE WAR.

; STATE ARMY NAVY AIR USMACV MA AG USOM US IS 2ND AIR DIV 9TH FLO STN CINCPAC PACAF ARPAC PACFLT.

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Original document.

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