VIETNAM WAR EVALUATION BEING MADE FOR JOHNSON

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00001R000100300001-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 10, 2003
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: November 15, 1961
• Content Type: NSPR

~'", ''t'idr Release 2.00
7 7,
By I:ANSON W. BALDV/IN
A high-level evaluation of the military situation in
Vietnam is being prepared for the President by an inter-
agency group. It coincides with a visit to Washington by
'
EilsWorth Bunker, United
States Ambassador to South
Vietnam, and Gen. William C.
,.Westmoreland, commander of
United. States forces there,
who is due In Washington to-
day.
Every indicator - from the
price of rice to the number of
Vietcong defectors is being
studied in an intensive effort to
-determine the degree of prog
ress being made, Washington)
informants said Yesterday.
The evaluation, under the
al, direction of George
Carr.@r. of the Central 'Iiitelii?
~eyco Agency, Is to be .In the
resideat's hands by Jan. 1.
?resumably, the data will be
used in the President's mes-
sages to Congress and in. ad
dresses to the nation next year.
Tangible Evidence Sought.
Officers familiar with the
survey said they were con-
vinced that considerable prog.
ress had been made in Vietnam
and that the evaluation was an
'attempt to .. produce tangi'olel Mr. McNamara, for instance,
evidence of it. Most high-rank.. Is said to support a pause in the
ing military men in Washington bombing of North Vietnam dur-
dispute the assertion that the ing the winter, though. such. a
pause is strenuously opposed
war has: become a stalemate. .,..by the military.
What Washington terms "the Adm. U. S.. Grant Sharp,
Vietnam indicators" apparently commander of United States
demonstrate some improvement forces in the Pacific, will reach
the retirement age of 62 in
in the South Vietnamese Army'si, April. General Westmoreland is
effectiveness, particularly in under his over-all command,
along the demilitarized ~~zone.
The strength and morale of the
enemy forces appear to have
deteriorated, but not much, ac-
cording to one informant.
..VWGVl71-1 tnat, whatever the snarp on active duty.
survey's conclusions, the war Other Changes Likely
would be affected by o%
d
m
Command Change Seen .. Gen. Earle G. Wheeler, Chair-
/12I 2nhiJiA RDR7~aP OO - 000x1160800 01fithiefs of Staff,
pected to complete his tour in will finish his second two-year
Vietnam, after four years there, term in July, and his health has
before summer. Gen. Harold K. not been good.
Johnson, the Army's Chief of Gen. Lyman L. Lemnitzer, the
? 'Staff, will- have served in that North Atlantic Treaty Organiza-
position for four years in July. tion commander in Europe is
Gen.. Creighton W. Abrams Jr., 68 years old and will probably
deputy commander in Vietnam, be relieved next year after six
is expected to, succeed General Years in office.
Westmoreland. The problems of financing a
highly regarded by his military lion a month have been com-
superiors in Washington, and plicated by the differences be-
t
ween the Administration and
his enthusiasm, energy and
leadership are valued In Saigon. Congress about a tax increase
However, some middle-grade and budget reductions. Some
military men in Washington be- military men are concerned at
lieve that four years of a wear- the increasing cost of new
ing war is enough for any gen- Weapons, which they attribute
era) and that a new commander in part to' inflation. One of
might provide a new perspec? them -said, "We'll be in the
tive. soup if we have to struggle
The general has been charac- with more price increases just
'terized as a "theater command- at this juncture."
er with more resnoncihility anti The President indicated earli-
less authority than any in our `r this year that he did not
history," and the restrictions wlsh to ask the next session of
placed upon him have contrib- approprsiatioofor n n a supplemental
uted to some frustrations. appropriation for the fighting
V
ietnam, and Secretary of
During the visit of Secretary I In
of Defense Robert S. McNamarDefense Robert S. McNamara
to Saigon in 'July, some press has been trying to defer or
reports Indicated that the Secro-
tary felt that more effective use
might be made of United States
troops in Vietnam, and that the)
proportion of combat to support:
troops'should be increased.
The implication of criticism
of General Westmoreland?
though later disavowed, was re-
garded by military sources asi
;,,another evidence of the wide
differences of opinion between
.the Secretary of Defense and
many of his military, corn-1
and Admiral Sharp has directed
the bombing of North Vietnam.
The Army and Air Force
have advocated that the top
command post in the Pacific be
rotated among the services So
The number of battles has . far it has always been filled by
increased In recent months, but an admiral.
the ratio of allied to enemy . General ? Westmoreland, or::
combat deaths varies--as it has some other officer, could be ap-t
in past months-between 1 to pointed to the post, but some
3.8 and 1 to 5.6. The informants observers believe that to avoid
said it was too early to drawl . service recriminations In. an
any conclusions from the ' election year, the President is,
survey. I . more likely to appoint a naval,
en
chanties, bud eta
and domestic political quproblems
estions
during 1968, a Presidential,-elec.
eliminate _projects for which ail
thorized in the current budget.1
Final decisions have not been
made, but informants said that
even production of tactical air-
craft and helicopters would.
probably be affected. The ten-
tative deferrals or cuts have
(stirred Congressional interest
and some opposition.
1. Even if the cuts are made,
some military 'men doubt that
the war can be financed with-
bout another supplemental ap-.
propriation for this fiscal year.
They point out that troop
strength in Vietnam is to ? in-
crase to; 525,000 by ? July- 1,
Besides the shifts In Vietnam, `
there may be a number of othprt ?
manas.,in t11 Q , cQ ing months. I