CIA OFFICER SEES VIETNAM STALEMATE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00001R000300490056-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 20, 1998
• Sequence Number: 56
• Publication Date: August 25, 1964
• Content Type: NSPR

CflJZ1 ST1 A N SC11 NCh
Approved For Release 2000108126\ j?CJ -1 TR75-00001 RO
AUG 25 1964
Sees Vietnam
By the Associated Preaa
Washington
A CIA officer has voiced
111serious doubt that' victory
can be won" In South Vietnam ( "The political mistakes of the]
and has suggested the eventual 1D' regime inhibited the effec- I
five prosecution of the war?
outcome might be a negoti- -which is really more of a po- '
ated settlement. Administra- t litical contest than a military
tion sources said this is not the oiperation, and led to the re-
United States Government? tine's destruction. The coun-
terguerrilla effort continues to
view. flounder, partly because of the
The conclusion that no rnili- inherent difficulty of the prob-
tary end to the war against em and partly because Diem's
Communist guerrillas is in sncce."ors have not yet dem-
sight was expressed by Willard onstrated the leadership and
Matthias, a member of the the inspiration necessary.
Central Intelligence Agency's "There remains serious'
Board of National Estimates, doubt that victory can be won,
in a June 8 paper on "trends and the situation remains very
in the World Situation," fragile. If large-scale United
Mr. Matthias wrote that the States support continues and if
Communist Viet Cong has further political deterioration
stepped up its offensive and the within South Vietnam is pre-
counterguerrilla effort "con- vented, at least a prolonged
tinues to flounder" under poor stalemate can be attained.
prosecution by the Saigon gov- There is also a chance that
ernment. Political evolution within the
Continued large-scale United country and developments
States support of the antiguer- upon the world scene could
rilla campaign and an end to lead to some kind of negotiat-
ed settlement based upon neu-
"further political deterioration tralization."
within South Vietnam" could
at least achieve "a prolonged Private Views
stalemate," the CIA Officer In releasing the paper, ad-
said. ministration sources empha-
Mr. Matthias said there is t 0 Mr. Matthias was express-
also a chance that future de-~ ing his own views, not those of
velopments "could lead to , the United States Government
some kind of negotiated settle- or of any agency within the
ment based upon neutraliza- United States Government.
tion." French President de Members of the National In-
Gaulle has suggested neutraliza- t.elii? once Estimates Board, a
tion of the area, an idea coolly 12-man CIA committee and
received by the United States others have written numerous.!
Government. papers which are valuable for
Administration sources made circulating ideas but do not
the 50-page document avail- r represent policy.
able after learning it wouldt3 Mr. Matthias's memo was-
be published in the Chicago:, circulated among a few lower-
Tribune. ,I ranking officials but was never
Mr. Matthias wrote: given to the policy-getting Na-
"The guerrilla war in South tional Security Council. It was
Vietnam is in its fifth year ? submitted for publication to a!
and no end appears in si,ilt. magazine, which turned it
The Viet Cong in the south, down'
dependent largely upon their!I o The antiguerrilia cam-
own resources but under thel'paign in South Vietnam n-ay;
direction and control of the } be long and arduous, but the'
Communist - regime in the United States Government is'
north; are pressing their of- fully committed to stemming ;
fensivo more vigorously than the insurgents there, and be-
eve.r..._,._ >.... lieves this will be done.
Approved For Release 2.000/08/26 :'!CIA-ROP75-00001 R00.030.0490.056-1 ' .