IN WASHINGTON, U. S. BUOYS UP KHANH

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00001R000300490061-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 20, 1998
• Sequence Number: 61
• Publication Date: August 25, 1964
• Content Type: NSPR

Approved; For Release 2000/08/2&EQff.'.1 R000
AUG 25 1964
FOIAb3b
By Laurence Barrett
C
0/ Th[ Jl,,aId 7'rihune iter,'
WASIIINGTON.
The State Department
yesterday spoke out in defense
of Gen. Nguyen Khanh's
regime, whose already un-
certain hold on South Viet
Nam in being further threat-
ened by Buddhist and student
demonstrations.
"The United States govern-"
ment fully recognizes the need
for national unity in South '
Viet Nam and is, therefore,
supporting the Khanh govern-
ment as the best means of
building such unity at the
same time that the war effort
Is'being prosecuted;" a State
Department spokesman said.
"Obviously anything . of a
divisive nature is neither In
the interest of the Viet-
namese government nor its.
people."
. As a rule,. the State
Department avoids making
official pronouncements about,
the internal affairs of other
countries. That, it chose to go''_
N, U: S. BUOYS UP KIIANH
.on the record yesterday was
a spark both of Washington's
deep involvement In Saigon's
fate and of the concern felt
here about the current civil
disorders In South Viet Nam.
High officials keeping in
close touch with events in
South Viet Nam said pri-
vately that so far the demon-
strations did not appear to
be at the crisis stage.
There was some fear, how-.'
ever, that the troubles would
follow the snowballing pat-
ftern of those just a year ago
which resulted in the over-
throw of President Ngo Dinh
Diem In November.
So far, It was understood,
the American mission in Sai-
gon has reported to Washing-
ton no evidence of commu-
nist Involvement In the riots,
Officials here ascribed the
troubles to three factors: Con-
tinuing frustration over the
seemingly endless war and its
impairment of civil liberties; ' ~" '"" '-' a- Leon was obviously unhappy
the fact that examinations sary" and that possibly the about the timing and manner
war might end with "some of the report's 'disclosure,
have just concluded and it .is kind of negotiated settlement. CIA had cleared the paper'for. ,
based upon neutralization." publication-- Presumably , In
Although the report was lull--in a scholarly1ournal.
" 11
dated June 9
1964
th
,
,
e Viet- namese section was written in
February, just two or three
weeks after President Khanh .
assumed power. Its apparent
pertinence to the situation
today, therefore, does not
seem great.
the normal When for students Khanh government. And it
to let off steam; the anniver-i would play into the hands of,
sary this month of the Bud- S^n. Barry Goldwater, who is
dhist-government fight of a making a major camnnt? ?i
year ago. .,,ue with the charge that the
One of the hopeful factors Administration is being too
is that thus far, at least, the timid with the Communists
Khanh government has dealt. in Southeast Asia.
rather gently with the dem- The Administration made
onstrators. The Diem regime, public the report, entitled
attempted repression. This re "Trends in the World Situa
suited only In new disorders. tion," Friday night after
Meanwhile, the State De- learning that one newspaper'
partment and others con- `. had access to it. But officials
tinued to deny that a report. stressed that the document
written by a Central Intelli- . was simply one man' opinion.
Bence Agency officer and That man is Willard Mat
made public over the week, thias, a member of CIA's
end had any official status. ' Board of National Estimates,
which distills information
The report covered the en- from all American intelli-
tire Cold War front and gence units and attempts to
touched only briefly on Viet draw conclusions from -this
Nam. However, It said that material for the benefit of
there was "serious doubt" the National Security Coun-:
victory could be won, That cil, the State Department
Diem's. successors have not and the Defense Department,
.yet demonstrated the leader-. Although the Administ.,a_
can officials, both here and
In Saigon, agree In varying
degrees with the conclusion.;
that complete victory over the
Viet Cong seems unattain-
able. It would be most damag-"
Ing for the Administratiop to
admit this. Such. an admis-
1 sion would be of psychologi-1
4 cal benefit to the Viet Cong. ?
LTt Would further weaken,theI
Apprqved For: Release 20.0010e126 :-CIA-RDP75=00001 RQ0O30104 9961 ~5