THE FACTS WITH RESPECT TO THE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000700430020-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 27, 2004
• Sequence Number: 20
• Publication Date: July 20, 1966
• Content Type: OPEN

I CONGRESS O.NA.L
]R ECO R{)
Approved For Rele e 0 %605: CIA-RDP75-00149R000700430020-9
If E
of XI/j
title entitled "Saigon Takes Reins of
CIA School," which had appeared the
previous day on the front page of the'
Now York Times, and asked that a
member of one of the CIA subcommittees
inform the Senate as to the purported
facts in this article.
The Senator from Minnesota described
the article as "confused." He is right.
The article deals with the South Viet-'
namesc Government's training school,
? for their revolutionary development,
training program. Much of it is inac-
curate in implication as well as in fact.,
In passing, it is noted that the Senator ,
misquotes the article when he lists tliq~
article's final paragraph. ' The words
"not happy" are used instead of "not un-
happy.,, We are sure this change in
the meaning as expressed in the article
was inadvertent, and only mention it in
the case someone reads the purported
quote of the last paragraph but not the
last paragraph itself.
The training school in question is not
in Saigon. It is in Vung Tau, in the delta.
The school was established in 1964 by the
Central Intelligence Agency in order to
train Vietnamese from the rural areas to
defend themselves and their fellow vil-
lagers against the political and terrorist
incursions of the Vietcong.
The prime objective of this program,
was to reestablish contact between the
villagers and the local authorities, to re-
vive the confidence of the villagers in
their local government, and to enlist the
active participation of the latter in the
war against the Vietcong.
Since its inception, the training at this
school has been done by the Vietnamese, .
The direction and control of the teams,
once they return home to begin work, is
i entirely in the hands of the local dis-
trict and province chiefs of the South .`
Vietnamese Government.
From its inception, the Central Intel
ligence Agency has provided the logistic
and financial support to the effoij. The
CIA has also provided civilians who ad-
vise provincial officials of the South Viet-
namese Government on political and
civil problems, This is done in much the
same way that American military person-
nel advise tht same officials' on military
matters.
As soon as the school was at up and
running successfully, the Central Intel-
ligence Agency initiated negotiating to
turn over the entire program, including
the school, to the South Vietnamese Gov-
ernment. These negotiations were con-
cluded in November 1965, and the South
Vietnamese took control in early Feb-.
ruary 1966.
The South Vietnamese Government
thereupon revamped its Rural Construe-
tlon Ministry and appointed General
Thang the Minister of Revolutionary
Development. 'General Thang took
over
the entire CIA-sponsored cadre as the
cage of his new Ministry's effort. At that
THE FACTS WITH RESPECT TO iH[E time the general issued a series of de-
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY -trees which formalized his country's di-
AND THE NATIONAL TRAINING rection and control of the school and
CENTER IN SOUTH VIETNAM f the entire program,
Mr. SYMINGTON. , Mr. President, spec
The South ific. l y requested r that the eCentral,
earlier this week the Senior Senator from' Inteliigr.ac:e Agency continue its logistic
Minnesota Inserted in the REcono ,an ar-., arlc. ffnanc:ial support, as well as its ad-,
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 Approved For Release 2005/01/05 : CIA-RDP75-00149R000700430020-9
O visory role, curing this transitional pc- in May, how con he now say that it was mony incident to lneuing the black salt,
nod. That is the way the relationship taken ov, r by tho Vietnamese from the The student must wear it willingly, The
stands today. CIA in June? black suit is the traditional peasant black,
As for the situation described in this In a Classiflcd report made to the Sell- pajamas. An Individual, once he in a article in the New York Times, what ate upon my return to this country from her of a political action team, stays on the
took place recently was an internal dis- the Far East earlier this year, I presented payroll indefinitely,
During phase III they teach the student'
pate among the Vietnamese staff at the details of a visit to Vung Tau with to accept the chnllenge of war. They teach
Van,; Tau, touched off by Minister Major Mal-then captain-and others at him that he cannot stay around and do
Thong's replacement of the conunander the training school In question. nothing, that much of the country In over.
he himself had appointed last February. I ask unanimous consent that the do- ^un by the Viet Cong, and that they can.
As a result there was an element of the 'classified part of this Senate report on not relax and put the whole future and
old staff which resented the changes that this school be inserted at this point In hands of the ids. They of Vietnam in te-fri had taken place; and accordingly the RECORD. ' hands for themselves.
They must do some-
demonstrated against the new manage- There being no objection, the declassi- t. In g phase IV the students are taught how
fluent. Seven instructors out of a total fled part of the Senate report was or- to fight, and urged to fight, They are
of some 400 were dismissed, Including dered to be printed in the RECORD, as fol' taught the use of various arms and explo?
the director of training. lows: slvee; but the main weapon is political
There Is nothing secretive whatever VUNO T,w, Monday, January 3.-The first action, propaganda, how to help peasants fix
about this training program or the affil- thing this morning was n' briefing at thesichousco, promote literacy, and care for the
cation with It of the Central Intelligence U.S. Embassy, Then we flew to Vung Tau. k, They leofn k cent the scks out m the
Agency. Both have been discussed at On the flight we were accompanied by suck, instead of asking the sick to to
e
Modic length, in the press and on radio and Captain Lo Xuan Mal, Director of the Vung didn't needa much Captain
medlcin observed they
t~.iCVi5ietl, Tau Farm,
e usually afriend-
Avision ad0l' I edge and the U.S. finis- On arrival we were taken to the Farm, ly word and an aspirin was very good
where poi;ticaal action teams are trained. propagnnda.
sion council, in concert with their appr0- On arrival, Captain eial first billeted us. During the course the students are given
pi
pi iate counterparts in the South Viet- They ta',.e in natives, bringing in people ning tie freedom rally res ok. In the begin-
Government, are studying inten- .Who other pooplo with whom they have con- accu they gonna, but then care shown
n
sh; sly the entire rural development cadre tact say they know and trust. They operate accuse they have no but then they fe shown that program, including the best methods of on the ":'It 'cohere such a largo part of the arguments, They come they have no
csubstantial
to r to r tealiaus thhaatt the
assistance. people livi The PAT are represented In each United States ze that province, United does not tiro from them,
At this point, let me emphasize that Tho cis:. th y had groin., down there at rather gives assistance. They are taught
the CIA has done nothing, and is doing this time .:d 3,200 people. The next class that if the Viet Cong are not present In the
nothing, except what it has been for- is prograe nod for 3,000 people, They, train land, and the South Vletnly th can pro..
nt,tliy asked to do by the appropriate offl- h0 man pr? !;turf action teams, equipped with duce more rice, automatically there will be
ewealth
Cials of he United States Government three nice: ., e: ca. The class also Included . In t more
achi for ails the and the South Vietnamese Government. 150 girls ho were being trained primarily raami, the instructors uct etude back at,Vung Tau
as mdwivr ;. It was essentially a large me oho instructors g p a tek deep in Viet-
III other words, the Times article is
more than "confused." Much of It Was action" ccurso. They tried to teach the. nase history, because the ancestors pass
untrue. The implied charge that the students n strong spirit concerning what they the spirit from' one generation to another.
were fighting for. Vietnam has been it we, They remind the students of the story of
CIA was hoodwinked into sponsoring for 25 years, the fairy and the dragon. In this Vietnamese
an anti-South Vietnamese Government leer ._
When many it not most come to Vung Tau riausm, rather it should be a 50-50 propoel-
the Vietnamese Army. He did preach a. Farm, they have a bad attitude; therefore, 'tion. They also use other legends, such as
dynamic message of intense nationalism, Captain Mat said they concentrated on 'tic one, about ghe am w year-oId boy ss r
and his relations with his Vietnamese orientations, truck. aye show man when the aggressor
colleagues and superiors have not' been When they arrived, the students often struck. They sa fwhy e the people must
free of friction. But the charge that as 'used expressions like "American imperial- 'unite if they are to defend themselves.
a "result" Of his activities the South Isis," along with "French colonialists," At At the Vung Tau Farm School there an
Vietnamese Government was forced to Vung Tau these young ones were taught seven steps in conducting a complete lesson,
"take over"
Vieth othe Vung Tau school from '.there are absolute enemies and relative First, tier. is individual study, Ina Ave.
Is totally the Vung inaccurate. u enemies. China, for example, It was con man cell.
stantly stressed, is an absolute enemy. This is students to a otes. lecture, at
In this connection, the author of this The students were also taught that they which the a period when nth
article, Mr. Charles Mohr, appears either ?? had friends whose interests in South Viet- cuss Third h lesson a neam when the sts, and elect
ect
to have changed his position, or to be nam were as dear as their own. Such were the ltake shemselve and elect
confused himself. the United States, Korea, Australia, plus n secretary to taro notes.
III this article that he wrote on July the other nations who were supporting the The instructor then talks to the class, and
10, Mr. this article s: South Vietnamese. corrects any mistaken, or mistaken Idea he
Tho change-over of the training program ram Those North Victnameso fighting for the fools they may have about the subject mat-
Chinese' p g Chinese Communists are absolute enemies, ? ter in question.
(from the Central Intelligence Agency to the-'and those who are mistaken, and have joined The fifth step is tudents themselves von-
South Vietnamese) took place In mid June. the Viet Cong, are absolute enemies If they tcer to addresa,, and carry on the lesson
And- won't come back when they have the chance," with the class.
An a result, fiat ,on During phase I of the course, t3*io- The sixth step is a summing up by the in-
f government officiate alai stress is laid in creating confidence in'the structor of major points In the lesson,
lima taken control from the Central Intelll- Vietnamese youth, The students are al-
ronto Al:ency of the program for training the The seventh step is the examination,
llcvolutlonar Development for
ro"-armed lowed, 'encouraged, to speak their minds _ Daex m the first lasts sare two hour periods,
"
oxperto lueoi In pony D elopmen fully about any problems there may be In Tho examination
hours one hour, so there are
the Vietnamese government, or anything thirteen hhours per lesson,
Ilut 2 months earlier, in an article he else they may have on their minds, There Throughout the course sthctors tr In faith. hey
l;,o terotC for the New York Tinges ns of is discussion of such problems as corrup- the tooliniquo reps tin of Instilling
emng string that South
n:r?Y mil, and ril he N contrary to}cs a of tion, PovertY, misery, and fatalism. The Veep m will avohaelzing that South
111,116c of July 10, Mr. Mohr wont them to talk about it, and they want Vietnam will be vicmctorlous, the to oil facts as they actually are when hgave
a three I,I There are gve men in each cell of students,
e said: a revo lutionary s irit. to phac?u I them with
:Ito cadre training school at when he u, a ?Wcck uti ivo training Is special teach calls go to
parliamentary procedure o up a tend, Thea
.,rt~l town nearSelgen, lasted for 13 weeks, During phase II theremphasis llaand form a
mock village government.
r'lio school is nun by the Victnameso but In on the importance of a, strong will. They One half of their studies are In the school
knay'n to be lnnnced by an American agoncy formerly made a fourteen ? rioter march, buildings, one half In the jungle. They sot
an,I ha a unrulier of American advisers. ? everyday. Now that is :e;:nceu to elrht up defenses around Villages, and defend
iii Ot;lr,r k'iirCn, if Nr, bfolrr felt the kilometers a day. '.-he atucien ,5 -., ;ed , agalant mock Viet Cong attacks,
if he is ready to accept hardship, t
r,:d ho ?~r:re bed each night the student makes
'ry~' -ft' :)+!tiut: Tutu .V-W ` tit~iklni se Ilia of a revolutionary, They have a core- a u i?s tci `u
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 w'&, 1966
ApprTi6g r 11eA. LOR CO~ D CIA RD~P~7~5-001498000700430020-9 5G-11
t,see no self Interests, to help the sick, to
the poor and the aged, and to fight the
.'~,R1111115ts, In the morning again they
e the runic pledge.
: he students are taught that they can and
win with love and sincerity. From this
been derived a symbol which, in block
,s, is the letter "T", super inscribed on
eticr "11". These two letters, 'I'll, form
:last two letters of the three words In
c mrse meaning Victory, Love, Sincerity,
..:irk, Tltuong, Thanh.
I risked Captain Mai to give me one of these
y'+nboi" pins. It Was- interesting to watch
;.c pride In his face as he pinned it on.
:e;; teach the student that this symbol, Vic-
ory, Love, Sincerity, blots out the hammer
.i sickle.
The students are trained in the use of
Gallons. the submachine gun, the Drowning
.;:tomatic rifle, the M-1 rifle, carbines and
,odes.
';'he students are issued weapons when
get into the area where they plan to set
heir permanent; team,
ves of the students are from 15 to 60.
owl training course is ten weeks.
;ri :in Mib and his Deputy then took us
our of the school.
on,, :student class we heard the student
ask:, "Why do you think the people
t-nam do not agree with President
alb^?" A very young student rose and