19 APRIL MEMO ON SOUTH VIETNAMESE POLITICS ('NATION IN FERMENT')

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01720R000500060061-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 19, 2004
• Sequence Number: 61
• Publication Date: April 19, 1967
• Content Type: MF

Approved-For Release'2004/016114 CIA-RDP80R 20R000500060061-0
19 April 1967
MEMORANDUM FOR THE DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: 19 April Memo on South Vietnamese Politics ( "Nation
in Ferment")
1. The attached memorandum was prepared at my request and
it- )duction was brokered by the Vietnamese Affairs Staff, but it
re_iw,cts the work of many hands. Mr. Layton of ONE/FE did the basic
d.rafting. OGI and FE/VNO assisted in its preparation and contributed
ideas to it. The final editing was done by the VAS. It is, thus, a joint
effort in which all Headquarters elements concerned with South Vietnamese
politic s have participated.
2. The memo was prepared primarily as an operational aid and
rc ide for the Political Action Division of the Saigon Station. It is, however,
x_
a compendium that many U. S. Government elements concerned with
Vietnam might find useful. I intend to recommend at the 20 April Exec-
utive Committee meeting that in addition to distributing it within the building
and pouching; it to Saigon, we send copies to Messrs. Rostow, Komer,
Bundy, Unger, McNaughton and, possibly, McNamara; attempt
et copies to Ambassadors Bunker and Locke; and send several copies
k,o .de Vietnam Working Group, I NR, and the working level components of
DI A.
3. I deliberately had this opus printed as a blind memorandum
with a SECRET classification to enhance its utility and avoid drawing attention
to its CIA origin.
25X1
George A. Carver, Jr.
Special Assistant for Vietnamese Affairs
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19 April 1967
? EMORA.NDUM FOR THE DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: Lodge's 19 April Weekly (Saigon 23485 NODIS)
1. This is Lodge's final weekly. He closes (pare 37) by saying
that a week from "today" (19 April) I hope to be home and by thanking President
Johnson "for your trust in rne, for your never-failing backing and for your
leadership so full of insight."
2. Other subjects discussed include
(1) National Reconciliation and the GVN's (finally)
announced program
(2) The political situation (Lansdale jumped the gun
reporting that the military had picked Ky.)
(3) Hanoi's thinking# an exhortation to the P
id
res
ent
not to be duped (paras 11 - 18)
(4) The military situation (nothing new)
(5) Casualties, a discussion of current statistics,
VC attacks on RD teams and general VC terrorism (paras
22 - 31)
(6) Chieu Hoi figures (still up)
(7) Economic indices, a resume which includes the
fact that rubber trees in III Corps are deteriorating,
possibly as a result of U. S. herbicide operations (para 36)
George A. Carver, Jr.
Special Assistant for Vietnamese Affairs
Attachment
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