STATION COMMENTS ON GVN ACTIONS AND PERFORMANCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01720R000500090038-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 15, 2004
• Sequence Number: 38
• Publication Date: March 4, 1968
• Content Type: MF

ApprovQ4'For Release 2004/07/08 : CIA-RDP801?C01720R000500090038-3
SECP
4 March 1968
ORANDUM WOR THE DIRECTOR
CT: Station Comments on CYN Actions and Performance
1. The Station's reply to our questions (copies of both attached hereto)
can be summarised as follows:
yes and tasks needed to meet immediate crisis
om those related to so
eras will continue to impro
critical areas is generally adequate. though far from outstanding.
Station is cautiously optimistic that C' l performance in these
long-standing (but not immediately critical) problems.
ly On balance, GYN performance in immediately
US must not dilute GVN energies among diverse tasks
sip the GVN focus on the really critical.
void pushing solutions requiring drastic GVN
ranking of specific critical tasks and summary of Station
comments on current CYN performance therein are as follows:
a. Protect seats of GVN authority and key military
installations.
Saigon Comment: This being accomplished,
at least marginal y. No key locale lost to the enemy
but many are subject to repeated harassment or
threatened with Imminent ground attack. ARYN's
performance has varied widely but has in proved in
reorganisation or major reorientation of resources.
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 Approved Fir Relegs 08
b. I:asure -adeeq ate (as distinct from optimum) performance
GYN military and civil elements in meeting current crisis.
At national (Saigon) level, there are
~` n to exert some leadership
Thang's assignment gives some Hope 10
orps Other corps commands seem marginal or
with US advisory effort in some places compensating
for unsatisfactory GYN local performance. Little
information from distric
C. Relic
d loyalty to the stare.
Rally populace against the enemy and restore confidence
recovering from .initial shock and
V'A zdec teely. President Thieu has
elated by enemy attacks.
Cegnmeent: GYN is coping more or less adequately.
e rural areas.
Counter the eenery's effort to destroy pa
rtaminant.. GVN performance marginal in to
of push ng: assets back out into field. C i feel*, with
reason. first priority must be given to protecting
ities. All Mission components are pushing
the line that a good offensive to the best defensive,
'
Ky
spouse in acme areas. Generals
to survey this problem and mace
rocomntendations to an encouraging step forward.
25X1
Approved For Release 2004/07/08 : CIA-RDP80RO172OR000500090038-3
 Approved For Release 2004/07/08 : CIA-RDP8(;~_
1720R000500090038-3
able is, as advertised, a preliminary
response that does not answer our questions In sufficient
detail. The over-all picture it conveys is a GVN hanging
on, but barely. We also get the impression, perhaps
d and a trifle defensive in their response to Washington's
aaeedieas. We believe that though the GVN's capacities are
obviously lixnited, the real root problem 1a more one of atrnos-
rch the government he heads is faced,
ear to appreciate the urgency and seriousness of the
riots out of which the U5 Government
j (even if it were willing to mount
-
.ess he and his Vietnamese colleagues really
A. Carver, Jr.
Spacial. Assistant for Vietnamese Affairs
25X1
'nloes he can be persuaded to galvanize the situation
or allow others (e. ,g. , Ky) to do so ostensibly in his name,
prospects for improved GVN performance are bleak. If Thieu
will start acting like a war president in time of crisis, how-
ever, there could be significant improvement in a number of
fields in a short span of tinio. The difficulty lies partly in
'hieeu's make-up and primarily In the fact that he does not
O/DCI/SAVA: GACarver/mee
Distribution
Orig - DCI w/atts
1 - VC Tet Offensive w / att
1 - GAC Chrono w/attsV
1 - VAS/RAC w/atts
Approved For Relea a gV98 : CIA-RDP80R01720R000500090038-3