ATTITUDES OF FRENCH AND VIETNAMESE, SAIGON

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00423R000600650003-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 27, 1999
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: May 1, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

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Vietn Subject : Attitudes of French 25X1 A6a amese, Saigon
-WTI
Country: Vietnam
contains information affecting the national da;enr
Jan-May 53
of the United a he meaning of she espionagd laws,
Title 18, USC, Sacc, 793 and mission or r_vetAtio
of which in any manner to an unat ihorizad ibitca
aw,
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25X1X
.met many of the local French business community in Saig a both in ochina with
business way and socially, and discussed prospects
them. The large business houses, as for example Denis Freres, have
will
that
no intention of pulling out of the country. They believe
Vietnamese government.
be able to operate successfully even under a purely
This view is not shared by small French businessmen. The latter areall
mainly occupied in trying to get their money out of the country.
business firms are constantly changing hands from one French colonial to posit another, each hoping to imphocolon.ialiisndefin telyidefeatistiin histo
get out. The average Frenc
outlook.
2. A fair amount of building is in progress in Saigon but the owners are per attempting to amortize their investments
Frenchafirtnsysuch as1Soco This
makes rentals extremely high
Vacuum and Shell Oil are putting up their own buildings rather than pay
the exorbitant rents.
25X1X 25X1X ess way
them 3. ,t a fair number of nessnwith theandUS.found
. did not
genuinely pro US S and
discuss local politics with the Vietnamese. 25X1X
14., met few Chinese. From French and Vietnam sources , was told that
tctie
kn
inese, who operate all the big gambling establishments, pay protection
money to the Vietminh to prevent raids on the their estaslishmenmmunist, pro-
25X1 ~-ther French nor Vietnamese regarded
overnment.
Qher as neutralists ready to accept any g
:5 aneya1 8tl into rnatxo1 for bS ff,ctals
Ia MW lit su3 4 1, possible Most of
O N tlf allay a o n o t vlarraat l~l-
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5. Police personnel in Saigon are Vietnamese, except for a few top French
officers. French residents treat the Vietnamese traffic police with
utter contempt, and even Vietnamese residents do not appear to have much
respect for them. There are two Surete offices, one French and one
Vietnamese and passport visas must be obtained from both. The usual 25X1X
practice is to go first to the French Surete. ^ did not hear of any
case in which the Vietnamese Surete refused a visa after the French
25X1X Surete had granted one, and E would not care to speculate on what would
happen if the Vietnamese Surete granted a visa after the French refused one.
25X1X 6. .heard various opinions on the Caodaiist movement. One French rumor
attributed a recent bomb outrage to the Caodaiists. On the other hand
many foreigners visit the Caodaiist temple some 20 odd miles from
Saigon and are well received. The average French resident regards the
Caodaiists with suspicion.
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