Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume II, Vietnam, 1962

204. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State¹

Saigon, May 23, 1962—2 p.m.

1504. Embassy officer saw Colonel Lac May 23 prior receipt Deptʼs 1367² in order determine status his concept of organization for counterinsurgency operations in Delta. Lac said concept has been presented President Diem but has not yet been approved. He said he had been informed by Secretariat in Presidency that concept had been referred to “group” for study but Lac professed ignorance as to who this group is.

At Embassy officerʼs request Lac provided copy organizational chart presented to Diem which will be pouched Department.³

Embassy officer asked Lac whether concept as presented to Diem included single commander at division tactical zone level for military and civilian operations. Lac said he had recommended to Diem that this authority be given division commander with proviso that central government (i.e. President) determine when military control in given area will shift to civilian control.

Embassy officer asked Lac whether any operational plans for Delta area had been developed as yet. He replied that until organizational concept approved by Diem orders cannot be issued for formation committees at various lower levels including division tactical zone and plans cannot be requested from division tactical zone until committees formed. He added that once concept approved orders for formation committees can go out within two or three days and plans should come up rapidly for approval. Embassy officer made it clear that we need specific operational plans in order to determine where we can bring our assistance to bear in counterinsurgency operations.

Lac said that meanwhile he has been made member of Inter-Ministerial Committee on Strategic Hamlets (headed by Nhu). Meeting is to be held at My Tho under Nhuʼs chairmanship May 24 to deal with Delta provinces.

Lac said he plans recommend at this meeting that series of “defended hamlets” be constructed along edge Plaine des Joncs for resettlement inhabitants that area under VC pressures or control. If recommendation approved he said we would be requested to provide assistance. Embassy officer pointed out this would appear to be contrary to Delta Plan concept of restoring security gradually from more secure to less secure areas and asked particularly whether there would be adequate forces to defend series defended hamlets along edge Plaine des Joncs. Lac understood reasons for this question and indicated it would be raised at meeting in My Tho.

Lac said he would also have to present to this meeting proposals which had been made by province chiefs of Long An, Dinh Tuong and Vinh Long for erection additional small defense posts. Lac indicated however he did not think very much of this idea himself as there are already too many small posts to defend. Embassy officer likewise said that he did not particularly like this idea which had been presented about week ago to Country Team Committee on Province Rehabilitation.

Lac also said that he planned urge at My Tho meeting that province chiefs in area establish specific plan of area priorities for strategic hamlet construction. He said that Nhu supports concept of priorities based on Zones A, B and C—i.e. from more secure to less secure areas taking into consideration population and communications routes and centers—but province chiefs thus far building strategic hamlets helterskelter fashion. Embassy officer strongly supported idea of area priorities for strategic hamlets.

Lac agreed that there is essential difference between Thompson Plan approach to pacification which would give priorities to Delta provinces because security forces not adequate to permit simultaneous pacification efforts all over country and GVNʼs current approach involving strategic hamlet construction in every province in country.

Comment: Lack of approval thus far of Lacʼs organizational concept for counterinsurgency operations in Delta is discouraging but it did not appear from this conversation that Lac has given up hope of obtaining approval. We shall talk to Thuan to try determine just where Lacʼs concept stands. Shall reserve further comment on British information reported Deptʼs 1367 (which had come also to us directly from British here).

Nolting

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.5/5-2362. Secret. Repeated to CINCPAC for Polad, London, Bangkok, Phnom Penh, Vientiane, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Manila.
2. Document 200.
3. Not found.