52. Memorandum From the Director of the United States Information Agency (Rowan) to President Johnson1
Attached is a report on progress to date on the recommendations contained in my report to you of March 16, 1965 concerning informational and psychological warfare programs in South Viet-Nam.2 The numbered paragraphs correspond to the 16 points in my report, a copy of which is attached for reference.
1. Expand USIA staff in Saigon and reorganize operation.
The USIA staff in Saigon has been reorganized and incorporated into the newly-created Joint U.S. Public Affairs Office (JUSPAO).3 JUSPAO’s staff build-up is on schedule, and when completed in September will consist of 137 U.S. employees, 15 of whom are being provided by the military.4 A Viet-Nam Working Group has been created within the Far East Area of USIA in Washington.
2. Issue joint agency statement assigning responsibility for over-all Mission psychological operations to Minister for Public Affairs Barry Zorthian.
[Page 151]NSAM 330 of April 9 reaffirmed Barry Zorthian’s over-all authority for coordination and direction of psychological and informational programs in Viet-Nam.5
3. Plan vital support operations under JUSPAO Director Zorthian’s control.
a. The MAC/V Pol War Directorate in Viet-Nam has been placed under the substantive direction of JUSPAO, and MAC/V Psyops officers at the province level receive substantive direction from the JUSPAO Field Services Center.
b. USOM’s communications Media Division was formally transferred to JUSPAO jurisdiction on July 1.
c. USIA has prepared a supplemental budget for operations in Southeast Asia, including sufficient funds to meet the needs of our expanded program in Viet-Nam for the remainder of FY ’66. This request, approved by the Bureau of the Budget, is now ready to be submitted to Congress.
4. Continue the contingency piaster fund required for JUSPAO to conduct psychological operations in the provinces.
An agreement with USOM now permits JUSPAO to draw as needed $200,000 unexpended from FY ’65 and $300,000 proposed for FY ’66.
5. Obtain from military the aircraft needed for conducting airborne psychological operations.
Agreement has been reached under which the military is providing JUSPAO aircraft time rather than specific aircraft. It now appears that after the present deployment of aircraft and loudspeakers is completed in September, the time available to JUSPAO for operations will exceed the original request.
6. Give JUSPAO Field Representatives “sign off” authority on provincial expenditure of U.S. funds in economic programs.
JUSPAO and the appropriate Washington agencies have come to the conclusion that granting such authority could slow down the execution of some programs and thus offset advantages which might accrue from it. Therefore no action to obtain “sign off” authority has been taken.
7. Support increased GVN broadcasting capability.
Negotiations for building a powerful transmitter in Viet-Nam are postponed temporarily pending GVN improvement of existing broad [Page 152] cast facilities. To assist Radio Viet-Nam with these improvements, JUSPAO has provided an advisory team composed of three American officers and four Vietnamese assistants.
8. Establish TV capability in Viet-Nam.
The GVN announcement of major reforms in Radio Viet-Nam considered essential before television can be established is hoped for shortly. When these reforms are implemented, formal negotiations for U.S. aid to TV can begin.
9. Provide training for GVN personnel in communications media.
To strengthen GVN radio capability, JUSPAO has planned a four-month training program for Vietnamese radio personnel. A VOA team to survey Radio Viet-Nam’s training needs is organized, but departure from Washington is being delayed at JUSPAO request, pending reforms of Radio Viet-Nam recommended in January.
JUSPAO training of GVN district survey teams has been expanded and motivational training of Popular Forces platoons in II and III Corps areas continues.
10. Support and encourage GVN development of an overseas information program.
To organize an effective GVN overseas information program, a three-man working group was formed in Saigon with representatives from the GVN Foreign and PsyWar Ministries and JUSPAO.
This group is already producing substantial results as demonstrated by the Free World Aid Day celebration in Saigon during June, the forthcoming world-wide tour of Vietnamese heroes and the initiation of GVN news cables, through USIA channels, to GVN Embassies in 23 foreign countries.
AID and USIA are now preparing a program for training GVN personnel in information dissemination techniques.
11. Revitalize Chieu Hoi Program.
To revitalize this program, a special team was sent to Saigon in mid-May and has been consulting with U.S. and GVN officials and studying operations. The team briefed the Secretary of Defense and his party in Saigon on July 176 and will be submitting its final report and recommendations to the Mission Council on August 16.7
[Page 153]This program has been showing signs of increased effectiveness in recent months. The highest number of military and political cadre returnees since the program’s inception (910) was recorded in May.
12. Undertake a program to produce corps of psywar experts.
On April 19, USIA initiated a long-range training program designed to produce officers thoroughly trained in psychological warfare. An experienced USIA officer just returned from a tour of duty in Viet-Nam is coordinating a series of four ten-week courses for officers assigned to Viet-Nam and is working closely with DOD to integrate and coordinate military and USIA psychological training on a long-range basis. The 10-week course includes Vietnamese language training and area studies as well as special instruction at Ft. Bragg. The first class completed training in June and is now in Viet-Nam. The second class completes its training in mid-August, and the third and fourth classes are scheduled for August and October.
13. Exploit Viet Cong prisoners, defectors and terrorists.
In the provinces, JUSPAO Field Services has a program for letter writing by VC defectors to former units and friends. Distribution is arranged through various channels including air-drop leaflets. Live and taped appeals by defectors to VC units are broadcast by radio and airborne loudspeakers. A platoon of VC defectors now making propaganda tours in the provinces received motivational training from JUSPAO.
External exploitation of prisoners of war, defectors and terrorists is conducted through arranging for foreign correspondents, providing JUSPAO press and photo coverage for overseas distribution and supplying taped materials to VOA.
14. Build new embassy in Saigon.
Funds have been authorized for the construction of a new building.
15. Increase work among youth, labor, religious leaders and intellectual community.
Informational activities in urban areas, already extensive, have been expanded with the recent arrival of a Youth Officer and a special officer to work with Buddhists.
USOM and JUSPAO are conducting a special summer youth program involving 5,000 students in rural social action programs in 27 of the 44 provinces.
A series of radio programs for youth is being developed; a new quarterly magazine on current American thought is being distributed to intellectuals; and the book translation program has been increased from 13 titles in FY ’65 to 30 in FY ’66.
[Page 154]16. Provide necessary material support to expand program in Viet-Nam.
To render effective support to the expanded program, the Agency has diverted equipment from other areas to meet immediate needs and has prepared a supplemental budget sufficient to meet the total requested increases of the post.
The absorption of USOM’s communications media operation will give JUSPAO $500,000 for replacement and maintenance of equipment and supplies.
- Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, Box 190, Vietnam Rowan Report. Secret. In the upper right-hand corner of the memorandum, an unknown hand wrote: “File–Atts to Bundy memo to President Aug 3, 1965.” An additional copy of the memorandum is in the National Archives, RG 306, DIRCTR Subj Files, 1963–69, Bx 6–29 63–69: Acc: #72A5121, Entry UD WW 257, Box 26, Field—Far East (Viet Nam) July–December, 1965. In the same file as the memorandum is an August 2 note from “BK” to Rowan that indicates that the progress report was done at Rowan’s suggestion and was based on a May 19 memorandum from Moore to Rowan, and a July 2 memorandum from Ryan to Rowan, both reporting on progress to date on the March recommendations. Handwritten notations on the August 2 note indicate that copies were sent to Rusk and Bundy. Copies of the May 19 and July 2 memoranda are ibid.↩
- See Document 37. In the same file as Rowan’s August 2 memorandum is an undated and untitled paper classified as “Secret,” attached to a July 2 covering memorandum from Ryan and the Viet-Nam Working Group to Rowan. According to Ryan, the attached paper “is a report on the progress to date on the recommendations contained in your report to the President on March 16, 1965.” In a May 19 memorandum from Moore to Rowan in the same file, Moore stated: “Following is a report on the progress to date on the recommendations contained in your report to the President of March 16, 1965.”↩
- According to USIA’s 25th Report to Congress, JUSPAO was established by Johnson in May 1965. (National Archives, RG 306, Reports to Congress; 8/1953–1979, Entry P–180, Box 1, USIA 25th Report to Congress 7–12/1965) Also see “USIS Controls News Flow of Viet War,” Chicago Tribune, April 21, 1965, p. A2.↩
- For further information on JUSPAO’s mission and organization, see the July 13 “JUSPAO Vietnam: General Briefing Book.” (National Archives, RG 306, USIA Historical Collection, Subject Files, 1953–2000, Entry A1 1066, Box 228, Field Post, JUSPAO 1965)↩
- See footnote 12, Document 37.↩
- McNamara, accompanied by Lodge and Wheeler, visited Vietnam from July 16 through July 21.↩
- Not found.↩