751G.00/4–2452: Telegram
The Consul at Hanoi (Sturm) to the Department of State
716. Dept pass Paris, Saigon. Rptd info Paris 242, Saigon 440. Min Heath accompanied by MAAG Chief Gen Brink and First Secy Wellborn1 arrived Hanoi afternoon Apr 22. Party attended briefing session 6 p.m. at which Linares, obviously jubilant, described encircling tactics used in Operation Polo and success obtained and stated that next day he would issue communiqué declaring VM 98th regiment destroyed in 48-hour period. Statistics given in next following telegram2 Linares said documents captured indicated 98th regiment had been instructed by VM High Command to remain fixed in delta for three-fold purpose of recruitment, victualing and harassing Franco-Viets, but had disobeyed orders and in attempting withdraw northward had fallen into skillfully closed trap. Additional documents, he said, indicated growing dissatisfaction on part VMs with extent of support offered them by delta populations.
At Linares’ invitation party proceeded morning Apr 23 to Bacninh in company with Gov Binh for briefing session at Gen Cogny’s3 CP, thence by jeep to visit two VM villages destroyed in course of operation. These were Vu-Duong and Tracnyiet, approx 10 to 12 miles southeast [Page 111] Bacninh and just north of Canal des Rapides. Both villages long occupied by VM and honeycombed with underground passages. Linares especially wished Brink to see these entrenchments in support former’s urgent request for additional supplies 155 MM ammunition and aerial bombs with delayed action fuses. Entrenchments at Vu-Duong appeared largely intact, while Tracnyiet, attacked by ordinary aerial bombs, was pulverized. To the non-professional eye fortifications, while complex and ingenious, appeared hardly offer resistance greater than could be overcome by bombs such as those used at Tracnyiet. At CP of Col de Castries, Commander of one GM taking part in operations party observed piles of captured munitions, on the whole a sorry lot of hardware, and groups of prisoners hardly more impressive.
Comment: Polo has been received by Letourneau as a good omen for the success of his mission and has given the military command welcome encouragement Gov Binh was invited join inspection tour so Linares could impress him with nature and extent of administrative job indispensable as follow-up to mil operations Said that as Binh and his services took over and consolidated govt position in liberated areas, mil command would be enabled move forces onto further operations and Linares could eventually repatriate his non-Viet troops from IC. Binh remained full of goodwill but appeared overwhelmed by magnitude of task as this was brought home to him in the ruins and stinks of Tracnyiet.