199. Editorial Note
At the 460th meeting of the National Security Council, September 21, the Director of Central Intelligence reported to the Council on the situation in South Vietnam. Allen Dulles gave his assessment as part of his usual briefing on “Significant World Developments Affecting U.S. Security” as follows:
“Mr. Dulles said our problems in South Vietnam were becoming more difficult because of growing Communist activity in that country in the last three months. Some 5000 guerrillas are now operating in the swampy country south of Saigon. They hoped, by extending their operations through the countryside, to topple the government. The main routes of travel near Saigon are already insecure and the Vietnam security service takes a serious view of the situation. Our Embassy feels that Diem is vulnerable because of dissatisfaction in the rural areas and criticism in Saigon of his authoritarianism. We [Page 586] believe it is important for Diem to broaden the base of the government and to send his brother to a diplomatic post abroad.
“Secretary Dillon said we could press Diem to broaden the base of his government. We had been quite concerned over the guerrilla operations in the country. The Vietnam army had been organized to resist attack from the north while the Civil Guard was supposed to combat guerrillas. However, the Civil Guard has been ineffective in recent months because of divided responsibility in the U.S. Government between Defense and ICA for support. There is now agreement in the U.S. Government that MAAG should take over responsibility for the Civil Guard. Secretary Dillon believed that the Civil Guard could now be converted into an effective anti-guerrilla organization in about three months.” (Memorandum of discussion by Boggs, September 21; Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records)