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derivative filename/jpeg
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363-05642 to 363-05647.pdf
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Digital Object Identifier
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363-05642 to 363-05647
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Title
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Article about "termite warfare"
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Description
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Original title: "article 7", Keever's title: "Communists Gain Local support by Co-opting Villagers", article about "termite warfare", the combination of guerrilla warfare and political subversion
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Transcript
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doopo
article 7 of 15 artiolo cories
page 1
SAIGON-The or thin Vietnam is relentless, but not necessarikt ruthless.
It can be cilont; it can be invisible. By combining quarrilla warfare and political
subversion, the communists have invented what one lose Regimental commander/ called
"torni to mrfare".
In example, is the government strategico homlot of cone, ad tuated in the rolative
ly secure province of Binh Thuan, 130 miles Bartheast of Saigon, a peaceful seaside
collection of more than 400 houses, the hamlot was formed 30-plus years ago for more
than 1000 workers in the largest of the French operated onlt fields.
The hamlet food
the seaside, with picturesque mountains to the roor. A government road and railroad
provide cany communications and transportation; government scout care frequently
patrol the area expedition large Japanese ships which pull in to loed onlt for export
Coonsionally covermont naval boute slide in for coourity.
The hemlot is ruled by an olooted henlet chief and hemiet council port of the
the Anorionn "democratic" proroquistes for supporting the mult-million dollar
pacification program of fortified villages the announced keystone for victory in
Vietnam.
The hamlet in protoctod by usoid-provided barbed wires it io defonded by moro
than 200-armed hamlet militia,
In government books, it is one of the most cocuro balota,
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( 2 )
But it is 100 por cont dominated by the Viet Cong communisto- through socrot
political subversion and intimidation by their armed guerrillas.
The communist guerrillas come into the village to play soooos gemos--against
the government's hamlet militia---some of whom are blood relatives. The communint
political agente in the village agitate for and organise kangaroo courte against those
Persone with "incorrect attitudes," they once beheaded the homlet chief. Then the
guerrilles need weapons and ammunition; they arrange a "hollywood battle" with the
handed over
government militia thoro's loto of noise, weapons aro but no one gots killed. Thon
the communists need more guerrille recruito, they hold a "nook kidnapping" of the
healot's youth. Regular"US" shows are held by the communist theatrical troupes wook:
village newspaper in distributod, students from the government school write the news
"For the government the hamlet is a bright spot-like a shiny red apple," one
Vietnamese explained. "But inside the worms have eaton all of it. It in ocmpletely
zotton,"
The Communists have used four openrato, but inter-related tootion to accomplish
this They have converted some possono ao political activitists and orpod guerrillas,
they have made part-time sympathisers of others; the anti-communists are of ther
noutralised ("You don't have to work for us--just don't work against us.") or
"liquidated,"
Last year, the communist clandestine cadre in the hamlet instrated Rangroo Court
proceedings against the homlet chief. First, the cadre agitated the people to complai
about the "brutality of the chief-or any other government worker who does not
compromise with the communists then throw into his house a letter of the first morning
instruoting him to "roview his attitudo."
Lator a second letter of warning was thrown into his house along with a Vietcong
flag-rod and blue with a large golden star in the middle.
(ope
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'(3)
The third warning me a letter, with a viotoong flag. On the flag mo pointed a
pleture of a dagger. This was the village sentence to doath. The people were agitate
calling for a court in contor of the hamlet. Ho uns convented and beheaded. (on the
outskirts a similar kangaroo court me staged two years ago.)
Future hamlet chiefs, if selected by the people, are considered pliable by the
pomunisto the pwople are generally forced to aide with the communists. If the
government imposes a "hard-live" anti-comunist on the hemlet, the people again agitat
Or simply "liquidate" him.
From 1956-1959, the homlet people donounced to the government a number of
communiste loft bohind after Viotnon was partitioned in 1954. Many were arrested.
But now the pro-government, anti-communist persons have boon neutralised.
"They're human vegetables that's all," one Neco villager explained.
In 1957, one staunchly anti-communist villager we working on U.S.finanood
national highway more than 150 miles further south. His father had been killed by
the communiste during french wars later communist cadro apologised to his mother for
the sloying. The construction worker sat under chade troe at noontime one day eating
lunch with other workers.
Looking at Amorioan catopillar, he remarked "I wish we had that in my
village of Cono-I'd toko it into the mountains and grin the honds of the V. C.
1.
Two years later, the worker returned to Cans and bought a small
local bus company. One day the Viet Cong kidnapped him, said they had
apologised to his mother for the killing of his father, but you still
have a postion against us and want to kill us."
The torrified workor donlod it.
The Viet Cong endre recalled his remark: he had made under the chado troo
two years corlior.
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doope
article 7
pagexx 4
"I was only talking,"
the worker anomzod.
To kidnap you, so that you will clear your mind.
We do not ask you to help us just do nothing to hurt us."
The worker flod to Saigon.
A relative of his, also anti-Comunist, we denounced by the
workers of the salt factory, who forced the French salt company to fire him.
He's now unable to get work in the x hamlot,
Two months ago, the gover mont cent in an agent to live in
the hamlet; the Communiste immediately detected him and he was chased out
through intimidation.
The Communist andre in the hamlet aloo organised cultural
activities; a roving theatrical troupe performs comedies poking fun at the
government.
The andro encourage youngsters to attend the government-
operated school, but to wito mos items for the the Viet Cong weekly, one-rege
novaleaflet. The students also draw cartoons for the bottom of the page,
ridiculing the government. The news items includes listing of goverment
casualtios (but not Communist ones); number of newly-liborated villacos
in the district; number the way in which the people should become more
self-sufficient (examples
after pulling the bu tubers of a manico plant, similar
to meet potatoes, the people should break the stalk into five parts, plant each in
the ground, water it. In several montoh, five plante will be thriving.)
The inexpensive nowleaflet in reproduced off of a jolly-like
substance made from coa algno, mi Only the ink and ppapor are items of cost.
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doope
article 7
PRED 5
In 1961, the Communist guerrillas lived in the nearby
pountains and maintained a 12-con squad. Two years later, they had tw
sq und squads. Noma yonz lator--they have a 45-nen platoon.
Ono of the mosno used to incronco their strength was the
"Hollywood battle." The Communists first persuaded two or three young men
to volunteer to join them, but cet up "nook fighting so their families
would not be punishod by the government.
The Viet Cong platoon, reinforced by oloments of tho
district company, invaded the village, openly fighting the hamlet militia (who
had prior knonlodge of the attack). The goverment defendors onlled the district
headertore for help, knowing it rarely come at night. Leaving behind their
vca pone, they retreated to the nonaddo.
"The Viet Cong "hold" the hamlet for several hours;
"kidnapping" the village youth by jorking them from their honos, brund bruicing
and cutting their families, but wounding none seriously.
Next day, the hamlot militia returned, reporting the
"kidnapping," the loss of voe ons, excunition and gronados.
Suspicious district officials investigated the report;
villagore "confirmed" the "battlo"; parents of the missing youths wept and
showed displayed their wounds,
The district officials vore helploses should they leave the
homlet undefondod or locus aiz moso riflos? They allocated more weapons.
How can the government officials arrest the relatives of the
"Ridnapped" youths, then it is the governments respondibility to protect the village
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lebe
artiolo 7
page 6
even though they do look the troops to do so.
The Viet Cong platoon will probably not be expended to more
than its 45-man strength. They need youths to work for then inside the hemlets,
providing information, working as liaison with political cadro. Many of the villagers
are relatives of the Viet Cong.
"Tobody's going to rat on the Communiste in the village," one
former number of Conn village explained. "I'm not. Tho will proteat my lifes
by relatives still live in the village. They would be killed. Besides that one
the government do-take out the "rotton" village and move in another one.
would have draatio coonomic affects. Anyway the new village would probably bo
rotten too.
One Vietnamese regimental commandor explained, "It's
That
always the quiet places shore the most is happening. The Viet Cong don't have to
fight in the villages they already control. Nobody ceas then or heare what they're
doing. They're just busy little tormi ton."
(Informatively, colores The Three Viet Nams.
the cousin of your now correspondent here,
Phan Xoan An, Counin uood to live in this village until two months
ago when he came to Saigon for university work. An's great-uncle
founded the villago; many of the stocton hose are an'a solatives.)
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Date
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1964
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Subject
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Vietnam War, 1961-1975; Guerilla warfare; Tactics; Strategy; Mặt tráºn dân tá»™c giải phóng miá»n nam Việt Nam; Psychological warfare; Civilians in war
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Location
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Saigon, South Vietnam
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Coordinates
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10.8231; 106.6311
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Size
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20 x 26 cm
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Container
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B187, F2
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Format
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dispatches
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Collection Number
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MS 363
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Collection Title
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Beverly Deepe Keever, Journalism Papers
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Creator
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Keever, Beverly Deepe
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Copyright Information
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These images are for educational use only. To inquire about usage or publication, please contact Archives & Special Collections.
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Publisher
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Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries
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Language
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English
