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derivative filename/jpeg
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363-04815.pdf
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Digital Object Identifier
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363-04815
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Title
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How We Help Viet Nam Get More Men for Its Army
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Description
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Article published in the New York Herald Tribune about recruitment for South Vietnam's army, page unknown
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Transcript
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--------------------
- Page 1
--------------------
By Beverly Deepe
A Special Correspondent
BAIGON.
American
been ordered for the Arst
time in the war-to watch
carefully the recruitment of
Wietnamese draftees in the
advisers have
ment &
D. Task
Joint
of recruit-
Gen. Maxwell
chairman of the
of Staff, delved
mid-May
8. Mc-
visit. While American De-
Sense Secretary Robert S. Mc-
Namara authorised in March
incr
Anto during
Secretary
50,000-man
the understrength V
med force, the gover
having dimenity filing the
ring a repent month, the
nment issued a draft call
for 20.000 men-but only
1,500 showed up. Training
centers lacks the necessary
number of recruits to train at
full capacity.
Yet, according to American
advisers in the provinces,
"The Communists are so pop-
ular they're running out of
recruit forms."
The government discovered
the armed forces were under-
strength only recently when
they found a number of un-
authorised persons listed on
the military payrolls, accord-
ing to Premier Nguyen Khenh.
"A lot of people were draw-
ing pay who were not mem-
bere of the armed forces."
Gen Khanh said. "When the
government reche
understrength. Under Diam
every statisties was phony."
While the goateed general
would not estimate the num
ber on the padded payrolls,
which are paid indirectly
from U. 8. funds some esti-
mates run as high as 50,000.
If true, the 50,000-man in-
crease authorized by Mr. Me-
Namara would, in fact, only
restore the actual strength
which Washington and the
Vietnamese government pre-
sumed they had several
months ago.
Gen. Khanh said he ex-
pects the quote to be filled
in June.
The order to American ad-
visers stationed in Vietnam's
43 provinces and 100 dis-
tricts (provincial subdivi-
sions) was issued in a direc-
tive dated May 9 and signed
by Br
headed Selective Service Sys
tem, reads:
Decreas
(Republic of Vietnam Armed
Forces) strength continues to
be the major problem facing
the GVN (Government of
Viet Nam) and is therefore
of primary concern to U. 8.
advisers. The success of the
Pacification Plan and the
ultimate winning of the war
is tied directly to GVN abil-
ity to maintain the fighting
units at authorized strength.
"2. Conscription is the
primary means of securing
the manpower resturees
needed. Many problems are
bethg encountered particu-
larly in issuing draft notices,
insuring draftees report for
induction and apprehending
draft evaders.
3. Your asstance is men
GVN conscription
and procedures
an advisers are also
5-point checklist
tempts to expedite
and tighten recruiting pro-
cedures at the lowest levels.
The Vietnamese selective
service system operates like
that in the United States,
except that responsibilities
are divided between two
ministries Defense and In-
terior. At 18, the men report
to their nearest administra-
tive offices. Two years later,
if they are found fit and are
not deferred, they are sched-
uled to be drafted.
But the Viet Cong take
the young men much below
the age of 18," one American
provincial representative said,
"By the time they are ready to
go to the Army, they are
already with the Viet Cong
or in hiding."
The
streath
current authorized
blar Are
Nav. Marine and Air
unit is 200.000. The
strength, hopter, clas
sifie Almost all anils, how
eve are known t
ing under standpl
military forces add anoth
200,000.
The problem of recruitme
is not so much a single pro
lem as a visible index of mar
underlying difficulties It in
dicates the success of Com
munist terror, intimidation
high-powered persuasio
among an uneducated popula
tion-and the government
inability to offer a meaning
ful alternative.
A corollary to the recrui
ment problem is that the go
ernment is unable to hold i
own armed forces, indicatin
low morale and the Cos
munists' skill in infiltintin
the military organisation
meted 7 per cent
are
the armed
fested the
much as 50 per cent Para- graduation
as
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Date
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1964, May 24
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Subject
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Vietnam (Republic). Quân lực; Recruiting and enlistment; Vietnam War, 1961-1975
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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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Container
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B4, F6
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Format
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newspaper clippings
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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
