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derivative filename/jpeg
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363-02070 to 363-02073.pdf
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Digital Object Identifier
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363-02070 to 363-02073
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Title
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Article on Viet Cong suicide bombings
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Description
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Original caption: "Attn [Attention] annex upi special for Gandy by Beverly Deepe." Article by Keever on Viet Cong terrorist suicide bombings in Saigon
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AI Usage Disclosure
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Draft transcripts were automatically generated via Google Document AI and are currently under review. Please report significant errors to Archives & Special Collections at archives@unl.edu.
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Transcript
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Perronni
ATIN ENNEX UPI SPECIAL FOR GANEY GANDY BY BEVERLY DEEPE SAIGON DECEMBER
04180 (UPIS) The blasting of an American billet here Saturday by
a Viet Cong suicide squad was long expected. More frequent and far
bloodier terrorist incidents are anticipated by officials in the coming
months in this jittery city of more soldiers but less security.
Reliable sources note that the tor terrorist incident signifies
a general escalation of the war on all fronts-instead of a de-escalation
to solely terrorist tactics of Phase One, which American officials
had previously predicted.
Within the context of this wook of the war, the bombing incident
occurred a s the Viet Cong Communists launched a record number of
incidents in the provinces-totalling 1036 last week-on a substantial
victory in which Vietnamese government troops suffered some of the heaviest
casualties of the war and increased the number of political demonstrations
by Vietnamese civilians in the provinces.
"This war is a bitter cocktail--a mixture of everything," one
#Western diplomat explained. "There's a neat blend of terrorism, big
battles and political agitation. And there's bigger and bigger shots
of every ingredient going into the brew."
Commonly acknowledged that "there's no total security in Saigon,"
the highest ranking officials admit that even the resident residence of
American Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge could be easily mortared or
attacked by suicide squads and that the thousands of American GI's living
in apartments, villas, billets and hotels are particularly vunier vulnerable
to terrorism on either a mass a or individual scale.
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first add x x x or individual scale x x x
Since security in Saigon is limited, an increasing number of
American civilians advooste moving masses of American military
personnel out of saigon city-a plan proposed by Vietnamese Prime
Minister Nguyen Cao Ky, but yet to be achieved.
Observers here expected the terrorist incident to reinforce
arguments in Unistetes calling for etiffer American airstrikes against
North Vietnama feeling that was partially shared here. But
to other Americans here-partiouerly civilian officials--the incident
produced mounting oriticisms against the American decision-makers
in the Military Assistance Command, houded by Goneral William C.
Westmoreland. Theco American civilians had long criticized the
American military officials for notaptnot moving the increasing
numbers of American military personnel into massive contan cantonnont
areas on the outskirts of Saigon where they could be secured to the
hilt.
"The whole billoting problem of the American GI's is a
symbol o symbol of the unplanned was, " one American officiel, speaking
privately, explained. "American OI's are living all over Saigon in
2
villas, brothels or slums. How can they ever be secured. Housing has
beon scarce in Saigon for three years the American generals could
easily have predicted that the influx of Unistates combat un elements
would have made it acute.
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second add x x x made it soute. xII
"The American generals could have built a large cantonment area
outside of Saigon three years ago," the source continued.
"But they
didn't. They could have me crashprogrammed the building of
prefabricated houses near the Saigon airport. But they didn't. Instead
they allowed the renting of villas all over this town--and paid two
OUT
years rent in advance so they could outbit the American civilian
agencies. The result is that ore American agency hiked up the price
on another American agonoy."
These critics point out that in Koroa, many of the American
military personnel were based in a specially constructed compound
on the outskirts of the ca pital of Seouo Seoul, but that the
solutions to the problems in Vietnam are even more crucially needed
because the war is such a convoluted mixture of political-coonomic-
social o factors as well as military.
Robe so Reliable sources indicate that American military
officers are in such dospe rate need of billeting for incoming GI's
that they frequently contract Vietnamese civilians to build villas-
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and begin payment of one-third of the two-year advance sun xax when
the buildor has but laid the concrete foundation of the house. When
the house is completed the owner is given the two-year advance ront--
2
which more than pays pays for his expenses ix and costs of the house.
("It means that the Americans gave him the villa," one Vietnamese
explained.)
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third add x x x one Vietnamese explained. x x =
While the American-contracted a villas are to meet certain
specifioia construction a specifications, such as designated amounts
of structural steel, reliable sources indicate that the Vietnamese
s builders seldom bother meeting these requirements.
"So, if a
bomb is placed inx on the ground floor of any of these houses, the
whole place collapses like a crackerbox," one reliable source explained.
. Observers here consider that the acute housing problem, caused
largely by the influx of American troops, is one of the concrete
factors creating rio friction for the rising tide of anti-Americanism
now being experienced in Saigon.
The Americans, with more money
homandm than other
population groups, sparked a round of inflation on housing as the domand
temporarily peaked during the past six months.
Western diplomats
complained they couldn't rent homes-exoept at $2000 repeat two thousand
ETNAM
dollars a month rent from wives of/government officials. Vietnamese
complained that the Americans soaked up even slum housing by paying
sizhundred percent more than the other competitors. Low-class Vietnamese
show growing contempt against those Vietnamese who have made "fabulous
OR
profits" by dull building houses and ronting villas to the Americans.
The low-ranking American GI was also bitter. If he was lucky, he could
find a room in a brothel which he could share with three to nine other
brothel with or
GI's
for $13 repeat thirteen dollars a night
without a girl. Endit doope.
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Date
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1966, Dec.
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Subject
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Vietnam War, 1961-1975; Strategy; Mặt trận dân tộc giải phóng miền nam Việt Nam; Terrorism; Bombings
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Location
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Saigon, South Vietnam
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Coordinates
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10.8231; 106.6297
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Size
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20 x 26 cm
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Container
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B6, F3
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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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Collector
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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
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Language
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English
