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derivative filename/jpeg
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363-06195 to 363-06201.pdf
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Digital Object Identifier
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363-06195 to 363-06201
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Title
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Article about South Vietnamese distrust of the reliability American support to the Saigon government
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Description
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Original title: "concern", Keever's title: "Amidst Paris Peace Talks, Saigonese Jittery over U.S. Sitck-To-It-Ness in South Vietnam," Article about South Vietnamese distrust of the reliability American support to the Saigon government, especially because of public statements in Washington and at the Paris Peace Conference from American officials, for the Christian Science Monitor
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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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- Page 1
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2020: sag
yy nnm
concern 1 (normass/deepe)
SAIGON, DECEMBER 19--A deep sense of concern and uncertainty,
mixed with anguish and some gor--is them increasing within
Vietnamese political and governmental circles about future American
policy.
The visible drop in confidence in z American stick-to-itiveness
at the conference table in Paris especially after Secretary of
Defense Clark Clifford's latest public robule at the Saigon government-
is also creating a rather significant erosion of Vietnamese anti-Communist
morale and confidence in their own government.
The uncertainties arising from the in oroso ondo of criticism
from Washington officials about the Saigon government is giving rise
to fresh batch of coup d'etat rumors, and some prominent Vietnamese
nationalist politicians are known to be gambling that the American
policymakers are nga about to dump the elected government of President
Nguyen Van Thiou. Some have been saying this for months and may be
over-interpreting Mr. Clifford's criticisms of the Saigon government-
but it is producing a politically disquieting effect.
==more reuter
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2050 sag
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concern 2 (normass/deepe)
These un-settling,
if not nerve-wracking, public remarks from
Washington-which are also raising the disgust of members of the
American community here, including some doves rather cool to the Saigon
government also are being made during a most jittery period when
many Vietnamese and American officials think "almost anything can happen."
The American military command has been calling on and off alerts
throughout the country, expecting a major Communist big-unit offensive-
or to be prepared for it in case the Communists attempt it. However,
others are more frightened at the prospect of a major terrorism and
WARC
sniper campaign in the cities, and while this would not repeat not
necessarily involve a large number of Communist military units, it could
have a
still have a devastating effect psychologically, perhaps pertogen
rasig raising major damages. creating major damages to other urban
sectors. Shimmxmoting a rising tide of criticism against the Thieu.
government, believe that the left leftish-orit oriented nationalist
political and religious loadors may begin a
== more reuter
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Bezo: sag
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concern 3 (normass/deepe)
The week before Christa Christman Christmas is chock-ful of
Vietnamese Communist holidays abd and and anniversaries,
and many
nationalists traditionally feel that Communists will attempt to
celebrate these occasions with spectau spectu spectacular displays
of violence in governmont-held areas. The most important anñivorss
of these anniversaries is dates is the eighth eighth anniversary of
the founding of the Communist-led National Liberation Front of
on December 20ty 20th and the Communists have been calling for a
their biggest celec celebration to date.
==more reuter
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2020 986
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concern 4 (normass/deepe)
The concern about the lame-do duck foreign policy of the outgoing
Johnson Administration is that Washington in the remaining month
before the Presidential Inauguration will make some major, irreversible
last-minute concessions to the Communists at the conference table
in Paris, which would erase significant battlefield gains made in the
last few months. Vietnamese politicians are deeply suspicious of
the Johnson Administration pushing events too rapidly in Paris-especially
in pressuring the Saigon government to be outmaneuvered by the insurgent
National Liberation Front. Vietnamese government circles discreetly
accused President Johnson of playing politics with the cessation of
the bombing of North Vietnam before the American election--and these
officials are now alleging that he is interested mainly in engraving
himself fornbitym a favorable place in the history books.
Vietnamese sources were also especially ear irked that Mr. Clifford
#more reuter
played down the Communist violations of the supposed "understanding" about
refraining from shelling Vietnamese cities and abusing the demilitarized zone-
although these are reported almost daily by the American military
command here. Rather than pressuring Hanoi to abide by their agreements,
the Saigon officials rosented Clifford's remarks that the South Vietnamese
delegation was holding up progress at the Paris peace talks and his statement
that even if the Communists began a fourth offensive the Americans would sta
still continue with the peace talks. While there may have been some morits
in these his remarks,
ks,
sources here criticize the "big stick" apr approach
of Clifford and his t the tactical wid wisdom of his laying all his cards
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2020 sag
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concern
5
(normass/deepe)
Vietnamese sources were also especially irked that Mr. Clifford
played down the Communist violations of the supposed "understanding" about
refraining from shelling Vietnamese cities and abusing the demilitarized zone.
The American military command here regularly reports x Communist
violations or one sort of or another. Rather than pressuring Hanoi
to abide by their agreements,
Saigon and even worse publicly allegat alleging the of South Vietnamese
government is holding up progress at the Paris peace talks.amt Even worse,
the South Vietnamese were horrified by Clifford's remark that even if the
Communists launched another military offensive, the American officiels
would still continue to talk in Paris. While this statement ag
probably to true, sources here criticize Clifford's tf wisdom
Washington is instead ag criticizing
in laying all his negotiating cards on the bargaining table and his
"big stick" approach in publicly criticising the Vietnamese,
pleies unity
Le Nation Aly AnD.
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2020 sag
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concern 5 (normass/deepe)
Other Vietnamese anti-government-or "out "Out "out" politicians
especially anti-government ones outside of the ruling circles are also
increasing their criticisms of the American policy here--because it is
supportin tg the Thieu government. They are reportedly selling al
all sorts of ideas political "armchair ideas", plans for moving
Thieu out of the Presidency and proposals for new governments, hoping
to gain American support for future political action.
more reuter
of freest
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2C2C sag
Jy nnm
concern 6 normans/deepo)
"Even officials at the (Presidential) Palace, fool that they
are caught," one informed source explained.
"They don't want to
see the Americans (oops (combat troops) 80, and yet they k don't
want to see more and more of their country ripped apart.
Morale in
the city is not repeat not as good as it should be and the government
is not repeat not as strong as outsiders think. The population is
both jittery and increasingly jeopardized by the high cost of living
ordinary people simply can't make ends meet and this in turn may start
demoralizing the Vietnamese armed forces. If the words starts going around
fast that the Americans are going to bug out fast, alot of people could
start changing sides. There is alot of anti-Americanism now-not
between the G. I's and the population, but by the those who have
been fighting this war formuighingmammam long before the Americans heard
of Vietnam. hmmmmbination
atampineziim
axamimimin
"The reason the Vietnamese politicians began rallying around Thiou
in his showdown with Johnson last month was that it captured the latent
anti-Americanism of many Vietnamese.
Now that is vanishing quickly,
as it becomes clear the Americans are putting more and more pressure on
the Saigon government.
All in all, there's enough indices around
pointing towards a catastrophe of some sort."
= end router
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Date
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1968, Dec. 19
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Subject
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Vietnam War, 1961-1975; Peace; Peace treaties; United States--Relations--Vietnam (Republic); Diplomacy
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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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B11, F1
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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, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries
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Language
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English
