Peking's On-Spot Men with Red Viets

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363-04816.pdf

Digital Object Identifier

363-04816

Title

Peking's On-Spot Men with Red Viets

Description

Article published in the New York Herald Tribune about Chinese advisors to the Việt Cộng, page 2

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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.

Transcript

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- Page 1
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Peking's On-Spot
Men With Red Viets
By Beverly Deepe
A Special Correspondent
SAIGON.
Bouth Vietos intelli-
gence officials have been re-
calving an increasing number.
ef reports that Chinese Com-
munist advisers are accom-
panying Viet Cong Commu-
nist guerrilla units."
Both
American military officials
emphasized that the reports
have not been confirmed by
standard intelligence proce-
dures, such as the capture of
a prisoner or a photo of a
Chinese Communist trooper.
Vietnamese and
Nevertheless, Vietnamese
generals at the high military
command headquarters pri-
vately have voiced the prob-
ability that the Chinese Com-
munists have sent non-par-
ticipating observers or mili-
tary specialists to aid the
viet cong.
TACTICS
The reports of Chinese in-
volvement peaked after the
In late December and early
January, in which govern-
ment forces had more than
400 casualties in one of the
worst defeats of the war.
An American captain, who
participated in the Battle of
Binh Gia as an adviser, told
this correspondent:
"There's absolutely no
AFTER BATTLE
O EN CA
evidence to prove there are
Chicoms with the Viet Cong
guerrillas. But I know they
are there. You can tell by the
way they dig their fox holes
their
and
tactics. They
started their attack with a
bugle blast and were waving
their regimental banner and
came wave after wave just
like in Korea. When we were
retreating their mortar shells
followed in Our footsteps
down the trails. This is just
Hike Korea."
The basis of the reports
comes generally from villag-
ers who have witnessed Viet
Cong operations. One Viet-
namese general-one of four
corps commanders-said he
personally interviewed Viet-
namese villagers who told
him of tall Asian soldiers,
wearing Chinese-like uni-
forms, accompanying the Viet
Cong. Following the Binh Gla
battle, the Vietnamese high
command received reports
from villagers, including at
least one Vietnamese Roman
Catholic priest, that Viet
Cong units included at least
two Asian soldiers per bat-
talion "with closely shaved
heads." The villagers report-
edly said that they spoke a
language which they could
not understand and pushed
the Vietnamese villagers
around, rather than treating
them diplomatically, as did
the other members of the
unit.
One Vietnamese general sald
that he talked with a Viet-
namese Marine officer who
said that he had personally
heard Chinese spoken on the
radio during the Hinh Gia
battle. While some sources
question that Chinese lan-
guage would be spoken dur-
ing the battle since it would
be difficult for the Viet Cong
troops to understand. an-
other Vietnamese general said
that it "is probably true" that
there are Chinese Commu-
nists serving with Viet Cong
units.
NORTH VIETS
Vietnamese intelligence
sources, acknowledging the
lack of proof of Chinese Com-
munist involvement. point
out that intelligence reports
from villagers about North
Vietnamese soldiers being
present in this southern Re-
public preceded by months
the confirmation of the re-
porta. The first North Viet-
namese soldier was captured
by government troops in mid-
July of last year, but intel-
ligence reports of their pres-
ence had been received at
least six months in advance.
Other Vietnamese military
sources point out that gov-
ernment troops have been
capturing an increasing num
ber of Chinese Communist
weapons.
American military officials
at the Saigon command level,
speaking privately, say only
that there is "no hard evi-
dende."
Diplomatic
Bourges
carefully watch Viet Cong
military and political trends
are openly skeptical.
"For years the Viet Cong
have been trying to say they
are fighting for the Vietnam-
ese people-without involve-
ment from Peking." one
reliable diplomatic source
explained. "There are no new
weapons or tactics now that
would require Chinese Com-
munists to come into the bat-
tle. The Vietnamese people
traditionally hate the Chinese
who have long tried to dom-
inate them."
An American civilian in
close touch with developments
in the provinces brushed
aside the whole matter.
"The Vietnamese (anti-
Communist side) always ex-
aggerate," he said. "When
they have a big defeat, they
always double the size of the
Viet Cong attacking unit-
and add Chicom advisers."

Date

1965, Jan. 22

Subject

Vietnam War, 1961-1975--China; Mặt trận dân tộc giải phóng miền nam Việt Nam; China--Foreign relations--Vietnam

Location

Saigon, South Vietnam

Coordinates

10.8231; 106.6311

Container

B4, F6

Format

newspaper clippings

Collection Title

Beverly Deepe Keever, Journalism Papers

Creator

Keever, Beverly Deepe

Copyright Information

These images are for educational use only. To inquire about usage or publication, please contact Archives & Special Collections.

Publisher

Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries