Declassified per Executive Order 13526, Section 3.3
NND Project Number: NND 63316. By: NWD Date: 2011
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within the military establishment. Most of the top military leaders are considered by US military observers to be excellent professional officers, and greater utilization of their talents world increase the effectiveness the government's counterinsurgency program.
B. Diem's Attitude
President Diem's reaction toward the current crisis reflects both general optimism and serious concern. Diem's attitude apparently continues to be shaped by the basic premise that the overriding problem is the Communist threat which he believes can be met virtually by military measures alone. He is inclined to view criticism of his system of rule, whether emanating from the bureaucracy or from the political opposition on the outside, as being substantially less important presumably because he feels that such criticism is either Communist-inspired or, to the degree that it is legitimate, is stimulated by concern over the Communist danger which he seems confident he can counter with increased US aid. In addition, he probably feels confident of his ability to forestall or suppress any armed coup attempt against him.
Equally important, however, is Diem's basic impatience with democratic processes which he considers useful as ultimate goals but liable in a country such as South Vietnam to be wasteful and dangerous to political stability and public safety. Diem appears to hold, therefore, that Vietnamese, with their national survival at stake, must learn to submit to a collective discipline until they develop a better sense of civic responsibility. For these and other reasons, Diem has not only given low priority to expanding democratic processes but he has also been disdainful and even suspicious of most Vietnamese who have agitated for political reforms. Diem's convictions of the correctness of his political views and of his approach to the current situation probably have been strengthened by a series of recent developments, including his suppression of last year's revolt, his easy victory during the elections last April, and the strong US public reaffirmations of support.
Below the surface of apparent optimism, Diem and his lieutenants exhibit considerable apprehension over the stability of their positions. During their actions against the coup plotters, they made it clear that future attempts of this type or of even strong public criticism of the government leadership will be severely dealt with. Nhu has indicated to US observers that many of the officials criticising the government are self-seeking and that the military critics are speaking more from a "lack of understanding" of the political situation than from political conviction. In the meantime, Diem has attempted to tighten his controls over the government and the military establishment through the Can Lao and such measures as increased police surviellance and removal and reassignment of personnel. He has, for example, conveniently used the cabinet reorganization
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