Declassified per Executive Order 13526, Section 3.3
NND Project Number: NND 63316. By: NWD Date: 2011
SECRET/NOFORN
21.
disconcerting and indicative of the continuing and potentially explosive political situation in South Vietnam. For example, some military leaders are still critical of Diem's handling of the internal security situation and of his reluctance to delegate responsibility and give sufficient attention to political, economic, and social programs as a necessary adjunct to military operations against the Communist insurgents. Morale in the security and police services and in the army reportedly has been weakened further by the suspension or delay in the payment of pensions to widows of personnel killed by the Communists. Ngo Dinh Luyen, Diem's youngest brother currently in Saigon and Ambassador to tho UK has been critical of some of Diem's policies, and a number of other officials continue to dissatisfied with Diem's organizational changes within both the national and local government structures and have little hope for meaningful political reforms. Moreover, belew the surface of open discontent, there is probably a grouping and increasingly desperate element of dissenters who are silent either because of fear of being suppressed or because of the realization that there is little they can do legally to improve conditions.
SECRET/NOFORN
