Declassified per Executive Order 13526, Section 3.3
NND Project Number: NND 63316. By: NWD Date: 2011
060156 AFTER JUNE 1, 1956, THE DEADLINE FOR WITHDRAWAL OR TURNOVER TO THE VIETNAMESE OF AIR FORCE EQUIPMENT, THE FRENCH WERE COMPLETELY PHASED OUT OF THE VIETNAMESE AIR FORCE. ONLY A FEW FRENCH INSTRUCTORS REMAINED IN SOUTH VIETNAM. /WID 17–56.
060156 U.S. TEMPORARY EQUIPMENT RECOVERY MISSION (TERM) ACTIVATED.
060756 ADMIRAL RADFORD BRIEFED THE NSC ON THE STRATEGY FOR THE DEFENSE OF SOUTH VIETNAM WHICH REPEATED THE PLANS SET FORTH IN FEBRUARY AND SEPTEMBER.
063056 THE VNA HAD 142,000 MEN IN 4 FIELD DIVISIONS AND 6 LIGHT DIVISIONS AND 13 TERRITORIAL REGIMENTS, PLUS SERVICE SUPPORT UNITS. THIS WAS APPROVED STRENGTH. /WID 20-56.
0756 THE CRUCIAL MONTH DURING WHICH THE ELECTIONS TO UNIFY VIETNAM SHOULD HAVE BEEN HELD AS PROVIDED IN THE GENEVA AGREEMENT PASSED WITHOUT INCIDENT. /J.B.
0756 CIVIL GUARD 51,000 STRONG, OPERATED IN THREE MILITARY REGIONS.
070656 VICE PRESIDENT RICHARD NIXON VISITED SOUTH VIETNAM.
070756 ADMIRAL RADFORD BRIEFED THE NSC ON CONCEPT DELINEATED IN 5612/1.
071156 JCS DIRECTED CINCPAC TO PREPARE A CONTINGENCY PLAN BASED ON THE QUICK RESPONSE STRATEGY AS SET FORTH BY ADMIRAL RADFORD IN THE JUNE 7, 1956 BRIEFING TO NSC, FOR DEFENSE OF SOUTH VIETNAM.
071356 BA CUT EXECUTED. /WID 32-56.
071756 COMMUNIST ARMED STRENGTH IN THE SOUTH ESTIMATED AT 5–10,000 1955–56, PROBABLY ABOUT 8,000 WITH 5,000 ORGANIZED IN SKELETON COMPANIES. /247 NIE 1ST.
071756 THE VNA HAD THE APPROXIMATELY 145,000 TROOPS. /NIE.
071756 NIE 63–56 STATED WASHINGTON'S CONCEPT OF THE CIVIL GUARD AND THE SELF-DEFENSE CORPS. THE GVN ORGANIZED THE CIVIL GUARD TO RELIEVE THE VNA'S MANY STATIC INTERNAL SECURITY DUTIES. THE 43,000 MEN IN LIGHTLY ARMED MOBILE COMPANIES WERE TO MAINTAIN LAW AND ORDER, COLLECT INTELLIGENCE, CONDUCT COUNTER-SUBVERSION OPERATIONS IN PROVINCES PACIFIED BY THE V THE 60,000 MAN SELF-DEFENSE CORPS WAS TO MAINTAIN VILLAGE SECURITY.
072056 THE ALL–VIETNAMESE ELECTION AS PROVIDED IN 1954 GENEVA DECLARATION FAILED TO TAKE PLACE. /READER.
072156 FRENCH ACCEDED TO SOUTH VIETNAM'S REQUEST THAT FRENCH BE REPRESENTED BY AN AMBASSADOR RATHER THAN A HIGH COMMISSIONER.
073056 A VIETNAMESE LIAISON MISSION TO THE ICC WAS ESTABLISHED PREPARATORY TO THE TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS FROM THE FRENCH LIAISON MISSION. /READER.
0856 ESTIMATES OF VIETMINH IN SVN WERE 5,000–7,000. /WID 32-56.
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