[0875-71.CM 04/13/96]
[NETWORK NOTE: This document was scanned and retyped to make it an ASCII file.
The Block format of a USG document was altered to just "text")
REPRODUCED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
DECLASSIFIED PER EXECUTIVE ORDER 12356, SECTION 3.3, NND PROJECT
NUMBER NIYD 96F002, BY RB/VSW, DATE 2/16/96
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE REPORT
Note: This Document contains information affecting the national defense of the
United States within the meaning of the espionage laws. Title 18, U.S.C., Sec
793 and 794. The transmission or revelation of its contents in any manner to an
unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
CONFIDENTIAL
This report contains unprocessed information. Plans and/or policies should not
be evolved or modified solely on the basis of this report.
[RAND STAMPED
W31437]
1. COUNTRY: VS, RVN MR-4, AN XUYEN Province
2. SUBJECT: (U) Advanced Political Training Course for MR-3 Cadre
3. ISC NUMBER: 771.000 772.000 720.000 774.102
4. DATE OF INFORMATION: Feb to Oct 69
5. PLACE AND DATE OF ACQ: CMIC, SAIGON, VS 5 Aug 71
6. EVALUATION: SOURCE F INFORMATION 6
7. SOURCE: Returnee Interrogation
8. REPORT NUMBER: 6 029 0875 71
9. Date of report: 13 Aug 71
10. NO. OF PAGES: 4
11. REFERENCES: DIRM: 1M3, 1M5, 1S1, 1M2, 1H2h
12. ORIGINATOR: US Element, CMIC, USMACV
13. PREPARED BY: CHRISTOPHER S. MALLERY
SP5, USA
14. APPROVING AUTHORITY: (signed)
PAUL G. SPERO
LTC, USA
Dir, US Elm, CMIC
15. SUMMARY:
(c) This report contains information concerning an advanced political training
course for MR-3 political cadre, to include the general situation, faculty,
course content, schedule for students, school facilities, security, and
reactions of Source to the course.
1. (c) Background Information:
a. Name: NGUYEN VAN DIEN (NGUYEENX, VEAN ZIEENV), aka SAU THU (SAUS,
THU), CMIC 0317-71
b. Rank: None (VC)
c. Position and Unit Assignment: Political Officer; KE SACH (VC) District
Unit, CAN THO (VC) Province Unit, MR-3
d. DPOB: 1934; BA TRINH Village, KE SACH District, BA XUYEN Province, RVN
16. DISTRIBUTION BY ORIGINATOR:
DIA 1 cy
DIRNSA 1 cy
SAC 1 cy
CINPAC 1 cy
CINPAC AF 2 cys
CINCUSARPAC 2 cys
COMUSMACTHAI 1 cy
MACJ212-2 2 cys
MACJ213-1 1 cy
MACJ23 1 cy
MACJ231 1 cy
17. DOWNGRADING DATA: GROUP 3
DOWNGRADED AT 12 YEAR INTERVALS NOT AUTOMATICALLY DECLASSIFIED
THIS DOCUMENT IS RELEASEABLE TO REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM AND FREE WORLD
MILITARY ASSISTANCE FORCES
18: ATTACHMENT DATA: None
PAGE 2 of 4
e. Parents' Names: Father, NGUYEN VAN THUAT (NGUYEENX, VEAN
THUAATV), deceased; Mother, DINH THI SANG (DING, THIV SANG), living
f. Circumstances of Return. Source returned to unidentified
Vietnamese officials in BA TRINH Village, KE SAGH District, BA XUYEN
Province, RVN, on 24 Mar 71. Source had in his possession when he
returned one 45 caliber pistol with 21 rounds, copies of Directives
24 and 35, and a copy of the Resolution of the Coordination and
Operations Committee of the KE SACH (VC) District Unit.
g. Significant Activities. Source had four years of schooling at
his POB. He remained at home after completion of his schooling to
aid the family with the farming chores until Feb 57. At this time,
Source joined the VC and was assigned to the security guard cell of
the TRINH TUONG Hamlet, BA TRINH Village, KE SACH District, BA XUYEN
Province. Source received on-the-job training with the AK-47 rifle
and remained a member of the cell until Jun 58. He was then
given the position of cell leader of the TRINH TUONG A Hamlet
Guerrilla Force, and given the mission of recruiting villagers to
the Communist Party. In Nov 58, Source was admitted to the BA TRINH
Village Party Committee with the same mission as before, but for a
larger area, which included the three hamlets of TRINH TUONG A,
TRINH TUONG B, and LOI A. In Dec 58, his area of responsibility was
expanded to include the entire Village of BA TRINH. In Jan 59,
Source was promoted to the KE SACH (VC) District Committee as the
Chief of the Farmers Motivation Section, with the task of motivating
the farmers to join the KE SACH (VC) the inspector of the KE SACH
(VC) District Rear Service Section, located in BA TRINH Village, in
Dec 60. In Mar 64, Source was assigned to the KE SACH (VC) District
Unit and promoted to the position of assistant political officer.
In May 67, he was promoted to political officer of the KE SACH (VC)
District Unit. Source assumed the positions of political officer
and commanding officer of the KE SACH (VC) District Unit in Jun 70,
and remained in those positions until he rallied on 24 Mar 71, to
Vietnamese officials at BA TRINH Village.
h. Additional References: CMIC PW/Rallier Exploitation Guide; Map:
VIETNAM, AMS Series L7014, Sheet 5927 I, Edition 1 dtd 1966, Scale
1:50,000
2. (C) Advanced Political Training Course for MR-3 Cadre:
a. General Situation. From Feb to Sep 69, Source attended
an advanced political training course with approximately 100 other
district-level political cadre from throughout MR-3. This course
was held in an area (vic VR8924) of the U MINH Forest, THOI BINH
District, AN XUYEN Province. The pupose of this course was to
teach the cadre the evolution of Communist theory and its
application to the situation in the RVN. Most of the students in
this course had previously attended the basic cadre political
training courses held periodically by MR-3.
PAGE 3 of 4
b. Faculty. This advanced course was under the sponsorship of the
Propaganda and Training Section, MR-3, which staffed the faculty and
supervised support activities for those taking the course and their
security escorts. The director of the school was the chief of the
Propaganda and Training Section, and the other instructors consisted
of the assistant chief and two other Propaganda and Training Section
cadre. The director, NAM VAN (NEAM VAANV), was a regroupee who was
considered very authoritative in the field of Communist doctrine
because he had formerly studied at the NGUYEN AI QUOC School while
he was in NVN. Instructors for the course alternated half-day
teaching assignments. Each instructor was also responsible for
supervising and advising one of four discussion groups, consisting
of 25 students each.
c. Course Content. The following is the agenda of topics studied,
in order of presentation.
Orientation (2 days)
Social Class Structure and the Revolutionary Class (25 days)
Methods and Scientific Thoughts of LENIN (30 days)
Missions of Province and District Party Committees (20 days)
Civilian Proselyting Missions and Techniques (30 days)
Missions of Sections and Subsections of Party Committee (15 days)
Examination (10 days)
Review (30 days)
(Interrogator's Note: When Source was asked to elaborate on the
topics listed above, Source could not differentiate what was taught
in the course from his personal opinions and composite views of
Communist theories that he had learned elsewhere.) In addition to
this agenda, the students were required to read selected Communist
writings throughout the course. Authors included MARX, LENIN, and
LE DUAN.
d. Schedule for Students. Students attended classes six days each
week. The ordinary schedule for class days consisted of:
0500 Reveille
0500 to 0700 Exercise, shower, prepare for breakfast
0700 to 0800 Breakfast
0800 to 1130 Classes (Classes were given in 50-minute sessions,
with ten-minute rest periods between sessions.) 1130 to 1300
Dinner and rest
1300 to 1730 Classes
1730 to 1830 Supper
1830 to 2000 Review and discussion of current lessons by
discussion groups
2000 to 2100 Rest and recreation
2100 Go to bed
On Saturdays from 1900 to 2100 hours, the students had entertainment
sessions, during which they played card games and sang together.
Since the students did not have classes on Sundays, most of them
went fishing in the streams and canals near the camp. None of the
students were authorized to leave the general area of the camp.
e. School Facilities. The area in which the course was held had no
permanent facilities. The instructors lived in a small, thatch hut;
the students lived under ponchos or plastic sheets which they tied
over their hammocks. Classes were held in a small clearing near the
camp.
f. Security. Each student was accompanied by a personal security
guard from the student's district unit. These guards stayed with
the students throughout the entire course (sic). Each of the guards
had an AK-47 with 400 rounds of ammunition. Each of the students
had a K-54 with 50 rounds of ammunition. There was never any guard
or security patrol system for the camp area.
g. Reactions of Source to the Course. Source thought that the
course was very effective in familiarizing the district political
cadre with Communist theory. He considered the course slightly
prejudiced towards Communism in the USSR as opposed to the Communist
doctrines practiced in other countries. In the teachings, the USSR
was used as an ideal for other countries to emulate; Source stated
that this was a recurring theme throughout the course.
(U) COMMENTS: Source was fairly intelligent and cooperative. Since
he was a former political officer, he tended to get carried away
when discussing political training. Source had anticipated special
treatment as a rallier, due to his former position; he was slightly
discouraged because he had not received this special treatment.