Australian Military Forces - Pocketbook South Vietnam 1967

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7610-66-023-3281

A U S T R A L I A N M I L I T A R Y F O R C E S

POCKETBOOK

SOUTH VIETNAM





7610-66-023-3281/1

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A U S T R A L I A N M I L I T A R Y F O R C E S

POCKETBOOK

SOUTH VIETNAM(REVISED JVN 1967)

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A M E N D M E N T S

Amendment

Number

Date of

Amendment

Date of

Insertion

DISTRIBUTION

A M F Scale C

One per member posted to South Vietnam.

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Army Headquarters,

Canberra, A.C.T.

31st October, 1967

Prepared and issued under the direction of the Chief of the GeneralStaff

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P R E F A C E

1. When you reach South Vietnam, you will be in a country with a

civilization that predates the birth of Christ but which, since 1954,has been a divided natio n, like K ore a. W herever you go, remem berthat Vietnam is a land of dignity and reserve. G oo d ma nners,thoughtfulness, and restrained behaviour will be appreciated by theVietnamese. Y ou will benefit, as will the co un try you represen t, interms of friendship built on the solid foundation of mutual respectand admiration.

2. Vietnam an d the Vietnamese are prepa red to welcome yo uofficially an d unofficially. M eet them halfw ay an d yo u will be glad

you did. By helping the people of this pro ud n ation repulse theaggression of the Communist Viet Cong, you will strike a tellingblow for democracy and add greatly to the strength of freedomthroughout tho world.

3. Remember at all times that you represent Australia, which hasalready done much to assist South Vietnam in her struggle and hasearned the respect and gratitude of the Vietnamese people.

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PrefaceContents

C O N TEN TSChapter 1—The War in South Vietnam

Chapter 2—History

Chapter 3—Geography

Chapter 4—Government and Administrative Structure

Chapter 5—The People

Chapter 6—The Armed Services

Chapter 7—The Viet CongChapter 8—Vietnamese Language Guide

Chapter 9—U seful Information

Chapter 10—Security

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CH A P TER 1

TH E W A R I N S O U TH V I ETN A M

1. As a member of the Australian Army you are going to SouthVietnam . Y ou should kno w why you are going there, and the reasonsthat led to the decision to send Au stralian forces to help the Go vernm entof that country.

2. This chapter of the pocketbook has been written to give you avery brief account of the background events which led to the presentstruggle in South Vietnam so that you, your family and friends, willund erstand why we sup port South Vietnam . In a sma ll publicationof this size, explanations must be brief, and the background given is

of necessity restricted to a few of the m ost impo rtan t aspects. Y ouwill have to complete the story for yourself from your own reading.

3. The 1954 Geneva Agreement, signed at the time of the ceasefirewhich led to the withdrawal of Fre nch troops, provided fo r the divisionof Vietnam into two parts, and laid down that neither North nor SouthVietnam should be used for a resumption of hostilities or to further anaggressive policy. Th ese obligations were accepted by N or th Vietnamwhich was a signatory to the intern ation al agreem ent. It was alsounder the Geneva Agreement that early in 1955 the United Statesprovided a small military advisory team of 342 men to assist in thereorganization and training of the South Vietnamese Army.

4. One of the key provisions of the Geneva Agreement was that theforces from communist led North Vietnam should be withdrawn fromSouth Vietnam to the N or th . In practice, the N orth ern forces leftbehind them several thousand hard core communists dispersedthroughou t the South, whose task was to prepare the way for co mm unistsubversion and the subsequent takeover of Sou th Vietna m . A fter

1954 while South Vietnam was struggling to establish itself and wasmaking some economic progress, the communists, now called theViet Cong, built up their strength and consolidated their hold oncertain rural areas, aided, encouraged, and in general directed, by thecom mu nist government of N ort h Vietnam. Th en in 1959 when itconsidered the time ripe, the North Vietnamese authorities called foran intensification of the Viet Cong activities and for full scale guerillawarfare against the Government of South Vietnam.

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5. It is most significant that in 1959 when North Vietnam plainlyannounced her intention to overthrow the South, there were still onlysome 340 US military advisory troops in South Vietnam. From 1959to 1964, North Vietnam infiltrated more than 40,000 trained men into

the S outh to join the Viet C ong as well as providing the Viet Cong withvery large quantities of arms, ammunition and supplies. Faced withthis increasingly grave situation South Vietnam appealed for help tothe United States which progressively increased its military advisorystrength to 3,000 by the end of 1961, and 21,000 by the end of 1964.However, it was not until 1965, some six years after the opening ofNorth Vietnam's campaign against the South, and in response to theinfiltration of a regular N or th V ietnamese Division into South Vietnam ,that the United States introduced ground combat troops. Thus thecommunist claims that North Vietnamese action was taken only in

reaction to a considerable build up of United States strength areblatantly untrue.

6. The war in Vietnam is not a civil war as some people try to makeout, but deliberate, sustained aggression started, controlled, directedand supported by North Vietnam against the South. In this type ofconflict the standard communist tactics of subversion, terror, murder,attacks on women and children and the wanton killing of villageadministrators are being employed daily by the Viet Cong. As wellas at least 50,000 dead and almost 100,000 wounded in the SouthVietnamese armed forces since 1961, tens of thousands of localgovernment officials, civilian school teachers and even nurses have beenslaughtered by the Viet Cong.

7. Australia, as you know, is a member of the SEATO Pact and,as such, we have undertaken to come to the aid of South Vietnam, aProtocol State under the Pact, should our assistance be requested.South Vietnam h as sought o ur aid and fo r this reason alone we have anobligation to come to its assistance as we have done, apart from the

moral compulsion to help it resist the unwarranted aggression byNorth Vietnam through the Viet Cong, its agents in South Vietnam.Such pacts as SEATO are vitally important for the collective securityof the signatory powers and we should never forget that these treatiesare reciprocal—there may come a time of national emergency whenAu stralia needs the help of othe r treaty cou ntries. By helping inSouth Vietnam we are strengthening our own future security.

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8. We should also remember that Australia is a responsible countryin the sam e geographical region as Sou th Vietn am . W e have a nobviou s stak e in helping to preserve stability in o ur area. A nd weshould not forget that it would be immensely more difficult to defend

A ustralia on ou r ow n soil alone. O ur security is tied to tha t of allthe countries of the region. O ur strategic defence fron tier must beas far forward as possible and in fact today it is in South Vietnam.Should we and the United States leave South Vietnam, before a justsettlement has been reached, communism, acting through NorthVietnam and Ch ina would soon take over Sou th Vietnam . Tha ilandand subsequently Malaya would then be in an intolerable positionand we here in Australia could soon find ourselves facing aggressivecom mu nism close to ou r shores. Co ntainm ent of the militant forcesof communism in South Vietnam is therefore very important toAu stralia's futur e security. By helping the So uth Vietnamese t odefeat the communists you are therefore directly assisting the longterm Australian strategy of defence forward of our own shores.

9. Many attempts have been made to achieve a peaceful settlementof the conflict in South Vietnam . T he Un ited States, Britain, theUnited Nations and many other countries have all tried withoutsuccess to open the way for negotiations; the Government of NorthVietnam encouraged by Communist China has rejected each approach.

The Hanoi Government has stated repeatedly that there will be nopeaceful negotiations unless the forces of all the countries engagedin the defence of South Vietnam are withdraw n. H an oi's actionsare clear proof that North Vietnam and China are demanding nothingless tha n com plete military cap itulatio n, no t a negotiated peace. Aceasefire under such c onditions would be favo urab le only to thecommunists and totally unacceptable to the people of South Vietnamand all oth er fair minded people. W e can no t subscribe to such apolicy.

10. A statement often heard is that a military solution is not possiblefo r South Vietnam. In the broad sense this is correct and the threatfrom communism can only be overcome in the long term by social,economic and educational programmes in conjunction with theestablishment of a sound government administration. Ho wev er, inSouth Vietnam, Viet Cong terrorism and sabo tage have been deliberatelydesigned to prevent the Go vernm ent fro m implementing such me asures;and it should be clear to everyone that economic and social progress

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cannot be great until the Viet Cong have been brought to the pointwhere they stop seeking to overthrow the established Government byarmed force and until North Vietnam ceases to give this assistanceand direction. W ha t U nited States, South Vietnam ese and Australian

forces are now engaged in then is the first, but critical step of helpingthe Government of South Vietnam establish the degree of physicalsecurity necessary to put into effect a balanced prog ram m e of civicreform and development.

11. A declaration by President Johnson in February, 1965, set outthe United States position on Vietnam in the following words:

" O ur purp ose, our objective there is clear. Th at purpo se andtha t objective is to join in the defence and protection of the freedo mof a brave people who are under an attack that is controlled and

tha t is directed fro m outside their country. W e have no a mb itionthere fo r ourselves. W e seek no dom inion. W e seek no conquest.W e seek no w ider war. But we mu st all und erstand tha t we willpersist in the defence of freedom, and our continuing actions willbe those that are made necessary by the continuing aggression ofothers. These actions will be measured and fitting and ad equa te.Our stamina and the stamina of the American people is equal tothe task."

12. F o r o ur own pa rt, the Australian Prim e M inister whenannouncing the Government's decision to send 1 RAR to Vietnam,told Federal Parliament that:

a . T he decision is a fur the r extension of military a nd econom ic aidwhich commenced in 1962.b. It was taken at the request of the South Vietnamese Gov ernm entafter close consultation with the United States Government.c. T he decision is in pursuanc e of our SE AT O obligations." We do not and must not overlook the point that our alliances,as well as providing guarantees and assurances for our security,make demands upon us " .

d. " It is our judgement that the decision to commit a battalionin South Vietnam represents the most useful additionalcontribution which we can make to the defence of the regionat this time. T he takeov er of Sou th Vietnam would be a directmilitary threat to Australia and all countries of South and SouthEast Asia. It m ust be seen as pa rt of a thrust by Co m m unistChina between the Indian and Pacific Oceans."

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e. " The Government has no desire to have Australian forces inVietnam any longer than necessary to ensure the security ofVietnam."

13. O n 8 Ma r. 66, and as a result of a fu rth er request fr o m

the Government of South Vietnam, the Prime Minister announcedthat a self cpntained task force under Australian command would besent to South Vietnam to replace 1RAR, thus trebling our militaryassistance to South Vietnam.

14. It will be seen that through our treaties we are pledged to haltthe progress of aggressive communism in South East Asia and helpother m emb er nation s to do the same. South Vietnam has asked usto help her in the present struggle. N o t only hav e we a contractu al and

moral obligation to do so, but it is in our interests that we should.That is why we are there.

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C H A P TER 2

H I S TO R Y

Introduction1. Vietnam has one of the world's oldest living civilizations, withroots deep in Asian religions and philosophies.

2. Much of Vietnam's history is the story of its relations withChina, its vastly larger and more powerful neighbour to the North.The Vietnamese for many centuries both admired China for its cultureand feared her for her power. Du ring the thousa nd years betweenthe second century BC and the tenth century AD when the Vietnamesewere dominated by China they accepted much Chinese culture without

themselves being absorb ed. Since freeing themselves from Chinesecontrol in AD 1038, the Vietnamese have cherished their tradition ofna tion al indepen dence and hav e jealously guarded it.

3. The Vietnamese are proud of their history and of their militaryaccom plishments of the pa st. T o the prowess of their ancestors theyattri bu te not only successful resistance to C hinese encroach m ent butalso the extension of their territory to the present boundaries of Northand South Vietnam by victories over neighbouring kingdoms to theSo uth an d West. Alth oug h they regard themselves as a peac efulpeople, they assign high importance to valour and fighting ability asfactors in their survival as a nation.

Historical Background

4. Legend establishes the first Viet Kingdom of Nam Viet in whatis now No rth V ietnam. In 111 BC the kingdom cam e und er thecontrol of the Chinese who renamed it Annam (" Pacified Countryto the South "), and continued to rule it almost continuously for thenext thousand years in spite of many unsuccessful rebellions of the

Viet people.

Chinese Domination Ends

5. For part of the period of Chinese domination, the provincialgovernors allowed local feudal lords to govern the people and evencollect taxes, which the Chinese then extracted fro m the lords. La terthe Chinese began paying more direct attention to their subjects and

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introdu ced Chinese civilization in Vietnamese life. T he Viet peoplewere such apt pupils that by the year 950 AD they had advancedsufficiently and developed enough strength to rid themselves of theChines* yoke.

6. The Viets made another courageous stand for survival as a freenation when, in 1284, they repulsed the Mongolian hordes of KublaiK ha n. In the next century they pushed southw ard to conquer th eonce great kingdom of Champa which occupied much of what is nowSou th Vietnam. They also met the Kh m ers fro m the region ofCambodia on the field of battle and forced them to retreat to theirpresent boundaries.

The Kingdom of Champa7. Th e C hams w ere an Indonesian people to whom a H ind u

civilization had been brought from India as early as the 2nd century.They were seafarers an d traders. Their kingdom survived for m orethan 1,000 years with capitals first at Indrapura, near Da Nang andlater at Vijaya, near Qui Nhon.

8. Champa never recovered from its defeat by the Viets at Vijayain 1471, an d it disappeared from history during the 1700s. How ever,

about 25,000 Chams who have never been assimilated into Vietnameselife still cluster in their own villages near Phan Rang, about midwaydow n the coast. They follow a way of life scarcely distinguishablefrom that of the backward tribespeople in the area, and speak onlytheir native Cham language.

Vietnam's Golden Age

9. Under a dynasty founded in the 15th century by Emperor Le,Vietnam enjoyed a period of brilliant progress. Arts, crafts,

agriculture, and commerce flourished. The code of laws developedduring this time remained in effect until almost modern times.

10. Government service was recognized as the highest calling a mancould pursue. N ine grades of civil and military positions wereestablished and literary competitions were held to determine for whichgrade a person w as qualified. Th e comp etitions and civil serviceexamination based on the ancient Chinese model were still conductedin the former capital of Hue as late as the early 1900s.

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17. After the surrender of Japan, Ho's forces became the " VietnamLiberation Army " and the shadow government set up by Japan underEmperor Bao Dai soon fell before the well organized communistonslaught. Th e Emperor a bdicated, hand ing over his powers to

H o Chi M inh. At the same time, a " Provisional Executive Com mitteefor South Vietnam " with seven Communists among its nine members,took control in Saigon.

18. Like many other former colonial people the Vietnamese wantednational independence above all and that is why many followedHo Chi Minh and the communist directed Viet Minh which pretendedto be a Nationalist league for the country's independence.

The Post-war Period

19. When the French tried to regain a foothold in Vietnam in 1946,Viet Minh forces attacked them widely and fiercely with the supportof many people, who, though not communists, had only one purposein mind— independence for their cou ntry. So bega n the costly eightyear Indo-China war which ended with the division of Vietnam at aGene va conference table in July, 1954. Th e southe rn pa rt of thecountry remained a free nation , the Republic of Vietnam, und er theleadership of President Ngo Dinh Diem, with Saigon as its capital.The territory north of the 17th parallel of latitude became the

communist controlled Democratic Republic of Vietnam, with Hanoias its capital.

20. President Diem , a devou t Catholic, was a patrio tic leader,dedicated to the defeat of com mu nism in his coun try and tothe well-being and prosperity of his people. He instituted ma nysocial reforms and some far-sighted plans to counter the communists,such as the Strategic Hamlet Programme and the NationalPacification Plans. Un de r President Diem the cou ntry was graduallybeing placed on a sound footing and some progress was being made

against the Viet Cong.21. It was allegedly religious repression of the Buddists which caused

the overthrow and assassination of President Diem in a military coupd'eta t on 1 No v., 63, led by M ajor-Gen eral D uo ng Van M inh.General Minh proceeded to form a Military Revolutionary Council togovern the country but was himself overthrown by a bloodless coupd'etat on 30 Jan., 64, led by Major-General Nguyen Khanh, thecommander of the 1st Army Corps.

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22. Gen eral K ha n h, as Ch airma n of the Military RevolutionaryCouncil became Prime Minister and formed a new governmentcomposed of mili tary and professional men, with General Minh astitular Chief of State.

23. In Oct. , 64, the Khanh Government was again replaced by anew government led by Tran Van Huong in an effort to return thecou ntry to civilian con trol. How ever this new g roup w as itselfdissolved in Jan ., 65, and o n 16 Fe b., 65, D r. Ph an H uy Q ua t becam ePrime Minister.

24. T h e new gov ernm ent's effo rts to rally the cou ntry to greaterefforts against the V iet C on g were ham pered by growing rivalry betweenthe Armed Forces and the Buddhists and eventually Dr. Quat foundit impossible to g overn . H e called on the military to resum e pow erand on 19 Jun., 65 a new mili tary government was formed.

25. T he new mili tary government, or Congress of the Armed Forces,was led by Lieutenant-General N guy en Van T hieu as Chief of State an dAir Vice Marshal Nguyen Cao Ky as Prime Minister. A Directory of10 Commissioners was elected from within the Congress to direct theaffairs of the natio n.

26. The government was able to consolidate its authority mainly asa result of its own stability, and of its successful handling of thechallenge to its authority by the militant Buddhist " StruggleMovement" in April, 1966.

27. O n 6 Ju n., 66, a Nation al Leadership Council was form edcomprising 10 military and 10 civilian members and since then, SouthVietnam has been governed by the Council with the assistance of an80-member Military/Civilian Advisory Council.

28. In spite of a concerted V iet Con g effort to disru pt them , electionsfor a Constituent Assembly were successfully held on 11 Sep., 66.Four blocs (or part ies) were formed from among the 117 electeddeputies.

29. Since then, the Assembly's main task has been the drawing upof a new constitution preparatory to the election of a civiliangovernment .

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30. Preside ntial and Senate E lections were held on 3 Sep., 67.Lt.-Gen. Nguyen Van Thieu was elected President, with Air ViceMarshal Nguyen Cao Ky as Vice-President.

31. Elections for a House of Representatives will be held on 22Oct., 67.

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C H A P TER 3

G EO G R A P H Y

PART 1—TERRAIN1. The Republic of Vietnam (RVN) occupies a crescent shaped area

of 67,000 square miles on the south-eastern edge of the Indo-ChinesePeninsula. D ue to its long and narro w configuration, RV N hasextended frontiers and although it has a border of only 45 miles withthe Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV), it has a sea coast of1,500 miles on the South Ch ina Sea and th e Gu lf of Siam. Its landborders with its western neighbours, Laos and Cambodia, extend forapp roxim ately 900 miles. (See m ap inside fr on t cover.)

2. The area may be divided into four distinct geographical regionsas follows:

a . The Highlands Region. The northern two-thirds of the countryis dominated by a chain of broken mountains (The AnnamiteChain) which extend from the north-western corner in a south-easterly direction terminating on the edge of the delta plain about50 miles north of Saigon.

b. The Coastal Plain. This plain varies from 10 to 25 miles in

width, extending from the northern boundary to the delta plainin the south. Th e area is characterized by sandy beaches anddunes, backed by padi fields and marshes which extend to themountains .

c. The Plateau Area. An extensive plateau area lies in the centralhighlands adjacent to the Lao s/Cam bodia border. Th e northernarea is covered by dense tropical forests and jungles and thesouthern portion is typical savannah country with large openexpanses covered by tropical grasses and open forests.

d . The Delta. The southern third of the country is a large plainformed by the Mekong, Saigon and Dong Nai rivers. The areais relatively flat with few points exceeding an elevation of 20 feetabov e sea level. In add ition to the m ajo r tributaries of theMekong, the area is divided by numerous smaller streams and adense netw ork of un forda ble canals. D urin g the rainy season,the area is inund ated. Th e eastern portion of the delta plain is

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heavily forested and there are extensive mangrove swamps locatedin the south-western portio n, the Ca M au Peninsu la. Th e Plainedes Jones, a large marshy area covered with tall reeds and scrubtrees is located in the centre of the delta region, adjacent to the

Cambodian border .

PART 2—CLIMATE

3. Sou th V ietnam has a tropical mon soo nal c limate with hightemperatures and humidity, and a heavy rainfall in all parts exceptthe south-east coast between Cap Padaran and Vung Tau (Cap StJacques). T he south-west m on soo n season (M ay to September or

October) brings heavy rain to all but the east and part of the south-eastcoast and is characterized by high temperatures and hu m idity; it isalso the period of mo st cloud. Th e north-east m ons oon , whichcommences in November and ends in March, is a dry season in mostareas, but brings some rain to the east coastal regions, particularlybetween Nov emb er and Janua ry. M arch/April and October/No vem berare transition periods, the former marked by depressions sometimesreaching typhoon force which move in from the China Sea and produceheavy rain on the east coast. This rain and that of the north-eastseason, give this east coast a wet season from September to December

or January.

4. Rainfall ranges from under 40 inches on the south-east coast toover 100 inches on the central plateau x; Saigon and D a Na ng eachhav e an average ann ual rainfall of 77 inches. A bo ut 80 per cent ofthe rainfall occurs during the wet season.

5. Tem perature and hum idity are high. Th e mean maximumtem pera ture ranges between approxim ately 80° F . in the higher platea uxto 94° F . on the low lands; me an m inima fo r these areas areapprox imately 50° F . and 70° F . respectively. Th e ann ual relativehumidity range varies between approximately 70 per cent and 90 percent with highest readings normally occurring in the highlands;maxima in all areas coincide with the wet season.

6. South Vietnam, particularly the east coast, is likely to be affectedby typho ons between July and N ovem ber, with September to No vem berbeing the most dangerous period.

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P A R T 3 — C O M M U N I C A T I O N S

Roads

7. T he ro ad system throughou t Sou th Vietnam is po or in b oth

qua ntity and quality. In the north ern area the roads are few andfar between, narrow, poorly constructed and handicapped by lowcapacity bridges and problem s of m aintenance. In the south it issomewhat more extensive and of better quality, a serious handicap,however, being the lack of fixed crossings over major streams.

8. The road system radiates from Saigon and broadly comprises:

a. Two trunk routes running roughly fro m south to north . On e(R N 1) up th e east coast and the o ther (pa rt of RN 13 and R N 14)throu gh the interior. Several laterals connect these routes.

b. A route (RN 20) north-east of Djiring and Dalat.

c. A route (RN 13) north to Cambodia and Laos.

d. A route (RN 1) west-north-west to Phnom Penh.

e. Routes south-west across the delta to the Ca Mau peninsulaand to Cambodia.

9. Supplementing the m ain network are nume rous local roads.These are used by jeep type vehicles and anima l transp ort. T he

standards of construction and maintenance are poor.

Railways

10. A 690 mile single track m etre gauge (3 ft 3 in) railway closelyparallels the coast from Saigon to Dong Ha near the demarcation line.Fr om this m ain line extend two branch lines; on e of 73 miles to Lo cNinh, close to the border of Cambodia and the other of 52 miles tothe mo unta in city of D alat. Th ere are no connections with thesystems of other countries and no alternative routes to any part ofthe internal system.

11. Due to the present security situation, travel by road and railthroughout the country is practically impossible except under armedconvoy.

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CH A P TER 4

G O V ERN MEN T A N D A D MI N I S TRA TI V E S TRU CTU RE

Constitution1. The Republic of Vietnam came into existence as a result of the

1954 Geneva Conference which set the 17th parallel as the boundarybetween N or th and South Vietnam . On 26th Oc tober, 1956, just oneyear after the President Ngo Dinh Diem proclaimed the new republic,a national constitution was adopted and this is still effective despitechanges of government.

2. U nd er the con stitution, largely the hard w ork of ex PresidentDiem, a good start was made toward showing how much a determinednatio n can accomplish und er dedicated leadership. In spite of thechaotic condition of the war ravaged country and the continuingterrorism and sabotage carried on by Viet Cong insurgents, the newnation has m ade great progress. Econom ic, health and educationalprogrammes are under way to improve the living conditions of th»people.

The Government3. The Armed Forces who hold power in the country have instituted

a Co ngress of Arm ed Fo rces with memb ership of high rank ing officers,Corps and Divisional Commanders. This Congress appoints aDirectory to carry on the actual business of governing.

4. The Directory, from which is drawn a Cabinet, consists of theHead of State, the Prime Minister and seven senior officers.

5. There is also an Executive Council headed by the Prime Ministerwhich contains the specialist Ministers actually involved in theadministration of the country.

Provincial Organization6. V ietnam has 44 provinces and four cities w ith provincial status—Saigon, H ue, D alat, and D a N an g (Tourane). W ithin the provincesare districts made up of several cantons which, in turn, are eachcomposed of several villages, called lang. The villages are made upof hamlets (ap) which may be from a hundred metres to several milesap ar t. T o at least eight out of every 10 Vietnamese, " the Go vernment "is the administrative group that runs his village.

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C H A P TER J

T H E P E O P L E

PART 1—GENERALIntroduction

1. Th« population of the Republic of Vietnam is about 16 million,fou r-fifths of them farmers. (N orth Vietnam has an estimated 17million people). Th e ma jority of the peop le of South Vietnam areethnic Vietnamese.

2. Th ere are over half a million tribespeople; abo ut the samenumber of Chinese (most of whom now hold Vietnamese citizenship);just under half a million ethnic Cambodians and a few thousand each

of French, Indians, and Pakistanis.

3. Compared with most Asian nations, South Vietnam is uncrowded.The population density varies from 19 per square mile throughout thesix high plateau provinces to 43,100 people per square mile in Saigon,the capital. Saigon is the largest city, with nearly a million and a halfpeop le. D a N an g is a distan t second largest with ab ou t 160,000 peop le.

4. The Vietnamese are small, well-proportioned people, with dark,almo nd-shaped eyes and black hair. Th e slender, small-boned women

move gracefully in their national dress of long trousers under along-sleeved tunic slit from hem to waist.

5. Most non-labouring Vietnamese men wear Western clothing onthe street, bu t you will see an occasional Chinese in trad itiona l M an da rindress. W orkm en and peasants dress in loose black trousers and shortblack or white jackets. Often a black turba n tops the m ale costume.

6. Somewhat reserved and very polite, the Vietnamese are warmand friendly with people they like, and they are very co-operative andhelpfu l. They have great respect fo r virtue and knowledge and h on ou rolder people. M any of their custom s are conditioned by religiousbeliefs.

Religion7. Instead of saying tha t only on e religion is the true one, the

Vietnamese are more apt to take the position that although one isrigh t, others are no t necessarily wrong. F or instance, a ma n who

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makes offerings in a Buddhist temple probably pays reverence alsoat the ancestral altar in his own home in keeping with the teachingsof Con fucius. Y ou may even find Christ , C onfucius, M oham medand Buddha all honoured in the same temple.

8. Co nsequ ently, it is no t too m ean ingfu l to say tha t a certainpercentage of the Vietnamese are Buddhists and another per centsomething else. T he percentages may be m ade up of individuals w hoare both Buddhists and something else.

9. The national Constitution reflects the people's belief in religioustolerance. It provides fo r free do m of religion, and states tha t nojingle religion is designated as the country's official one.

10. Nev ertheless, religion ha s been a significant facto r in theVietnamese way of life throug hou t history. T he present culture andcustoms of these proud and sensitive people are strongly conditionedby their religious beliefs. F o r exam ple, feeling th at the u niverseand man's place in it are essentially preordained and unchanging,they place high value on stoicism, patience, courage, and resiliencein the face of adversity.

11. To get along in Vietnam you must have some understanding of

these trad itiona l beliefs. If, fo r instance, you did no t know tha t theparts of the human body are believed to possess varying degrees ofworthiness—starting with the head—you would not see why pattinga child on the head might be considered a gross insult. O r why itwould be insulting for you to sit with your legs crossed and pointedtowa rd som e individual. Either of these actions would cause youto be regarded in a po or light by Vietnamese who follow the traditiona lways.

Confucianism12. Confucianism, a philosophy brought to Vietnam centuries ago

by the Chinese, not only has been a major religion for centuries, butalso has contributed immensely to the development of the cultural,m ora l, and political life of the cou ntry. It established a code ofrelations between people. F or example, the relation between sovereignand subject, father and son, wife and husband, younger and olderpeople, friend and f riend are governed by its teachings. Believing

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that disorders in a group spring from improper conduct on the partof its individual members, achievement of harmony is the first dutyof every Confucianist.

13. When he dies, the Confucianist is revered as an ancestor whois joined forever to nature. His descendants ho no ur and preservehis m em ory in solemn ancestral rites. A t the family shrine containingthe ancestral tablets, the head of each family respectfully reports tothe ancestors all important family events and seeks their advice.

Buddhism14. Confucianism exists side by side in many Vietnamese homes with

Buddh ism, a religion first taught in Ind ia some 26 centuries ago. InBuddhism, the individual finds a larger meaning of life by establishingidentity w ith eternity— past, pre sent, future— • throu gh cycles ofreincarn ation. In the ho pe of eventual " nirvana," that is, onenesswith the universe, he finds consolation in times of bereavement andspecial joy in times of weddings and births.

15. The Greater Vehicle form of Buddhism has more followers inVietnam, as in China, Korea and Japan, than has the Lesser Vehiclefo rm . Th e Greater Vehicle branch regards the G autam a Buddha asonly one of many Buddhas (Enlightened Ones) who are manifestationsof the fun da m en tal divine pow er of the universe. Th ey believe tha t,theoretically, any person may become a Buddha, though those whoattain Bud dh aho od are rare. Saints wh o earnestly strive for suchperfection are known as " bodhisattvas." Both Buddhas andbodhisattvas are recognized and venerated in Mahayana (GreaterVehicle) temples.

16. Lesser Vehicle believers follow the teachings of Gautama andregard him as the only Bu ddh a. Only in the south ern delta provincesof Vietnam, particularly in Ba Xuyen and An Giang where there arelarge groups of ethnic Cambodians, will you see the saffron-robedm on ks of the Lesser Vehicle. Th is bra nc h is also fo und in C eylon,

Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos—in other words, in thosecountries which have had a dominant Indian rather than a dominantChinese historical influence.

Taoism17. Like Co nfucianism and Bud dhism, Taoism came to Vietnam

fr o m Ch ina centuries ago. Like Budd hism, its philosoph y focuseson the idea of m an 's oneness with the universe. In mo dern V ietnam,

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Taoist priests are regarded as skilled magicians, adept at controllingthe spirit world throug h intercession with Tao ist gods. Th e priesthoodis a family calling, taught by father to son.

Christianity18. Christianity reached Vietnam in the 16th and 17th centuries,

mainly through the efforts of Roman Catholic Spanish and Portuguesem issionaries. As a result of persistent m issionary effor ts— frequ entlyin the face of persecution by emperors who feared Western politicaland econom ic control— approx imately 10 per cent of the pop ulationof the R epublic of V ietnam are Catholics. Th is is the highestproportion of Catholics in any Asian country except the Philippines.

19. Am erican Pro testant missions hav e been in Vietnam sinceW orld W ar I. A t first their activities were m ainly limited to themountain tribes of the high plateau, but with the gradual rise ofAmerican assistance and influence, there has been an increase inPro testant activity in the lowlands. Baptist, M enn onite, C hristianand Missionary Alliance, and Seventh Day Adventist missions nowexist in several cities, and some Vietnamese Protestant students arebeing sent to the United States for advanced theological training.

New Religions20. In addition to the religions and philosophies brought to Vietnamfro m other countries, new ones were developed there. Chief am ongthese were the Cao Dai and the Hoa Hao.

21. Cao Dai is a blend of the three great oriental philosophies—Con fucianism, Taoism and Buddhism— set in an organizationalstructure based on that of the Ro m an Catholic Chu rch. The headof the church, the " Superior " fills a position similar to that of thePope .

22. The words Cao Dai mean " supreme palace ", a term frequentlyfou nd in Bud dhist prayer boo ks. This is a reference to the divinity'sdwelling place and, by polite indirection, to the divinity himself.T he Cao Dai symbol is a large, all-seeing eye.

23. You can tell which branch of the Cao Dai religion a priestbelongs to by the colour of his robes. Th ose that are in the Co nfuc ian

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bran ch wear red ; the Tao ist, sky-blue; and the Bu ddh ist, saffro n.Th e Sup erior wears all three colours. W om en may also becomemembers of the clergy, rising even to become cardinals, but they allwear white.

24. Cao Dai morality is based on the duties of man toward himself,his family, society, and humanity. Its philosophy preaches theattainment of pure spirituality without seeking honour and riches.

25. The philosophy and practice of Cao Dai are examples o f religiousand ethical borrowing— organization and som e ri tual fro m Catholicism,reincarnation and not eating meat from Buddhism, man's obligationsto society and veneration of ancestors from Confucianism, despisinghonour and r iches from Taoism.

26. At one time Cao Dai claimed a following of three million.Now the religion is much less widely practised, but Cao Dai templesma y still be seen thro ug ho ut Vietnam. Th e cathedral near the cityof Tay Ninh, about 55 miles north-west of Saigon, is the largest andbest kno wn. Built between 1933 and 1941 it is located not far fro mthe revered N ui Ba D en, Mo untain of the Black Virgin. T he mo untainis a holy place of the Buddhist faith, one to which pilgrimages havelong been made.

27. In its peak period, Cao Dai had not only millions of followersbu t also an army of some 15,000. Fo r a time the Cao Dai t roopsopposed President Ngo Dinh Diem, throwing their support behindCo m m unist Ho Chi Minh . W ith the defeat of anti-Diem forces in1955, the Cao Dai leader went into exile in Cambodia and the sect,except for scattered remnants of its military, resumed purely spiritualactivities.

28. Hoa Hao, an offshoot of Buddhism, began in An Giang provincein south-west Vietnam in 1939. Its fou nd er was a you ng m an n am ed

Huynh Phu So, and he gave the new religion the name of his villageof birth. H e became fam ou s as a teacher and miracle healer, preachingthat temples, rituals, and priests were not necessary to the worshipof G od . Th is greatly appealed to the po or people and peasants.Some 20 years after its founding, Hoa Hao had a million and a halfor more followers, but Viet Minh communists murdered the founderin 1942 and no leader of comparable stature appeared to take hisplace. T he sect has declined in influence and prestige since tha t time.

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P A R T 2 — M A N N E R S A N D C U S T O M S

Introduction29. Y ou will find m any areas of co m m on interest with the

Vietnam ese; their regard fo r their families— their histo ric struggles

for national independence—their wish to allow people individualfreedom within the framework of laws made for the good of all.

30. But the re are many d ifferences between their culture and custom sand our own . You m ust be prepared to deal with them in a way thatwill make you an acceptable friend of the Vietnamese.

31. Som e of the differences are sm all things, like the way aVietnamese seems to be waving goodbye when he is actually beckoningyou to come toward him . If you use a typical Eu ropea n mo tion tosignal to a Vietnamese you should not be dismayed if he does notrespon d. H e is prob ably just as confus ed by your gesture as youare by his.

32. More important differences are attitudes toward older people,m an ual labour, display of em otion, and time. F o r instance, theaverage Vietnamese is less compulsive about time than the averageEu rope an, and regards punctuality with less reverence. Th erefo re,you should not consider it a personal affront if people arrive latefor an appointment or even if they don't arrive at all.

33. Moderation should be practised in all things and the moral codeof the people you are am ong strictly observed. F o r instance, if therule is" no dancing " , d on 't ignore it because you feel like dem onstratingyou r version of the twist. Rem em ber, also, that trou ble breeds insituations where people drink too much or forget to show the utmostrespect and courtesy toward women; make it a special point to stayaway from this sort of trouble.

Family Loyalty34. Th e V ietnamese are justifiably prou d of their culture and nationa l

identity but their primary social outlook revolves around their familyand village. Th ese claim first allegiance. M em bers of a fam ily, fo rinstance, have an absolute obligation—to be violated only at the riskof serious dishonour—to care for their relatives and to prevent any ofthem fro m being in want. Even after a girl m arries, her love andrespect for her parents traditionally continue to overshadow her loveand respect for her husband.

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35. The traditional family unit includes living and dead membersand m embers not yet born . On festival days and in family ceremoniesthe ancestors are invoked and revered, and at all times there is thoughtof the grandsons and great-grandsons yet to be born who will carryon the family nam e. A family without m ale heirs is assumed to havedisappeared.

36. The importance of family is evident in the many terms used todeno te family relationships. In addition to the usual ones like fathe r,mother, brother, sister, the Vietnamese have terms to show relativeage, the father's side of the family versus the mother's, and otherniceties of relationship. In keeping with the lesser im po rtanc e ofyounger people, there is only one term for a younger brother or sister.Either is " em ". But " anh " means elder brother and " chi " eldersister.

37. In the Confucian tradition, older people with their accumulationof a lifetime of experience are the wisest members of society andthe refo re are accorded the highest standing . If you are invited to aVietnamese ho m e fo r a meal be sure to let the older people begin eatingbefo re you do. Be solicitous ab ou t helping them to thing s at the table.Older Vietnamese, by the way, will usually not shake hands but willgreet you by joining their hands in front of them and inclining theirheads very slightly. Re spo ndin g with the sam e gesture will show themthat you know and appreciate this respectful custom.

Woman's Place Is at Home38. Since the purpose of marriage is to continue the family line,

the parents believe that the selection of a proper wife for their sonis their personal responsibility, a duty they owe both to their ancestorsan d to their son and his fu tu re children. Usually with the help of a" go-between ", they search for a girl who is skilful at housework andwh o will be a good moth er to many children. Beauty is no t asdesirable as good chara cter. In fac t, beau ty is som etimes considered

a disadvantage because the Vietnamese believe that fate seldom iskind to beautiful women.

39. The traditional position of women is totally subordinate to menand their social life is limited. A t the sam e time, wives oft en exercisea great deal of influence in the family, particularly in connection withfinancial affairs, and, of course, in selecting a marriage partner fortheir sons and daughters.

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40. People of upper-class families, as well as people living in villagesremoved from big city and Western influences continue to followtime-honoured tradit ions and customs. Am ong others, the custom shave been considerably mod ified. W om en are assuming a new andimportant position in the life of the nation, and young men and women

are break ing away fro m tradition to choose their own ma rriage pa rtners.The Professional Man

41. T he V ietnam ese ha ve always felt tha t a d eep d ivision existsbetween manual and " intellectual" labo ur. Trad itiona l Vietnamesewho have achieved positions with the Government as a result of longand patient study, or who have become doctors, teachers, and so on,avoid using their hands for tasks they feel they have graduated beyond.It would be unusual, for example, to see such a person washing hiscar, helping his wife clear the table, or working in his garden.

42. Another thing, a Vietnamese might avoid looking a superior inthe eye when talking to him. This does no t mean the m an can no tbe trusted . It mean s he is being polite by no t " staring " at a personof greater standing.

43. A t yo ur first meeting with a Vietnamese he might as k: " Howmuch m oney do you make ? " This is a na tural question in the sequenceof " Are you married? " and " How m any children do you havet"It simply expresses polite interest. If yo u feel un co m forta ble ab ou treplying, you can avoid a direct answer by stating that you are paidin Australian currency and don't know what the equivalent wouldbe in Vietnamese currency. Y ou r indirect reply lets the other pe rsonkno w you do not want to answer and have told him so politely. T hematter is thus dropped without embarrassing anybody.

44. If you want to ask a favour, you should remember that hintingand indirection are prefer able to m aking an outright request. Alsoavoid launching too quickly into a new topic or disagreeing toovehem ently. Exercise m oderation in you r conv ersation. At a firstmeeting, it is often best to stay on safe topics like families or theweather.

Politeness and Restraint45. Even among the most sophisticated Vietnamese, manners have

not becam e lax or social customs unres trained. M ann ers areconditioned by age-old religious teachings and are deeply ingrainedin the life of the people.

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46. Public display of emotion is almost always considered in badtaste. Raising the voice, shou ting, or gesturing wildly are mostimpolite. Tied with the view that m arriage is primarily fo r con tinuan ceof th e fam ily line is a feeling tha t d isplay of affection should be confinedto the privacy of the home—and even there, not practised before

guests.47. The Vietnamese regard men and women who walk arm-in-arm

as vulgar. Bu t you m ay occasionally see two boys or men walkingdow n the street hand -in-hand . This is an ordin ary m ark of friendshipcommon to many Asian and other countries.

48. If you follow the general practices of good m ann ers and courtesy,and observe those that are particularly important to your Vietnameseho sts, you will be a welcome guest in Vietnam . Th is is vital to you r

mission there. Y ou will fulfil your duty as a responsible representativeof Australia best by remembering at all times that you are in a landwhere dignity, restraint, and politeness are highly regarded.

Village Life49. The Vietnamese village, lang, is m ade up of a num ber of scattered

hamlets or ap, each set against a back-drop of bamboo thickets andgroves of areca (betel nut) and coconu t palms. Lo cated at the seatof government in a lang are a school, athletic or parade field, and ameeting hall. Instea d of a Ch ristian chu rch there is a Buddhist temple.

Som e villages also have a dispensary an d a maternity building con taininga couple of beds and staffed by a trained midwife.

50. An " information " boo th displays governm ent notices. Saigonnewsp apers ma y be kept here fo r public reference. Th e dinh, orvillage communal temple, houses a decree naming the village guardianspirit.

51. Th ere's also a village m arke t. On m ark et day, which is onceor twice a week, people file out of the hamlets to follow the narrowpa ths or padi bun ds to the m arke t place. They come to sell, to buy,

or just to gossip. Som e balance baskets of tempting fresh fru its andvegetables on their heads.

52. You can buy live chickens or duck eggs, conical hats to wardoff the sun and plastic coats to keep away the rain, Chinese rferbs andW estern aspirin. Y ou ca n even buy a brightly coloured scarf inwhich to carry home your purchases.




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S3. A popular feature at the market is the man with a portablestove-and-bakery suspended from the ends of a bamboo pole balancedacross his shou lders. Fr om this ingenious double-du ty device theme rchant offers noo dle soup on one side, pap aya and red pepperson the other.

PA R T 3— TH E MO U N TA I N TR I B ESPEO PLE(MONTAGNARD)

54. Tribal people outnumber the ethnic Vietnamese at places on ornear Vietnam 's high plateau . They formerly lived along the coastof no rth and central Vietnam . But abou t the time of Ch rist's birth,

powerful nations like Funan and Champa forced them out of theircoastal villages into the mountains.

55. You may hear these people called montagnard or moi. Thefirst is a French word meaning " mountaineer". The second is aVietnamese term meaning " savage" or " barbarian". Under-standably, the tribespeople resent this. Two terms much moreacceptable to them are dong bao thuong meaning " highlandcompatriot " and nguoi thuong du meaning " highland people " . Agood English word is " tribespeople ", since it described their way oflife withou t unco m plimen tary meanings. Th ere are an estimated600,000 who live in the interior highlands.

56. The more than a score of different tribes can be grouped intwo broa d classifications based on languag e. Th ose in the largergroup speak languages of the Mon-Khmer linguistic family relatedto present-day Cam bodian . Some of these are Baru , K atu , Cua,Sedang, Hrey, Bahnar, Koho, Stieng, Muong and Ma.

57. Th ose in the smaller group speak languages of the M alayo-Polynesian linguistic family tha t are related to Ch am . T he principaltribes speaking languages of this family are Rhade, Jarai, and Raglai.

58. Bu t even within a language gro up , peo ple of one village sometimescan not understand those of anoth er. If 10 to 20 miles of m atted jungletrail separate the villages, there is not much communication betweenthem and language differences develop.

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39. Languages of both these two linguistic families, Mon-Khmer andMalayo-Polynesian, differ greatly from Vietnamese in at least onemajor respect—they have no differing tones, while Vietnamese does.Since tones are usually difficult for Europeans, tribal languages shouldbe easier for you to learn than Vietnamese.

60. Also, none of these people ever had a written language of theirown until French and American missionaries began devising them,mo stly in this century. Com paratively few tribespeople know howto read.

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C H A PTER 6

THE ARMED SERVICES

General

1. In May, 1964, the armed forces of South Vietnam were mergedinto a single organization named " Armed Forces of the Republic ofVietnam " (RV N AF ). These forces are responsible to the D efenc sMinistry and include:

a. The Army (ARVN).

b. The Navy (VNN).

c. The Air Force (VNAF).

Command and Control2. The Chief of State is nominal head of the Armed Forces, however

executive control is exercised through the Prime Minister and theMinister for the Armed Services down to the Commander in Chief.

Organization

3. T he cou ntry is divided into fou r corps areas called TacticalRegions which are further sub-divided into divisional areas called

Tactical Zones and Special Tactical Areas.4. M ajo r form atio ns consist of 10 infa ntry divisions. Th ere are

also airborne, armoured, artillery and ranger elements on a non-divisional basis as well as logistic and support units.

The Soldier

5. The South Vietnamese soldier is generally sturdy and wiry andhas good stamina. Active and manu ally dextrou s he is readily trained

in the use of m ode rn military equipm ent. M ost of them are accustomedto working out of doors in tropical heat, humidity and monsoonalrains. H e can live in the field fo r an extended period on a daily rationof two pounds of rice and a portion of fish. In oounter insurgencyoperations, trained soldiers under capable leadership have displayedexcellent combat discipline and are regarded as being effective,trustworthy and courageous under fire.

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of terrain, population, communications, and the strength of thesecurity forces. Mobility, flexibility and concentration are stressedat all times.

3. W ithin this broa d p lan the insurgent effort is divided into threemilitary phases which depend upon the strength and success of theorgan izationa l growth. These military phases are flexible and it isdifficult to define the transition between each. The phases ofrevolutionary warfare are:

a . Passive Phase. This exists while the enemy forces havesuperiority which make the setting up of an organization andsubsequen t insurgent ope rations haz ardo us. In this phase the

main effort is given to building up an organization which canm ake the m ost effective use of scattered force s by controllingthe necessary con centration . It is in this ph ase tha t the co untryis divided into Regions, Provinces, Districts, and Hamlet/Villageareas. Co -ordina ting comm ittees are set up at each level.

b. Active Phase. This phase is characterized by harassing attacksin increasing number and strength by the insurgent forces againstselected targets. Local supe riority is achieved by con cen tratingforces within an area. Th e m ain object of this pha se is to build

up strength and to wear down the enemy by constant and tellingattacks. Th e ultima te military aim of the insurgents, which isto build up strong regular formations up to divisional level inorder to challenge and defeat the enemy in open combat, will notbe achieved in this phase.

c. Counter Offensive Phase. For this phase the insurgent unitswill be organized into conventional formations, grouped into" regions " though the principle of concentration for operationswill still be adhered to . Th is phase begins when the balance ofpower shifts from their enemy to the insurgent forces and hisconven tional military can bring the regular security forces to battleand d efeat them . This shift in the balanc e of power will only belocal at first but the insurgents will strive eventually to maketheir enemy commit his main forces in an unfavourable areawhere their destruction w ill open the way fo r take-over of theGovernment by the insurgents.

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Types of Forces

4. To implement these phases and to utilize the varying degrees ofsupport and standards of equipment available, communist forces areusually organized into three main classes. W hilst the name s maydiffer from country to country, the break down is always similar.In South Vietnam these forces are:

a . Village Guerillas. This is the lowest echelon and also thelargest force . In the early stages these un its take the bru nt ofthe fighting and casualties. They are partially and poorly armedand are raised on a part-time basis as required by the District andH am let Com mittees. They are effective in local actions and candisperse and blend into the back groun d rapidly. They are usedto support any Regional/Regular action in their local area byprov iding porters or scou ts. Th eir dress is tha t of the w orkingpeasant with perhaps a bandolier or pouch.

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A typical part-time village guerilla of the type to be encounteredthrou gho ut So uth East Asia. U narm ed, he is indist inguishable fromany peasant w orking in the fields. These part-tim e guerillas areeffective in g athering intelligence an d supp orting op eration s by regularand regional troop s. N o unifo rm is wo rn, and the only equipmentis a weapon of poor quality and possibly a bandolier and pouch.The advantages of concentration, dispersion and the ability to merge

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b. Regional Forces. These differ little from the main-line regularforces except that they have a lower standard of weapons,equipm ent and training. T he main difference is tha t they arerestricted to a regional area . These forces are used mostly inthe first two phases in company and battalion sized groups.

They fight as form ed , full-time un its but live dispersed in sub-units.

c . Regular Forces. The main force is well equipped and armedwith the most modern weapons that communist countries canprovide or that can be captured fro m the security forces. Welltrained, aggressive and well indoctrinated they comprise thosetroops who have risen through the two lower echelons by provingtheir military skill and political reliability.

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Regular Insurgent SoldierTh ere is little or n o difference in ap pearanc e between the regular

soldier and region al soldier. Th e only difference is in stan da rds oftraining and political reliability and to some extent the poorer qualityof weapons and equipm ent. A typical regular soldier is dressed in a




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light grey/khaki blouse and trousers and wears either rubber/canvasboo ts or local tho ng pattern sandals. F o r particular operations andin order to blend with the local environment the normal black calicopeasa nt smock and trousers m ay be worn in lieu of or over the unifo rm .A plastic covered bamboo helmet or captured steel helmet is worn.Weapons could include the latest Communist bloc sub-machine gun,grenades and possibly a pistol. Eq uipm ent is usually a pouch orhaversack and bandolier with a belt to which is attached a water bottleand rice sack.

Enemy Capabilities

5. W hilst the enemy fight to a prede termine d a nd proven plan,and though we must never underestimate their fighting qualities, theyare basically no different from the Government soldiers and the only

reason for their success to date is that they have always been ableto operate from secure bases, concentrating in great strength againstselected targets, while the Government Forces have had to spreadtheir effor t to p rovid e an overall security.

6. On the occasions when actions have been fought on near equalterms, the Government soldier has proved his value by defeating theenemy, who are, by comparison, relatively poorly armed and badlyequipped. Once they attemp t to challenge the Go vernm ent Forcesin the open they know that they are vulnerable to defeat at the hands

of a superior army.7. Your presence in the country will free Government Forces and

help to regain the freedom of action not only to contain the enemybut to penetrate into their hitherto secure bases.

8. Finally, remember that the enemy is not invincible and in factonce he loses his terrain advantages he becomes vulnerable.

Weapons9. The Viet Cong have been fighting with a variety of weapons left

over from the French, Japanese, British and Neutralist Chineseoccupations and with some United States weapons which have beencaptu red fro m the Go vernm ent Forces. How ever, althoug h theseolder types of weapons will still be found in the hands of the lowerechelon insurgent forces the regular and regional forces are now beingequipped to an increasing degree with weapons newly manufacturedin communist countries.

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10. At present the enemy is equipped mainly with small arms andinfantry support weapons which include 57 and 75mm recoilless rifles,12.7mm or similar calibre machine guns, 60mm, 82mm and 120mmm ortars. M ortars form the basis fo r his artillery suppo rt capability

which is also believed to contain pack-type howitzers.11. W hilst it is no t feasible to lay down exactly w ha t types of weapon s

will be enco untered in the hands of the enemy, a representativeselection of infantry small arms and light support weapons, with abrief outline of their capabilities, is shown in the following pages.

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J A P A N E S E 7 5 M M M O U N T A I N G U N , M O D E L 9 4

The 75mm Mountain gun, Model 94 (1934) is manufactured toreplace the 75mm gun, Mo del 41. Th is m ou ntain gun can be towedor dismantled into six different parts to be carried by pack transport.Th e weapon is equipped with a bipod and a ring rack with Pan oram icTelescope.

C HAR AC T E R IST IC S

75mm390m /l,265 fps

(HE Shell8,229.6m/9,000 yds.156.21 cm/61.5 inches535.130kg/ l ,190 pounds10-12 rpm40 degrees

Fro m - 8 to + 4 5 degrees


CalibreMuzzle velocityMaximum range

Model 90)Length of barrelWeightRate of fireTraverseElevation limit



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C f f l C O M 5 7 M M R E C O I L L E S S R I F L E (M O D E L 3 6)

This weapon is a CHICOM copy of the US 57mm Recoilless Rifle.Distinguishing features of the CHICOM weapon are: the threelegged triangu lar fra m e m o un t; th e firing linkage is rod typ e ascom pared to cable l inkage on the US weapo n; no standard US arsenalm arking s; al l pa rts are stamped with a weapon comp onen t num ber,which is no t US practice. Th is weapon will cha m ber an d fire bo thCHICOM and s tandard US ammuni t ion. The CHICOM 57mmammunition can not be used in US weapon.

C HAR AC T E R IST IC SCalibre 57mmOp eration Single loadingLen gth 62 inchesWeight 45 pou nd s; w/m ount 55 poun dsAm mun ition Chinese or U S 57mm roun dsR ate of fire 15 rpm maximumM uzzle velocity 1,115 fp sM aximum range 4,375 metres

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82MM MORTAR M1937, M1941, AND M1943

O P T I C A L S I G H T

S T R A I G H T E D G E

H I N G E D

- C A R R Y I N G

H A N D L E

B A S E P L A T E G E N E R A L L Y R O U N D ; F L A T O H T O P

There are essentially three models of the 82mm mortar—the M1937,the M 1941, and the M1943. Th e M1937 reverted to stand ard use

after the M1941 and the M1943 bipod mounts were proven unstable.All models fire the same ammunition and have the same ballisticcharacteristics. Also, all m odels can fire th e conve ntional 81mmm ortar amm unition of the Un ited States and other countries. Eachof the mortars can be separated into three pack loads to be carriedby three men or one animal. T he m ortar tubes are identical andinterchangea ble on the various m ode ls; the only differences betweenthe models are th e base plates and the mou nts. Th e M1937 uses twoshort cylinders as shock absorbers and has a portion of the circularbase pla te cut away, while the M1941 and M 1943 have a com paratively

long, shock absorber cylinder and a fully circular base plate.

CH A RA CTERI S TI CS(M1937)

55 .8 kg 123 lbs.3,040 m 3300 yds.25 rpm3.05 kg 6.7 2 lbs.3 .4 1 k g 7 .52 lbs.

Weight, travelling positionMaximum horizontal rangeMaximum rate of f ireProjectile we ight: H E

Smoke

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SO V I ET 120MM MO R TA R , MO D EL M.1938

The 120mm Mortar M.1938 with the easily attached transportlimber and the weight saved in the design of this circular, stampedbaseplate make this 120mm Mortar highly mobile despite its size.It is usually towed behind a truck which carries the ammunition,bu t a caisson is available when animal dra ft is necessary. F o r pac ktransport, i t breaks down into three loads.

The 120mm Mortar M.1938 includes provision for trigger firingas well as the more usual drop-firing method.

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Calibre

Weight in firing position

Length of tubeWeight w/caisson

Weight of projectile (HE)

Muzzle velocity

Range

Elevation

Traverse

Rate of fire

120mm

265.024kg/606 lbs.

1,854mm/73 inches480.332 kg/1,058 lbs.

15.912kg/35.05 lb.

287mps/892 f ps

5674m/6,236 yards

45 to 80 degrees

3 degrees (without moving bipod)

up to 15 rpm

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C H I C O M 1 2 . 7 M M H E A VY M A C H I N E G U N , M O D E L 54

(Copy of Russian DShK 12.7mm Gun, Model M.1938/46)

The 12.7mm DShK Heavy Machine Gun is the primary HMG ofthe Soviet Arm ed Fo rces. It is used against aircraf t and providesfire sup po rt fo r infan try units and arm ou red vehicles. Th e weaponused by the enemy is a copy of the Russian gun and is called 12.7mmHMG, Model 54.

This weapon may be used against ground or air targets on its

com bination gro und m ou nt. Fo r anti-aircra ft fire, the wheels andshield are removed and the trail legs are extended to form ashou lder-high tripo d. It is effective against low flying, slow airc raft.For ground support of infantry and armoured vehicles, its legs foldtogether to form a trail and the two wheels and armour shield arerepositioned.

US .50 inch ammunition (12.7mm) cannot be used in this weapon.

5 2 R E ST R IC T E D



R E ST R IC T E D


Calibre

Operation

Practical rate of fireMaximum rate of fire

Overall length (gun only)

Weight

Weight w/tripod, shield and 50

rounds

Muzzle velocity

FeedMaximum effective range:

GroundAir target

12.7mm

Gas operated

125 rp m550-600 rpm

1.60m/62.7 inches

34.05 kgs/75 pounds

178.51 kgs/393.2 pounds

870m/2,822 fps

Link belt (50 rds)

3,036m/3,300 yds.l,000m/3,000 feet (approx.)

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C Z E C HOSL OVAK 7 . 92MM L IGHT MAC HINE GUN Z B 26(Brno)

A D J U S T A B L E

C A R R Y I N G H A N D LE

Recognition features of this weapon include cooling fins or groovescut in the barrel, a carrying handle with wooden grip mounted around

th» barrel near the breach end, a perforated flash hider, a foldingbipo d, and a top feeding mag azine. Th is weap on h as been soldthroughout the world and in recent years has been manufactured byCommunist China.


7.92mmGas, selective fire46 inches

21 poundsAll 7.92mm Mauser rimless cart-

ridgesBox/20, 30 and 35 round typesUp to 700 rpm180 rpm2,700 fp s785 metres

CalibreOperationLength

Weight (loaded)Ammunit ion

Magazine CapacityCyclic rate of firePractical rate of fireMuzzle velocityEffective rang e




R ESTR I C TED

7.62MM SEMI - A U TO MA TI C C A R B I N E SI MO N O V ( SK S)

The SKS is one of the members of the Soviet post-war amall armfamily firing the M 1943 sho rt rimless cartridg e. A lthou gh classifiedas a carbine by the Soviets, it qualifies as a rifle by United Statesstandards. Th e norm al produ ction m odel is fitted with a permanentlyattached folding knife-type bayon et. Older mo dels ha d a cruciform -type bayonet instead.

This light, handy weapon is easily recognizable by its characteristicbayonet, i ts almost sporting rifle appearance, and by the triangularportion of the magazine which extends through the lower side of thestock, just forward of the trigger guard.

C H A R A C TER I STI C S

Calibre

Operation

Rate of fireAmmunit ion

Magazine capacity

Effective rang e

7.62mm/0.30 in .

Gas, semi-automatic

35 to 40 rpmSoviet Ml943

10 rounds

400 m/440 yds.

R ESTR I C TED 55



R ES TR I C TED

7.62MM SHPAGIN SUB-MACHINE GUN M1941 (PPSh)

The PPSh-41 is a high cyclic rate weapon which can be fired either

fully or sem i-autom atic. Th e change lever fo r selecting the type offire is located o n the trigger gu ard : for autom atic, it is push ed f orw ard ;fo r semi-autom atic, it is in the rear position. T he barrel jacke t, whichextends beyond the muzzle, acts as a muzzle brake and compensator.Either a drum magazine or a curved box magazine may be used.

C H A R A C TER I S TI C S

Calibre

Practical rate of fireEffective rang e

7.62mm/0.30 in .

100 rpm

200 m/220 yds.

56 R ES TR I C TED



R E ST R IC T E D

C H I C O M 7 .6 2 M M D P M D E GT Y A RE V L I G H T M A C H I N E G U NT YPE 53

This automatic rifle has been modified from the Soviet 7.62mmDP DEGTYAREV AR by adding a wooden stock and placing therecoil spring in a tube attached to the back of the receiver.

Th e 7 .6 2 D P M A utom atic Rifle is a gas operated and air cooledauto m atic w eapo n. It provides the basic firepower fo r an infan trysquad and fires autom atically only. Its gas cylinder, how ever, has

three different size gas po rts wh ich perm it changing of th e rate of fire.The DP M A utom atic Rifle operates from an open bolt. The boltand receiver are designed in such a manner that the firing pin cannotstrike the percussion cap of the cartridge until the bolt is locked.

The weapon is used with a drum magazine placed on the receiver.A bipod is fixed to th e bar rel. It has a safety catch on the right sideof the receiver, in front of the trigger.

F L A S H H I D E D


CalibreOperationMagazineTheoretical rate of fireOverall lengthWeight with fully loaded maga-

7 .62mmGas operated and automatic firingDrum -type, containing 47 round s600 rpm1.27 metre/50 inches

zineMuzzle velocityEffective rang e

12.200kg/27 pounds (approx.)1,058 mps/2,760 fp s805 metres/880 yards




R ES TR I C TED

SOVIET 7 .62MM ASSAULT RIFLE AK-47

( C H I N ES E C O M M U N I S T 7 .6 2 M M A S S A U LT R I F LE TY P E 5 6 )

The AK -47 is the basic individual weapon fo r mo st of the Com m unistW orld Arm ies. Tw o ma jor types exist, a mo del with a conven tionalwooden buttstock and one with a folding metal stock. Th e AK -47 isrecognized by its high front sight, long receiver with large selector/safety on the right side, and long curved magazine.

C H A R A C TER I S TI C S

Fully automatic

R ate of fire—Semi-automatic

Automat ic

Ammunit ion type

Calibre

Operation

Weight, loaded

Length—Stock foldedStock extended

Sight

Feeding device

Effective range— Semi-automatic

7 .62mm

Gas, selective fire10.58 1b.25.4 in .34.25 in.

Front—protected post ; rear—ad-justable V notch

30 rd detachable box magazine

400 m300 m40 rpm90 to 100 rpm

Soviet 7.6 2m m M43 or ChicomType 56 rimless cartridges

58R E S T R I C T E D



RES TRI CTED

BICYCLE MINE

This m ine is fired electrically, by m eans of a w rist wa tch delay firingdevice.

D E S C R I P T I O Na. Body. Th e main ch arge and deton ator are introduc ed into atub e of th e bicycle fram e un de r the saddle, and an electric wireis extended outside the frame.

b . Detonation. Initiated by a watch and two 4 .5 volt batterieswhich are placed inside the bicycle hea dligh t, with its wireprotruding outside along the frame.

RES TRI CTED 59



R ESTR I C TED

O P E R A T I O N

During movement, the ignition device is not linked to the explosive,bu t upo n arriving at the prescribed sabotage site, these two c om pon ents

are then connected, and the watch of the ignition device is pre-set.

The enemy have also adapted another firing device, using bicyclegenerator pow er. Th us, during m ovem ent, the generator is keptap art fro m the wheel. When arriving at the sabotage site, the headof the generato r is placed against the bicycle wheel. W hen som eoneoperates the bicycle, its generator sends a spark up the ignition lineand initiates the explosive.

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R E S T R I C T E D

C H A P T E R 8

V I ETN A MES E LA N G U A G E CU I D E

Introduction

1. Some 27,000,000 people speak Vietnamese as their tirsl language.Th e great m ajority of them live in Vietnam. Others are in C am bod ia,Laos, Thailand, France, and New Caledonia.

2. Vietnamese was first written in Chinese characters, then in (helate thirteenth century, in a modified form called chu nom. In theearly 1600s Portuguese and French Jesuit missionaries devised a

system of writing Vietnam ese with the La tin alp ha be t. Chinesecharacters and chu nom continued in use through the early part of thiscen tury bu t were officially replaced in 1920 by Latin scrip t. This iscalled quoc ngu and consists of 12 vowel and 27 consonant forms.

3. Th e simple vowels are : a, e, i, o, u and y. M odifications ofthese vowels add six m ore to the alph ab et. The m odifications areindicated by diacritical marks like this: Sf, 2, e, o, d, i f . Thesediacritical marks are part of the letter and have nothing to do with

word accent or tone quality.

The vowels are pronounced:

a—" ah " (long) as in party.

t — " ah " (short) as in bu t.

3—not pronounced, e, eg, bal would be pronounccd bl,

' e—" e " as in pet.

S—" eh " as in pear,i/y—" ee " as in Pete,

o—" o " as in orange.

$ — " owe " as in low.

d—" er " as in Bert,

u-^-" oo " as in coo.

11—" u " as in " ugh

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R E S T R I C T E D

4. Of the con son ants, only the " d " has two form s. " D " with aline or bar drawn through it (B or tf) is pronounced like theEnglish " d " . T h e on e without a line or bar is- pron ounced likeou r " z " in the no rth, and like a " y " in central and southern Vietnam .

Speaking Vietnamese

5. There is considerable difference between the way Vietnamese isspoken in vario us pa rts of the coun try. If you learn the sou thernaccent, you may be able to understand people from the north butno t necessarily those from cen tral Vietnam . Vietnamese in the centralprovinces of Thanh Hoa and Hghe An have an accent which eventheir fellow countrymen from other districts find difficult to understand.Hue, too, has its own geographically limited but highly specialized

accent,

6. The sounds of many Vietnamese letters and letter combinationsare familiar to English speaking people but a few others are quitedifficult to learn, especially the initial " ng " and the vowel " i/ " ,T o learn to m ake the " ng " so und , repeat ou r word " sing " severaltimes, grad ually dro pp ing first the " s " and then the " si ". T olearn to pronounce the Vietnamese " if" say " you " and then broadenthe lips as though about to smile, but without moving the position ofthe tongue.

7. An advantage of Vietnamese is that once you have learned thesound indicated by a given combination of letters, you know itwherever it appears.

8. W ords beginning with " t " and " th " are pron ounc ed alikeexcept tha t there is an aspirated (or h) sound afte r the " t " in the" t h " . T he sam e is true of words spelled with an initial " c "or " k " as com pared with the aspirated " ch " and " kh " . Th eimportance of knowing how to make this small but tricky distinctionis plain when you understand how greatly it changes the meaningof a word. Tam means three: • tham, greedy: Cam is orange: kham,to suffer.

9. An " s " and " x " are both pronounced like the " s " in " soap "in northern dialect. But with a southern accent the " s " becomes" s h " as in " s h o t " .

10 . " N h " is p r on ou nc ed l ike t he " ny " in " ba ny an " .

62 R ESTR I C TED



R E S T R I C T E D

Tones Change Meaning

11. Vietnamese is a monosy llabic.language , Each syllable expressesa distinct idea and th eref ore is a word in itself. O ften two or m oresyllables are joined to form new words, as in place names like Sai-gon

and Ha-noi.

12. Vie tnam ese is also ton al. In other words, the ton e or level ofyour voice changes the meaning of a word. '• The word ma, for instance,has many different meanings depending on how you.say it, and symbolsare used to show the differences.

W ord Symbol Tone

ma no ne level' or m iddle

ma highma low

1 . . .ma waving or r is ing

Meaning

ghost

mother; cheekbut; that; which

t o m b

nut. interrupted appearance

ma heavy rice seedling

13. The northe rn dialect has these'six tones. The sou thern c om bines

the waving and interrupted tones by pronouncing them in the sameway an d thus has only five tones. With on ee xc ep tio n, tone symbolsare placed above the principal vowel of the syllable. The heavysymbol (. J is placed under the principal vowel.

14. Here's how to use the different tones when talking:

a . Level1 tone is a monotome in the middle of the normal speakingrange.

b. The high or high-rising tone starts above level tone and rises

sharply.c. T h e low -falling tone sta rts off in fairly low voice and fallsrather slowly to the bottom of the normal range.

d. The waving or mid-rising tone starts at about level tone, dipsvery slightly, and then rises slowly. Th e interru pte d, or high-broken tone starts a bit above normal range, dips a little and thenrises ab rup tly. During the rise the thro at is constricted to causea light, brief interruption of sound..

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R E S T R I C T E D

e. The heavy or low-dipped tone starts below the middle of thenorm al speaking range and falls very abrup tly. At this pointan additional sound is produced by forcing air through the almostclosed vocal cords.

Learn by Listening

15. You can't learn a foreign language, especially a tonal one likeVietnam ese, from bo oks alone. You learn it by listening to the waypeop le aro un d you talk and by speaking it yourself. Ge t a Vietnamesefriend or someone else who knows the language well to give you lessons.Getting a good working command of Vietnamese is not easy, but theeff or t will rew ard yo u w ith a sense of accom plishm ent and a newfeeling of confidence. Y o u rj ib jli ty to speak their language will win

the respect of the V ietnamese "people with whom you are assoc iated.U S EF U L P H RA S ES

16. The word " you " varies in Vietnamese depending on the speakerand the person spoken to. Th e form used thro ug ho ut this languageguide is ong, but it means " you" only 'wh en addressing a m an.Depending on the person you are addressing, you should replaceong with one of the following forms:

married woman ba

unmarried girl cochild (either boy or girl); girl

fr iend; wife emclose male friend; male

servant anh

female servant; close femalefriend

Greeting and Courtesy Phrases

I am an Australian

Hul lo ; Goodbye;

Good morning;

Good af ternoon;

chi

TOi la ilgMi Uc

Chiao ing (alio bci, em, anh, ch[—depending on the person youare addressing)

Chao 8ng

Chau Ong

64 RES TRI CTED



R E S T R I C T E D

Goodnight Cliao Dug

How are you dug mtinh gioi ch'f

I'm fine Tt!i mqnh nluf llufoiig

I'm glad to meet you T6i h(tn hanh ttiA/c gap DugThank you Cam On Ong

Please speak a little more H t

slowly Xin lr)i Dug, it)i Mug hi en

Please say it again Xin dug noi lai

Do you speak English? dug noi tieng Anh SMc khdng'!

No, ( don' t T&i khdng noi diMc

Can you understand me? dug HILU lO i iTMc khdng'}

Yes, I can Him diMc

Questions and Answers

17. M ost of the follow ing phrases represent highly idiom atic southe rnVietnamese. You can com pile your own list of nou ns by asking thefirst question and getting the names of things you will most oftenneed to know.

What is this? Cai nay la cai gitIt s a mango Cat nay la irai xoai

Which one? Cai naol/ \ * *

Either one Cai nao cung SMc

Who's there? Ai d&yl

It's me T&i ddyt /It's only me Chi co idi ihSi

What does i t mean?' Nghfa lit gil

It has no meaning at all Khdng to nghia g7 ca"!

What kind of person is lie? dng Sy let iigOti ltit> nao"!

He's a good man ,P"S la ngiMi for

How do you work it? Cai nay dung the naol

How do you do it? I.am life ntio?

RES TRI CTED 6 5



R E S T R I C T E D

Any way at all

This.way

What else?

All finished; nothing else

Who else?

You too

What for?

Isn't that so?

That 's r ight

So I've heard

Maybe

I think so

I guess so

What 's the matter?

Nothing at all

1 changed my mind

I want to ask you a favour

Dinner's ready

.You called the wrong number

What 's new?

Nothing's new

Who told you?

You yourself did

Miscellaneous Phrases

Let's go

Co away

Hurry up

I'm just looking

That 's fine;

Tlu? nao cung iTi/lfc

Nhu> tlfc nay

Con gi niAi'l

Hh r$i

Con ai ntto'l

Clfng co Ong null

L~am gi ?

Co phai khong dug'!

Phai

Tdi co nghe noi nil if Vay

Co I? ^

Toi nghi nhtt \6y

TSi Ooan nluf lit?

Co vi&c gi ihfa

KhSng co vifc gt

Ttti (ta Mi y rtii

Toi muon phiert ong mqt v / f c .Don cam rfii

Qng goi sO sai

Co gi la khfing'l

KhtSng co gt la

Ai noi v&i Ongl

Chinh Ong noi

Chung ta <ti chit

Bi <ti

Mau Itn

TSi xem chdi

'fbl lam



R E ST R IC T E D

T ha i 's enough ;

I'll take it; (buying something)

Agreed

Quantity and Degree

How much is it?

Not much

O n l y f i v e dong

Five dong is too expensive

I'll give you three dong for i

Time

What time is it?

It 's four o'clock

W hen did th at happen ?

Half a month ago

August of last year

When are you going?In a while

In a short while

Right now

Which time?

Last time

The first time

Next timeDo you go there often ?

From time to time

Every afternoon

Whenever I can

How long ago?

Bu rtii-

TOi se mua cai do

BiMc rSi

Bao nliiOu ticil'!

Khftng illicit

NSm dOng ihui

,rNHm dftng (tat qua

T8i Ira ba (tong (hoi

s \ \

Mfty gilt roi Sngl

Bdn gict r$i

Viec 6y x3y ra vao hoi nao'i

Cach day ntia thang

Trong iliang t,am nttm ngoai

dng di bao gMChSc nt/a

Khdng Ian mfa

Bay gib

L$n mo?

L$ti chut

Ldn dau Hen

to idng thi^ng iti din d3y kitting 1

Thinh thoang thai

Mdi chiiii

Luc nao co djp

Bi/ttc bao tin rOil

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R E S T R I C T E D

Ong,

A long time ago Ba l/tu rf?i

A while ago, recently gftn <t(ty

Too long a time Ldu qua

The other day H6m no

Location

Where do you live

I live in Da Nang

Where did you just come

f r o m ?

1 came from SaigonWhere do you come from ?

Where are you going?

I'm going home

Where have you been', '

I'm on my way back from themarke t

Where is it?

Upstairs

Downstairs

inside the house-

Outside

Over this way

Over that way

Way over thereMilitary

General

Lieutenant general

Brigadier general or major r

general iliiPu nfOng

!> itflu?' I r 1

T&i if Ba Nang

6ng o> dan tcfi day1!

TSi o> Saigon raA \ \ / \Ong la ngMi nMc nuu'l

6ng di d&ul

Toi ve'iiha'

Ong di dffu vh

Tdi di ch<f

5; rftfi/?

O trOn gac

0 dMi nha

O trong nhct

U ben ngotii

O dSng nay

U dang kia

b dang kia kia

dai n/dng

Irimg [Mng

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R E S T R I C T E D

Colonel

Lieutenant colonci

M a j o r

Capta in

1st lieutenant

2nd lieutenant •

Soldier

Sailor

Airman

Officer

Warrant officer

Sergeant

Corpora l

Lance-corpora l

Private

Pilot

•Marine

Ar myN a v y

Airforce

Where is the enemy?

Which way did the enemy go?

itaj lu

truilg lu

thtfu tu

<tai uy

Irimg uy

lhi?u uy

iigi/ui Huh

ihuy' thil

link khSng t/utht

.«' quail

ihMllg s?

trung .sT

ha si

ha si pho

bin/: si

plii cOng

liuh ihuy quart Ilia chirii

Luc i/iiOii

Hai quO/i

Xhdug quflii

Q ufin Oich b (ttiu?

()itflii itkh ifi !•? phia mm'!

Days of the Week

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

. Friday

Tint hai

Th!f ba

Tint Hi1

Th!f iiaul

Th if sau

R E S T R I C T E D 6 9



Saturday

Sunday

to-daylOTmorrow

yesterday

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Thftbly

Chu nh&t

htm nay

ngay mat

htm qua

Numbers

1

2

34

5

6

7

8

9

1020

.3.5

100

mot

hai

ba

bin

nam/

sau

hfiy

lam/

chin

miklihai inMi

hai mitii lanr

mdt tram

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R E S T R I C T E D

C H A P T E R 9

U S E F U L I N F O R M A T I O N

Important National Dates and Festivals

1. The chief Vietnamese festivals (tet) by the lunar calendar are:

a . The New Year , Nguyen Dan, 1st to 7th day of the first month.

b. The Trung Sisters, Hal Ba Trung, 6th day of second month.

c. Buddha's Bir thday—15th day of fourth month.

d. The Summer Solst ice, Doan Ngo, 5th day of the fifth month.

e. Wandering Souls , Trung Nguyen, I5th day of the seventhmonth—also celebrated on the 15th day of tha first and tenth

months .

f . Mid autumn, Trung Thu, 15th day of the eighth month.

g. Tran Hung Dao, 20th day of the eighth month.

h Le Loi, 22nd day of the eighth month.

2. The Vietnamese lunar calendar, like the Chinese, begins with theyear 2637 3 C . It has 12 m on ths of 29 or 30 day s each , totalling355 da ys. Every third year or so an extra m on th is slipped in betweenthe third and fourth months to reconcile the lunar calendar with thesolar ca lend ar. Instead of centu ries of 100 years each , the Vietnam esecalen dar is divided into 60 year periods.

3. The Tel Nguyen ban, or New Year, often called " Tet " is thebig eve nt of the yea r. It macks' the beginning of sprin g and by the

solar calendar usually falls toward the end of January or early inFe bru ary . All work usually stops for the first three days an d mo stshop s are closed. G ifts to servants and employees are given on thisday as they pay their compliments to their employer or head of thehouse .

4. A no the r im po rtan t national day is 1st No vem ber (Solar Ca lend ar)the anniversary of the 1st November, 1963, Revolution.

R E S T R I C T E D 71





R E S T R I C T E D

CHAPTER 10

SECURITY

1. Th e war in V ietnam is an insurgent war an d th e ene m y'sintelligence agents will be everywhere. H e will use all possible waysto acquire intelligence and his agents may be men, women or children.More than ever your own safety will depend on how good your securityis. W atch the following po ints in partic ular.

2. Security of Information. Watch careless talk about your unit andits ope rations. Never discuss yo ur activities, or those of othe r forceswhich you may know about, other than in the course of your duties.

The enemy can pick up useful bits of information from apparentlyinnocent conversations so do n't take any chances; fo r instance womenare often used to get information from unwary soldiers on leave.Watch, also, what your mates say in public and caution them ifnecessary. It m ay save you r life. Be care ful also tha t you safeguardany m ilitary papers which are placed in yo ur care. Ab ove all donot put anything about military operations, your experiences or thenature of other forces around you into letters home.

3. Security of Weapons and Equipment. The Viet Cong dependlargely on captured weapons, am mu nition and equipm ent. Safeguardyou rs at all times. Ta ke app rop riate action if you see any suspiciousindividuals in the vicinity of service installations—the enemy will tryto damage equipment which he cannot remove.

4. Enemy Propaganda. Th e enemy will be trying to b reak dow n yo urm orale. H e will try to discredit you , you r un it, yo ur cou ntry and theGo vernm ent and Arm ed Forces of South Vietnam. D o no t be taken in.Abov e all do no t spread rum ours. Y ou will be kept informed of the

true position regarding the war by your officers; discount stories youhear in the street.

5. From time to time you will be permitted to go on leave to majorcentres. It is during this perio d that you tend to relax afte r the har dwork of war; it is also at this time that you become very vulnerable topropaganda, rumour, and the more physical attacks of terroristgrenades, snipers and knives. W hile you are shop ping or relaxing

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always m ainta in your vigilance. O n entering buildings check fo rthe location of exits and mentally consider your actions in the eventof an emergency. M ovement in all areas m ust be ac com panied.G o on leave in grou ps or at least pairs. If you becom e separated,

join an allied soldier grou p at the earliest op portu nity. T he best wayto help Vietnam is to rem ain alive and do yo ur jo b well. Th e bestway to this end is:

C O N S TA N T V I G I LA N C E, ETER N A L S U S P I C I O N .

By Authority: A. J . A b t h u b , C'wealth Govt. Printer, Canberra.

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US ARMY INSIGNIA

G E N E R A L

I"ftf t

L I E U T E N A N T M A J O R

G E N E R A L G E N E R A L

f t

B R I G A D I E RG E N E R A L

C O L O N E L

E U T E N A N T M A J O R

O T H E R R A N K S

HC A P T A I N

A ^S E R G E A N T

M A J O R

F I R S T

L I E U T E N A N TS E C O N D

L I E U T E N A N T

F IR ST M A S T E R P L A T O O N S E R G E A N TS E R G E A N T S E R G E A N T O R

S E R G E A N T 1st C L A S SL . r \ O C . H I N I I

Documents

Australian Military Forces - Pocketbook South Vietnam 1967