Kept From Vietnamese

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30961, 18 January 1966, Page 11

Kept From Vietnamese

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) SAIGON, Jan. 17.

American military commanders often keep their Vietnamese allies in the dark about offensive operations, sometimes right up to the last minute, Associated Press writer, John Wheeler reported.

Wheeler wrote: The reason is fear of leaks and of traitors in the Vietnamese military that have tipped off the Viet Cong to operations in the past. The latest example of a secret offensive was “Operation Crimp.” the biggest allied operation to date, which sent more than 8000 United States and Australian troops in a sweep 20 miles north-west of Saigon near the Iron Triangle. No Vietnamese troops were involved and the Vietnamese, even in the area of the opera-

tion. were not told until helicopters swooped in and trucks disgorged American troops. Last August the United States marines launched “Operation Starlight” in the central coast region without consulting the Vietnamese and scored their first notable success of the war. As many as 500 guerrillas may have been killed in that operation. The American fear of treachery apparently has a firm basis. A high Government official once told a correspondent that Viet Cong had successfully infiltrated the highest ranks of the military and the Government. There are persistent reports that a Viet Cong was found in the junta of the former Premier, Nguyen Khanh. Numerous large operations involving Vietnamese troops have turned up little or nothing. United States field commanders sometimes have wondered aloud if their plans had

- not been compromised during 1 the days of planning jointly 1 i with the Vietnamese staff. J Although senior Vietnam- . ese officers at corps level .(have confirmed privately the . dangers of leaks through inI advertence or treason, unilat- . eral American operations ; ruffle their sensibilities. ) The Vietnamese jealously maintain that American and f other allied troops in Vietnam , are only helping the Vietnamt ese High Command, not run- . ning their own war. American officials have ex- . pended a considerable propaI ganda effort making the same point publicly to avoid having s the label “American war” at--1 tached to this conflict. r The threat of leaks poses a morale problem among s American troops. An Ameris can marine reconnaissance - force trapped south of Da - Nang air base returned claim- • ing the enemy knew every 1 move it planned.