DECLASSIFIED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE INTERA SECURITY fiASSIFICATION APPEALS PANEL EO 1352 SECTION 53(b)(3) middot

Bi~c Data em Liellt-t GenerJ Phaa x~ Ctd~~ middot Alallusador to Corea

CDICPAC FOR POLAil

1 Prior to the election of Septelllber 1967 tro Pblliaa Xwm Chieu vas oce middotor the JDOSt illlportampnt polltieampl figures ill ietllamp He has sillce lost 11111eh of his previous ~ce as a result ~r the man-middot reampligmaes~t4 ot power ill the 1960s Chieu a northerner has been Alllbampssador to Korea sinee mid-1967 He serves concurrently as CbampiZ1IIIIZl or the mcr1shyb=d Vietn1111 eterans ~ian

Early Life

2 P1a1 Xual Ch ieu vas born on NoVIIIIber 20 1920 ill Jon ~e illage middot Nlnh SLlh Provlttce North Vietlla~ He reshymiddote i ed his education a~ ~he prestigious Iyeee Albert Sunw loated in iaci urLlg the i=lediate years preeding World Wu II until 1943 Cbieu attended medical school at the t1versity o r aoi

3 Cne middotgt f Chieu s as=stes at oedial school vas Ngeyen Ho-~ ngtrg sd ~etbull e middot C~ K Wltle to serve togltther b the Ot~ Ifantr 3ampttsligt1 b the Hurg Yen sector neampr soi i 195 1 middot ~ater sppoLted Holg Millister of Youth upo1 ~he gtrnation of t he ~ampt Governnent in 1965

-- ~i middot l s lc ~i middot-i~i e jUlg middotao-1 tlar II are rot sei fi-911bull ko-- I 1 3 e len Vietnam for China

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middotQaza (SeU-llehDIe lorces) CICl - 1 1951 be ~VQ amp -prO lt middot f1amp1caal Yletneeae foroe ereamptedmiddot ~ tile PSch 1n llcJrth leta Be ~4e4 tale 15th 1IUtampUcm ot t2le llVQ until J-me 19)2 ampner middot tear -tU ampt the Tactical cnaUCICl Scbool 1n BampZlOl~ he- middot1D-- middotsrampted into the Vietzlaeae Arcy middotu an 1zltaltr- llellteDimt 1n Octiobcr middot middot 1952 Uld rrca tbampt t111e atll JuJr 1953 he serred with the Geunl middot middot Stamptt in ParU en A~~sWrt 1 1953 OUeu vu ~ to middot ~ middot Cbieu relocampted aautb with h1a ~in 1953 bcllftver ODe ot h1i silters ~ 11 tbe norttl

6 llcca August 1953 until DeClaquoltber 1953 Cliieu vu Cbid ot Stamptt ot tbe Soe rrang Sectorbull CCIIICDZently aervillg under L1C IlQaac Van Minh u Chid or Statf or the lat IUlltary Region (he at Killtwy Rtl8iCID ampt that time eontampined ~ or wbat vas cmce ealled Cocb1n Chinamp) He vu pramoted to major on August 1 1954

The BiJh Xuyen CllJampiin

7 en AprU Z7 bull 1955 the Billh Xuyen broke an uneasy truce with the ~

01- ~tntion vith a Jlortar attampCk Oil Diems Palace (tor more intomatiltm oc the Binh X~middoten see A-158 ot July 25 191~) LTC Dualg Van Milh then CltaDamplder ot the Sampigon-Cholon-Gia DiDh M1lltey Sub-Dividltm Tran Val Don then Chief or Start ot the Joint Gellenl Statr and Do eaomiddot Tri CQaaander ot the Airborne troops oqani~ the defenae of the Ptlace alld then pushed the Binh X1zyen out or SamplgOil ultiJiately ~eating them All ot those associated Yith tle sup middot J

preaaioo or the Binh Xuyen vue prcmoted by Diem Chieu bad served Y1th Minh dui-ins the catpaign and vas prcmoted to lieutenant colODel i

on May 1 1955 1 r (middot

SUJPlSslon ot the Hoa aD agtd the CaD Dai t

8 During the remainder of 1955 and well ito 1956 the principal t tuk which faced the ~middotvas the elimination of the private armies 1 ot the Hoa Hao and middotthe Cao lu rel~ious sects Il Deeecber 1956 zany of those involYed il tis campaign were gab prccotedbull Cllieu s~1ll senine vith ~tinh vas pr011oted to eolone1 1n Deeember 1955 u a result or the suecesses his ccm~ampnder vas seorirl6 in the tield

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9 In Deetllber 1956 Chieu wu appointed Direetor ot the lJamptioDampl Pollee md Seeurity Bureau (Surete) m extresDeJy ilapor1imt poa1t1oa The lJampt1oDal Pollee bad b~ the province o~ the SiJlh Xuren unttl their ~sion in add-1955 aZIA1 Ctdeubulls appointent wu probably a reward ~or the loyalty be had sbotm tclvVd the Diem GoVerlllllent 1n the suppression or both the Bilh X~ and the rellaiaua seeta One report indieatea that Chieu Yamp6 supported tor thia poat by Di-a Can Lao Party and it ia probable that Chieu had established bbiseU with Diem but he bad certampin4gt establlabed hilllselt vtth 01-a brother lfampo Dinh Nhu because llbu eaaent~ controlled the cn Lao and played a key role in all appointme11ts o~ ~ aigllU1cuee

Cbieu Moves to JGS

10 One report ildiCILtes that as Director ot the National Pollee Chieu antagonized igo Dinh Car another of Diems brothers by investi8at1ng some of Can s activities in Central Vietn- Another report reveals that Chieu Uso locked borna with the Presidential Intelli8ence Service Chief Tran Kim llyen whose ell)hemistie title ~ Director of Political and Soeial Research SerVice of the Presidency 1zyen vas encouraged by Nhu to keep tabs on all intelli8ence organshyiutions L1d luyen atteapted to dominate Chieu s service Sltetcby reporting ran thllt period Slggests that chieu resisted Tuyen bulls attempts to dominate his department

ll In FebNary 1958 Chleu was procoted to brigadier general and assgned as Chief of Staff of the JGS This movement fNm Director vf Natiooampl Poliee to JGS vas a lateral one lllld it is possible that Chieu s internecine conflicts vith Cso- and Tuyen during the preceding two years were the reasons behind Cbieu s transfer Chieu replaced Colonel Tran Thien Khie1 as Chief of Staf JGS

12 The Chief of JGS ror~ 1954 to 1963 was Lm Le Vrm Ty Ty had received his llppoin~en to ZGS prilarilv on the merit of his political reliability and lomiddotalty to l)iel It is Eenerslly conshyceded thampt y was not a d~amic leader nor an effective adllinistr11tor Thus it 8-S necessaI7 fvr o have a competeJt Chief of Staff to carry the JGS ampdzlinistrllt~ve biIdens rior to Chieus ~irtment Ty s Chiefs of Staff ~ad bee1 ra- va Don ao-d Khiem both very copetent sinistrators A ~MG report of the period verifies that t h is vorlLlg relationship cotinued hel Chieu b~came Chief of Staff It reports that Chieu bull arried the load of the headquarters of the RVNAF and it dellleribes his role as only nxninalls subs~r1ent tgt Ty The repcrtir olficer said I have seen hiln overrule General Ty and the latter accede With -o apparent emburassroent on the part of eithermiddotmiddot Il ~~ch 153 Chicu atte-ded the ~odern Weapons Familiarshyization Course at t 3liss exas

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middot middot Cbiwbullii Rapid Riae middot middot ~ middot middot_ middotmiddotmiddot middot middot

13 ~ adc11t1~ to be1zls 1n the rabt plampee at ~ ~t time middotca the middot riampht aide Dleh ot the crec11t tor Cbieubull a rapid rue to Power 1a ~ to b1a aim native abWty It ia c~ CODceded that Cbieu vu amp bullmiddotmiddot capel)le otncer az1d thia vu ~ a Ujor hctor in hU rapid bull middot bull plCDlticm He vu wo reporte4 ill Auguat 1960 to ~ve beel1 a ~ generalbull raU1IIamp vitb GenerallgtuaDg Van N1nh in poplarit7bull middot middot

14 ~e report til 1960 prepared by middotmiddot middot aen1~ m ott1ev wbo had eloae middot middot eantaeta vith Chieu rePortamp that I have otteD obaerred hiJil U both adminiatrat1ve and operat1ootl dee1a1ona aa aoon aa be heard the middot problem and that Cb1eu vaa bullbullbull alert cQIUieientioua U~d inteUScezlt bullbullbull vitb considerable namptive ab1llty middot A later report reveals tbampt middot Chieu bull bull bull 1a an intelligent U~d capable orticer vbo wail ftluable bullbullbull u a miiZ1 with a sitt tor ccmproadse an4 nesot1at1aa anc orae vbo had middot ~- lines open to IIIAilY factions It 1a pcbable thampt these cczneetiooa with malY facticms and Chieua gitt tor cltllllptCidae Uld nesot1at1cm helped promote IUs rapid rise

The 196ltgt Coup

15 On Novemller ll 1960 Colonel ~ Cbanh Ih1 led b1a paratroopera in an unsuecessful effort to overthrow Diem The coup attempt W put down by Colonela Tran Thien Khiem and Nguyen Khanh After ~ fampllure of the coup lbi vent illto exile Vith a numlgter of his eoeonap1ratora and a number of military men and civilian politiciU~S were arrested by Diem

16 Among those arres~d were Tran Van Don s brother-in-lair BG te Van Kim At the time or the coup Kim vas tQe C~der of the National Military Academy at DLlampt Duncanson in Government and Revolution in Vietnazn attributes Kims arcest to middot e VNQPD plot to set up a government after the coup vith Kim as its Prime MiJlister

17 It is possible that Chieu s nllle ~ also have been bandied about by the VNQPD plotters as a member of the nev gover=ent One early report cryptically refers to lhieusmiddot membership amplone vitb Nguyen Chanh h i Md Le Van Kim i n a revolutionary cOIIIIIIittee vbich led the coup It i s possible that t his report refers to amp Manifesto drawn up by the VNQDD Unit ed National Front a1d isilued over the names of 18 people Most or these people vere later to assert that their names had been usee vithout permission and this seema possible although it i s also probable that IIIIJlY of those people named approved

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middot middot middot 8118picioua of Chiw (he llaftl At1amiddot eui riiPQIt c~l~Biilb~~-lt that Chiwa ampet1vit1u at the middot

middot c2ar1llg tbe coup were 111011t IN8pic1ows JCPCgt1Atbull Aa a lrlippoaecUy loyal Can lAO Party IliaD middot

middot been expected of him and bullbullbull it hu loilt hiamp the Pres1~=t~~ trust ccmpl8~~ lt lt ~)lt~~i~k)0 S~igtigt~

_ bull middot

lBbull middotFollolriDg the events ot No~r 1960 JenUU7 1 1 1961 to replace Le Van 1tbl u CcRbullnder

Kll1tampz7Acadelllr at Dalampt a traditional rooat tor middotomcas ~pollt1eampl eclipse He was not to rSain at thelMA ~nW~ In ~ 1961 he YaB relieved 111d ua18z1id to attend ~e middot at the us CCIIIIIampIld and General starr Collepounde a moat middotcoveted aabull~Pl~ -~ 111e11t Le Ven fy waa at1ll Chief ot JGS -~ Xhenh adet middot Statt ot JGS and Tran Van Don was Ccmander of I earp It is middotmiddot aible tbampt one of these men obtained Chieus appointment to the middotC4GSC

19 The only other Vietnamese member of tbe 1961-62 regular cOur-se middotmiddot at the CampGSC waa Le Milh Luan a major in the Air Force Meilbera of the 1961-62 Associate Course vere middotmiddot middotmiddotmiddot

LTC Dam Quan6 Yeu LTC Tran Thanh Phong LTC Pham Ngoc Sang LTC Nguyen Van Thien Major Pham Dioh Tung LlC Nguyen Ho Major Le V8rl Tho Major Vu Ngoc Tuan Major Pham Quoc Thuan

20 After his return to Vietnam Chieu remampined unassigned for a year before being named as an inspector for the Strategic Hamlet Program in July 1963 A DOD report states that bullbull considerable progress was made toward combatting subversion while Chieu waslJn this positioJ

21 bull Iri August l963 President Diem proclaimed martial 1rw ampt the urgin( of several important military figures who were then plotting a coup middot The major coup plotters at this point vere

Tran VM Don Duong VM Minh Le Van Kim TrM Thien Khiem

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22 The ~Pto~ bullbull ~iampi laW ~ to control the ate~ detencratills polltieal llitwaUco 1A middotand to help pave the V8iY tor a middotcoup JlQrilg Auguat Cbieu vaa middotDec1 Assistant to the ActiDg Chiet ot JGS BG ran Van Don lbe CtUet Ot middot Stamptt o~ JGS na ran lhien Khiem It 1a ~able tbampt Dott IIDd middot Khiem brought Chieu ato the ros to uaist 1n the atamptt pl imii1zw ot middot the coup middot

The Poat-1963 Coup Era

23 Chieu was a lllelllber of the Executhe ~ttee ot the Milltari middot Revolutionary Council which overtllrew Diembull tol+ows middot

MG Duoog Van Minh Chainlan MG Tran Van Don lat Deputy Champ1rman Ki Ton nlat D1nh 2nd Deputy Cbamp1nlampn MG Le Van Kim Secretary General and ecasicoer middot

tor Poreign Mtairs MG Tran Van Minh CCIIIII1asioner tor Econcadc Atta1ra MG Tran nlien Khiem CCIIIII1ss1onar tor Military Atta1ra B Ph11111 Xuan Chieu Cazmiaaioner tor Security Atta1ra B Do Mau Ccmllissioner tor POllticampl Atta1ra MG Msi Huu Xusl Mellber MG Le Van Nghiem Member 8G Nguyen Huu Co ~ember

B Nguyen Van Ibieu Member

24 In December 1963 Chieu vas appointed beampd vt the Intelligence Coordinating Committee and promoted to major genenl The Prime Minister of the rev Government vas the former Vice President Nguyen Ngoc Tho

The 1964 Realiqment

25 On January 30 1964 MaJor General Nguyen Khanh C~der ot I Corps staged a bloodless coup which overthrew the Minh-nlo Govermaent Khanh organized his Goverrlent vi th hillself as Prille Minister and General Minh remained as titular Chief of St11te Chieu supported Khanh s takeover of the Goverlllert ir Jaluary and in February 164 be was assigred as Deputy COCCalder of II Corps The Coamender of II Corps at that tUe was LTG Imiddoto Cso TrL In March Cbieu vas named Third Viee Chairman of the reoly reorganized Military Revolutionry Council

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middot middot middot 8118picioua of Chiw (he llaftl At1amiddot eui riiPQIt c~l~Biilb~~-lt that Chiwa ampet1vit1u at the middot

middot c2ar1llg tbe coup were 111011t IN8pic1ows JCPCgt1Atbull Aa a lrlippoaecUy loyal Can lAO Party IliaD middot

middot been expected of him and bullbullbull it hu loilt hiamp the Pres1~=t~~ trust ccmpl8~~ lt lt ~)lt~~i~k)0 S~igtigt~

_ bull middot

lBbull middotFollolriDg the events ot No~r 1960 JenUU7 1 1 1961 to replace Le Van 1tbl u CcRbullnder

Kll1tampz7Acadelllr at Dalampt a traditional rooat tor middotomcas ~pollt1eampl eclipse He was not to rSain at thelMA ~nW~ In ~ 1961 he YaB relieved 111d ua18z1id to attend ~e middot at the us CCIIIIIampIld and General starr Collepounde a moat middotcoveted aabull~Pl~ -~ 111e11t Le Ven fy waa at1ll Chief ot JGS -~ Xhenh adet middot Statt ot JGS and Tran Van Don was Ccmander of I earp It is middotmiddot aible tbampt one of these men obtained Chieus appointment to the middotC4GSC

19 The only other Vietnamese member of tbe 1961-62 regular cOur-se middotmiddot at the CampGSC waa Le Milh Luan a major in the Air Force Meilbera of the 1961-62 Associate Course vere middotmiddot middotmiddotmiddot

LTC Dam Quan6 Yeu LTC Tran Thanh Phong LTC Pham Ngoc Sang LTC Nguyen Van Thien Major Pham Dioh Tung LlC Nguyen Ho Major Le V8rl Tho Major Vu Ngoc Tuan Major Pham Quoc Thuan

20 After his return to Vietnam Chieu remampined unassigned for a year before being named as an inspector for the Strategic Hamlet Program in July 1963 A DOD report states that bullbull considerable progress was made toward combatting subversion while Chieu waslJn this positioJ

21 bull Iri August l963 President Diem proclaimed martial 1rw ampt the urgin( of several important military figures who were then plotting a coup middot The major coup plotters at this point vere

Tran VM Don Duong VM Minh Le Van Kim TrM Thien Khiem

~NOFORN

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22 The ~Pto~ bullbull ~iampi laW ~ to control the ate~ detencratills polltieal llitwaUco 1A middotand to help pave the V8iY tor a middotcoup JlQrilg Auguat Cbieu vaa middotDec1 Assistant to the ActiDg Chiet ot JGS BG ran Van Don lbe CtUet Ot middot Stamptt o~ JGS na ran lhien Khiem It 1a ~able tbampt Dott IIDd middot Khiem brought Chieu ato the ros to uaist 1n the atamptt pl imii1zw ot middot the coup middot

The Poat-1963 Coup Era

23 Chieu was a lllelllber of the Executhe ~ttee ot the Milltari middot Revolutionary Council which overtllrew Diembull tol+ows middot

MG Duoog Van Minh Chainlan MG Tran Van Don lat Deputy Champ1rman Ki Ton nlat D1nh 2nd Deputy Cbamp1nlampn MG Le Van Kim Secretary General and ecasicoer middot

tor Poreign Mtairs MG Tran Van Minh CCIIIII1asioner tor Econcadc Atta1ra MG Tran nlien Khiem CCIIIII1ss1onar tor Military Atta1ra B Ph11111 Xuan Chieu Cazmiaaioner tor Security Atta1ra B Do Mau Ccmllissioner tor POllticampl Atta1ra MG Msi Huu Xusl Mellber MG Le Van Nghiem Member 8G Nguyen Huu Co ~ember

B Nguyen Van Ibieu Member

24 In December 1963 Chieu vas appointed beampd vt the Intelligence Coordinating Committee and promoted to major genenl The Prime Minister of the rev Government vas the former Vice President Nguyen Ngoc Tho

The 1964 Realiqment

25 On January 30 1964 MaJor General Nguyen Khanh C~der ot I Corps staged a bloodless coup which overthrew the Minh-nlo Govermaent Khanh organized his Goverrlent vi th hillself as Prille Minister and General Minh remained as titular Chief of St11te Chieu supported Khanh s takeover of the Goverlllert ir Jaluary and in February 164 be was assigred as Deputy COCCalder of II Corps The Coamender of II Corps at that tUe was LTG Imiddoto Cso TrL In March Cbieu vas named Third Viee Chairman of the reoly reorganized Military Revolutionry Council

~liOFORI

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~~--middot--~------~---~----=-_middotmiddot---~---middot -middot--middot--~~__ ~middotmiddot- - shy

22 The ~Pto~ bullbull ~iampi laW ~ to control the ate~ detencratills polltieal llitwaUco 1A middotand to help pave the V8iY tor a middotcoup JlQrilg Auguat Cbieu vaa middotDec1 Assistant to the ActiDg Chiet ot JGS BG ran Van Don lbe CtUet Ot middot Stamptt o~ JGS na ran lhien Khiem It 1a ~able tbampt Dott IIDd middot Khiem brought Chieu ato the ros to uaist 1n the atamptt pl imii1zw ot middot the coup middot

The Poat-1963 Coup Era

23 Chieu was a lllelllber of the Executhe ~ttee ot the Milltari middot Revolutionary Council which overtllrew Diembull tol+ows middot

MG Duoog Van Minh Chainlan MG Tran Van Don lat Deputy Champ1rman Ki Ton nlat D1nh 2nd Deputy Cbamp1nlampn MG Le Van Kim Secretary General and ecasicoer middot

tor Poreign Mtairs MG Tran Van Minh CCIIIII1asioner tor Econcadc Atta1ra MG Tran nlien Khiem CCIIIII1ss1onar tor Military Atta1ra B Ph11111 Xuan Chieu Cazmiaaioner tor Security Atta1ra B Do Mau Ccmllissioner tor POllticampl Atta1ra MG Msi Huu Xusl Mellber MG Le Van Nghiem Member 8G Nguyen Huu Co ~ember

B Nguyen Van Ibieu Member

24 In December 1963 Chieu vas appointed beampd vt the Intelligence Coordinating Committee and promoted to major genenl The Prime Minister of the rev Government vas the former Vice President Nguyen Ngoc Tho

The 1964 Realiqment

25 On January 30 1964 MaJor General Nguyen Khanh C~der ot I Corps staged a bloodless coup which overthrew the Minh-nlo Govermaent Khanh organized his Goverrlent vi th hillself as Prille Minister and General Minh remained as titular Chief of St11te Chieu supported Khanh s takeover of the Goverlllert ir Jaluary and in February 164 be was assigred as Deputy COCCalder of II Corps The Coamender of II Corps at that tUe was LTG Imiddoto Cso TrL In March Cbieu vas named Third Viee Chairman of the reoly reorganized Military Revolutionry Council

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l middot lhia aaa~t coinedes ~ with the hdPt ~~~~~-~IdA- middot

l lhlev COZlhcatamptian Wid it is probalale that QWa U8JIIIIClwith hiem and lhlell md wu m earq Yictbl in middotthis (llliiRir ~~ bull middot ~ ~ 5 llrlem ru~ed u M1n1ster ~ Defmae ill~ v

l I lhle1 lett his post ampt JGS em September l2 8114 wamp ftUB middotmiddot Qlift i arrlVed in Taiwao on ~t 27 1964 llllu middotmiddot 1 to tbe Bepqbllc ot

1 the finrt V1~China middot middot middot

i I Return to Vie~

28 In February 1965 the milltal7 graup il power middottirlally ~ thampt lbatlh bad to be~ ~ Vm ndeu was recalle4 trca IV ColpG lihere he had be= sicSellned s1nce tbe previous hll IIDd ~~~ C1nicter lmder han luy Qpat Cbiea wu iashyKiediately reCamplled tl-om aivao ~d named Cbairm8ll ot the~middot orgsniud llational Leeuroislampt1ve Colmell (He W1IB replece4 u Azlbushysador to Taiwao by Kh1em 1ll October 1965) It liOUld appev tbampt Thieli bad eatebllshed hillself u Chieu s Pamptron

29 ~ JJtle 19 ~t and tbe lfatlcral repslative ColmeU lllrloOIIi2eed il a joiDt statement their deds1on to tun power over to the Armed Forces and the Bst1onal Leadership Couzcil (NLC) vas tonled lbe eampos1t1on ot the NIC ws

Nguyen Van n1eu ~ Pbam XUIItl Clie~ Secretary G=eral ~el Cao Jry Coariss1o1er tor the ~eeutift ~ HuuCo Member Iinb Quang Vie- lo=ber DarJg Ven ~ag Meber Iigzyet Chalh 1-~ Meber Cao Var Vlen Msber ~Loe Medler Le ~el --arg l-ecber

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1 J l 30 Dllr1llamp a cccftnatian with 1111 Blabuay o1t1eer f~ laquoiai~~ __ lqlpOntmellt to the xu Cbieu die DOt cUrec~ criticize XU IMIIIbenbull middot l but he gave the illpreaa1_1 or Zelgardillg Selle or til- rather lJOOIly

and said that bullbullbull revolut101leriea aze e1V1111 very yoamg the reshy ~ polting otficer coatrued this to mem tbat Cbieu belleved tbamp1o

illlpetuous and 1nexperieneed yoiZIlg generals were about to bull Ellbark 011 middot

an extremely daQgerous adventure

Vietntm Veterans LegiCIIl

31 Ll September 1965 9Meu vas elected Cba1mal or the Vietzlal Veterans Legion (VVL) The VVL is osterlllibly the pr1n~i~ veterma ors~tlon in Vietn- and it seres as an umbrella organiampamptloD for other veterans bull associationa (One yeer atter Chieu bulla eleet10D to the Champirm8nship or the VVL Nguyen_Tan ~Wag Chieua me4Ueampl school ~laasmate be~ame Cltllcissioner tor War Veterans) Chieu baa not provided c2ytlami~ leadership tor the vvt and it is netfeetual to the point or beiIlg meiiburd Ct November 16 1965 the Vietnamese generampl otticer ranlt structure vas reised in order to equate with tbat or the United States As a result Chieus nlk vas CltCIIIIamptically raised to that of lieuteniUlt ge1eral

32 Cbieu served ur the NIC durillg 1965-67 One of his primary responsibUities duri~ 1967 as middotseeretampry General vu to develop a ~ev ~onstitutio~ for Vietna= t~h amp negotiation process with the Constituent Asseh~middot The llampin issues vere the division of power betveel the exe~utive and legislative brancllea vbat tranaitione1 powers the Assemb~- vould have whether or not provin~ chiefs were to be elected llld -nat role the Ulitary would play 1n the nev g~ve=ent

33 The Constituent Ass=b~middot approved the ~olstitutlon = lUrch 18 167 ampfter amp behbi-tbe-scees ~rlellent with rine loinister Nguyen Cao Ky Cr loarch 27 the Ared Forces Coun~il approved the legisshylation publi~i~inb h-~ver obje~tions to soce provisions and its general ac~eptamp~ce in the spirit of d=ltracy ~ Altho~h mazy illtary leaders pu a o~ public fe~e on their ~olle~tive d1sshysatlsfactio with the ~e~ constitution rivately ~ vere harshly criti~ampl of th0se res-oos i~le or tl~ outcooe uf the negotiations o1el the nev goveret bullLS ampOUlced in October 1967 Chieus nllllle as not included -- the leeCershlp middothere is same conje~ture that the NlC used Chieu as a scapegltgtat to pl~sete the dissatisfied members of the illtary Si nCe that tle Chieu s signif~~ance has greatly didinished

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an extremely daQgerous adventure

Vietntm Veterans LegiCIIl

31 Ll September 1965 9Meu vas elected Cba1mal or the Vietzlal Veterans Legion (VVL) The VVL is osterlllibly the pr1n~i~ veterma ors~tlon in Vietn- and it seres as an umbrella organiampamptloD for other veterans bull associationa (One yeer atter Chieu bulla eleet10D to the Champirm8nship or the VVL Nguyen_Tan ~Wag Chieua me4Ueampl school ~laasmate be~ame Cltllcissioner tor War Veterans) Chieu baa not provided c2ytlami~ leadership tor the vvt and it is netfeetual to the point or beiIlg meiiburd Ct November 16 1965 the Vietnamese generampl otticer ranlt structure vas reised in order to equate with tbat or the United States As a result Chieus nlk vas CltCIIIIamptically raised to that of lieuteniUlt ge1eral

32 Cbieu served ur the NIC durillg 1965-67 One of his primary responsibUities duri~ 1967 as middotseeretampry General vu to develop a ~ev ~onstitutio~ for Vietna= t~h amp negotiation process with the Constituent Asseh~middot The llampin issues vere the division of power betveel the exe~utive and legislative brancllea vbat tranaitione1 powers the Assemb~- vould have whether or not provin~ chiefs were to be elected llld -nat role the Ulitary would play 1n the nev g~ve=ent

33 The Constituent Ass=b~middot approved the ~olstitutlon = lUrch 18 167 ampfter amp behbi-tbe-scees ~rlellent with rine loinister Nguyen Cao Ky Cr loarch 27 the Ared Forces Coun~il approved the legisshylation publi~i~inb h-~ver obje~tions to soce provisions and its general ac~eptamp~ce in the spirit of d=ltracy ~ Altho~h mazy illtary leaders pu a o~ public fe~e on their ~olle~tive d1sshysatlsfactio with the ~e~ constitution rivately ~ vere harshly criti~ampl of th0se res-oos i~le or tl~ outcooe uf the negotiations o1el the nev goveret bullLS ampOUlced in October 1967 Chieus nllllle as not included -- the leeCershlp middothere is same conje~ture that the NlC used Chieu as a scapegltgtat to pl~sete the dissatisfied members of the illtary Si nCe that tle Chieu s signif~~ance has greatly didinished

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middot middot middot 34~ After wmiddotun ~middot iampDed liiitus ~~ middotmiddot AIIIbuaadar to Kolea 1D JS69 middot He replampced Do Ceo 1r1 middot lbe Elllbuay in Seolll reports tbat IIICir8Je is law at the Viamp~ ae lll1aa1tlc middot AceordlDg to ~eua aecretampq tbe genUal spends his tfDe middot dreamllg or past lolltical ~bull aaviJli h1a l1101lfl7 and enjoying his perquisites aa Allbaaaa4or 1be Embaaay doea l1tt1amp 1IIOZamp the middot middot entertain visitara md respcmd to request tlaall ~to lllalte middot middot spec1ric representati011 to the Korean Govermaent 8D4 third- middot country 1111aa10118 Chieubull a cloae aasociatea deacrlbe b1a aa caishypletely uninterested in his job A 1969 ~states that

Wh~ le was in the goven~~~~ent Cbieu was a uaeful contact he aeema to be nov very liiUCh ~ the outs and apparently bas llttle to ot-ter Chieu is intelligent wUl aaz~etillles speak very ~ but seems to lack drive He has done ~ nothillg effective Yith the Veterans Organization (VVL)

35 middot Chieumiddotbulls staN includes his brother-in-lampv L1C Ma1 Bac Dau his personal secretary Major ~ Hey Thanh and only Qlle substantive diplOCIamptic officer a third secretary Chieu is ~able and fairly well liked by his diplaaatic peers He otten voices a des ire to leave the Foreign Service but he repcrtedly enjoys the comforts of biB poaition and needs the lDOiley to support two of his sons nov liv1Jg in Canada

Family

36 Chieu is msrried to Nguyen Thi Ha vho was born on Msy 9 1924 in Viet Tri Province Nor~ Vietn11111 The couple bas eght ehlldren three sons and five daughters Reportedly Mrs Chieu met her husband in China durirg World War II The US middotEmbassy in Korea reports that Mrs Chieu rules over tr ~ Vietnamese Embassy with an iron hand and a vicious tongue She speaks Chinese and ~11111ted Etlglish Her speech in Vietnamese is loud bull vul8ar and coarse and she frequently berates ezployees and their families for not shoving her proper respect SRF sources report that she presides over n~htly mah-jong gues lastir-e until daloiD

37 Madame Chieu is also a believer in the occult She is well known for her yearly perfontance of a dance to exorcise the spirits (len dong) SRE sources say she frequently lapses into trances and has a great feer of religious articles becaning ill in the presence of a cricifix

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