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Regional Organization . t : ...,.. .- SAXGON-CHOLON-CIA DINH ZONE, I

Chairman

Vice Chairmen

S e c r e t a r y Gen- e r a l

A s s i s t a n t Sec- r e t a r y General

Memberti

EABTERN REGION ZONE . ,

Chairman

Vice Cha i rmen

S e c r e t a r y Gen- eral

Secretaries’

*Huynh Tan P h a t

*Le Van Tha Phan Trong Dan Phuoc Thang

*Tran Huu Trang

*Nguyen Van T a i .. . I .

Nguyen Dong Ha

Doan Cong Chanh ; I

Hoang Hai Hoang L4inh Dao . Lu Sanh LOC Ngoc Dinh

Nguyen Van Cung I

Son Anh, aka Hoang Minh, aka

Thanh Tam

Nguyen T h i Phan-- - Phong Anh

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*NgUyen Thanh Long

*Hung Tu . L i e n Van Chan, aka L e Van Chan

. . Neuyon Kie9 Quoc Nguyen Vnn Chi T ran Van Son . . Nguyen Dinh Nho

*Huynh Thanh Mung Le Sac Nghi Vo Thanh Nguon

*Vo Van Mon

..

1-16

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leglonal Organization

BAXGON-CHOLON-GIA DINK ZONE,

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Chairman

Vice Chairmen

Secretary Gen­eral

Assistant Sec­retarY General

Membert>

-EASTERN REGION ZONE

Chairman

Vice Chairmen

Secretary Gen­eral

Secretaries

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*Huynh Tan Phat

*Le Van Tha Phan Trong Dan Phuocl'l.Lang

*Tran Huu Trang

*Nguyen Van Tai

Nguyen' Dong Ij:a .

Doan Cong Chan" Hoang Hai Hoang ~Unh Dao Lu Sanh Loc . Ngoc Dinh , Nguyen Thl Phao._ Nguyen Van Cung ,".~ Son Anh, aka Hoang Minh, aka

Phong Anh Thanh Tam

*Ng'ayen Thanh r.ong

*Hung Tu Lien Van Chan, aka Nguyen KieQ Quoc Nguyen Van Chi Tran Van Son

Nguyen Dinh Nho

*Huynh Thanh Mung Le Sac Nghi Vo Thanh Nguon

*Vo Van Mon

1-16

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EASTERN REGION ZONE (cont.

Members

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Ho Chi T ieng , a k a Ho Chi Tong Luu Kiet Nguyen Bach Tuye t Nguyen Duc Quang Nguyen The Phuong, aka Nguyen

Nguyen Van Hung, aka Nguyen Van ' ,Trune

T h i Phuong

Nguyen Van Nong c Nguyen Van Xuan Nguyen Viet Hong' Sorc Phrum Thieu Nhu Thuy Tran Van Binh Truong Thang Vo Van Voi, aka Vo Van D o i Waifa Sam, aka Wai A Sam

CENTRAL REGION ZONE .-

' Members Bui Duc Tim, aka Bui Duc Tan Cao Van Sau

Le Hong Thong Luc Ta Sac Ngoc Binh Thang Nguyen Tha i Binh Nguyen T h i Dinh Nguyen Thien Tu, aka Huynh Thien

Nguyen Trong Xuat Nguyen Van Chin

*Ngupen Van Ngoi *Thien Hao

*Ho Hue Ba

Tu

WESTERN REGION ZONE

Chairman *Duong Van Vinh

Vice Chairmen Tran Van Binh, aka Bay Thang Tran Thanh Dai

S e c r e t a r y Gen- era1 Ngo Tan Dao, aka Ngo Dai Dao

Commissar (Cur- ren t Affa i r s ) Nguyen T h i DUOC, aka Nam Ly

1-17

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EASTERN REGION ZONE (cont.)

Members

CENTRAL REGION ZONE

Members

WESTERN REGION ZONE

Chairman

Vice Chairmen

Secretary Gen­eral

Commiflsar (Cur­rent J.ffairs)

•

Ho Cbi Tieng, aka Ho Cbi Tong Luu Kiet Nguyen Bach Tuyet Nguyen Duc Quang Nguyen Tbe ,'Phuong, aka Nguyen

Thi Phuong Nguyen Van Hung, aka Nguyen Van ':Trung Nguyen Van Nong Nguyen Van'Xuan Nguyen Viet Hong' Sorc Phrum Thieu Nhu Thuy Tran Van Binh ' Truong Thang

-

Vo Van VOi, aka Vo 'Van Doi Waifa Sam, aka Wai A Sam

BUi Duc' Tam, aka Bui Due Tan Cao Van Sau

*Ho Hue Ba Le Hong ThE:ng LucTa Soc Ngoc Binh Thang Nguyen Thai Binb Nguyen Thi Dinh Nguyen Thien Tu, aka Huynh Thien

Tu Nguyen Trong Xuat Nguyen Van Chin

*Ngulen Van Ngoi *Thien Hao

*Duong Van Vinh

Tran Van Binh, aka Bay Thang Tran Thanh Dai

Ngo Tan Dao, aka Ngo DRi Dao

Nguyen Thi Duoc, aka Nam Ly

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WESTERN REGION ZONE (cont . I Commissar (Inter- provincial Com- eittee) *Nguyen Van Nhon

Commissar (Cen- tral. Committee) *Huynh Cuong

Commissioner, S t a n d i n g Committee Ma Ha Thong, aka Mu

Adviser Le Van Phien . . c . .

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Members *Bui T h i Me, aka T h i Me K h i e t

Le Minh Thanh, 6ka Minh Tan Le T h i T o i Nguyen T h i Sang Pham Cong Chanh Pham Minh Ly, aka' Woi d$ Phan Huu Phuoc, aka Thanh Quynh Phan Van N a m , aka Thuc Nguyen,

T ran Van Phan T r a n Van Thuan

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Pham Van Be - , -

a k a Luc

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'ESTERN REGION ZONE (cont.>. , ... , .. ", t: ~

.. ; Commissar CInter­pl'ovincial Com-IIi ttee) "'Nguyen Van Nhon

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Commissar (Cen­tra 1. COIIIJIIi ttee)

Commissioner,

.Huynh Cuong

Standing Committee Ma Ha Thong, aka Muoi Thong -Advistll'

Members

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Le Van Phien

.Bui Thi Me, aka Thi Me . Khiet ...

Le Minh Thanh, aka Minh Tan Le Thi Toi Nguyen Thi Sang Pham Cong Chanh Pham Minh Ly, aka' Muoi "Ly< Pham Van Be Phan Huu Phuoc, aka Thanh Quynh Phan Van Nam, aka Thuc Nguyen, aka Luc

Tran Van Phan Tran Van Thuan

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BIOGRAPHIES

BUI THI ME Mrs. Bui Thi Ye, a former high school

teacher and principal in Tra Vinh, Vinh Binh Province, was elected a vice chairman of the Centril Executive Committee of the Southern Patriotic Teachers Association, inaugurated in May 1964. She has been and may still be a member of the NFLSV Committee for the Western Region Zone, and in December 1961 she was elected to the Central Executive Committee of the South Vietnam Liberation Women's Associa- tion. (grro3,

DANG QUANG MINH

April 1965 to set up the permanent mission of the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam (NFLSV) in that city. A w k l a w he presented his credentials to the Soviet Afro- Asian Solidarity Committee. Although Minh is not:accreditddto the Soviet Government, he has been given diplomatic status and is carried In the Moscow diplomatic lists as Chef de Houvement. An NFLSV publication states that lldi n h was elected to the Central Committee of the front at its second congress, held in January 1964, but the only available source announcing the results of that congress does not include his name. His activities for the NFLSV before 1965 are unknown. Minh has been prominent on the Mos- cow public scene since his arrival, and he has impressed other members of the diplomatic corps with his tough and uncompromising attitudes on the Vietnam question, particularly with respect to the American presence in Vietnam.

Dang Quang Minh arrived in Moscow on 23

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The only information available on Dang Quang Minh's background comes from a 1965 NFLSV publication. he became a schoolteacher and began to partici- pite in the anti-French resistance movement in 1927. He wes arrested in 1930, imprisoned "for many years," released, and then arrested again

Born in Vinh Long Province in 1909,

1-19

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BIOGRAPHIES

BUI THI lIE Mrs. Bui Thi Me, a former high school

teacher and principal in Tra Vinh, Vinh Binh Province, was elected a vice chairman of the Centr~1 Executive Committee of the Southern Patriotic Teachers Association, inaugurated in May 1964. She has been and may st ill be a member of the NFLSV Committee for the Western Region Zone, and in December 1961 she was elected to the Central Executive Committee of the South Vietnam Liberation Women's Associa­tion • (QuO) ..

DANG QUANG MINH Dang Quang Minh arrived in Moscow on 23

April 1965 to set up the permanent mission of the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam (NFLSV) in that city. A week la~ he presented his credentials to the Soviet Afro­Asian SoHdari ty Committee. Although Minh is not: accredi te'd to the Soviet Government, he has been given diplomatic status and is carried in the Moscow diplomatic lists as Chef de Mouvement. An NFLSV publication states that Minh was elected to the Central Committee of the front at its second congress, held in January 1964, but the only available source announcing the results of that congress does not include his name. His activities for the NFLSV before 1965 are unknown. Minh has been prominent on the Mos-cow public scene since his arrival, and he haa impressed other members of the diplomatic corps with his tough and uncompromising attitudes on the Vietnam question, particularly with respect to the American presence in Vietnam.

The only information available on Dang Quang Minh's background comes from a 1965 NFLSV publication. Born in Vinh Long Province in 1909, he became a schoolteacher and began to partici­p~te in the anti-French reSistance movement in 1927. He wes arrested in 1930, imprisoned "for many years," released, and then arrested again

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by the French in 1940 and sent to the penal colony at Poulo Condore, from which he was freed after the August 1945 insurrection, Between that time and the signing of the Geneva hgreements in 1954, he continued to work for the Viet Yinh as an organizer among intellec- tual circles and in the Can Tho administrative service. He continued these activities under the Diem government until 1961, when he left for Vfet Cong territory.

In September 1965 Yinh led an NFLSV good- will delegation to Hungary and Bulgaria, and he attended independence anniversary celebrations in Algeria in November. After serving as NFLSV delegate to the 23rd Congress of the Soviet Com- munist Party in March 1966, he went to Prague in May for the Czech Communist Party Congress and in June headed an NFLSV delegation to Ulan Bator for the 15th Congress of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party. (e __ * -

DAN0 TRAN THI Described as a "notable of south-central

Vietnam," Dang Tran Thi was a member of the first .. Central Committee of the National Front for the . Liberation of South Vietnam (NFLSV) in 1962.

He was named to the Central Committee Presidium in January 1964. Dang Tran Thi additionally is vice chairman of the NFLSV Liberation Federa- tion of Trade Unions. ($YWI

DIM BA THI Dinh Ba Thi, who had been deputy head of

the NFLSV mission in Prague since November 19G3, was transferred to Budapest in December 1965 to head the new XTLSV representation thore. He is accredited to the Hongarian Patriotic People's Front. Thi is also a Central Committee member of the South Vietnam Liberation Federation of Trade Unions and a Ztaading committee member of the International Trade Union Committee for Solidarity with the Workers and People of South Vietrmn.

1-20 -

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by the French in 1940 an~ sent to the penal colony at Poulo Condore, from which he was freed after the August 1945 insurrection. Between that time and the signing of the Geneva 'creelllc:nts in 1954, he continued to "'ork for the Viet Minh as an organizer among intellec­tual circles and in the Can Tho administrative service. He continued these activities under the Diem government until 1961, when he left for Vtet Cong territory.

In September 1965 Minh led an NFLSV good­will delegation to Hungary and Bulgaria, and he attended independence anniversary celebrations in Algeria in November. After serving as NFLSV delegate to the 23rd Congress of the Soviet Com­munist Party in March 1966, he went to Prague in May for the Czech Communist Party Congress and in June headed an NFLSV delegation to Ulan Bator for the 15th Congrtiss of the Mongolian People' s Revolutionary Party. (ee1421

- -DANG TRAN THI

Described as a "notable of south-central Vietnam," Dang Tran Thi was a member of the first Central Committee of the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam (NFLSV) in 1962. He was named to the Central Committee Presidium in January 1964. Dang Tran Thi additionally is vice chai~man of the NFLSV Liberation Federa­ti.on , of Trade Unions. (WT?)'"

DINK SA TIll Dinh Ba Thi, who had been deputy head of

the NFLSV mission in Prague since November 1963, was transferred to Budapest in December 1965 to head the new ~nrLSV representation thore. He is accredited to the Hungarian Patriotic People's Front. Thi is also a Central Committee member of the South Vietnam Liberation Federation of Trade Unions aod a ~taJding committee member of the International Trade Union Committee for Solidarity with the Workers and People of South Vietr,lUII.

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I n August 1964 Th i led an NFLSV delegation ' t o Hungary, where he received a s izable dona- t ion to t h e f ront from t h e Hungarian Federatia, of Trade Unions . to t h e World Peace Congress i n H e l s i n k i i n J u l y 1965 and to t h e conference of t h e World Peace Council i n Geneva i n J u n e 1966.

H e led t h e NFLSV delegations

DUONG DINH TMO . I n June 1963 t h e NFLSV announced an uree-

ment w i t h t h e East German Government to set up a bureau i n B e r l i n . Duong D i n h Thao, described a s a member of t h e Liberation Press Agency e d i t o r i a l board and an executive member of t h e South Vietnam Association of Pa t r io t i c and Democratic Jou rna l i s t s , was named as director of t h e new o f f i ce . The NFLSV mission i n East Germany is accredi ted t o t h e East German Council of th8'National Front . When Nguyen Van Hieu, who headed t h e NFLSV o f f i c e i n Prague, was named t o head t h e B e r l i n o f f icecoqcurren t ly , Thao became "acting head" while Hieu continued t o res ide in Prague. Hieu has recent ly departed f o r an unspecified assignment i n South Vie tnam, and t h e NFLSV has not announced a new permanent chief of mission i n e i ther Prague o r East B e r l i n .

tended severa l conferences of In i i r a s t ioza l Com- munist-f ront organizations. ?n December 1964 h e w e n t t o a meeting of t h e Internat ional Union of S tuden t s i n Prague. He attended meetings i n B e r l i n of t h e World Peace Council Secre ta r ia t i n February 1964 and t h e Internat ional Associa- t ion of Democratic Lawyers i n March 1964. I n April 1965 he went t o t h e World Peace Counci l meeting i n Stockholm. cocrrrr)

- Since h i s a r r i v a l i n Berlin,Thao hao a t -

DUONG VAN LE Duong Van Le was e lec ted to anewlti-member

Central Committee of t h e South V i e t n a m Democra- t i c Party a t a meeting held on 1 January 1965 i n a " l ibere ted area" of South Vietnam. He may be t h e Duong Van Le who was elected a deputy from Tra Vinh Province to t h e National Assembly

1-21

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In August 1964 Thi led an NFLSV delegation -to Hungary, where he received a sizable dona­tion to the front from the Hungarian Federation of Trade Unions. He led the NFLSV delegations to the World Peace Congress in Helsinki in July 1965 and to the con~erence of the World Peace Council in Geneva in June 1966. 1CAME'

DUONG DINH THAO •

-

In June 1963 the NFLSV announced an liree­ment with the East German Government to set up a bureau in Berlin. Duong Dinh Thao, described as a member of the Liberation Press Agency editorial board and an executive member of the South Vietnam Association of Patriotic and Democratic Journalists, was named as director of the new office. The NFLSV mission 1n East Germany is accredited to the East German Council of th~'National Front. When Nguyen Van Hieu, who headed the NFLSV office in Prague, was named to head the BerJin offic~cOncurrently, Thao became "acting head" while Hieu continued to reside in Prague. Hieu has recently departed for an unspecified assignment in South Vietnam, and the NFLSV has not announced a new permanent chief of mission in either Prague or East Berlin.

Since his arrival in Berli~ Thao has at­tended several conferences of int~rn~ticr.al Com­munist-front organizations. !n December 1964 he went to a meeting of the International Union of Students in Prague. He attended meetings in Berlin of the World Peace Council Secretariat in February 1964 and the International Associa­tion of Democratic Lawyers in March 1964. In April 1965 he went to the World Peace Council meeting in Stockholm. (G31" ~

DUONG VAN LE Duong Van Le was elected to a new 15-member

Central Committee of the South Vietnam Democra­tic Party at a lDeeting held on 1 January 1965 in a "libereted area" of South Vietnam. He may be the Duong Van Le who was elected a deputy from Tra Vinh Province to the National Assembly

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in 1956. This man was born in 1898 in Tra Vinh Province and taught school in Cambodia until 1921 and in Vietnam until 1930. He served later P as a village chief, started his own private school in 1939, and was elected to a village council in 1953. Le was involved in the found- .' ing o f the Democratic Party (Dan Chu Dang) and was a member of the VietnameseCommitE5Tfor World Peace in 1950. When he was elected to the National Assembly as a member of the National Revolutionary Movement, he had been director of the provincial Surete, presumably in Tra Vinh Province. Buddhist, Duong Van Le was identified as one of the "Seven Wise Yen" of Vinh Long Province. Another Duong Van Le was identified in early 1962 as a Viet Cong cadre permanently assignzd to an office just inside the Cambodian border near Long An Province. (m

In 1961,escribed as an unaffiliated

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HO HUE BA ' t . ,

_- Joseph Marie Ho Hue Ba was first identified as a menber of the Central Committee of the NFLSV in April 1962. Frequently referred to 8s the representative of the patriotic Catholics in southern Vietnam, he is often used to send pub- lic messages to fellow Catholics condemning US policies and urging resistance to the South yiet- names8 Government. Ho Hue BP. also serves on the NFLSV Central Region Zone Committee and is n mem- ber of the South Vietnam Comaittee for the Defense of World Pence.

. . Ho Hue Ba was born in Sadec in 1898 and was * : a professor at the Gieng Island Seminary until

1945. As vice president of the Association of Catholics of Long Xuyen Province, he reportedly participated in the anti-French resistance move- ment and later joined in the opposition to the Diem government. One source states that he cur- rently represents the Catholics of An Giang prov- ince on the province NFLSV committee. &f@

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in 1956. This man was born in 1898 in Tra Vinh Province and taught school in Cambodia until 1921 and in Vietnam until 1930. He served later as a village chief, started his own private school in 1939, and was elected to a village council in 1953. Le was involved in the found­ing of the Democratic Party (Dan Chu Dang) and was a member of the Vietnames;-COmmltree-for World Peace in 1950. When he was elected to the National Assembly as a member of the National Revolutionary Movement, he had been director of the provincial Surete, presumably in Tra Vinh Province. In 19&a, described as an unaffiliated Buddhist, Duong Van Le was identified as one of the "Seven Wise lien" of Vinh Long Province. Another Duong Van Le was identified in early 1962 as a Viet Cong cadre permanently assigned to an office just inside the Cambodian border near Long An Province. (ClSM"

HO HUE BA ., .. ". Joseph Marie Ho Hue Ba was first identified

as a member of the Central Committee of the NFLSV in April 1962. Frequently referred to as the representative of the patriotic Catholics in southern Vietnam, he is often used to send pub­lic messages to fellow Catholics condemning US policies and urging resistance to the South Viet­namese Go,·ernment. Ho Hue BI'. also serves on' the NFLSV Central Region Zone Committee and is a mem­ber of the South Vietnam Committee for the Defense of World Peace.

Ho Hue Ba was born in Sadec in 1898 and was a professor at the Gieng Island Seminary· until 1945. As vice president of the Association of Catholics of Long Xuyen Province, he reportedly participated in the anti-French resistance move­ment and later joined in the opposition to the Diem government. One source states that he cur­rently represents the Catholics of An Giang Prov­ince on the province NFLSV committee. ieY8)

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HOANG BICH SON Hoang Bich Son, arrived in Havana in May

1965 to head the NFLSV mission there. Since then he has been an indefatigable public rela- tions man for the NFLSV, with frequent inter- views, speeches, and official statements. Ac- cording to the NFLSV, he is a member of the front's Central Committee and of the executive committee of the South Vietnam Liberation Students Union. The date of his election to the Central Committee is unknown.

and reportedly began working in the student move- ment at an early age. According to the NFLSV, he was an active contributor to the Viet Minh take-overinQuang Nam in 1945 and continued his work with student groups after 1954. He was first mentioned in available sources in 1965, when, identified as a Central Committee member, he led a delegation to May Day celebrations in Tirana, Albania. (QUA&

c Son was born in 1924 in Quang Nam Province

* _I

HO THU Ho Thus who was named a deputy secretary

of the NFLSV Central Committee Secretariat in January 1964, also is a member of the front's Military and Civilian Medical Council and its Council for Commendations and Awards. A French- trained pharmacist, he reportedly has been con- cerned with the NFLSV medical program. Ho Thu was born in 1910 in Phan Thiet, and is report- edly a member of an old mandarin family. He received a degree in pharmacy in 1933, and according to NFLSV biographies, he was active in medical research and manufacturing during the Japanese occupation of Indochina. He is said to have been an early paxticipant in "revolutionary activities" and to have been jailed on several occasions for his work in the anti-French resistance movement between 1951 and 1954. According to the NFLSV, Ho Thu left his family to go to the "liberated zones" in 1961, and in January 1963 the front announced his election to its Central Committee. (w

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HOANG BICH SON

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Hoang Bich Son, arrived in Havana in May 19~5 to head the NFLSV mission there. Since then he has been an indefatigable public rela­tions man for the NFLSV, with frequent inter­views, speeches, and official statements. Ac­cording to the NFLSV, he is a member of the front's Central Committee and of the executive committee of the South Vietnam Liberation Students Union. The date of his election to the Central Committee is unknown.

Son was born in 1924 in Quang Nam Province and reportedly began working in the student move­ment at an early age. According to the NFLSV, he was an active contributor to the Viet Minh take-over in Quang Nam in 1945 and continued his work with student groups after 1954. He was first mentioned in available sources in 1965, when, identified as a Central Committee member, he led a delegation to May Day celebrations in Tirana, Albania. (~

HO THU Ho Thu, who was named a deputy secretary

of the NFLSV Central Committee Secretariat in January 1964, also is a member of the front's Military and Civilian Medical Council and its Council for Commendations and Awards. A French­trained pharmacist, he reportedly has been con­cerned with the NFLSV medical program. Ho Thu was born in 1910 in Phan Thiet, and is report­edly a member of an old mandarin family. He received a degree in pharmacy in 1933, and according to NFLSV biographies, he was active in medical research and manufacturing during the Japanese occupation of Indochina. He is said to have been an early pal·ticipant in "revolutionary activities" and to have been jailed on several occasions for his work in the anti-French resistance movement between· 1951 and 1954. According to the NFLSV, Ho Thu left his family to go to the "liberated zunes" in 1961, and in January 1963 the front announced his election to its Central Committee. (~

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liD XUAN SON -. Ho Xuan Son was i d e n t i f i e d a s a member of

t h e NFLSV Central Comdttee Presidium i n January 1964. although i t is p o s s i b l e t h a t he is t h e same Ho Xuan Son, a journa l i s t , who was among t h e 140 "intellectualsii of South Vietnam who s igned a letter i n May 1965 thanking t h e 800 "American i n t e l l e o t u a l s " who have demanded an end to US aggress ive war i n South Vietnam. Many o f tha 140 persons l is ted are a f f i l i a t e d with tho HYLSV.

No f u r t h e r information is a v a i l a b l e ,

WIaA

HUNG TU Thich Hung Tu, a Buddhist bonze, was e l e c t e d

t o t h e NFLSV C e n t r a l Committee i n January 1964. He is also p r e s i d e n t of t h e E a s t e r n Nambo Bud- d h i s t s Association and a v i c e chairman of t h e Cen t ra l Committee of t h e NFLSV Eastern Region zone. Born i n t o a peasant fami ly of Phu Yen Province u a n u a + 1 9 0 2 , Hung Tu became a Sitb- d h i s t monk a t t h e age of 12. sources , h e was s e r v i n g a s s u p e r i o r monk of t h e Cu Pagoda i n Phan T h i e t in 1935 and i n t h a t capac i ty p a r t i c i p a t e d i n t h e Buddhist Movement for Nat ional Welfare. He r e p o r t e d l y opposed w h a t he considered D i e m ' s r e l i g i o u s d iscr imina- t i o n in favor of Catholicism and had to escape t o Baria (Phuoc Le). There, as p r e s i d e n t of t h e Barir. D i sc ip l ina ry Council of Buddhists and Luc Hoa Bonzes, he is s a i d t o have cont inued h i s work for the f ron t . i d e n t i f i c a t i o n w i t h t h e NFLSV occurred i n June 1963, when he s igned an appeal to Buddhists t o p r o t e s t t h e D i e m regime's " repress ion and perse- cut ion of Buddhists" on behalf of Buddhists in t h e HPLSV. I n December 1964 he was p resen t a t a meeting sponsored by t h e NFLSV Presidium to c e l e b r a t e t h e f o u r t h anniversary of t h e founding o f . t h e f ront . Hung Tu is also known a s Hong Lien .or Nhan Tu, and h i s r e a l name is s a i d to be Vo C h i Thien. (- -

According to NFLSV

Hung Tu's first known p u b l i c

_I

HUY SON Huy Son was elected to t h e NFLSV Cen t ra l

Committee in January 1964. H i F name, according

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110 XUAN SON Ho Xuan Son was identified as a member of

the NiLSV Central Committee Presidium in January 1964. No further information is available, although it is possible that ' he is the same Ho Xuan Son, a journalist, who was among the 140 "intellectuals" of South Vietnam who signed a letter in May 1965 thanking the 800 "American intellectuals" who have demanded an end to US aggressive war in South VietnaM. Nany of thu 140 persons listed are aUiliated with thO tlfLSY. «alII»

HUNG TU Thich Hung Tu, a Buddhist bonze, was elected

to the NFLSV Central Committee in January 1964. He is also president of the Eastern Nambo Bud­dhists Association and a vice chairman of the Central Committee of the NFLSV Eastern Region zone. Born into a peasant family of Phu Yen Province ~anua~1902, Hung Tu became a ~dd­dhist monk at the age of 12. , According to NFLSV sources, he was serving as superior monk of the CU Pagoda in Phan Thiet in 1935 and in that capacity participated in the Buddhist Movement for National Welfare. He reportedly opposed what he considered Diem's religious discrinlina­tion in favor of Catholicism and had to escape to Baria (Phuoc La). There, as president of the Bari<. Disciplinary Council of Buddhists and Luc Hoa Bonzes, he is said to have continued his work for the front. Hung Tu's first known public identification with the NFLSV occurred in June 1963, when he signed an appeal to Buddhists to protest the Diem regime's "repression and perse­cution of Buddhists" on behalf of Buddhists in the NiLSV. In December 1964 he was present at a meeting sponsored by the NFLSV Presidium to celebrate the fourth annivers~ry of the founding of. the front. Hung Tu is also known as Hong Lien.or ,Nhan Tu, and his real name is said to be'Vo Chi Thien. (OTIC)

lIUY SON Buy Son was elected to the NFLSV Central

Committee in January 1964. Hi~ name, according

1-24 -.... : ........ _-_._ ....... , •. _ .

to an NFLSV press release, is t h e "secret name of a na t iona l bourgeois i n Saigon." (err0)C

HUYNH BAI Elec ted to t h e NFLSV Cen t ra l Committee i n

January 1964, Huynh Bai is the "secret name of a businessman i n Saigon," according to t h e announcement of t h e f ron t ' s new off ic ia ls . 43w)

HUYNH CUONG Usually descr ibed as a " r ep resen ta t ive bf

t h e Khmer i n t e l l e c t u a l s , * ' Huynh Cuong was f i r s t i d e n t i f i e d a s a member of t h e NFLSV C e n t r a l Committee i n A p r i l 1962. He was r epor t ed ly born i n 1926 i n Vinh Phuc, Ba Xuyen Province,and educated a t a P a l l school i n Phnom Penh, Cam- bodia. Af te r f i n i s h i n g h i s schooling i n 1948, he became an in spec to r of P a l l schools and pagodas i n t h e western p a r t of southern V i e t - - . n a b A Cambodian newspcper ark$cle repor_ts t h a t Cuong h a s fought to preserve Cambodian c u l t u r e and language t r a d i t i o n s i n South V i e t - nam since 1954. A s secretary genera l of t h e Khmer Buddhist I n s t i t u t e of South V i e t n a m , he was a u t i v e i n Buddhist opposi t ion movements t o the D i e m regime. Cuong was r epor t ed ly named to t h e NFLSV Committee f o r t h e Western Region Zone about mid-1963, and :-e may s t i l l be s e c r e t a r y gene ra l of t h e Afro-Asian S o l i d a r i t y Committee of South Vietnam. H e a t tended a meeting spon- so red by t h e NFLSV Presidium to c e l e b r a t e t h e f o u r t h anniversary of t h e founding of the front i n December 1964. I n Apr i l 1965 h i s views i n support of NFLSV p o l i c y were broadcast over t h e c l a n d e s t i n e L ibe ra t ion Ra,dio. Speaking "as a Khmer compatriot f i g h t i n g under t h e NFLSV f l a g , " he aff i rmed h i s e n t h u s i a s t i c acclaim and sup- p o r t for t h e aims of t h e f ront . (-

" . HUYNH TAN PHAT

Huynh Tan Phat , who is usua l ly i d e n t i f i e d as an a r c h i t e c t , was first e l e c t e d a v i c e chair- man of t h e C e n t r a l Committee Presidium of t h e

1-25

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c

to an NFLSV press release, is the "secret name of a national bourgeois in Saigon." (8U8)

HUYNH BAI Elected to the NFLSV Central COllllllittee in

January 1964, Huynh Bai is the "secret name of a businessman in Saigon," according to the announcement of the front's new officials. ~)

HUYNH CUONG Usually described as a "representative of

the Khmer intellectuals," Huynh Cuong was first identified as a member of the NFLSV Central COllllllittee in April 196~. He was reportedly born in 1926 in Vinh Phuc, Ba Xuyen Province,and educated at a Pali school in Phnom Penh, Cam­bodia. After finishing his schooling in 1948, he became an inspector of Pali schools and pagodas in the western part of southern Viet­,na~ A Cambodian newsp~per ar1jcle repo~ts that Cuong has fought to preserve Cambodian .culture and language traditions in South Viet­nam since 1954. As secretary general of the Khmer Buddhist Institute of South Vietnam, he was active in Buddhist opposition movements to the Diem regime. Cuong was reportedly named to the NFLSV COllllllittee for the Western Region Zone about mid-1963, and >e may still be secretary general of the Afro-Asian Solidarity COllllllittee of South Vietnam. He attended a meeting spon­sored by the NFLSV Presidium to celebrate the fourth anniversary of the founding of the front in December 1964. In April 1965 his views in support of NFLSV policy were broadcast over the clandestine Liberation Re,dio. Speaking "as a Khmer compatriot fighting under the NFLSV flag," he affirmed his enthusiastic acclaim and sup­port for the aims of the front. (CONi)

HUYNH TAN PHAT Huynh Tan Phat, who is usually identified

as an architect, was first elect.ed a vice chair­man of the Central COllllllittee Presidium of the

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NFLSY i n March 1962. He also serves as secre- t a r y general of t h e NFLSV C e n t r a l Committee, chairman of t h e f ront ' s Saigon. -. Gia Dinh Com- mittee, e d i t o r of t h e NPLSV pub l i ca t ion G i a i Phong, and s e q e t a r y gene ra l of t h e S o u t m e t - m m o c r a t i c Par ty . desc r ibed as t h e second-ranking member of t h e NPLSV, is apparent ly t h e man r e spons ib l e f o r t h e f ront ' s propaganda and pub l i c re la t ions e f - forts. A na t ive of t h e South, he has been a c t i v e i n t h e Saigon area throughout most of h i s r evo lu t iona ry career, which began du r ing h i s

Huynh Tan Phat ' s on ly known m i s s i o n o u t s i d e Vietnam f o r t h e NFLSV took p l ace i n February and March 1965, when he headed t h e f r o n t ' s delega- t i o n to t h e Indochinese People 's Conference i n Phnom Penh.

Huynh Tan Phat was born i n My Tho i n 1913. H e was educated a t t h e College of Fine Arts i n Hanoi, from which he was graduated about 1936. HW i s - s a i d t o have been act ive i n ant i -Japanese movements dur ing h i s s tuden t days and t o have been one of t h e promoters of t h e Vanguard Youth Organizat ion. Me repor t ed ly worked a s an a rch i - tect before 1950, bu t s i n c e t h e mid-1940s he has been known p r imar i ly for h i s p o l i t i c a l a c t i v - i t ies. I n 1944 and 1945 he was d i r e c t o r of t h e anti-Frencn d a i l y paper Thanh Nien (Youth), and i n June 1944 h e was a foiiiEKiig7iiGiber of t h e Democratic Pa r ty (Dan Chu Dang). Organized under t h e cover t l g e x i m t h e Indochinese Communist Par ty a s p a r t of t h e Viet Minh F ron t , t h e Democratic Pa r ty is still extant a s a mem- b e r organiza t ion of t h e Father land Front of t h e Democratic Republic of Vietnam. I t appa ren t ly h a s no o v e r t connection w i t h t h e Democratic P a r t y of South Vietnam, although t h e names of t h e two p a r t i e s a r e i d e n t i c a l .

nam cont inuously s i n c e World War 11, working mainly i n r u r a l a r e a s and Communist-controlled t e r r i t o r y , although he was i n Saigon between 1954 and 1958. I n la te 1945 or e a r l y 1946 he

Phat , who has been

. s t u d e n t days i n t h e 1930s,.-

Phat has apparent ly remained i n South V i e t -

1-26

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/'

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ,#A .. . .I

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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * , , . . . , : 8 ' ' : - . . k * . . , .,

•

NFLSV in Karch 1962. He also serves as secre­tary general of the NFLSV Central Committee, chairJllan of the front's Saigon, -. Gla Dlnh Com­mittee, editor of the NFLSV publication 018i Phong, and se~etary general of the Sout~et~ nam Democratic Party. Phat, who has been' described as the second-ranking m~mber of the NFLSV, is apparently the man responsi,ble for the front's propaganda and public r~lations ef­forts. A native of the South, he has been' active i~ the Saigon area throughout most of his revolutionary career, which began during his

• student days in the 1930s'. - ,

Huynh Tan Phat's only known mission outside Vietnam for the NFLSV took place in February and March 1965, when he headed the front's delega­tion to the Indochinese People's Conference in Phnom Penh.

Huynh Tan Phat was born in My Tho in 1913. He was educated at the College of Fine Arts in Hanoi, from which he was graduated about 1936. He is 'waid to have been active in anti-Japanese movements during his student days and to have been one of the promoters of the Vanguard Youth Organization. He reportedly worked as an archi­tect before 1950, but since~e mid-1940s he has been known primarily for his political activ­ities. In 1944 and 1945 he was d1rector of the anti-French daily paper Thanh Nien (Youth), and in June 1944 he was a founding member of the Democratic Party (Dan Chu Dang). Organized under the covert leadership-o? the Indochinese Communist Party as part of the Viet Minh Front, the Democratic Party is still extant as a mem­ber organization of the Fatherland Front of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. It apparently has no overt connection with the Democratic Party of South Vietnam, although the names of ' the two parties are identical.

Phat has apparently remained in South Viet­nam continuously since World War II, working mainly in rural areas and Communist-controlled territory, although he was in Saigon between 1954 and 1958. In late 1945 or early 1946 he

1-26

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...... .... , . .... , ' "

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waa arrested by the French for his propaganda activities and imprisoned for about a year. After his release he joined the Viet Yinh move- ment in the jungles but later returned to Saigon, where i n October 1947 he was again arrested, sentenced to death by a French military tribunal, and acquitted and released after intervention by Vietnamese'huthorities. Returning to his political activities, be was periodically identi- fied during the next ten years as a member of the Nambo Executive Committee, director of the Nambo IOpormation Service, and propaganda com- missar for the Resistance and Admin+*'-ative Com- mittee of the Saigon-Cholon-Cia D i i . ?cia1 Zone. In 1958 he left Saigon for the iaine des Yoncs area,and he has apparently remained in Viet Cong territory near Saigon since then.

Phat was identified in late 1955 as a mem- ber of the Executive Committee of the Fatherland Front (Mat Tran To Quoc), which contrqlled joint Viet Minh and Hoa Hao activities in South Viet- nam from h e a d q m in the Plaine des Yoncs area. Me has also been identified as a member of the central committee of the South Vietnam branch of the Vietnamese Youth League (1947-51).

Phat, who also uses the name Tam Chi, is a Buddhist. His wife, Bui Thi Nga, was once a propaganda commissar in the Saigon-Cholon Zone Intellectuals Association. She was arrested and imprisoned by the Diem government in 1960, reportedly for refusing to salute the Vietnamese flag, and one source states that she was released sometime during 1964. are unknown. Phat and his wife have s i x children. According to a former member of the Saigon-Cholon- Gia Dinh Committee, he is a secret member of th'e Communist Party.

-

Her present activities

He speaks French fluently.

HWNH TRAXH MUNG Cao Dai military leader Huynh Thanh Mung

was i d e n t m e d about 1963 as a secretary of the Central Committee of the Eastern Region Zone of the NFLSV. as vice president of the Committee for Consolida- tion of Peaceful Coexistence, a rcl.atively little

He has more recently been described

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was arrested by the French for his propaganda activities and imprisoned for about a year. After his release he joined the Viet Minh move­ment in the jungles but later returned to Saigon, where in October 1947 he was again, arrested, sentenced to death by a French military tribunal, and acquitted and released after intervention by Vietnamese" luthor i ties. Returning to his political activities, ~e was per10dically identi­fied during the next ten years as.a member of the Nambo Executive Committee, director of the Nambo Iqtormation Service, and propaganda com­missar for the Resistance and Admini~·-ative Com-mittee of the Saigon-Cholon-Gia DiI. 1cial Zone. In 1958 he left Saigon for the ~aine des Joncs area,and he has apparently remained in Viet Cong territory near Saigon since then.

Phat was identified in late 1955 as a mem­ber of the Executive Committee of the Fatherland Front (Mat Tran To Quoc) , which controlled jOint Viet Minh and Hoa Hao activities in South Viet­nam from headquarters in the Plaine des Joncs area. He has also been identified as a member of the central committee of the South Vietnam branch of the Vietnamese Youth League (1947-51).

Phat, who also uses the name Tam Chi, is a Buddhist. His wife, Bui Thi Nga, was once a propaganda commissar in the Saigon-Cholon Zone Intellectuals Association. She was arrested and imprisoned by the Diem government in 1960, reportedly for refusing to salute the Vietnamese flag, and one source states that she was released sometime during 1964. Her r-resent activities are unknown. Phat and his wife have six children. According to a former member of the Saigon-Cholon­Gia Dinh Committee, he is a secret member of th'e Communist Party. He speaks French fluently •

. , HUYNH THA~ MUNG

Cao Dai military leader Huynh Thanh Mung was identiffed about 1963 as a secretary of the Central Committee of the Eastern Region Zone of the NFLSV. He has more recently been described as vice president of the Committee for Consolida­tion of Peaceful Coexistence, a rc.1.atively little

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known organ iza t ion which a l l e g e d l y e x i s t s among t k e Cao Dai w i t h t h e aim of neutralizing South V i e t Z - m r each ing an accommodation with t h e North. In September 1964 t h e NFLSV Libe ra t ion Broadcasting S t a t i o n i d e n t i f i e d Mung as a vice dhairman of tho Tay Ninh Committee for the Consolidation of Peaceful Coexistence and com- mander of t h e United National Forces, Th i s m i l i - t a r y group has been r epor t ed operating i n v a r i o u s f o c a t i o n s in Tay Ninh Province for t h e past sev- e r a l years .

Huynh Thanh Mung was r epor t ed ly born i n Long Xuyen Province i u 1919 and is a former officer i n t h e French Union Army. been a m i l i t a r y instructor a t the Cao Dai Holy See and a b a t t a l i o n l e a d e r in Tay IKiih-tween 1945 and 1954. Allegedly following the orders of t h e late Pham Cong Tac, former Cao D a i pope, h e cooperated wi th t h e D i e m r e g i m e u n t r l 9 6 0 , when he joined t h e guerrilla forces. f u l Coexistence Committee was founded i n about 1962, appa ren t ly w i t h t&enoolyii)gement, i f not sponsorship, of t h e NFLSV, and Mung was one of its foun&rs.

He is s a i d t o have

The Peace-

The e x t e n t of Mung's commitment to Viet Cong aims is unknown. I t was reported t h a t Mung wanted t o return to South Vietnam i n 1964 but was pro- vented f.?om doing so by t h e V i e t Cong, who h o l d h i s son as a hostage. According to a captured former o f f i c i a l i n Mung's group, Mung's fami ly were brought t o Viet Cong t e r r i t o r y i n e a r l y 1964, and t h i s might have r e su l t ed i n br inging him closer t o t h e V i e t Cong cause. (w

HWNH THIEN TU Huynh Thien Tu has r e c e n t l y been described

on several occas ions as an NFLSV C e n t r a l Committee member, but t h e date of h i s e l e c t i o n is unknown. He is appa ren t ly a Hoa H a 0 r e l i g i o u s l e a d e r who fought along with Koa nao forces dur ing t h e D i e m regime for t h e "emanicipation of re l ig ion and for n a t i o n a l peace." Huynh Thien Tu is s a i d to - be a follower of Huynh Van T r i , a l i a s Muoi T r i , a former B i n h Xuyen l e a d e r who later joined t h e V i e t Minh as a leader of Hoa Hao t roops . Huynh

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known organization which allegedly exists among tue Cao Dai with the aim of neutralizing South VietDii and reaching an accommodation with the NOrth. In September 1964 the NFLSV Liberation 'B~oadcasting Station identified Mung as a vice chairman of tho Tay Ninh Committee for the Consolidation of. Peaceful Coexistence and com­mander of the United National Forces •. This mili­tary group has been reported operating in various locations in Tay Ninh Province for the past sev­eral years.

Huynh Thanh Mung was reportedly born in Long Xuyen Province i~ 1919 and is a former officer in the French Union Army. He 1s said to have been a military instructor at the Cao Dai Holy See and a battalion leader in Tay RInh-o.Btween 1945 and 1954. Allegedly following the orders of the late Pham Cong Tac, former Cao Dai pope, he cooperated with the Diem regime untn-l960, when he joined the guerrilla forces. The Peace­ful Coexistence Committee was founded in about 1962, apparently with tu..encouugement, if not sponsorship, of the NFLSV, and Mung was one of its founr.drs.

The extent of Mung's commitment to Viet Cong aims is unknown. It was reported that Mung wanted to return to South Vietnam in 1964 but was pre­vented :f.;:-om doing so by the Viet Cong, who hold his son as a hostage. According to a captured

. former official in Mung's group, Mung's family were brought to Viet Cong territory in early 1964, and this might have resulted in bringing him closer to the Viet Cong cause. (illi2)

HUYNH THIEN TU Huynh Thien Tu has recently been described

on several occasions as an NFLSV Central Committee member, but the date of his election is unknown. He is apparently a Hoa Hao religious leader who fought along with Hoa Bao forces during the Diem regime for the "emanlcipation of religion and for national peace." Huynh Thien Tu is said to be a follower of Huynh Van Tri, alias Muoi Tri,

. a former Binh Xuyen leader who later joined the Viet Minh as a leader of Hoa Hao troops. Huynh

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•

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Tri i

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u rently active in Nor ... V---nam as a National Assembly deputy, a member o f the Father- land Front Committee, and "leader of tho Hoa Ha0 in the South,'t but he also has been repor- - periodically since 1955 to be involved in the military and subversion program in the South.

Huynh Thier, Tu is first mentioned in 1962 as havlng attended a meeting of the NFLSV Western Zone Committee; this report referred to him as a cousin of Huynh Van Tri. between 1961 and early 1963 lists him as a member of the NFLSV Central Zono Committee and a Hoa Ifao dignitary of An Giang Province.

c

Information compiled

HUYNH VAN BA Huynh Van Ba, a journalist, reportedly ar-

rived in Djakarta in February 1964 to attend an International Youth Solidarity Conference. He a n d m Quang Chang apparently rgmained thsre permanently as NFLSV representatives, and in July 1964 Ba was identified as the Djakarta correspondent for the Liberation Press Agency, voice of the NFLSV. According to a Djakarta announcement, he was also scheduled to work for the Afro-Asian JournRlists Association there.

a World Peace Council aeeting in Warsaw in June 1963, and later that lronth he was slated to at-. tend the International Women's Congress in Moscow as an interpreter-translator for the Vietnamese delegation. He was listed as an interpreter on the NFLSV delegation to the preparatory meeting of the Indochinese People's Conference in Phnom Penh in February 1965. In Hay and June 1965 he was a member of the NFLSV delegation led by Mrs. Nguyen Thi Binh to several African countries.

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Ba was a member of an NFLSV delegation to

.ceowr)

HUYNH VAN NGHIA Huynh Van Nghia has been stationed in Cairo

as an W L S V representative to the Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Organization (AAPSO) since at least 1963. In that capacity he attended the

!

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Van Tri is currently active in North Vietnam as a National Assembly deputy, a member of the 'ather­land Front Committee, and "leader of the Hoa Hao in the SOuth," but he also has been reporli'ir -periodically since 1955 to be involved in the military. and subversion program in the South.

Huynh Thiel; Tu is first mentioned in 1962 as having attended a meeting of the NFLSV Western Zone Committee; this report referred to him as a cousin of Huynh Van Tri. Information compiled between 1961 and early 1963 lists him as a member of the NFLSV Central Zono Committee and a Hoa Imo dignitary of An Giang Province. (e8twt

HUYNH VAN BA Huynh Van Ba, a journalist, reportedly ar­

rived in Djakarta in February 1964 to attend an International Youth Solidarity Conference •. He

- and ~ Quang Chang apparently reinained tb'ere . permanently as NFLSV representatives, and in July 1964 Ba was identified as the Djakarta corl'espondent for thl3 Liberation Press Agency, voice of the NFLSV. According to a Djakarta announcement, he was also scheduled to work for the Afro-Asian JournAlists Association there.

Ba was a member of an NFLSV delegation to a World Peace Council ~eeting in Warsaw in June 1963, and later that month he was slated to at-. tend the International Women's Congress in Moscow as an interpreter-translator for the Vietnamese delegation. He was listed as an interpreter on the NFLSV delegation to the preparatory meeting of the Indochinese People's Conference in Phnom Penh in February 1965. In May and June 1965 he was a member of the NFLSV delegation led by Mrs. Nguyen Thi Binh to several African countries. ~gQM)

HUYNH VAN NGHIA Huynh Van Nghia has been stationed in Cairo

as an NlLSV representative to the Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Organization (AAPSO) since at least 1963. In that capacity he attended the

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6 t h session of t h e MPSO i n A lg ie r s i n March 1964. Nghia serves as an a s s i s t an t to Nguyen Van Tien, 8n NFLSV Central Committee member who is also s ta t4oned i n Cairo. (v

H ” I I VAK PAM Huynh Van Tam, who opened t h e o f f i c e of t h e

Natlosrl Front for t h e Libera t ion of South Viet- n8m (NPLSV) i n Algiers i n February 1963, l e f t i n June 1966 for an unspec i f ied assignment. i n A lg ie r s , Tam, who is a Central Codittee mem- ber of t h e NFLSV and of its component Libera t ion Federat ion of Trade Unions, r e p o r t e d l y func t ioned a c t i v e l y and e f f e c t i v e l y a s a propagandist f o r t h e V i e t Cong cause.

While

.’

Born i n Saigon i n 1919, Huynh Van Tam was educated a t a C a t h o l i c c o l l e g e . H e taught mathe- matics a t t h e secondary level i n Saigon u n t i l 1942, when h e j o i n e d t h e ant i -Japanese resistance. - Afw t h e war h e d i r e c t e d h i e - r e s i s t a n c a a c f i v - i t l e s a g a i n s t t h e French, working wi th t h e V i e t Yinh i n B i e n Hoa and l a t e r among workers and i n t e l l e c t u a l s in Saigon. He was r apor t ed ly ar- r e s t e d several times before 1954, and l a t e t h a t year he was one of t h e members of t h e Committee for tho Defense of Peace who were a r r e s t e d i n Saigon, a long wi th NFLSV Pres iden t Nguyen Huu Tho. The 20-odd men a r r e s t e d were held u n t i l t h e fol lowing February a t Gia Dinh. They were then s e n t to Haiphong and were given the op- p o r t u n i t y to p e t i t i o n f o r r e t u r n to South V i e t - nam before mid-May 1955, when t h e c i t y was t o be t r a n s f e r r e d to North Vietnamese a u t h o r i t i e s . Tam appa ren t ly d i d r e t u r n to t h e South and was involved in r e s i s t a n c e a c t i v i t i e s i n t he Ca Mau - . peninsula a r e a f o r t h e n e x t several yea r s . He etates t h a t he became a member of t h e NFLSV Con- t ra l Committee i n December 1960 but t h a t his - . name was not included i n t h e list o f Cent ra l Committee members a t t h a t t i m e because he was leaving t h e coun t ry , tion but commented t h a t he had “walked out” through Laos and Burma and t h a t t h e t r i p had taken him two months.

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He d i d not name h i s des t ina -

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6tb session of the AAPSO in Algiers in March 1964. Ngbia serves as an assistant to Nguyen Van Tien, aD HfLSV Central Committee member who is also stat'ioDed in Cairo. (~

HUYNH VAN TAM Huynh Van Tam, who opened, the office of the

Natior<:i.l Front for the LiberatioD of South Viet­D •• (NFLSV) iD Algiers in February 1963, left in June 1966 for aD unspecified assigDment. While iD Algiers, Tam, who is a CeDtral Committee mem­ber of the HfLSV and ~i its componeDt Liberation Federation of Trade Unions, reportedly functioned actively aDd effectively as a propagandist for the Viet Cong cause.

Born in Saigon in 1919, Huynh Van Tam was educated at a Catholic college. He taught mathe­matiCS at the secondary level in Saigon until 1942, when he joined the anti-Japanese resistance.

___ Af~ the war he directed his-~esistanc~activ­Uies against the French, working w1,th the Viet Minh in Bien Hoa and later among workers and intellectuals in Saigon. He was reportedly ar­rested several times before 1954, and late that year he was one of the members of the Committee for tho Defense of Peace who were arrested in Saigon, along with NFLSV President Nguyen Huu Tho. The 20-odd men arrested were held until the following February at Gia Dillh. They were then sent to Haiphong and were given the op­portunity to petition for return to South Viet-nam before mid-May 1955, when the city was to be transferred to North Vietnamese authorities. Tam apparently did return to the South and was involved in resistance activities in the Ca Mau peninsula area for the next several years. He atates that he became a member of the NFLSV Cen­tral Committee in December 1960 but that his

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Dame was not included in the list o,t Cent,ral Committee members at that. time because he was leaving the country. He did not name his destina­'tion but commented that he had "walked out" through Laos and Burma and that the trip had taken him two months.

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Tarn a t t ended t h e F i f t h Conference o f t h e World Federa t ion o f J rade U n i o n s i n Moscow i n December 1961 a s a re6tesentative of t h e Libera- t i on Workers Association (recently renamed Liberation Federat ion of Trade Unions). After t h e conference he spent January 1962 tou r ing China a t the i n v i t a t i o n of t h e All-China Federa- t i o n a f Trade U n i o n s . H e a t tended a meeting i n A l g i e r s of t h e Afro-Asiaa People's S o l i d a r i t y Organizat ion i n March 1964 and was a de l ega te to t h e Afro-Asian Economic Semifar, a l s o he ld i n A l g i e r s , i n March 1965. H e headed a delega-

. t i o n to t h e Afro-Asian Film F e s t i v a l i n Djakarta i n A p r i l 1964 and i n November was named to head the NFLSV de lega t ion to t h e Albanian 20th anniver - s a r y Celebra t ions .

Tam rpcaks excellent French. H e a l s o has cons iderable knowledge of L a t i n . A South V i e t - namese i n t e l l i g e n c e r e p o r t of 1962 lists a Nguyen T h i Cusng,._also known a s Sau Anh, a s a member of t h e Women's L ibera t ion Association of Long An Province. She was r epor t ed ly t h e wife of Huynh Van Tam, descr ibed i n t h e r e p o r t a s a COmmUniSt Pa r ty member who regrouped t o t h e North a f t e r 1954 and whosewhereaboutsat t h a t time were un- known. They had one daughter , Huynh T h i Hal, who was born about 1953. I t seems l i k e l y t h a t t h e Huynh Van Tam r e f e r r e d to is t h e NFLSV o f f i - c i a l , bu t no f u r t h e r information is a v a i l e b l e . . * : : *48em+

LAM KIEN KHANH Described a s a " r ep resen ta t ive of overseas

Vietnamese," L a m K i e n Kkanh was r e f o r t e d to be a member of t h e NFLSi' Central Committee i n 1962. H e appa ren t ly was not renamed to t h e Cen t ra l Com- mittee i n January 1964. I t is poss ib l e t h a t t h e name rece ived a s L a m T r i Chanh and i d e n t i f i e d a s an engineer i n the January 1964 Cent ra l Com- mittee announcements may have r e f e r r e d to t h e same man, but t h i s is only a conjec ture . No biographic information i s a v a i l a b l e f o r e i t h e r name. a s an engineer , was l i s t e d among 140 " i n t e l l e c t u a l s " of South Vietnam who s igned a l e t te r thanking

I n May 1965 a Lam Khiet Khanh, i d e n t i f i e d

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Tam attended the Fifth Conference of the World Federation of:t.~ade Unions in Moscow in December 1961 as a representattve of the Libera­tion Workers Association. (recently renamed Liberation Federation of Trade Unions). After the conference ae spent January 1962 touring China at tile invitation of the All-China Federa­tion of Trade Unions. He attended a meeting in Algiers of the Afro.Asiaa People's Solidarity Organization in March 1964 and was a delegate to the Afro-Asian Economic Seminlr, also held in Algiers, in March 1965. He headed a delega-

·tion to the Afro-Asian Film Festival in Djakarta in April 1964 and in November was named to head the NFLSV delegation to the Albanian 20th anniver­sary celebrations.

Tam ~·pF.;aks excellent French. He also has considerable knowledge of Latin. A South Viet­namese intelligence report of 1962 lists a Nguyen Thi CUong, . ..also known as. Sau Anh, as a member of the Women's Liberation Association of Long An Province. She was reportedly the wife of Huynh Van Tam, described in the report as a Communist Party member who regrouped to the North after 1954 and whose whereabouts at that time were un­known. They had one daughter, Huynh Thi Hai, who was born about 1953. It seems likely that the Huynh Van ~am referred to is the NFLSV offi­cial, but no further information is avai1&ble. "E Ie 1"')' • ' f.

LAM KIEN XHANH Described as a "representative of overseas

Vietnamese," Lam Kian Khanh was reJ:orted to be a member of the NFLSV Central Committee in 1962. He apparently was llot renamed to the Central Com­mittee in January 1964. It is possible that the name received as Lam Tri Chanh and identified as an engineer in the January 1964 Central Cnm­mittee announcements may have referred to the same man, but this·is only a conjecture. No biographic information ~s available for either name. In May 1965 a Lam Khiet Khanh, identified as an engineer, was listed among 140 "intellectuals" of South Vietnam who signed a letter thanking

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Americans who have demanded an end to US aggres- sion i n Vietnam. persons listed as having signed the letter are affiliated with the NFLSV in some way, Lam Khiet Khanh and Lam Kien Khanh may be the same person.

Since a large percentage of the

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Identified as a %otable currently residing i n Hue,ii Le Ngoc Quang was reportedly a member

'of the first Central Committee of the NFLW in 1962. to the Centra? Committee in January 1964.

H i s name was not listed among those elected (-

W PHUONG Le Phuong arrived in Budapest in January 1964

to assume his post as permanent observer of the South Vietnam Liberation Youth Association to the World Federation of Democratic Youth Executive

Committee of the Liberation Youth Association, one of the components of the NFLSV. Since his arrival in Budapest, he has attended conferences of the International Union of Students and the World Federation of Democratic Youth.

Committee. Phuong is a member of the C e n t r e -.)

LE QUANG CHANH Le Quang Chanh, who hasrepresented the NFLSV

in Djakarta since E'ebruary 1964, was listed in a Front publication of late 1965 as a Central Com- mittee member. The date of his acquis:tion of that status is unknown. Chanh is also called the permanent representative of the NFLSV in Indonesia, although the Front is not known to have announced the establishment of a permanent mission there. An Executive Committee member of the Liberation Youth Association, he came 'to Djakarta as head of a delegation of that association to the Inter- national Youth Solidarity Conference.

Ca Mau peninsula, in 1924 ard is a former teacher in My Tho who joined rhe "revolution" during the August 1945 insurrection. He reportedly worked

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1-32

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Amerioans who have demanded an end to US aggres-8ion in Vietnam. Since a large percentage of the ~er80ns listed as having signed the letter are affiliated with the NFLSV in some way, Lam Khiet Khanb and Lam Kien Khanh may be the same person. (PRII)

LE NGOC QUANG Identified as a "notable currently residing

in Hue," Le Ngoc QUang was reportedly a member -of tbe first Central Committee of the NFLSV in

1962. His name was not listed among those elected to the Centra:;, Committee in January 1964. (ClIlI"

LE PHUONG Le Phuong arrived in Budapest in January 1964

to assume bis post as permanent observer of the Sout~ Vietnam Liberation Youth Association to the World Federation of Democratic Youth Executive Committee. Phuong 1s a member of the Centr~ Committee of the Liberation Youth Assoc1ation, one of the components of the NFLSV. S1nce his arrival in Budapest, he has attended conferences of the International Union of Students and the World Federation of Democratic Youth.

LE QUANG CHANH Le Quang Chanh, who has represented the NFLSV

in Djakarta since february 1964, was listed in a Front publication of late 1965 as a Central Com­mittee member. The date of his acquis'tion of that status is unknown. Chanh is also called the permanent representative of the NFLSV in Indonesia, although the Front is not known to have announced the establishment of a permanent mission there. Au Executive Committee member of the Liberation

, Youth Association, he came -to Djakarta as head of a delegation of that association to the Inter­national Youth Solidarity Conference.

Chanh was born in Tan An, in the ,southern Ca Mau peninsula, in 1924 a~d is a former teacher in My Tho who joined l:he "revolution" during the

, _. , .' 5 Allgust 1945 insurrection. lie reportedly worked ,,,,,,,'Wt;: I ''It!r youth groups and intellectuals in the south

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1-32

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u n t i l 1961 and has been w i t h t h e NFLSV since then. The Front s ta tes t h a t he was e l e c t e d to t h e Youth Federat ion committee i n 1961, and i n October 1963 he appeared a t an anti-US r a l l y i n Peking a s a " rep resen ta t ive of t h e South V i e t - namese people. . .,

LE THANH NAld Le Thanh Nam was re -e lec ted t o t h e C e n t r a l

Committee of t h e NFLSV a t its Second Congress i n January 1964. H e is a l s o a member of t h e Cen t ra l Committee of t h e South Vietnam Libera t ion Federa- t i on of Trade Unions and of t h e South Vietnam Afro- Asian S o l i d a r i t y Committtee, both NFLSV components. He was a member of an NFLSV delegation.which v i s i t e d Peking i n September a t t h e i n v i t a t i o n of t h e C h i n a Peace Committee and t h e Chinese Committee for Afro-Asian S o l i d a r i t y . Nam was i d e n t i f i e d a s a j o u r n a l i s t i n June 1962 when he was app6in4ed by t h e NFLSV to a three-man de lega t ion to make f r i e n d s h i p v i s i t s to several7i5bntri@Fand a t t e n d conferences of world organiza t ions . The o n l y coun- t r y t h a t they a r e known t o have v i s i t e d was Czechoslovakia, bu t undoubtedly they t r a v e l e d t o several other Communist count r ies . The m i s - s i o n of t h i s de l ega t ion was probably p a r t of t h e broad e f f o r t t o increase t h e Front ' s i n t e r n a t i o n a l r ecogn i t iou and s tanding .

The NFLSV p e r s o n a l i t y is probably i d e n t i c a l w i t h t h e Le Thanh Nam who was imprisoned by Ngo Dinh D i e m w i t h 25 f e l low members of t h e Movement for t h e Defense of t h e Peace i n 1955. These men were s e n t t o Haiphong and held under house a r r e s t , pending t h e t r a n s f e r of t h a t c i t y to t h e North Vietnamese a u t h o r i t i e s which was scheduled t o take p l a c e i n mid-lay 1955. They were given t h e oppor tun i ty t o p e t i t i o n f o r permission t o r e t u r n t o South Vietnam before t h a t time, but i t is not known whether Le Thanh Nam d i d so. (a

LE THI RIENG .- Le T h i Rieng, a l so known a s Le T h i L i e n , is

a member of t h e NFLSV Cen t ra l Committee and Vice Chairman of t h e South Vietnam Libera t ion Women's

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until 1961 and has been with the NFLSV since then. The Front states that he was elected to the Youth Federation committee in 1961, and in October 1963 he appeared at an anti-US rally in Peking as a "representative of the South Viet-namese pE!ople." .'

LE THANH NAM Le Thanh Nam was re-elected to the Central

Committee of the NFLSV at its Second Congress in January 1964. He is also a member of the Central Committee of the South Vietnam Liberation Federa­tion of Trade Unions and of the South Vietnam Afro­Asian Solidarity Committtee, both NFLSV components. He was a member of an NFLSV delegation ,which visited Peking in September at the invitation of the China Peace Committee and the Chinese Committee for Afro-Asian Solidarity. Nam was identified as a journalist in June 1962 when he was app6in~ed by the NFLSV to a three-man delegation to make friendship visits to several <m\Jntrift" and attend conferences of world organizations. The only coun­try that they are known to have visited was Czechoslovakia, but undoubtedly they traveled to several other Communist countries. The mis­sion of this delegation was probably part of the broad effort to increase the Front's international recognitioll and standing.

The NFLSV personality is probably identical with the Le Thanh Nam who was imprisoned by Ngo Dinh Diem with 25 fellow members of the Movement for the Defense of the Peace in 1955. These men were sent to Haiphong and held under house arrest, pending the transfer of that city to the North Vietnamese authorities which was scheduled to take place in mid-May 1955. They were given the opportunity to petition for permission to return to South Vietnam before that time, but it is not known whether Le Thanh Nam did so. (~QiiJ

LE THI RIENG Le Thi Rieng, also known as Le Thi Lien, is

a member of the NFLSV Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the South Vietnam Liberation Women's

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Association, an NFLSV component. Formerly a tex- tile worker, she was born in Gia Rai, 0a Xuyen Province, in 1925 and is said to have been active in ,anticolonial movements by 1945. In that year she was an official of the 0ac Lieu Women's Associa- tion for National Welfare, and she later became active in the Eastern Nambo Women's Association, She was elected a Vice Chairman of the Liberation Women's Association in December 1961. (eadf"

LE TRONG TAN According to a Viet Cong officer who recently

defected to South Vietnamese authorities, North Vietnamese Major General Le Trong Tan,'a deputy chief of staff of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN), currently heads the military operations staff of the Central Office for South Vietnam (COSVN), the headquarters for the Viet Cong mili- tary effort. Although he is the author of articles appearing in the North Vietnamrss Quan D o i Nhan - Dan (People's Army) as recently as late 1964 , den- era5PTaii i m o t known to have appearerpublicly- or to have been identified in his position as PAVN deputy chief of staff since February 1963.

Nothing is known of Tan's early background, although one report mentions that during the Japanese occupation of Indochina he was director of the Hon Gay Surete. By 1948 he had appeared as chief of a guerrilla group operating in west central Tonkin, i n the vicinity of what is now Hoa Binh Province. His group, called the Song Lo (Clear River) Regiment (officially the 209th Regiment), was one of the three primary elements which made up the 312th Division when it was foracd in 1951. Tan was commander of the 312th Division from its origin until about 1955. He was transferred to tt.3 command of the PAVN Ground Forces Officers School at Son Tay, a post he held at least through August 1957, and was next identified when he was named deputy chief of staff in March 1961. One source states that he attended the Chinese Communist War College in 1960. Accord- ing to available information, General Tan made h i s most recent public appearance in February 1963, when he attended a meeting to commemorate the founding anniversary of the Korean People's Army.

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Association, an NFLSV component. Formerly a tex­tile worker, she was born in Gia Rai, Ba Xuyen Province, in 1925 and is said to have been active in , anticolonial movements by 1945. In that year she was an official of the Bac Lieu Women's Associa­tion for National Welfare, and she later became active in the Eastern Nambo Women's Association. She was elected a Vice Chairman of the Liberation Women's Association in December 1961. (400)

LE THONG TAN According to a Viet Cong officer who recently

defected to South Vietnamese authorities, North Vietnamese Major General Le Trong Tan,'a deputy chief of staff of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN), currently heads the military operations staff of the Central Office for South Vietnam (COSVN), the headquarters for the Viet Cong mili­tary effort. Although he is the author of articles appearing in the North Vietnam~~~ Quan Doi Nhan Dan (People's Army) as recently as late 1964, Gen­eriii:-'l'an ifJlOflot known to have appeare«"publ1cly­or to have been identified in his position as PAVN deputy chief of staff since February 1963.

Nothing is known of Tan's early backgrounu, although one report mentions that during the Japanese occupation of Indochina he was director of the Hon Gay Surete. By 1948 he had appeared as chief of a guerrilla group operating in west central Tonkin, in the vicinity of what is now Hoa Sinh Province. His group, called the Song Lo (Clear River) Regiment (officially the 209th Regiment), was one of the three primary elements which made up the 312th Division when it was

,formed in 1951. Tan was commander of the 312th Division from its origin until about 1955. He was transferred to tl.\J command of the PAVN Gr.ound Forces Officers School at Son Tay, a post he held at least through August 1957, and was next identified when he was named deputy chief of staff in March 1961. One source states that he attended the Chinese Communist War College in 1960. Accord­ing to available information, General 'Tan made his most recent public appearance in February 1963, when he attended a meeting to commemorate the founding anniversary of the Korean People's Army. < (PY?'?

1-34

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LE VAN HUAN Le Van Huan, a former school teacher , was

e l e c t e d a deputy s e c r e t a r y of t h e XFLSV C e n t r a l Committee S e c r e t a r i a t i n January 1964. H i s o t h e r r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s fo r t h e Front include se rv ing as chairman of t h e South Vietnam Patrio- t i c Teachers Associat ion and of t h e South Vie tnam -

, L a t i n America S o l i d a r i t y Committee, and he often i s s u e s p u b l i c statements i n t h e name of those two o rgan iza t ions .

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Le Van Huan was born i n Can Tho, PhoG Dinh Province, i n 1906 and is a graduate of t h e College of Pedagogy of Hanoi. He has taught a t t h e Teachers T r a i n i n g College and a t Pe t rus Ky High School i n Saigon and a t one time was p r i n c i p a l of t h e Nam V i e t High School, a l s o i n Saigon, Huan is r epor t ed t o have p a r t i c i p a t e d i n r e s i s t a n c e a c t i v i t i e s a g a i n s t t h e French. I n 1954 he was a founding member of t h e Movement f o r t h e Defense of Peace, a group supported by pro-Viet Minlr in te l lec tua ls i n Saigon, and w 8 s emested by-the D i e m government because of h i s connection wi th t h e group. One Hanoi broadcas t of A p r i l 1955 s ta tes t h a t Huan had been r e l e a s e d by them,but a recent biography c la ims t h a t he was de ta ined " for many years" i n v a r i o u s p r i sons . H e r epor t ed ly r e jo ined t h e NFLSV i n its " l i b e r a t e d areas" a f t e r h i s r e l e a s e ; and by June 1963 he was a f f i l i a t e d w i t h t he Sai- gon - Gia D i n h branch of t h e P a t r i o t i c Teachers Association.

HEan was elected to t h e NFLSV Cen t ra l Com- mittee in January 1964 and t o t h e presidency of t h e Teachers Associat ion t h e following May. He h a s been r epor t ed t o be a bro ther of Le Van IIocch, a former member oP t h e South Vietnamese cab ine t . d43mmW

LE VAN THA Le Van Tha was e l e c t e d t o t h e Cen t ra l Com-

mittee of t h e National Front f o r t h e L i b e r a t i o n of South Vietnam (NFLSV) i n January 1964. H e is a l s o a member of t h e Standing Committee 0 4 t h e Radical S o c i a l i s t Par ty , an NFLSV conponent; and Vice Chairman of t h e Front ' s Saigon - Cholon - G i a Dinh Committee. I n August 1964 Le Van Tha

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LE VAN HUAN Le Van Huan, a former schoolteacher, was

elected a deputy secretary of the NFLSV Central Committee Secretariat in January 1964. His other responsibilities for the Front include serving as chairman of the South Vietnam Patrio­tic Teachers Association and of the South Vietnam -Latin America Solidarity Committee, and he ofte.n issues public statements in the name of those two c-rgan izations.

. -Le Van Huan was born in Can Tho, Phong Dinh Province, in 1906 and is a graduate of the College of Pedagogy of Hanoi. He has taught at the Teachers Training College and at PetrusKy High School in Saigon and at one time was principal of ~he Nam Viet High School, also in Saigon, Huan is reported to have participated in resistance activities ag~inst the ·French. In 1954 he wa~ a founding member of the Movement for the Defense of Peace, a group supported by pro-Viet Mint. intellectuals in Saigon, and was 2~ested by-the . D1em government because of his connection with the group. One Hanoi broadcast of April 1955 states that HUan had been released by them, but a recent biography claims that he was detained "for many years" in various prisons. He reportedly rejoined the NFLSV in its "liberated areas" after his release; and by June 1963 he was affiliated with the Sai-gon - Gia Dinh branch of the Patriotic Teachers Association.

Huan was elected to the NFLSV Central Com­mittee in January 1964 and to the presidency of the Teachers Association the following May. He has been reported to be a brother of Le Van lIor-ch, a former member of the South Vietnamese cabinet. ,(i.dIan,-

LE VAN THA . Le Van Tha was elected to the Central Com­

mittee of the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam (NFLSV) in January 1964. '. He is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Radical Socialist Party, an NFLSV co~ponent; and Vice Chairman of the Front's Saigon - CholoD -Gia Dinh Committee. In August 1964 Le VaR ·Tha

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was named to direct a new English- and French- language publication, South Vietnam in Struggle, which was inaugurated by the W r External Relations. Ba Binh, and several Viet Cong defectors have identified him as Vice Chairman of the External Relations Committee. In November 1965 he delivered a report in behalf of the committee on the allegedly widespread popular reaction in the United States against the war i n Vietnam. Tha was trained in France in radio electronics, and he is usually described as an engineer in NFLSV public state- ments. c

Tha apparently uses the name

Born on 8 December 1914 in Tay Ninh Province, southwestern Vietnam, Le Van Tha was educated in France. One source has identified him as a member of the French Communist Party. expelled from France in 1951, he attended meetings of the World Peace Council in Paris and Warsaw, was a member of the Central Committee of the Lien Viet Front in France, and was an official in the Association of Overseas Vietnamese and the Over- Seas Vietnamese Cultural Association in France. He was also reported to be a Viet linh representa- tive in Bordeaux at some time during this period.

Upon his return to Vietnam in 1951, Tha was inprisoned by the government until 1953. He was next reported in early 1955 as a leading Lien Viet worker in Saigon who was involved w i m o r t h m n a m e s e propaganda work. he was President of the Teachers Union of South Vietnam and represented the union in the Mutual Aid Committee for the Protection of the Property, Lives, and Security of the People (CEPPVSP). Organized as a welfare society, the CEPPVSP was soon penetrated by the Communists, who used the group to conduct antigovernment propaganda. Tha was arrested along with other members of the CEPPVSP Executive Committee in July 1955 and reportedly remained in jail until 1961, when he returned to the "liberated zone" as an active NFLSV worker. He was elected a Vice Chairman of the Saigon - Cholon - Gia Dinh Committee as a representative of the Radi Socialist Party in February 1962.

Before being,

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was named to direct a new English- and French­language publication. South Vietnam in Struggle, which was inaugurated by the NFLSv Committee for External Relations. Tha apparently uses the name Ba Binh, and several Viet Cong defectors have identified him as Vice Chairman of the External Relations Committee. In November 1965 he delivered a report in behalf of the committee on the allegedly widespread popular reaction in the United States against the war in Vietnam. Tha was trained in France in radio electronics, and he is usually described as an engineer in NFLSV public state-ments. -

, Born on 8 December 1914 in Tay Ninh PrOVince, southwestern Vietnam, Le Van Tha was educated in France. One source has identified him as a member of the French'Communist Party. Before bein~ expelled from France in 1951, he attended meetings of the World Peace Council in Paris and Warsaw, was a member of the Central Committee of the Lien Viet Front in France, and was an official in ~ Association of Overseas Vietnamese and tne Over­seas'Vietnamese Cultural Association in Franc,e. He was also reported to be a Viet Minh representa­tive in Bordeaux at some time during this period.

Upoo his return to Vietnam in 1951, Tha was imprisoned by the government until 1953. He was next reported in early 1955 as a leading Lien Viet worker in Saigon who was involved w1tl1'Florth VIifnamese propaganda work. At the same time. he was President of the Teachers Union of South Vietnam and represented the union in the Mutual Aid Committee for the Protection of the Property, Lives, and Security of the People (CEPPVSP). Organized as a welfare society, the CEPPVSP was sooo penetrated by the Communists, who used the group to conduct antigovernment propaganda. Tha was arrested along with other members of the CEPPVSP Executive Committee in July 1955 and reportedly remained in jail until 1961. when he' returned to the "liberated zone" as an active NFLSV worker. He was elected a Vice Chail'man of the Saigon - Cholon - Qia Dinh Committee as a representative of the RadiPfl Socialist ~arty in February 1962. ~ .. e!IfJ

1-36

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LE VAN THINH Le Van Thinh, who has been identified as a

Central Committee member of the NFLSV since 1962, was the first representative of the Front in Havana. He headed the NFLSV mission there frbm July 1962 until Pebruary 1963, when he left Havana for *‘another post.” His next assignment and subsequent activities are unknown, and the most recent available reference to Thinh occurred when he led an NFLSV delegation to the USSR in July 1964.

According to the NFLEV, Le Van Thinh was born in North Vietnam in 1920 and has been a revolu- tionary activist for most of his life. He was reportedly imprisoned at Poulo Condore until 1945, worked for the Viet Minh until the signing of the Geneva Agreements in 1954, and after that joined the anti-Diem resistance. Thinh is said to have been assigned to ‘*participate in conferences abroad” in 1962. In July of that year, when he first went to Cuba, he was identified as vice chairman of the Liberation Workers Association. Thinh, who may be the same person, was listed i r 1953 as a leader of the Vietnam Peasants Associa- tion for National Salvation. (OWPb

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LY VAN SAU Ly Van Sau and Le Van Thinh visited Cuba in

July 1962 on a goodwill tour and remained as permanent representatives of the first foreign representation established by the NFLSV. Sau, a member of the Central Committee of the South Vietnam Liberation Students and Pupils Association, attended the Congress of Youths of Latin h,erica held in Santiago, Chile, in March 1964. (oup1

MA THI CHU In 1963 Ma Thi Chu accompanied her husband,

Nguyen Van Thieu, to Prague, where he‘became permanent representative of the NFLSV and she joined the staff of the NFLSV mission. Hieu reportedly left Prague in the spring of 1961 and returned to Vietnam, and presumably his wife left with him. Ms.+Thi Chu, who is a Central Committee member of both the NFLSV and the

1-37

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LE VAN THINH Le Van Thinh, who has been identified as a

Central Committee momber of the NFLSV since 1962. was the first representative of the Front in Havana. He headed the NFLSV mission there fxom July 1962 until February 1963, when he left Havana for "another post." His next assignment and subsequent activities are unknown, and the most recent available reference to Thinh occurred when he led an NFLSV delegation to the USSR in July 1964.

According to the NFLSV. Le Van Thinh was born in North Vietnam in 1920 and has been a revolu~ tionary activist for most of his life. He was reportedly imprisoned at Poulo Condore until 1945, worked for the Viet Minh until the signing of the Geneva Agreements in 1954, and after that joined the anti-Diem resistance. Thinh is said to have been assigned to "participate in conferences abroad" in 1962. In July of that year, when he first went to Cuba, he was identified as vice chairman of the Liberation Workers Association. A ~Van Thinh. who may be tile same person, was listed i? 1953 as a leader of the Vietnam Peasants Associa­tion for National Salvation. (08IW'

LY VAN SAl) Ly Van Sau and Le Van Thinh visited Cuba in

July 1962 on a goodwill tour and remained as permanent representatives of the first foreign representation established by the NFLSV. Sau, a member of the Central Committee of the South Vietnam Liberation Students and Pupils ASSOCiation, attended the Congress of youths of Latin America held. in Santiago '. Chile, in March 1964. (.PH'l}

MA THI CHl.l In 1963 Ma Thi Chu accompanied her husband,

Nguyen Van Thieu, to Prague, where he-became permanent representative of the NFLSV and she joined the staff of the NFLSV mission. Hieu reportedly left.Prague in the spring of 1966 and returned to Vietnam, and presumably his wife left with him. Ma',Thi Chu, who is. a Central Committee member of both the NFLSV and the

1-37

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Liberation Women's Association, has done consider- able traveling for-those organizations and has attended a number of international conferences of Communist-front organizations. She is a

Saigon while participating in political activ- ities, first against the French after Worla War I1 and later against Ngo Dinh Diem, before escaping to Viet Cong territory about 1959. Like her husband, she has been described by one source as an intellectual who has been attracted to the Viet Cong cause but who is not herself a Commu- nist.

, graduate pharmacist who studied and taught in

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Born in Ca Mau about 1923 or 1924, Ma Thi Chu joined the anti-French resistance in her home area about 1945. She returned home to continue her studies, attending the University of Saigon Faculty of Pharmacy from 1947 to 1952. She mar- ried Nguyen Van Thieu a year before her graduation, and in the years before the 1954 Geneva Agreement

Tho. After 1954#e reportedly taught at thg Faculty of Pharmacy and continued to work against the government. Arrested in early 1958, she was irprisoned for five or s i x months. In 1959 she and her husband were forced to flee Saigon, re- portedly taking refuge in Phnom Penh for a time, and she has worked openly with the Viet Cong since then. In 1960 Ma Thi Chu attended the Fifth Con- ference of the Vietnamese Medical Workers Associa- tion, which may have been held in Hanoi. She was elected to the Central Committee of the Liberation Women's Association in December 1361 and has been an NFLSV Central Committee member since February 1962. Ma Thi Chu has also been a member of the South Vietnam Afro-Asian Solidarity Committee since about the same time.

she is s a u t o h e oderated a drugstore in Can -

. . . .

In early 1962 Ma Thi Chu began a round of visits to a number of countries, including China, the Soviet Union, East Germany, and Czechoslovakia, as well ds Indonesia, Guinea, Mali, and Algeria. As a member of the South Vietnam Peace Committee, she headed a delegation to the World Peace Council meeting in Warsaw in June 1963. Later that month she participated in meetings of the International Women's Congress in MOSCOW, and after a visit to

Liberation Women's Association, has done consider­able traveling for. those organizations and has attended a number of international conferences of Communist-tront organizations. She is a graduate pharmacist who studied and taught in Saigon while participating in political activ­ities, tirst against the French atter Worla War ]] and later against Ngo Dinh Diem, before escaping to Viet Cong territory ,about 1959. Like her husband, she has been described by one source as an intellectual who has been attracted to the Viet Cong cause but who is not herself a Commu­nist.

Born in Ca Mau about 1923 or 1924, Ma Thi Chujoined the anti-French resistance in her home area about 1945. She returned home to continue her studies. attending the University ot Saigon Faculty of Pharmacy from 1947 to 1952. She mar­ried Nguyen Van Thieu a year before her graduation, and in the years before·the 1954 Gelleva Agreement she is s~to hll§ o~erated a drugstore in Can Tho. After 1954 Whe reportedly taught at the Faculty of Pharmacy and continued to work against the government. Arrested in early 1958, she was ireprisoned for five or six months. In 1959 she and her husband were forced to flee Saigon. re­portedly taking refuge in Phnom Penh for a time, and she has worked openly with the Viet Cong since then. In 1960 Ma Thi Chu attended the Fifth Con­ference of the Vietnamese Medical Workers Associa­tion, which may have been held in Hanoi. She was elected to the Central Committee of the Liberation Women's Association in December 1~61 and has been an NFLSV Central Committee member since February 1962. Ma Thl Chu has also been a member of the South Vietnam Afro-Asian Solidarity Committee since about the same time.

In early 1962 Ma Th1 Chu began ~ round of visits to a number of countries, including China, the Soviet Union, ~ast Germany, and Czechoslovakia, as well as Indonesia, Guinea, Mali, and Algeria. As a member of the South Vietnam Peace Committee, she headed a delegation to the World Peace Council meeting in Warsaw in June 1963. Later that month she partiCipated in meetings of the International Women's Congress in Moscow, and after a visit to

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Peking, s h e a r r i v e d i n Prague. She was an NFLSV d e l e g a t e to t h e World Peace Congress i n Hels inki i n Ju ly 1965, v i s i t e d Hungary and Bulgaria in September, and a t tended t h e Women's International Democratic Federa t ion meeting i n Salzburg i n October and t h e Congress of French Women i n Novem- ber .

Ma T h i Chu and h e r husband have a t least one c h i l d . She r e n o r t e d l y has s e v e r a l b ro the r s and sisters who e i t h e r are or have been working for t h e Viet Cong. (SBOIWLI) c

MI DOAN M i Doan, whose name has a l s o appeared a s hi

Doan, is a Vice Pres iden t of t h e South V i e t n a m Libera t ion Women's Associat ion and of t h e High- land People 's Autonomy Movement. A member of t h e J a r a i n a t i o n a l i t y , s h e is probably i d e n t i c a l wi th t h e Buu Doan who was e l e c t e d a Vice Chairman of t h e Women's Libera t ion Association i n Decem- bm 1961. Buu Doan, who is a3so of t h F J a r a i t r i b e , was descr ibed a t t h e time of her election a s Vice Chairman of t h e People 's Committee of t h e Tay Nguyen Autonomous Zone ( a l s o known a s t h e Highland People ' s Autonomy Movement) and a d e l e g a t e of t h e montagnard women. ,

M i Doan was r epor t ed ly born i n a smal l hamlet of Darlac Province i n 1923 and p a r t i c i p a t e d i n t h e anti-French r e s i s t a n c e movement from 1950 u n t i l t h e s i g n i n g of t h e Geneva Accords. She is s a i d to have been a c t i v e i n promotional work fo r t h e V i e t Cong since 1954, p a r t i c u l a r l y w i t h r e s p e c t to p r o s e l y t i z i n g fo r t h e People 's Liberat ion Forces. She is a member of t h e Darlac Committee of t h e NFLSV. (CUStQ

_.

NGWEN CHI THANH General Nguyen C h i Thanh, a member of t h e

P o l i t b u r o and S e c r e t a r i a t of t h e North Vietnamese Lao Dong Pa r ty , is not known t o have made a pub- l i c appearance i n North Vietnam s i n c e l a t e 1964. C o n s i s t e n t and numerous r e p o r t s from in t e r roga ted V i e t Cong c a p t i v e s or d e f e c t o r s . f o r t h e pasat: year have s t r o n g l y suggested t h a t Thanh is i n South

1-39, i

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Peking, she arrived in Prague. She was an NFLSV delegate to the World Peace Congress in Helsinki in July 1965, visited Hungary and Bulgaria in September, and attended the Women's International Democratic Federation meeting in Salzburg in October and ~he Congress of French Women in Novem­ber.

Ma Thi Chu and her husband have at least one child. She renortedly has several-brothers and sisters who either are or have been working for the Viet Congo (SiiRiW)

MI DOAN Mi Doan, whose name has also appeared as Ami

Doan, is a Vice President of the South Vietnam Liberation Women's Association and of the High­land People's Autonomy Movement. A member of the Jarai nationality, she is probably identical with the Buu Doan who was elected a Vice Chairman of the Women's Liberation Association in Decem­h~ 1961. Buu Doan, who is a~so of theJarai tribe, was described at the time of her election as Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of the Tay Nguyen Autonomous Zone (also known as the Highland People's Autonomy Movement) and a delegate of the montagnard women. , -

Mi Doan was reportedly born in a small

-

hamlet of Darlac Province in 1923 and participated in the anti-French resistance movement from 1950 until the signing of the Geneva Accords. She is said to have been active in promotional work for the Viet Cong since 1954, particularly with respect to proselytizing for the People's Liberation Forces. She is a member of the Darlac Committee of the NFLSV. (~

NGUYEN CHI THANH General Nguyen Chi Thanh, a member of the

Politburo and Secretariat of the North Vietnamese Lao Dong Party, is not known to have made a pub­lic appearance in North Vietnam since late 1964. Consistent and numerous reports from interrogated Viet Cong captives or defectors -for the pa~'t;_year have strongly suggested that Thanh is in South

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Vietnam, and it seems f a i r l y well e s t a b l i s h e d t h a t he is t h e t o p Viet Cong commander i n t he South. He is r epor t ed to head both t h e po l i t i ca l and t h e m i l i t a r y departments of t h e Central Office for South Vietnam (COSVN), t h e headquar te rs f o r t h e Communist war effor t i n South Vietnam. Although he has not pe r sona l ly appeared i n Hanoi, Thanh is t h e author of s e v e r a l articles on t h e war i n t h e South which have been publ ished dur ing 1966 i n t h e Lao Dong Pa r ty t h e o r e t i c a l j o u r n a l Hoc Tap. There seems to be some j u s t i f i c a t i o n f o r the theory t h a t a w t h e r serious conflict on t h e proper pursudt of t h e war ex i s t s between Thanh and General Vo Nguyen Giap, North Vietnam's t o p m i l i - t a r y a u t h o r i t y , who have long been regarded as b i t t e r p e r s o m l r i v a l s .

c a l Directorate of t h e People 's Army of Vietnam (PAVNfrom 1950 u n t i l 1961, when he was t rans- f e r r e d t o t h e chairmanship of t h e p a r t y ' s Rura l A f f a i r s Board, He may have he ld t h a t pos t f o r

.- o n l p a few years, however, a l though he cont inued to write a r t i c l e s on collectivization i n a g r i c u l - t u r e u n t i l l a t e 1964. He began t o re-emerge a s a leading spokesman on m i l i t a r y a f f a i r s i n ear ly 1963 wi th a r t i c l e s a t t a c k i n g t h e l e v e l of m i l i - t a r y e f f i c i e n c y and po l i t i ca l i n d o c t r i n a t i o n i n t h e PAVN. Thanh is often termed a pro tege of Pol i tbu ro member Truong Chinh , t h e most prominent North Vietnamese advocate of a ha r sh ly pro-China po l i cy . Thanh remained h ighly v i s i b l e on t h e p o l i t - i c a l and l i t e r a r y s t a g e u n t i l h i s abrupt d i s - appearance i n l a t e 1964.

e i t h e r Thanh Hoa or Thua Thien Province, prob- ab ly t h e la t ter . H e a t t ended school i n Hue u n t i l about 1936, when he r e p o r t e d l y ob ta ined a teaching p o s i t i o n i n Hanoi. S h o r t l y a f t e r com- p l e t i n g h i s formal educa t ion , Thanh came under t h e inf luence of To Huu and j o i n e d t h e P a r t i Comunis te Indochinois (PCI). He .was r-edly a r r e s t e d i n 1939 acd escaped t o China i n 1941, where he a t tended t h e m i l i t a r y school i n Yenan. Roports vary ; bu t a l l e g e d l y he r e tu rned to Viet- nam about 1944 and organized a Communist youth

Nguyen C h i Thanh headed t h e G e n e r a l Poli t i-

Nguyen Chi Thanh was born about 1915 i n

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Vietnam, and it see.s fairly well established that he is the top Viet Cong commander in the South. Be is reported to head both the political and the military departments of the Central Office for South Vietnam (COSVN), the headquarters for the Communist war effort in South Vietnam. Although he has not personally appeared in Hanoi, Thanh is the author of several articles on the war in the South which have been published during 1966 in the Lao Dong Party theoretical journal Hoc Tap. There seems to be some justification for the theory that a ~ther serious conflict on the proper pursl,ldt of the war exists. between Thanh and General Vo Nguyen Giap, Uorth Vietnam's top mili­tary authority, who have long been regarded·as bitter persoD~1 rivals.

Nguyen Chi Thanh headed the General Politi­cal Directorate of the People's Army of Vietnam (PA~from 1950 until 1961, when he was trans­ferred to the chairmanship of the party's Rural Affairs Board. He may have held that post for

,

onl~a few years, however, although he continued ---to write articles on collectivization in agricul-ture until late 1964. He began to re-emerge as a leading spokesman on military affairs in early 1963 with articles attacking the level of mili-tary efficiency and political indoctrination in the PAVN. Thanh is often termed a protege of Politburo member Truong Chinh, the most prominent North Vietnamese advocate of a harshly pro-China policy. Thanh x'emafned highly visible on the polit-ical and litorary stage until his abrupt dis-appearance in late 1964.

Nguyen Chi Thanh was born about 1915 in either Thanh Hoa or Thua Thien PrOVince, prob­ably the latter. He attended school in Hue until about 1936, when he reportedly obtained a teaching position in Hanoi. Shortly after com­pleting his formal education, Thanh came under the influence of To Huu and joined the Parti Communiste Indochinois (PCI). He .was reportedly arrested in 1939 acd escaped to China in 1941, where he attended the military school in Yenan. Roports vary; but allegedly he returned to Viet­nam about 1944 and organized a Communist youth

1-40

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movement. The following year h e was a c t i v e i n c e n t r a l Vietnam, where he was involved i n a massacre of d i s s i d e n t Vietnamese Communist pro- v i n c i a l o f f ic ia l s . Ilkspite t h e f a c t t h a t he came under severe criticism for h i s par t i n the @ang Ngai massacre, Thanh was sent to t h e USSR for d o c t r i n a l s tudy u n t i l 1949.

Thanh was named head of t h e General P o l i t i - cal Department of t h e PAVN, responsible to t h e - M i n i s t r y of Nat iona l Defense, i n 1950. He was the originator of t h e “Dan Van” p o l i c y , which sought t o induce servicemen i n t h e French Union forces to desert to the V i e t Yin‘l. During the fol lowing t e n yea r s , Thanh was responsible for p o l i t i c a l t r a i n i n g and for maintaining good morale among t h e armed forces. His m i s s i o n was to provide the army w i t h a firm grounding i n Com- munist ideology and to i n s t i l l i n t h e s o l d i e r s the proper “human s p i r i t , ” which he def ined in 1958 a s “complete devot ion to revolu t ion .‘* When Thanh was promoted to t h e rank of senior gene ra l i n 1960, t h e on ly senior p a r t y o f f i c i a l kee4des Ciap t o hold t h i s rank, i t was specula ted t h a t it was a p o l i t i c a l promotion intended t o p lace t h e army under more direct p o l i t i c a l con t ro l . About t h i s time Giap was not iceably absent from r e c e p t i o n s and p u b l i c func t ions and there were indicat ions t h a t he was opposing Thanh’s pol icy of us ing t h e army a s a g i a n t labor corps. When

1961, it was specula ted t h a t t h e p re s su re on Giap would lessen and t h a t Thanh’s new appoint- ment would p l a c e h im i n a post less th rea t en ing t o t h e m o d e r a t e s . Thanh’s deputy. Song Hao, was named a s t h e new PAVN p o l i t i c a l commissar.

During h i s assignment. a s p o l i t i c a l commissar, Thanh was named t o s e v e r a l o t h e r s i g n i f i c a n t pos ts . His e l e c t i o n as chairman of t h e Vietnam Youth Fed- e r a t i o n in 1950 placed him i n a positiOC t o direct both t h e po l i t i ca l ar-d the d l i t a r g tci?:king of youth along p a r t y l i n e s . He he ld t h i s posit ion u n t i l 1956, when t h e f ede ra t ion was merged into t h e new Vie tnam Youth U n i o n . t h e P o l i t b u r o and Central Committee of t h e Lao DoJg P a r t y when i t was formally organized i n 1951

Thanh Was relievedof h i s m i l i t a r y pos i t i on i n I

Thanh was named t o

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movement. The f~llow1ng year he was active in central Vietnam. where he was involved in a massacre of dissident Vietnamese Communist pro­vincial officials. ,Despite the fact thaot he came under severe criticism for his part in the Quang Ngai massacre, Thanh was sent to the USSR for doctrinal study until 1949.

Thanh was named head of the General Politi­cal Department of the PAVN, resronsible to the

_ Ministry of National Defense. in 1950. He was the originator of the "Dan Van" policy, which sought to induce servicemen in the French Union forces to desert to the Viet Min~. During the following teD years, Thanh was responsible for political training and for maintaining good morale among the armed forces. His mission was to provide the army with a firm grounding in Com­munist ideology and to instill in the soldiers the proper "human spirit," which he defined in 1958 as "complete devotion to revolution." When Thanh was promoted to the rank of senior general

#- .... _ ... -,---

in 1960, the only senior party official beiM.des _ Giap to hold this rank, it was speculated that it was a political promotion intended to place the army under more direct political control. About this time Giap was noticeably absent from receptions and public functions and there were indications that he was opposing Thanh's policy of using the army as a giant labor corps. When Thanh was relieved of his milt tary position in • 1961, it was speculated that the pressure on Giap would lessen and that Thanh's new appoint-ment would place him in a post less threatening to the moderates. Thanh's deputy. Song Hao, was named as the new PAVN political commissar.

During his assignment as political commissar. Thanh was named to several other significant posts. His election as chairman of the Viet.nam Youth Fed­eration in 1950 placed him in a rosi:ian to direct both the poB tical ar~d thE' r.d 11 tar~· tr:i!:king of youth along party lines. He held this position until 1956, when the federation was merged into the new Vietnam youth Union. Thanh was named to the Politburo and Central Committee of the Lao Do~g Party when it was formally organized in 1951

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and was identified a s a member of t h e S e c r e t a r i a t i n 1952. I n 1954 he r e p o r t e d l y c o l l a b o r a t e d wi th Giap i n o rgan iz ing and d i r e c t i n g t h e Dien B i e n Phu campaign. The fol lowing year he was named to t h e Cen t ra l Committee of t h e Vietnam Father- land Front and was i d e n t i f i e d as a member of the Propaganda Committee of t h e National Lien Viet Front. I n A957 he was a member of t h e Directorate for In t e rna l Af fa i r s , . r e spons ib l e for d i r e c t i n g c u r r e n t affairs of t h e p a r t y atidmanaging f i n a n c i a l a f f a i r s .

Dong Pa r ty , he ld i n 1960, Thanh was r e -e l ec t ed t o h i s p a r t y p o s i t i o n s and became a member of t h e National Defense Council and a deputy to t h e Na- t i o n a l Assembly from t h e Vinh Linh area. H i s removal from t h e PAVN and subsequent appointment a s Director of t h e Rural Affairs Board p laced him i n a vu lne rab le p o s i t i o n , fo r a g r i c u l t u r a l fa i lures could have led to h i s t o t a l e c l i p s e . His appointment waTpresulitgbly intended to speed up t h e tempo of coopera t iv i za t ion , t h e Communist euphemism f o r t h e collectivization of a g r i c u l t u r e . Nguyen Huu Khieu was i d e n t i f i e d a s head of t h e Rural Affairs Board a s e a r l y a s February 1963, and it can be assumed t h a t he was Thanh’s r ep lace - ment. I t was about t h i s time t h a t Thanh reappeared a s a spokesman on m i l i t a r y a f f a i r s ; he was re- e l e c t e d a member of t h e Nat ional Defense Council i n J u l y 1964.

A t t h e Thi rd National Congress of t h e Lao‘.

; I n 1958 Thrnh l e d d a l e g a t i o n s ’ t o p a r t y con- gresses i n Czechoslovakia and Bu lga r i a , and i n 1960 he accompanied Ho C h i Minh to Moscow to a t t e n d t h e c e l e b r a t i o n s for t h e 43rd October Revolution. The fol lowing year he l e d a DRV de lega t ion to t h e North Korean Pa r ty Congress. H e has been awarded both t h e M i l i t a r y Second C l a s s Medal and t h e Order of Victory , F i r s t Class . Thanh r e p o r t e d l y speaks Russian and Chinese. H e u s e s t h e a l i a s e s San D i and Anh Sao i n South V i e t - ll-. (sEq0pI;Pp - .--.

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and was identified as a member of the Secretariat in 1952. In 1954 he reportedly collaborated with Giap in organizing and directing the Dien Bien Phu campaign. The following year he was' named to the Central Committee of the Vietnam Father­land Front and was identified as a member of the Propaganda Committee of the National Lien Viet Front. In ~957 he was a member of the Directorate for Internal Affairs,. responsible for directing current affairs of the party andmanaging financial affairs.

At the Third National Congress of the Lao" Dong Party, held in 1960, Thanh was re-elected to bis party positions and became a member of the National Defense Council and a deputy to the Na­tional Assembly from theVinh Linh area. His removal from the PAVN and subsequent appointment as Director of the Rural Affairs Board placed him in a vulnerable position, for agricultural failures could have led to his total eclipse. His appointment wa1r*presu~ly intended to speed up the tempo of cooperativization, the Communist euphemism for the collectivization of agriculture. Nguyen Huu Khieu was identified as head of the Rural Affairs Board as early as February 1963, and it can be assumed that he was Thanh's replace­ment. It was about this time that Thanh reappeared as a spokesman on military affairs; he was re­elected a member of the National Defense Council in July 1964 •

, In 1958 ThAnh led delegations" to party con­gresses in Czechoslovakia and Bulgaria, and in

'1960 he accompanied Ho Cbi Minh to Moscow to attend the celebrations for the 43rd October Revolution. The following year he led a DRV delegation to the North Korean Party Congress. He bas been awarded both the Military Second Class Medal and the Order of Victory, First Class. Thanh reportedly speaks Russian and Chinese. He uses the aliases San Di and Anh Sao in South Viet-nam. (SiqiS' -_ ...

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NGUYEN DON Major General Nguyen Don, commander of t h e

Viet Cong M i l i t a r y Zone V since about 1961, has been a d d i t i o n a l l y i d e n t i f i e d a s Secre ta ry o f t h e People 's Revolutionary Pa r ty i n Zone V , located i n central Vie tnam. H e was named an a l t e r n a t e member of the C e n t r a l Committee of t h e North Vietaamese Lao Don Par ty in 1960,

agreements, he has spen t most of h i s career as - a m i l i t a r y commander i n South Vie tnm.

Don was probably born about 1914 i n Quang Ngai Province. H e is t h e son of a poor peasant family and apparent ly has had l i t t l e formal education. A former m i l i t a r y a s s o c i a t e 02 Don's who was captured by South Vietnamese a u t h o r i t i e s states t h a t Don j o i n e d t h e Communist movement w h i l e young and was arrested by t h e French i n 1940 and imprisoned for sweral years , i n t h e course of Fdlnch h e and sonie of his feltow p r i s o m r s organized a r e v o l t , took over t h e p r i son , and set up a Viet Minh platoon i n which Don was made squad leader. He i s said t o have been a p o l i t i c a l O f f i c e r i n s e v e r a l Viet Minh regiments from 1946 to 1950, and for t h e fo l lowing f o u r yea r s h e was chief of s ta f f of In te rzone V. H e apparent ly w e n t no r th af ter t h e 1954 agreements, was made a major gene ra l i n t h e People ' s Army of V i e t n a m and h e l d s e v e r a l m i l i t a r y commands i n c e n t r a l Vietnam nor th of t h e 1 7 t h p a r a l l e l . He re tu rned to t h e South about 1961 and assumed h i s present command and p a r t y pos i t i on .

General Don's former m i l i t a r y associate has described Don a s relaxed, popular w i t h h i s sub- o r d i n a t e s , i n t e l l i g e n t , and honest; bu t h e adds t h a t Don is hampered by being too slow to a c t in a crisis, m i s t r u s t f u l o f ' a l l except h i s closest a s s o c i a t e s , and possessed of i n s u f f i c i e n t educa- t i o n f o r h i s r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s . Don is married and h a s a t least one ch i ld . Be r e p o r t e d l y speaks some Chinese. (C+?R9

b u t except for a few + years a ter t h e 1954 Geneva

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NGUYEN HOC Elected t o the NFLS'? C e n t r a l Committee in

January 1964, Nguyen HOC is t h e secret name of

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NGUYEN DON Major General Nguyen Don, commander of the

Viet Cong Military Zone V since about 1961, has been additionally identified as Secretary of the People's Revolutionary Party in Zone V, located in central Vietnam. He was named an altern'ate member of the Central Committee of the North Viet~amese Lao Don, Party in 1960, but except for a few years a tel' tbe 1954 Geneva agreements, he has spent most of his career as a milltary commander in South Vietn~ ••

Don was probably born about 1914 in Quang

-Ngai Province. He is the son of a poor peasant family and apparently has had little formal education. A former military associate of Don's who was captured by South Vietnam~se authorities states that Don joined the Communist movement while young and was arrested by the French in 1940 and imprisoned for se'leral years, in the course of ~ch he and some of his fel~ow prisoners -organized a revolt, took over the prison, and set up a Viet Minh platoon in which -Don was made squad leader. He is said to have been a political officer in several Viet Minh regiments from 1946 to 1950, and for the following four years he was chief of staff of Interzone V. He apparently went north after the 1954 agreements, was mad~ a major general in the People's Army of Vietnam and beld s~veral military commands in central Vietnam north of the 17th parallel. He returned to the South about 1961 and assumed his present command and party position.

General Don's former military associate has described Don as relaxed, popular with his sub­ordinates, intelligent, and honest; but he adds that Don is hampered by being too slow to act in a crisis, mistrustful of'all except his closest associates, and possessed of insufficient educa­tion for his responsibilities. Don is married and has_- at least one child. He repol'tedly speaks some Cllinese. (08,1"') -'.-

NGUYEN HOC Elected to the NFLSV Central Committee in

January 1964, Nguyen Hoc is the secret name of

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8 lawyer in Saigon, according to the announce- ment made by the front of its new officials. (-

N G W E N EIUU THE Nguyen Huu The served on the first N F M V

Cantral Committee and in January'l964was elected 'to the Central Committee Presidium. President of the Sovii:h Vietnam Liberation Peasants Association, an NPLSV affiliate. In Novembw 1964 The was named to an NFLSV committee for flood relief in the central'Vietnanese provinces. (m

He is also

NGWEN.HUU THO A Cochinchinese lawyer with a long history

of ac:ivity in Communist-front causes, Nguyen Huu Tho has been Chairman of the Presidium of the Central Committee of the NFLSV since Harch 1962. Tho's public image is that of a patriotic non- Communist concerned prGarily wi€h achieving a free and democratic Vietnam. He serves as a public spokesman for the front, often granting interviews to foreign newsmen and sending messages to other Communist leaders and governments. Tho is rumored to have some connections with Prince Sihanouk of Cambodia, and he has often included words of praise for Cambodia's enlightened poli- cies under Slhanouk in his public statements setting forth NFLSV polic!.es.

Nguyen Iluu Tho was born in Cholon on 10 July 1910 into a family prominent in the Cochinchinese civil. service. According to one press report, his father, Nguyen Huu W a n , was assassinated by the Viet Hinh, but the circumstances, date, and accuracy of this statement are unknown. He studied law in Aix-en-Provence, southern France, during the early 19301s, and began practicing law in Saigon in 1934. He was admitted to the Saigon bar in 1939, practiced law in Vinh Long Province in 1947, and was president of the Tribunal of Can Tho in 1949. In 1947 he report-

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edly was a leader 10 the Mouvement Populaire Cochinchinois, a short-lived socialist but non- Parxist group which originally opposed the Viet Yinh, alihough many of its members later joined the Viet Yinh.

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a lawyer in Saigon, accol'ding to the annO'Jnce­.ent made by the front of its new officials. (enst

NGUYEN HW THE Nguyen Huu The served on the first· NFLSV

Central Committee and in January:1964 was elected 'to the Central Committee Presidium. He is also President .of tile So1L1:h Vietnam Liberation Peasants Association, an NFLS\' affiliate. In Novembl!'r 1964 The was named to an NFLSV committee for flood reHef in the central.' Vietna&lese provinces. (doo)P

NGUYEN ,HVU THO A Cochinchinese lawyer with a long history

of activity in Communist-front causes, Nguyen Huu Tho has been Chairman of the Presidium of the Central COmmittee of the NFLSV since March 1962. Tho's public image is that of a patriotic non-

~ COmmunist concerned prImarily with achieving a free and democratic Vietnam. He serves as a public spokesman for the front, often granting interviews to foreign newsmen and sending messages to ot~er Communist leaders and governments. Tho is rumored to have some connections with Princ.e Sihanouk of Cambodia, and he has often included wOl'ds of pra:l.se for Cambodia's enlightened poli­cies under Sihanouk in his public statements setting forth NFLSV pOlictes.

Nguyen I1uu Tho was born in Cholon on 10 July 1910 into a family prominent in the Cochinchinese civil service. According to one press report, his father, Nguyen Huu Tuan, was assassinated by the Viet Minh, but the Circumstances, date, and accuracy of this statement are unknown, He studied law in Aix-en-Provence, southern France, during the early 1930's, and began practicing law in Saigon in 1934. He was admitted to the Saigon bar in 1939, practiced law in Vinh Long Province in 1947, and was president of the Tribunal of Can· Tho in 1949. In 1947 he report­edly was a leader in the Mouvement Populaire Cochinchinois, a short-lived socialist but non­jarxl~t group which originally opposed the Viet Minh, although many of its members later joined the Viet Minh,

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Tho was r epor t ed ly captured by t h e V i e t Minh a t My Tho i n J u l y 1947. This i n c i d e n t appa ren t ly marks a s i g n i f i c a n t tu rn ing p o i n t i n h i s career, bu t h i s motivation for dec id ing t o subord ina te h i s law p r a c t i c e to a career ps a l e f t - w i n g p o l i t i c a l l eader is unknown. A French j o u r n a l i s t who t a l k e d wi th Tho i n 1965 s ta tes t h a t Tho was captured while d r i v i n g in t h e South Vietnam countryside. Apparently quot- i n g Tho, he continues t h a t t he NFLSV l e a d e r expected to be criticize8 for h i s connections wi th t h e Saigon a u t h o r i t i e s and was p l e a s a n t l y s u r p r i s e d when he was t r e a t e d k indly and h i s mis takes were expla ined t o him. Tho probably remained wi th t h e guer r i l l a f o r c e s for s e v e r a l months, dur ing which time h i s self-criticism was accepted and he made t h e dec is ion to become a member of t h e resistance. He is quoted a s having comen ted t h a t he fe l t g u i l t y about h i s f a i l u r e to s e r v e h i s country and soon decided th& although-he still had no p o l i t i c a l a f f l l i a - t ion , h e would j o i n t h e resistance movement.

O f f i c i a l NFLSV blographles claim Tho p a r t i - c i p a t e d from 1947 to 1949 i n a t tempts by "Saigon i n t e l l e c t u a l s " to force French - Viet Minh nego- t i a t i o n s , e l i m i n a t e t h e Bao Dai government, and e s t a b l i s h independence and democracy i n Vietnam.

He is s a i d t o have defended many * 'pa t r io t s" who were persecuted by t h e French c o l o n i a l re- gime dur ing t h e resistance period between t h e end of World War I1 and t h e Geneva Accords i n 1954. I n June 1949 he was a member of t h e dele- g a t i o n which presented t o French a u t h o r i t i e s t h e manifesto purpor ted ly s igned by nea r ly 900 lead- i n g i n t e l l e c t u a l s of t h e Saigon-Cholon a rea which urged France to resume direct negotiations w i t h Ho Chi Minh. During t h e same time he was i d e n t i - f i ed a s an e d i t o r of Pour l a Paix, a c l a n d e s t i n e Viet Minh-supported newspaper in Saigon. On 19 March 1950, when t h e US Seventh F l e e t v i s i t e d Saigon i n behalf of t he French, Tho made a speech which i n c i t e d a r i o t and a march on the US sh ips . Arres ted by Vietnamese a u t h o r i t i e s , he was re- l eased on b a i l a f e w days l a t e r but vias r e a r - rested by t h e French i r Apr i l and de ta ined a t

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Tho was reportedly captured by the Viet Minh at My Tho in July 1947. This incident apparently marks a significant turning point in his career, but his motivation for deciding to sUbordinate his law practice to a career ~s a left-wine political leader is unknown. A French' journalist who talked with Tho in 1965 states that Tho was captured while driving in the South Vietnam countryside. Apparently quot­ing Tho, he continues th~t the NFLSV leader expected to be criticizea for his connections with the Saigon authorities and was pleasantly surprised when he was treated. kindly and his mistakes were explained to him. Tho probably remained with the guerrilla forces for several months, during which time his self-criticism was accepted &nd he made the decision +'0 become a member of the r~sistance. He is quoted as having commented that he felt guilty about his failure to serve his country and soon decided th~ although-he .still had no political affilia­tion, he would join the resistance movement • . .

Official NFLSV biographies claim Tho parti­Cipated from 1947 to 1949 in attempts by "Saigon intellectuals" to·force French·.,. Viet Minh nego­tiations, eliminate the Bao Dai government, and establish independence and democracy in Vietnam.

He is said to have defended many "patriots" who were persecuted by the French colonial re­gime during the resistance period between the end of World War II and the Geneva Accords in 1954. In June 1949 he was a member of the dele M

gation which presented to French authorities the manifesto purportedly signed by nearly 900 lead­ing intellectuals of the Saigon-Cholon area which urged France to resume direct negotiations with Ho Chi Minh. During the same time he was identi­fied as an editor of Pour la Paix, a clandestine Viet Minh-supported newspaper in Saigon. On 19 March 1950, when the US Seventh Fleet visited. Saigon in behalf of the French, Tho made a speech which incited a. riot and a march on the US ships. Arrested by Vietnamese authorities, he was re­leased on bail a few days later but was rear­rested by the French ir. April and detained at

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h i Chau i n nor thern Vietnam u n t l l October 1952. Granted amnesty by t h e South Vietnamese govern- ment , he r e tu rned to Saigon immediately and presumably continued with h i s law p r a c t i c e .

I n August 1954 t h e Movement for t h e Defense of Peace (MDP) was e s t a b l i s h e d i n Saigon w i t h Tho as a vice chairman and C e n t r a l Committee member. Tho has r e c e n t l y claimed t h a t t h e MDP rep resen ted t h e real origin of t h e NFLSV. On 11 November 1954 Tho, along w i t h about 23 other MDP members, was a r r e s t e d . He was imprisoned a t G i a Dinh u n t i l t h e following February, when he WIIS sent t o Haiphong under house arrest. The government an- nounced o r i g i n a l l y t h a t t h e a r r e s t e d MDP members would be allowed to choose whether they would re- main i n t he North or r e t u r n t o the South by May 1955, when Haiphong was t o be t r a n s f e r r e d to t h e Democratic Republic of Vietnam. I t is not c l e a r whether Tho was eve r a c t u a l l y permi t ted to make t h i s dec i s ion , o r i f so, what h i s dec i s ion w a s , uut he was removed from Haiphong bbfore t h e t r ans - fer and sent t o a concent ra t ion camp i n P h m n - Provlnce, where he remained for almost sewn yea r s .

but accounts of t h e manner of h i s release vary . The SouthVietnamese p r e s s h a s s a i d t h a t he was r e l e a s e d on pa ro le and escaped, but NFLSV sources say he was " l i b e r a t e d by t h e local people" OP t h a t he "escaped with t h e people ' s help." He was p resen t a t t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n a l meeting of the NFLSV on 3 March 1962, a t which he was e l e c t e d Chairman of t h e Cen t ra l Committee. I n h i s ac- ceptance speech, Tho presented h imsel f a s a non- Marxist p a t r i o t whose enemies had l abe led him a Communist ro j u s t i f y h i s imprisonment and to d i s - c r e d i t h i s work i n behalf of t h e people . Since t h a t t i m e he has apparent ly remained i n the NFLSV-controlled a r e a , a l though i n February 1963 he was i d e n t i f i e d a s a de l ega te t o t h e Warsaw meeting of t h e International Associat ion of Democratic Lawyers.

Tho speaks French f l u e n t l y . He is married t o tfie former Clemen t ine Duong T h i Chung, and they have a t least two sons. I t h a s been r epor t ed t h a t t h e i r two o l d e r sons both work f o r t h e NFLSV but t h a t they r a re ly see each o t h e r or t h e i r f a t h e r .

Tho has been a t l i b e r t y since December 1961,

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Lai Chau in northern Vietnam unt:ll October 1952. Granted amnesty by the South Vietnamese govern­ment, he returned to Saigon immediately and presumably continued with his law practice.

In August 1954 the Movement for the Defense of Peace (MDP) was established in Saigon with Tho as a vice chairman and Central Committee member. Tho has recently claimed that the MDP represented the real origin of the NFLSV. On 11 November 1954 Tho, along with about 23 other MDP m~~bers, was

_ arrested. He was imprisoned at Gia Dinh until the following February, when he WIIS sent to Haiphong under house arrest. The government an-

·nounced originally that the arrested MDP members would be allowed to choose whethex' they would re­main in the North or return to the, South by May 1955, when Haiphong was to be transferred to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. It is not clear whether Tho was ever actually permitted to make this decisiQn, or if so, what his decision was, out he was removed from Haiphong before the trans­fer and sent to a concentration camp in Phu-¥en ~ Prov.tnce, where he remained for almost sev<:In years.

Tho has been at :libertl1 ~ince December 1961, but accounts of the manner of his release varl'. The. South Vietnamese press has said that he wa~; relea.sed on parole and escaped, but NFLSV sources say h.~ was "liberated by the local people" o\' that he "escaped with the people's help." He was present at the organizational meeting of the NFLSV on 3 March 1962, at which he was elected Chairman of the Central Committee. In his ac­ceptance speech, Tho presented himself as a non­Marxist patriot whose enemies had labeled him a Communist to justify his imprisonment and to dis­credit his work in behalf of the people. Since that time he has apparently remained in the NFLSV-controlled area, although in February 1963 he was identified as a delegate to the Warsaw meeting of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers •.

Tho speaks French fluent ly. He is: marl'ied to t~e former Clementine Duong Thi Chung, and they have at least two sons. It has been reported that their two older sons both work for the NFLSV but that they rarely see each other or their fa ther • (.SEC ... ' .

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NGUYEN MINH PHWNG On 18 September 1964 Nguyen Minh Phuong

was appointed deputy head of t he NFLSV permanent mission i n Peking. A member of t h e Central Committee of t h e South Vietnam Libera t ion Federa- t i o n of Trade Unions (formerly t h e Libera t ion Labor Association), he has done cons iderable t r a v e l i n g for t h e front dur ing t h e las t two years. Phuong often s e r v e s a s act ing ch ie f of t h e NFLSV Peking m i s s i o n dur ing t h e absences o f mission head Tran Van Thanh. H e makes f requent publ ic speeches and s t a t emen t s and is usua l ly i n evidence when d e l e g a t i o n s from t h e NFLSV and t h e Democratic Republic of V i e t n a m a r r i v e i n China.

terviewed Phuong, he was born i n southernVietnam about 1924, is a former r a i l r o a d worker, and worked i n t h e f ie ld of economics i n t h e south be fo re j o i n i n g t h e NFLSV. He was first i d e n t i - f i e d i n connect ion w i t h t h e f r o n t i n May 1963 when lie l e d a delegat- t:, GYna r ep resen t ing t h e L ibe ra t ion Labor Association. I n August he w e n t t o Cuba f o r revolu t ionary anniversary cele- b r a t i o n s , and i n December he accompanied Nguyen Van Hieu on a t r i p to Moscow. Phuong l e d an NFLSV de lega t ion t o Peking i n J u l y 1964 for c e l e b r a t i o n s of t h e t e n t h anniversary of t h e s i g n i n g of t h e Geneva Accords. H e was again i n Peking i n August a s deputy head of t h e NFLSV de lega t ion t o t h e Peking Symposium, and e a r l i e r i n September, before assuming his c u r r e n t p o s t , h e was t h e l e a d e r of a Liberat ion Red Cross de le- ga t ion i n China. I t seems poss ib l e t h a t he had been i n China cont inuously s ince J u l y , but t h e Peking announcement of t h e a r r i v n l gf t he NFLSV permanent de l ega t ion s t a t e d only t h a t t h e delega- t i o n members a r r i v e d i n Peking by t r a i n on 18 September.

According t o a Japanese j o u r n a l i s t who in-

NGUYEN NGOC DUNG Mrs. Nguyen Ngoc Dung is a member of t h e

C e n t r a l Committee of t h e Liberat ion Students and Pup i l s Assoc ia t ion , a component of t h e NFLSV. She made a v i s i t to C h i n a i n A p r i l 1'64 a s a member of a youth and s tuden t de lega t iun i n v i t e d by t h e A l l - C h i n a South Federat ion and

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NGUYEN MINH PHUONG On 18 September 1964 Nguyen Minh Phuong

was appointed deputy head of the NFLSV permanent mission in Peking. A member of the Central Committee of the South Vietnam Liberation Federa­tion of Trade Unions (formerly the Liberation Labor Association), he has done considerable traveling for the front during the last two years. Phuong often serves as acting chief of the NFLSV Peking mission during the absences of mission head Tran Van Thanh. He makes frequent public speeches and statements and is usually in 'evidence when delegations from the NFLSV and the Democratic Republic of ,Vietnam arrive in China.

According to a Japanese journalist who in­terviewed Phuong, he was born in southern Vietnam about 1924, is a former railroad worker, and worked in the field of economics in the south before joining the NFLSV. He was first identi­fied in connection with the front in May 1963 when he led a delegatieft to Gll6na representing the Liberation Labor Association. In August he went to Cuba for revolutionary anniversary cele­brations, and in December he accompanied Nguyen Van Hieu on a trip to Moscow. Phuong led an NFLSV delegation to Peking in July 1964 f~r celebrations of the tenth anniversary of the signing of the Geneva Accords. He was again in Peking in August as deputy head of the NFLSV delegation to the Peking Symposium, and earlier in September, before assuming his current post, he was the leader of a Liberation Red Cross dele­gation in China. It seems possible that he had been in China continuously since July, but the Peking announcement of the arrival qf the NFLSV permanent delegation stated only that the delega­tion members arrived in Peking by train on 18 September. ~IIIJQ l:

NGUYEN NGOC DUNG Mrs. Nguyen Ngoc Dung is a member of the

Central Committee of the Liberation Students and Pupils Association, a component of the NFLSV. She made a visit to China in April J'64 as a member of a youth and student delegati"n ".nvited by the All-China Youth Federation and

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t h e All-China S tudents Federat ion. Nguyen Ngoc Dung may be i d e n t i c a l with t h e Ngoc Dung who

saw in June 1963 and v i s i t e d Cuba t h e fo l lowing . 'month a s a member of t h e South Vietnam L ibe ra t ion

Women's Association. (w

a t tended a World Peace Council meeting in War- .e-

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NGUYEN NGOC THUONG ..

. Besides s e r v i n g on t h e NFLSV C e n t r a l Committee,

Nguyen Ngoc Thuong is p r e s i d e n t of t h e South V i e t - nam Afro-Asian S o l i d a r i t y Committee and deputy s e c r e t a r y gene ra l of t h e Radical S o c i a l i s t P a r t y , both NFLSV components. A former teacher, Thuong has had a long h i s t o r y of involvement in Communist- f r o n t a c t i v i t i e s . H e of ten i s s u e s propaganda mes- sages and s ta tements f o r t h e NFLSV, and in March 1966 he was named a member of t h e f ron t ' s newly

US I m p e r i a l i s t s and t h e i r Lackeys' War C r i m e s in H e was e l e c t e d a v ice chairman

of t he South Vie tnam Patrio3ic TeachFrs Associa- t i o n when i t was formed in May 1964.

Thuong's o f f i c i a l NFLSV biographies s t a t e t h a t he was born i n Cholon i n 1923 i n t o a mandarin family of t h e o l d regime. H e appa ren t ly s t u d i e d a t t h e U n i v e r s i t i e s of Hanoi and Saigon, has taught a t s e v e r a l Saigon schoo l s , and is a former p r e s s agent for t h e newspaper Cong Ly ( J u s t i c e ) .

. H i s WLSV biography claims t h a t Thuong was a c t i v e in t h e Movement for the Defense of Peace (MDP) and was a r r e s t e d because of t h i s . Although there is no r e f e r e n c e t o t h i s a c t i v i t y under t h e name Nguyen Ngoc Thuong, a p ro fes so r r e f e r r e d t o v a r i o u s l y

appear in t h e MDP membership r o l l s and is un- doubtedly t h e same person. He was one of t h e approximately 23 MDP l e a d e r s who were a r r e s t e d s h o r t l y a f t e r t h e founding of t h e movement i n August 1954 and i n e a r l y 1955 were s e n t to t h e c i t y of Haiphong under house a r r e s t . t i o n of t h e government was to have them remain in Haiphong a f te r t h e t r a n s f e r of t h e c i t y to North Vietnamese a u t h o r i t y i n May 1955 u n l a s s they p e t i t i o n e d t o r e t u r n t o the south .

e s t a b l i s h e d committee f o r "Denunciation of t h e . I

a o u t h Vietnam.''

. a s Nguyen Trong Thuong o r Nguyen Trong Chuong does . .

- The i n t e n -

Presumably

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the All-China Students FederatiQn. Nguyen Ngoc Dung may be identical with the Ngoc Dung who attended a World Peace Council meeting in War­saw in June 1963 and visited Cuba t~e fOllowing

'month as a member of the South Vietnam Liberation Women's Association. (Qug)

NGUYEN NooC TRUONG .' .

Besides serving on the NFLSV Central Committee, Nguyen Ngoc Thuong is president of the South Viet­nam Afro-Asian . Solidarity Committee and deputy secretary general of the Radical Socialist Party, both NFLSV components. A former teacher, Thuong has had a long history of involvement in Communist­front activiti~s. He often issues propaganda mes­sages and statements for the NFLSV, and .in March 1966 he was named a member of .the front's newly established committee for "Denunciation of the US Imperialists and their Lackeys' War Crimes in

_~uth Vietnam." He was el~ted a vice chairman of the South Vietnam Patriotic Teachers Associa­tion when it was formed in May 1964.

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Thuong's official NFLSV biographies state that he was born in Cholon in 1923 into a mandarin family of the old regime. He apparently studied at the Universities of Hanoi and Saigon, has taught at several Saigon schools, and is a former press agent for the newspaper Confi Ly (Justice) •

. His NFLSV biography claims that T uong was active in the Movement for the Defense of Peace (MOP) and was arrested because of this. Although there is no reference to this activity under the name Nguyen Ngoc Thuong, a professor referred to variously as Nguyen Trong Thuong or Nguyen Trong Chuong does arpear in the MOP membership rolls and is un­doubtedly the same person. He was one of the approximately 23 MOP leaders who were arrested shortly after the founding of the movement in August 1954 and in early 1955 were sent to the city of Haiphong under house arrest. The inten­tion of the government was to have them remain in Haiphong after the transfer of the city to North Vietnamese authority in May 1955 unl~ss they petitioned to return to the south. Px'esumably

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Thuong chose the latter alternative, but there is no information currently available on his activities between 1955 and 1962. According to the NFLSV biography, he returned to the "liberated zone'l in 1960 and began to participate in viet Corig'resistance activities.

Thuong's name was included on the list of the first NFLSV Central Committee members, and he was identified for tke first time as Presi- dent of the Afro-Asian Solidarity Committee in early June 1962. H i s name has appeared fairly regularly since then in NFLSV-sponsored state- ments condemning US policy i r r Asia. tended the sixth session of the Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Organization, held in Algiers in March 1964. Ngoc Chuong. (w

Thuong at-

His name sometimes appears as Nguyen

NGUYEN TmNH LONG- Nguyen Thanh Long, a former schoolteacher

who was elected a Vice Chairman of the Southern Patriotic Teachers Association on its formation in May 1964, arrived in Moscow a year later a5 a member of the NFLSV permanent delegation there. According to the NFLSV announcement, Long was at one time headmaster of a high school in Baria (Phuoc Le) and a professor at the Thu Khoa Huan High School in My Tho and the Nguyen Hue School in Saigon. He was identified between 1961 and 1963 as a secretary of the Democratic Party and as Chairman of the NFLSV Committees in Phuoc Tuy Province, the Eastern Region Zone, and Baria. In May 1965 a Nguyen Thanh Long, described as a professor, was listed as one of the 140 signers of a letter of thanks to "American intellectuals" who have demanded an end to the US "aggressive warfare" in Vietnam.

A Nguyen Thanh Long was identified in late 1959 as deputy secretary 02 the Viet Cong Nambo Central Committee. Also known as Muoi Trang and Tu Thanh, he was responsible for communica- tions and liaison and for proselytizing of Sauth Vietnamese armed forces personnel. (SOufL.

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Thuong chose the latter alternative, but there is no information currently available on his activities between 1955 and 1962. According

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to the NFLSV biography, he returned to the "liberated zone" in 1960 and began to participate in Viet Cong'resistance activities •

Thuong's name was included on the list of the first NFLSV Central Committee members, and hp. was identified for t~e first time as Presi-dent of the Afro-Asian Solidarity Committee in early June 1962. His name has appeared fairly regularly since then in NFLSV-sponsored state­ments condemning US policy in Asia. Thuong at­tended the sixth session of the Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Organization, held in Algiers in March 1964. His name sometimes appears as Nguyen Ngoc Chuong. (8th!')

NGUYEN T..HANH LONG_ Nguyen Thanh Long, a former schoolteacher

who was elected a Vice Chairman of the Southern Patriotic Teachers Association on its formation in May 1964, arrived in Moscow a year later as a member of the NFLSV permanent delegation there. According to the NFLSV announcement, Long was at one time headmaster of a high school in Baria (Phuoc Le) and a profe&sor at the Thu Khoa Huan High School in My Tho and the Nguyen Hue School in Saigon. He was identified between 1961 and 1963 as a secretary of the Democratic Party and as Chairman of the NFLSV Committees in Phuoc Tuy Province, the Eastern Region Zone, and Baria. In May 1965 a Nguyen Thanh Long, described as a professor, was listed as one of the 140 signers of a letter of thanks to "American intellectuals" who have demanded an end to the US "aggressive warfare"· in Vietnam.

A Nguyen Thanh Long was identified in late 1959 as deputy secretary o~ the Viet Cong Nambo Central Committee. Also known as Muoi Trang and Tu Thanh, he was responsible for communica­tions and liaison and for proselytizing of SQuth Vietnamese armed forces personnel. (80m;)

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NGWEN THI BINH A member of t h e NFLSV C e n t r a l Commit tee since cr

January 1964, Madame Nguyen Thi Binh is one of t h e f r o n t ' s most i n d e f a t i g a b l e travelers and pub l i c relations spokesmen. Every year since 1982 s h e h a s l e d NFLSV de lega t ions t o c o u n t r i e s both i n and o u t of t h e Communist b loc , most r e c e n t l y having a t tended t h e 23rd Congress of t h e Cowmis t P a r t y of t h e Sovie t Union i n Mos- COW i n March 1966. Unlike many of t h e NFLSV

rather than i n southern Vietnam. O f t e n i d e n t i - f i e d as a p ro fes so r by t h e f ront , s h e is s a i d t o g ive a n impression of educat ion and t r a i n i n g . I n March 1966 t h e North Vietnamese theoretical j o u r n a l Hoe Tap, publ ished an a r t i c l e w r i t t e n by Madame B h h on t h e role of women i n t h e war in t h e south . Besides he r Cen t ra l Committee ass ign- ment , Madame Binh is an Executive Committee mem- ber of t h e Libera t ion Youth Assoc ia t ion , t h e Libera t ion S tudents and P u p i l s Assoc ia t ion , and t h e P a t r i o t i c and Democratic J o u r n a l i s t Assc~da- t ion.

According to t h e NFLSV, Nguyen T h i B i n h was

e members, she is repor t ed to l i v e in Hanoi

' born in Saigon i n 1927 i n t o a family of c i v i l s e r - van t s and became a c t i v e i n left-wing causes w h i l e s t i l l a s tuden t dur ing the French domination i n Indochina. She r epor t ed ly became a member of t h e Associat ion of Progressive Women i n 1950 and was a l eade r i n s t u d e n t p r o t e s t movements and i n t h e demonstration a g a i n s t t h e presence of t h e US Seventh F l e e t i n Saigon i n March of t h a t year . The NFLSV biography claims t h a t s h e was i m - pr isoned by t h e French i n 1951 and was not r e l e a s e d u n t i l a f t e r the s ign ing of t h e Geneva Accords i n 1954. She is s a i d to have joined t h e Movement for the Defense of Peace, a group organized i n August 1954 whose membership included many of t h e people who l a t e r made up the NFLSV.

Nguyen T h i B i n h ' s a c t i v i t i e s between 1954 and 1962 a r e unknown, but !n t he l a t t e r year she began a series o f fo re ign v i s i t s i n behalf of var ious components of t h e NFLSV. She a t tended t h e Seventh Congress of t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Union of Students i n Leningrad i n August, made a

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NGUYEN THI BINH A member of the NFLSV Central Committee since

January 1964, Madame Nguyen Thi Binh is one of the front's most indefatigable travelers and public relations spokesmen. Every year since 1962 she has led NFLSV delegations to countries both in and out of the Communist bloc, most recently having attended the 23rd Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in Mos­cow in March 1966. Unlike many of the NFLSV

_members, she is reported to live in Hanoi rather than in southern Vietnam. Often identi­fied as a professor by the front, she is said to give an impression of education and training. In March 1966 the North Vietnamese theoretical journal Hoc Tap, published an article written by Madame Binh on the role of women in the war in the south. Besides her Central Committee assign­ment, Madame Binh is an Executive Committee mem­ber of the Liberation Youth Association, the Liberation Students and Pupils Association, and the Patriotic and Democratic Journalist Ass~­tion.

According to the NFLSV, Nguyen Thi Binh was born in Saigon in ·1927 into a family of civil ser­vants and became active in left-wing causes while still a student during the French domination in Indochina. She reportedly became a member of the Association of Progressive Women in 1950 anu was a leader in student protest movements and in the demonstration against the presence of the US Seventh Fleet in Saigon in March of that year. The NFLSV biography claims that she was im­prisoned by the French in 1951 and was not released until. after the signing of the Geneva Accords in 1954. ·She is said to have joined the Movement for the Defense of Peace, a group organized in August 1954 whose membership included many of the people who later made up the NFLSV.

Nguyen Thi Binh's activities between 1954 and 1962 are unknown, but in the latter year she began a series of foreign visits in behalf of various components of the NFLSV. She attended the Seventh Congress of the International Union of Students in Leningrad in August, made a

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f r i e n d s h i p v i s i t t o Indonesia i n September, and went to Colombo i n November f o r an Asian Economic Seminar meeting. I n February 1963 s h e a t t ended t h e Third Afro-Asian People 's S o l i d a r i t y Con- ference a t Moshi, Tanganyika, r e t u r n i n g to South Vie tnam by way of Cairo. Her next t r i p was to the Afro-Asian J o u r n a l i s t s Conferences i n Djakarta i n Yay, followed by a v i s i t to Burma, and i n June s h e l e d a de lega t ion to Moscow to p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Women's Congress. She w e n t from Moscow t o China a s head of another women's de l ega t ion . I n December she l ed a de le - ga t ion to Indonesia t o commemorate the t h i r d anniversary of t h e founding of t h e NFLSV, i n t h e course of which she t a lked w i t h Indonesian union l e a d e r s and with Pres ident Sukarno and s igned a j o i n t s ta tement condemning US imperialism and

. , t h e Malaysia concept and support ing t h e s t r u g g l e of "workers i n South Vietnam."

She headed a deleg-n to+conference of t he I n t e r n a t i o n a l Students Committee f o r S o l i d a r i t y w i t h t h e S tudents and People of South Vietnam, he ld i n Budapest i n February 1964. I n March s h e went t o Alg ie r s f o r t h e S ix th Conference of t h e Afro-Asian People 's S o l i d a r i t y Organizat ion; in June s h e headed a dc lega t ion t o t h e second Asian Economh Forum i n Peking; and in J u l y s h e headed an NFLSV de lega t ion t o North Korea. A t t h e World Youth Conference i n Moscow i n September 1964, s h e was elected t o t h e confwence presidium. She went t o Bulgar ia a s head of a delega t ion to a con- f e rence of t h e Women's I n t e r n a t i o n a l Democratic Federat ion i n October.

I n May 1965 Binh embarked on a goodwill v i s i t to Af r i ca which w a s to t ake her to Guinea, Mali, Alger ia , t h e United Arab Republic, and t h e Congo (Brazzavi l le ) . Sbe l ed an NFLSV de lega t ion t o Dja- k a r t a i n August of t h e same year for t a l k s w i t h A m e r - i c a n women on t h e Vietnam war. In October s h e went t o Salzburg f o r a meeting of the Women's I n t e r - n a t i o n a l Democratic Federat ion, going from there to P a r i s i n November for t h e concress of t h e Union 3f French Women and then t o Ber l in i n December for a c e l e b r a t i o n of t h e f i f t h anniversary of t h e founding of t h e NFiSV. After t h e p a r t y congress i n Moscow 1966, s h e toured i n the USSR f o r about a month. @4&Q

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friendship visit to Indonesia in September, and went to Colombo in November for an Asian Economic Seminar meeting. In February 1963 she attended the Third Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Con­ference at Moshi, Tanganyika, returning to South Vietnam by way of Cairo. Her next trip was to the Afro-Asian Journalists Conferences in Djakarta in May, followed by a visit to Burma) and in June she led a delegation to Moscow to participate in the International Women's Congress. She went from Moscow to China as head of another women's delegation. In December she led a dele­gation to Indonesia to commemorate the third anniversary of the founding of the NFLSV, in the course of which she talked with Indonesian union leaders and with President Sukarno and signed a joint statement condemning US imperialism and

'. " the Malaysia concept and supporting the struggle of "workers in South Vietnam."

She headed a deleg~n to .. conference of the Internat ional Studp.nts Commi tte(, for Solidarity with the Students and People of South Vietnam, held in Budapest in February 1964. In March she went to Algiers for the Sixth Conference of the Afro~Asian People's Solidarity Organization; in June she headed a delegation to the second ASian Econom'~c Forum in Peking; and in July she headed an NFLSV delegation to North Korea. At the World Youth Conference in Moscow in September 1964, she was elected to the conf~rence presidium. She went to Bulgaria as head of a delegation to a con­ference of the Women's International Democratic Federation in Oetober.

In May 1965 Bin:1 embarked on a goodwill visit to Africa which was to take her to Guinea, Mali, Algeria, the United Arab Republic, and the Congo (Brazzaville). SI'e led an NFLSV delegation to Dja­karta in August of the same year for talks with Amer-

o ican women on the Vietnam war. In October she went to Salzburg for a meeting of the Women's Inter­national Democratic Federation, gOing from there to Paris in November for the conr,ress of the Union ~f French Women and then to Berlin in December for a celebration of the fifth anniversary of the founding of the NFLSV. .After the party congress in Moscow 1966, she toured in the USSR for about a month. ta°HE).

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NGUYEN THI CHON U r s . Nguyen T h i Chon was e l e c t e d a Deputy

Sec re t a ry General of t h e South Vietnam P a t r i o t i c and Democratic Jou rna l i s t s Associat ion i n Septem- ber 1963. A t t h a t t i m e s h e was i d e n t i f i e d a s e d i t o r in ch ie f of t h e paper Phu Nu Gia i Phong (Liberat ion Women). She is p;r'iralXyTKZ wOman whose name was rece ived a s Nguyen Thi Son i n the announcement of t h e e l e c t i o n s t o tho Cen t ra l Executive Committee of t h e South Vietnam Libera- t i o n Women's Associat ion in December 1961. Another source i d e n t i f i e s a Nguyen T h i Chon a s a member of t h e Women's Libera t ion Associat ion and a t e a c h e r . (e€JmP

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NGWEN THI D I N H Nguyen T h i Dinh, deputy commander of t h e South

Vietnam Libera t ion Armed Forces since May 1965, is concurren t ly chairman of t h e South Vietnam

T i b e r a w o n Women's Associat ion (MTrch 1965);- a inember of t h e Presidium of the NFLSV C e n t r a l Com- mittee (January 19641, and a member of t h e NFLSV Central Region Zone Committee (May 1963). Fe- s c r i b e d a s a "legendary f i g u r e " who has becan a Communist revolu t ionary since s h e was 17, Nguyen Thi D i n h r epor t ed ly supe rv i se s most of t h e V i e t Cong m i l i t a r y ope ra t ions both i n the Mekong River d e l t a and i n Saigon. Although h e r m i l i t a r y capac i ty is not considered t o be ou t s t and ing , s h e is re spec ted fo r he r remarkable courage and l o y a l t y to t h e NFLSV.

Nguyen T h i Dinh was born in Ben T r e i n t o a peasant family i n 1920. A young p a r t i c i p a n t i n r e s i s t a n c e a c t i v i t i e s , s h e was a r r e s t e d and i m - pr isoned by the French a t Ba Ra from about 1939 to 1943 for "mi l i t an t oppos i t ion t o French domination." After h e r r e l e a s e s h e r e j o i n e d t h e g u e r r i l l a s and is s a i d t o have been r e spons ib l e f o r a v i c - t o r i o u s u p r i s i n g i n Ben T r e i n August 1945. She subsequent ly became involved i n r e s i s t a n c e work a s a l e a d e r of t h e L i e n Viet Front and t h e Women's Libera t ion Union i n Ben T r e and C e n t r a l Vietnam. I n 1960 s h e became Deputy Sec re t a ry of t h e V i e t Coog P r o v i n c i a l Committee in Ben T r e and was, r e p o r t e d l y among t h e f i r s t i n her province to l e a d an armed s t r u g g l e a g a i n s t t h e Diem government.

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NGUYEN THI CHON ..,'0

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Chon was elected a Deputy Secretary General of the South Vietnam Patriotic and Democratic Journalists Association in Septem­ber 1963. At that time she was identified as editor in chief of the paper Phu Nu Giai Phong (Liberation Women). She is probaDTy-rlie woman whose name was received as Nguyen Thi Son in the announcement of the elections to the Central Execut1ve Committee of the South Vietnam Libera- -tion Women's Association in December 1961. Another source identifies a Nguyen Thi Chon as a member of the Women's Liberation Association and a teacher. (8QU!')

NGUYEN THI DINH Nguyen Thi Dinh, deputy commander of the South

Vietnam Liberation Armed Forces since May 1965, is COnCurrently chairman of the South Vietnam

--Cibera~on Women's AsSociation (M~ch 1965)~ a member of the Presidium of the NFLSV Central Com­mittee (January 1964), and a member of the NFLSV Central Region Zone Committee (May 1963). Pe­scribed as a "legendary figure" who has bepn a Communist revolution81'y since she was 17, Nguyen Thi Dinh reportedly supervises most of the Viet Cong military operations both in the Mekong River delta and in Saigon. Although her military capacity is not considered to be outstanding, she is respected for her remarkable courage and loyalty to the NFLSV.

Nguyen Thi Dinh was born in Ben Tre into a peasant family in 1920. A young participant in resistance activities, she was arrested and im­prisoned by the French at Ba Ra from about 1939 to 1943 for "iliili tant opposi tionto French domination." After her release she r~Joined the guerrillas and is said to have been responsible for a vic­torious uprising in Ben Tre in August 1945. She subsequently became involved in resistance work as a leader of the Lien Viet Front and the Women's Liberation Union in Ben Tre and Central Vietnam. In 1960 she became Deputy Secretary of the Viet Cong Provincial Committee in Ben Tre and was, reportedly among the first in her province to lead an armed struggle against the Diem government.

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~9~~ftEi Nguyen Thi Dirih is the widow of a Communist

leader who died in exile on Poulo Condore Island during the 1940's. They had one son. who was killed in action in 19f?2. She is also known as Ba Dinh or Bay Nhat. ~)

NGUYEN 'fBI THANH Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thanh, a teacher, was elected

Secretary General of the South Vietnam Liberation Women's Association in December 1961. In March 1965, when new elections for the Women's Associa­tion were announced, her name appeared as a member of the Standing Committee of ~e Central Committee. In June she met with representatives of the NFLSV Central Committee Presidium and the South Vietnam Committee for Solidarity with the'~atin American People to protest US intervention in the Dominican Republic.

Nguyen Thi Thanh may be identical with a Viet Cong worker of the same name who reportedly returned to South Vietnam in late 1960 from Ha­nOi, where she had been an announcer for Radio Hanoi sirice 1954. ~fore going to Hanoi, ·she is said to have been an announcer for the Viet Cong

. radio in the sou th. (eel"~

NGUYEN THI. TU Mrs. Nguyen Thi Tu served as President of

the South Vietnam Liberation Women's Association from December 1961 until March 1965, and she currently is a member of the Standing Committee of the a~sociation. She also is associated with the South Vietnam Committee for the Preservation of World Peace and the South Vietnam Liberation Red Cross. In March 1965 she represented the Liberation Women's Association a· the Indochinese People's Conference in Phnom Penh, where she

'described the "heroic struggle of Vietnamese . women against the US aggressors."

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.. According to an NFLSV source, Nguyen Thi Tu was born in Can Tho in 1923 and until 1945 was i~volved with social welfare projects in Cambodia. She has apparently been active in leftwing wel­fare and relief causes among women and students since at least the late 1940's and at one time served as Secretary General of the· Progressive Women's Association and of the South Vietnam Bakers and Pastry Cooks Union. A Nguyen Thi Tu, who may be the same woman, was reported to be a member of the Administrative and Resistance Com­mittee of South Vietnam in late 1953.

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In 1955 Tu reportedly represented the Saigon Women's Association on the Committee for ;he Aid and Protection of the People's Lives and Property. This organization is probably the Mutual Aid Committee for the Protection of the Property, Lives, and Security of People (CEPPVSP), a welfare group organized in May 1955 which was soon pene- trated by the Viet Minh. Perhaps because of her connection with the CEPPVSP, Tu was arrested about 1955 and reportedly imprisoned in several areas for some time. regained the "liberated areas'' in 1961, but it is nocclear whether she was imprisoned during all of this period.

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Her biography states that she

A Nguyen Thi Tu was identified in 1956 as a Viet Minh cadre who attended a Saigon meeting of the Women's National Welfare League; and the following year a Nguyen Thi Tu participated in ? meeting held by the Cao Dai Peaceful Coexistence Front. Tu was imprisonedt Poulo Condore as of April 1958, when the People's Army of Vietnam liaison mission to the International Control C o m A mission protested the arrest of a number of former members of the resistance. to the presidency of the Liberation Women's Associa- tion in December 1961, Nguyen Thi Tu was identified as a professor and the former chairman o f the Saigon-Cholon branch of the South Vietnam Libera- tion Women's Association. (SpMWJ"

When she was elected

NGUYEN VAN HIEU Usually referred to as a "professor," Nguyen

Van Hieu headed the WLSV offices in Prague and East Germany from 1963 until the spring of 1966. He has reportedly returned to the NFLSV headquar- ters in South Vietnam. Hieu, a member of the NFLSV Central Committee 'an21 Secretary General of the Radical Socialist Party, one of the three political parties listed under front organization, serves somewhat as an unofficial roving foreign minister. ing the past few years, and he makes frequent public policy statements for the NFLSV. Originally a member of the postwar anti-French resistance, Hieu has been described as an intellectual who is

He has traveled almost constantly dur-

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ID 1955 Tu reportedly represented the Saigon WOmen's Association on the Committee for ;he Aid and Protection of the People's Lives and Property. This organization is probably the Mutual AId Committee for the Protection of the Property, Lives, and Security of People (CEPPVSP), a welfare group organized in May 1955 which was soon pene­trated by the Viet Minh. Perhaps because of her connection with the CEPPVSP, Tu was arrested about 1955 aDd reportedly imprisoned In several areas for some time. Her biography states that she regained the "liberated areas" in 1961, but it is not.. clear whether she was imprisoned during all of this period.

A Nguyen Thi Tu was identified in 1956 as a Viet Minh cadre who attended a Saigon meeting of the Women's National Welfare League; and the following year a Nguyen Thi Tu participated in ~ meeting held by the Cao Dai Peaceful Coexistence Front. Tu was impriSO'iie'Q'"ii't Poulo Condore as of April 1958, when the People's Army, of Vietnam liaison mission to the International Control Com~ mission protested the arrest of a number of former members of the resistance. When she was elected

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to the presidency of the Liberation Women's Associa­tion in December 1961, Nguyen Thi Tu was identified as a professor and the former chairman of the Saigon-Cholon branch of the South Vietnam Libera­tion Women's Association. (S~?RJ I,

NGUYEN VAN KIEU Usually referred to as a. "professor," Nguyen

Van Hieu headed the NFLSV offices in Prague and East Germany from 1963 until the spring of 1966. He has reportedly returned to the NFLSV headquar­ters in South Vietnam. Hieu, a member of the NFLSV Central Comm:l.ttee 'anti. Secretary General of the Radical Socialist Party. one of the three political parties listed under front organization. serves somewhat as an unofficial roving foreign minister. He has traveled almost constantly dur­ing the past few years, and he makes frequent public policy statements for the NFLSV. Originally a member of the postwar anti-French resistance, Hieu has been described as an intellectual who is

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valuable to the Viet Cong in winning support for their cause. from its first congress in February 1962 until he went to Prague in 1963. A French journalist has speculated that he was removed from the secretary- generalship because he was t'ooleftist for the public image desired by the front, but the valid.rty of this theory is open to question. seems to be trusted to serve as a spokesman for the NFLSV in a wide variety of foreign contacts. Upon his return to South Vietnam in June 1966 he presented a report on his mission to a meeting of the NFLSV central committee.

He was secretary general of the NFLSV

He certainly

P

Hieu was born in Ca Maul southern Vietnam, in 1922. He apparently studied at both Hanoi and Saigon Universities, although accounts of his course

studied agriculture at Hanoi University from 1943 to 1945 and law at Saigon University from 1948 to

both universities. He reported1 + has been active in the resistance movement since its inception in 1945 and was arrested several times by the French. Hieu is usually described as a former teacher (of either biology or mathematics) and journalist; it is not clear whether these occupations preceded or coincided with his apparently full-time career as a revolutionary. The reference to journalism prokably refers to his collaboration in the publi- cation of Giai Phong (Liberation), the clandestine p r o p a g a n d a o r g m t h e Lien Viet Front in the Snigon- Cholon area, in 1948. After the Geneva Accords in 1954, Hieu apparently concentrated on propaganda activities in behalf of the Viet Minh in educational and literary circles. A 1955 report lists him as active in the training of Viet Minh cadres for the Saigon-Cholon area. He was arrested by Vietnamese authorities around July 1958 for pro-Communist activities but was released the following October on National Day. N F L W sources say that he escaped to the jungles along with his wife, Ma Thi Chu, in 1958.

In July 1961 the formation of the Radical Socialist Party, a component of the NFLSV with an anti-Diem program ai:ed at tntellectuals, was

of study vary. One official biography says he . I

1950; others simply statethat h studied law at -- * , .

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valuable to the Viet Cong in winning support for their cause. He was secretary general of the NFLSV from its first congress in February 1962 until he went to Prague in 1963. A French journalist has speculated that he was removed from the secretary­generalship because he was foo leftist for the public image desired by the front, but the valid'" ty of this theory is open to question. He certainly seems to be trusted to serve as a spokesman for the NFLSV in a wide variety of foreign contacts. Upon his return to South Vietnam in June 1966 he presented a report on his misRion to a meeting of the NFJ,SV central committee.

Hieu was born in Ca Mau, southern Vietnam, in 1922. He apparently studied at both Hanoi and Saigon Universities, although accounts of his course of study vary. One official biography says he studied agriculture at Hanoi University from. 1943 to 1945 and law at Saigon University fl'om 1948 to 1950; others simply state that h.L,studied law at both universities. He reportedl,-has been active in the resistance movement since its inception in 1945 and was arrested several times by the French. Hieu is usually described as a former teacher (of either biology or mathematics) and journalist; it is not clear whether these occupations preceded or coincided with his apparently full-time career as a revolutionary. The reference to journalism pro~ab1y refers to his collaboration in the publi­cation of Giai Phong (Liberation), the clandestine propaganda""Organ of the Lien Viet Front in the snigon­Cholon area, in 1948. After the Geneva Accords in 1954, Hieu apparently concentrated on propaganda activities in behalf of the Viet Minh in educational and literary Circles. A 1955 report lists him as active in the training of Viet Minh cadres for the Saigon-Cholon area. He was arrested by Vietnamese authorities around July 1958 for pro-Communist activities but was released the following October on National Day. NFLSV sources say that he escaped to the jungles along with his Wife, Ma Thi Chu, in 1958.

, In July 1961 the formation of the Radical Socialist party, a component of the NFLSV with an anti-Diem program a i~,ed at ~,ntel1ectuals, was

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