Central Intelligence Agency. "_____ comments on the affect of food shortages, bombing
raids and the American race riots on North Vietnamese morale." August 28, 1967.
Microfiche: 1980 Document #238A
Date Issued: August 28, 1967
Date Declassified: September 20, 1979
Length: 5 pages
Sanitized
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Contained in this CIA "Intelligence Information Cable" is an assessment by
"______" (identity unknown due to "sanitation") on food shortages,
bombing raids and American race riots on North Vietnamese morale. In "______'s"
judgement, neither the food shortages or bombing raids has had much effect, however:
"North Vietnamese morale has been boosted considerably by the Civil Rights and the
'Black Power' movement in the United States. The North Vietnam government has indicated
to the French Mission in Hanoi that the riots and the emergence of the 'Black Power'
movement, signal the beginning of a popular revolution in the United States against
the ruling classes. The North Vietnamese government also believes that the Civil Rights
disturbances will adversely affect American participation in the Vietnam War. The United
States government will be forced to divert large sums of money to educational, housing,
and other social reforms to maintain the loyalty of the underprivileged elements and
prevent them from joining the ranks of the Civil Rights dissidents. The North Vietnamese
further believe that the United States will have to maintain more troops in the United
States to control the rioters. The North Vietnamese government has also indicated
that it expects the 'Black Power' movement to spread in perhaps two or three years to
the American military establishment. Within that time span the North Vietnamese expect
the American forces in Vietnam to be seriously weakened by racial tensions which might
possibly result in actual clashes between the negro and white troops."
(Emphasis added).
This last prediction proved to be true more than the CIA would have ever cared to imagine.
The late 1960's and early 1970's saw a tremendous rise in racial conflict on bases both
in the United States and in Vietnam.
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