SOUTH VIET NAM REPORT ON THE WAR OVERSHADOWED BY THE POLITICAL AND 
DIPLOMATIC TURMOIL IN SAIGON, THE ALL BUT FORGOTTEN WAR AGAINST THE 
VIET CONG CONTINUES ON ITS UGLY, BLOODY AND WEARISOME COURSE . 
THE DRIVE AGAINST THE COMMUNISTS HAS NOT DIMINISHED IN RECENT WEEKS 
; IN FACT, IT HAS INTENSIFIED . FEARS THAT THE BUDDHIST 
CONTROVERSY MIGHT DAMAGE MORALE AMONG VIETNAMESE TROOPS HAVE SO FAR BEEN 
GROUNDLESS . IF LAST WEEK'S BATTLES WERE ANY CRITERION, THE GOVERNMENT 
SOLDIERS ARE FIGHTING BETTER THAN EVER AGAINST A COMMUNIST FOE THAT 
IS EXACTING A HIDEOUS PRICE IN BLOOD IN THE FLOODED PADDIES 
OF THE SOUTH . THE BIGGEST GOVERNMENT VICTORY IN MONTHS CAME 
LAST WEEK NEAR THE TOWN OF GOCONG, 45 MILES SOUTH OF 
SAIGON . IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT, 500 VIET CONG REGULARS 
SWOOPED DOWN ON A STRATEGIC HAMLET UNDER A SCREEN OF SUPPORTING 
FIRE FROM HEAVY MACHINE GUNS AND RECOILLESS RIFLES . DESPERATELY CALLING 
FOR HELP OVER THEIR RADIO, THE DEFENDERS FOUGHT BACK DOGGEDLY, BUT 
WERE BARELY HOLDING OUT WHEN A GOVERNMENT INFANTRY RELIEF COLUMN ARRIVED 
AT DAWN WITH 15 ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIERS . AMBUSHED BY THE 
REDS, THE GOVERNMENT REINFORCEMENTS DID NOT PANIC, NOSED THEIR PERSONNEL CARRIERS 
OFF THE ROAD AND INTO THE PADDIES, HEADING DIRECTLY FOR THE 
DUGIN REDS . FROM A GRAVEYARD AT THE FRINGE OF THE 
BATTLEFIELD, A VIET CONG HEAVY MACHINE GUN KNOCKED OUT AN APC 
. BUT SUPPORTED BY GOVERNMENT AIR FORCE PLANES, WHICH SWEPT OVER 
THE RED POSITIONS IN SCREAMING, SHALLOW DIVES FIRING ROCKETS AND DROPPING 
NAPALM, THE REINFORCEMENTS ROLLED STRAIGHT ONTO THE REDS, MASHING SCORES OF 
THE COMMUNIST TROOPS INTO THE STINKING PADDY MUD WITH THEIR HUGE 
STEEL TREADS . AT LAST THE REDS BROKE AND RAN, LEAVING 
BEHIND 83 DEAD . MUTILATED BODIES . THE EPISODE MADE NO 
SIZABLE DENT IN THE VIET CONG ARMY . BUT IT WAS 
HEARTENING TO U.S . MILITARY OBSERVERS, WHO ON MANY PAST OCCASIONS 
HAD WATCHED THE GOVERNMENT'S TROOPS REFUSE TO PRESS THEIR ATTACK . 
THIS TIME THE RELIEF COLUMN HAD STOOD ITS GROUND UNDER THE 
VIET CONG POUNDING AND THEN MOVED IN ON THE REDS IN 
BRUTAL COMBAT . TWO DAYS LATER, THE REDS EVENED THE SCORE 
. THIS TIME THEY HIT THE RICE-RICH CAMAU PENINSULA, TRADITIONALLY COMMUNIST-CONTROLLED 
TERRITORY WHERE GOVERNMENT ENCLAVES ARE ONLY ISLANDS IN A SEA OF 
VIET CONG . THE PLAN WAS A CLEVER TWO-PRONGED ATTACK AGAINST 
THE TWO GOVERNMENT-HELD CITIES OF CAI NUOC AND DAMDOI, WHICH LIE 
15 MILES APART ON THE SOUTHERNMOST TIP OF VIET NAM . 
TO CONFUSE GOVERNMENT REINFORCEMENTS AND TO HAMPER THEIR SPEEDY ARRIVAL, THE 
VIET CONG FIRST FEINTED AT THREE NEIGHBORING OUTPOSTS, SOWED MINES ON 
A MAJOR ROAD OVER WHICH GOVERNMENT TROOPS HAD TO TRAVEL, AND 
POURED HARASSING MORTAR FIRE ON A U.S . HELICOPTER AIRSTRIP IN 
THE AREA . THE MILITARY FRONT SEEMED A MILLION MILES FROM 
SAIGON LAST WEEK . FOUR WEEKS AFTER THE CRACKDOWN ON SOUTH 
VIET NAM'S BUDDHIST OPPOSITION, AN ATMOSPHERE OF WATCHFUL WAITING HUNG OVER 
THE CITY . STILL FEARFUL OF A COUP, THE GOVERNMENT STATIONED 
SECRET POLICE OUTSIDE THE HOMES OF SUSPECT OFFICIALS ; TOP MILITARY 
OFFICERS WERE ORDERED TO SLEEP AT MILITARY HEADQUARTERS SO THAT A 
CHECK COULD BE KEPT ON THEIR WHEREABOUTS . WITH THE BUDDHIST 
OPPOSITION LULLED FOR THE MOMENT, SAIGON'S STUDENT POPULATION FEEBLY TRIED TO 
RAISE PROTESTS AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT . PELTED WITH CHAIRS AND DESKS 
THROWN FROM CLASSROOM WINDOWS, GOVERNMENT TROOPS CLOSED MANY OF SAIGON'S SCHOOLS, 
THREW NEARLY 1,000 STUDENTS INTO JAIL TO COOL OFF . IT 
SEEMED LIKELY THAT VIET CONG AGENTS INSPIRED MUCH OF THE DEMONSTRATING 
. THIS MADE IT ALL THE MORE IMPORTANT FOR THE U.S 
. AND PRESIDENT NGO DINH DIEM TO SETTLE THEIR DIFFERENCES . 
THE LATEST EPISODES OFFERED LITTLE ASSURANCE OF THAT . COUCHING HIS 
WORDS IN THE MOST CAREFUL DIPLOMATIC TERMS, U.S . AMBASSADOR HENRY 
CABOT LODGE LAST WEEK SUGGESTED TO DIEM THAT HIS BROTHER AND 
FIERY SISTER-IN-LAW, NGO DINH NHU AND MME . NHU, LEAVE THE 
COUNTRY UNTIL THE CURRENT CRISIS WAS OVER AND A FRESH RAPPROCHEMENT 
SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT, THE REDS HIT CAI NUOC DIRECTLY . POURING 
MORTAR SHELLS AND RECOILLESS RIFLE FIRE IN THE PERIMETER SYSTEM OF 
DEFENSIVE BUNKERS, THE VIET CONG BREACHED THE FRONT GATE OF THE 
CITY'S MAJOR OUTPOST, RAN FROM BUNKER TO BUNKER LOBBING IN GRENADES 
AND SHOOTING THE DEFENDERS IN THE BACK . THE FIGHT LASTED 
FOR ONLY 35 MINUTES, BUT THE REDS OCCUPIED THE TOWN FOR 
THE NEXT 17 HOURS . IT WAS A BLOODBATH . WHEN 
REINFORCEMENTS FINALLY APPEARED, THEY FOUND A HEAP OF 50 MUTILATED BODIES, 
INCLUDING WOMEN AND CHILDREN, WHICH THE REDS HAD SET AFIRE . 
OF THE 100-MAN DEFENDING FORCE, ONLY 25 SURVIVED . EXPERTS DIFFER 
. SOON THEREAFTER, THE REDS OVERRAN THE NEIGHBORING TOWN OF DAMDOI 
. BUT THIS TIME THE COMMUNISTS MADE THE MISTAKE OF STAYING 
TOO LONG . SEVEN HOURS AFTER THE VIET CONG OCCUPIED THE 
TOWN, GOVERNMENT MARINES, AIRLIFTED TO THE SCENE IN U.S . HELICOPTERS, 
COUNTERATTACKED . HALF THE MARINE FORCE BLOCKED THE REDS' ESCAPE ROUTE 
AND ATTACKED THEIR SANDBAGGED POSITIONS . ARMED HELICOPTERS UNLOADED SOME 80 
ROCKETS INTO THE COMMUNIST DEFENSES, AND FIGHTER PLANES ZOOMED IN AT 
TREETOP LEVEL WITH GUNS BLAZING . WHEN THE REDS FINALLY DISAPPEARED 
INTO THE PADDIES AFTER AN ALL-DAY FIGHT, THEY LEFT BEHIND 60 
DEAD BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE POPULATION ESTABLISHED . LODGE HINTED 
DELICATELY THAT THE CONTINUED PRESENCE OF THE BITTERLY CONTROVERSIAL NHUS IN 
SOUTH VIET NAM NOT ONLY HAMPERED THE WAR EFFORT AGAINST THE 
COMMUNIST VIET CONG, BUT COULD ALSO " ENDANGER " U.S . 
CONGRESSIONAL APPROPRIATIONS TO DIEM'S GOVERNMENT . DIEM EXPRESSED SURPRISE AND SHOCK 
AT LODGE'S SUGGESTION, COLDLY TURNED IT DOWN ; HE MIGHT HAVE 
WONDERED HOW JOHN F . KENNEDY WOULD HAVE FELT IF VIET 
NAM HAD ASKED FOR THE EXILE OF BOBBY AND ETHEL . 
WHAT NEXT IN U.S . POLICY ? IT WAS A TIME 
OF FRANTIC PONDERING AND FRANTIC DISCUSSION IN WASHINGTON . SOME OF 
THE SUGGESTIONS WERE LUDICROUS : CUT OFF ALL AID TO DIEM 
(WHICH WOULD EFFECTIVELY HAND THE COUNTRY TO THE COMMUNISTS) ; RUN 
THE SEVENTH FLEET UP TO THE COAST AND FORCE DIEM OUT 
OF POWER (ALSO SENSELESS, SINCE NO SUITABLE SUCCESSOR WAS VISIBLE) . 
NO ONE SEEMED TO BE DISCUSSING PERHAPS THE MOST SENSIBLE SOLUTION 
OF ALL : STOP ALL THE HALFWAY HINTS OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO 
PROMOTERS OF A COUP D'ETAT, AND GET ON WITH THE DIFFICULT 
AND UNPALATABLE TASK OF WORKING WITH NGO DINH DIEM AND HIS 
FAMILY . FACED WITH A PROFUSION OF PROPOSALS FOR ACTION, PRESIDENT 
KENNEDY WAS KEEPING HIS MIND OPEN . AT HIS PRESS CONFERENCE, 
HE REFUSED ALL EFFORTS TO DRAG HIM INTO A DISCUSSION THE 
GOVERNMENT'S MARINES WERE ALSO BADLY BATTERED ; 48 WERE KILLED BY 
THE TIME THE SHOOTING STOPPED . ON THE BASIS OF BODIES, 
THIS MIGHT BE CALLED A GOVERNMENT VICTORY . NOT SO INSIST 
SOME AMERICAN MILITARY MEN WHO ARGUE THAT SUCH DEFENSIVE RESPONSES WHATEVER 
THE PENALTY IN LIVES TO THE COMMUNIST ENEMY ARE WASTING THE 
STRENGTH OF THE VIETNAMESE FORCES AS WELL AS THE $1,500,000 A 
DAY THE U.S . IS PUMPING INTO THE COUNTRY . THESE 
EXPERTS WILL NOT BE HAPPY UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT CAN ORGANIZE REGULAR 
" SEARCH AND HOLD " OPERATIONS IN THE SOUTHERN RICE COUNTRY, 
COMMUNISM'S STRONGHOLD . IT IS AN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TASK . THOUGH 
THE VIET CONG ARE LOSING MORE MEN (CURRENTLY ABOUT 500 A 
WEEK) ALL THE TIME, THERE ARE MORE TO BE KILLED ,; 
OFFICIALS IN SAIGON NOW ESTIMATE THAT HARD-CORE COMMUNIST STRENGTH HAS GONE 
UP FROM 23,000 TO 31,000 OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS . 
BUT GOVERNMENT STRIKES ARE AT LEAST MORE AND MORE FREQUENT . 
IN THE FIRST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER, 55 SEPARATE OFFENSIVE GROUND ACTIONS 
OF BATTALION STRENGTH OR LARGER WERE UNDER WAY, CLOSE TO AN 
ALLTIME RECORD . CONVERSELY, RED ATTACKS ALSO INCREASED FROM 300 TO 
400 IN THE SAME PERIOD . AS THIS WEEK'S OPERATIONS ILLUSTRATE, 
HOWEVER, MANY GOVERNMENT TROOPS HAVE LEARNED TO STAND AND FIGHT . 
PERSONALITIES AND SAID SIMPLY : " WHAT HELPS THE WAR WE 
SUPPORT ; WHAT INTERFERES WITH THE WAR EFFORT WE OPPOSE . 
WE ARE NOT THERE TO SEE A WAR LOST . THAT 
IS OUR POLICY . " AS IF TO QUIET U.S . 
NERVOUSNESS, DIEM AT WEEK'S END ANNOUNCED THAT MARTIAL LAW, WHICH HAS 
BEEN IN EFFECT FOR ALMOST A MONTH, WILL END THIS WEEK, 
FORESHADOWING A POSSIBLE RETURN TO NORMALCY IN SOUTH VIET NAM . 
DRAGON LADY, DRAGONFLY IN A BLAZE OF FLASHBULBS, MME . NGO 
DINH NHU LEFT SAIGON LAST WEEK ON A TRIP TO BEIRUT, 
BELGRADE, AND POINTS WEST . ELABORATELY COIFFED AND GOWNED, SHE MET 
REPORTERS AND DEFENDED HER VIEWS, ATTACKED HER ENEMIES, DODGED OVERLY CURVED 
QUESTIONS, AND DISPLAYED AN INCREDIBLY FASCINATING FEMININE CHARM . WHETHER TWIRLING 
A PARASOL OR HIDING SHYLY BEHIND AN IVORY FAN, SHE BOTH 
ATTRACTED AND ANNOYED . " I HAD A STRONG DESIRE TO 
SLAP HER, " SAID ONE FRENCH TELEVISION INTERVIEWER, " BUT FROM 
VERY, VERY CLOSE . " AFTER THE LYNCHING . MME . 
NHU'S PERFORMANCE BEGAN AT THE SAIGON AIRPORT . SHE SAID THAT 
WHEN HER MOTHER CABLED HER FROM THE U.S . URGING HER 
TO FLEE SOUTH VIET NAM WITH HER CHILDREN BECAUSE THEIR LIVES 
WERE IN DANGER, SHE HAD ANSWERED : " DEAR MOTHER, I 
AM SORRY YOU HAVE BECOME INTOXICATED . " TO A QUESTION 
ABOUT HER ITINERARY, SHE SAID : " EVERYONE CALLS ME " 
THE DRAGON LADY.' FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, I WILL BE 
LIKE THE DRAGONFLY OF THE VIETNAMESE SONG . WHEN IT'S HAPPY, 
IT STAYS ; WHEN IT'S UNHAPPY, IT FLIES AWAY . " 
TENTATIVELY, MME . NHU SAID, SHE PLANNED TO VISIT THE U.S., 
THOUGH IT WOULD BE LIKE GETTING INSIDE " A LION'S CAGE 
. " / I SHALL JUST TALK EXTEMPORANEOUSLY, " SHE SAID 
. " I AM INVITED BY THE MOST IMPORTANT PRESS GROUPS 
. AFTER LYNCHING ME, MORE OR LESS, NOW THEY WISH TO 
HEAR ME . " SHE DENIED THAT SHE WAS GOING TO 
BE SOUTH VIET NAM'S OBSERVER AT THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY 
. " I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE U.N., " 
SHE SAID . " I AM NOT EVEN GOING THERE TO 
VISIT, BECAUSE I HAVE ALREADY SEEN IT . " OFFICIAL CONSTERNATION 
. AT THE INTERPARLIAMENTARY UNION CONFERENCE IN BELGRADE, WHERE SHE REPRESENTED 
SOUTH VIET NAM, MME . NHU STOLE THE SHOW WITH HER 
GRACEFUL PINK AODAI . THERE WAS FIRE IN HER EYES AND 
IN HER WORDS . THE DIEM GOVERNMENT WOULD NEVER YIELD TO 
" PERFIDIOUS BLACKMAILING ATTACKS, " SHE EXCLAIMED . WHAT ABOUT THE 
CONCERN FOR SOUTH VIET NAM'S BUDDHISTS VOICED BY THE VATICAN ? 
POPE PAUL VI IS TOO " EASILY WORRIED, " RETORTED MME 
. NHU . HER ACID REMARK SUPPLEMENTED EARLIER COMMENTS ON THE 
SAME SUBJECT ON FRENCH TELEVISION : " AS A CATHOLIC, I 
AM ONLY REQUIRED TO BELIEVE IN THE DOGMAS OF MY RELIGION 
AND THE POPE . THE POPE IS ONLY INFALLIBLE WHEN HE 
DECREES SOMETHING EX CATHEDRA . I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT HE 
WILL PUT HIMSELF IN HIS CHAIR TO DISAVOW ME, BECAUSE THAT 
WOULD BE A VERY BAD BLOW TO CATHOLICISM . " REPORTS 
THAT SHE WOULD NOT STAY AT THE CONFERENCE UNTIL ITS CONCLUSION 
LEFT OFFICIALS NEAR CONSTERNATION . " IF MME . NHU LEAVES 
ONE DAY EARLY, D ONE, " THEN THE CONFERENCE WILL HAVE 
LOST ITS IMPORTANCE . " BUT SHE SHOWED EVERY SIGN OF 
ENJOYING HERSELF . LETTING FLY AT THE WHITE HOUSE AFTER REPORTS 
THAT JOHN F . KENNEDY MIGHT BE A BIT UNHAPPY WITH 
SOUTH VIET NAM'S WHOLE RULING FAMILY, MME . NHU SUGGESTED THAT 
THE PRESIDENT WAS " MISINFORMED ABOUT THE SITUATION IN SOUTH VIET 
NAM . " / HE'S A POLITICIAN, AND WHEN HE HEARS 
LOUD OPPOSITION, HE TRIES TO APPEASE IT . " TWO DAYS 
LATER SHE HAD LUNCH WITH ANOTHER DELEGATE AT THE CONFERENCE . 
IT WAS NONE OTHER THAN THE PRESIDENT'S BROTHER, SENATOR EDWARD M 
. KENNEDY . LIKE OTHERS ON THE U.S . DELEGATION, TEDDY 
KENNEDY HAD HALFWAY HOPED TO AVOID THE CONFRONTATION . BUT THEY 
HAD A CHAT . A LONG CHAT . " SHE DISCUSSED 
AT LENGTH HER SIDE OF THE PICTURE, " SAID TEDDY LATER 
. " SHE WANTED TO TALK TO ME . SHE WANTS 
TO TALK TO ANYONE AND EVERYONE . " IN FACT, DECLARED 
AN AWED WITNESS TO THE ONE-SIDED CONVERSATION, " SHE DID NOT 
STOP TALKING FROM ONE MINUTE TO THE OTHER . " UNABLE 
TO GET A WORD IN EDGEWAYS, TEDDY TOOK NOTES . IT 
MAY HAVE BEEN THIS TART REMARK THAT PARTLY PROMPTED U.N . 
SECRETARY-GENERAL U THANT TO MAKE SOME WHOLLY GRATUITOUS OBSERVATIONS AT A 
MANHATTAN PRESS CONFERENCE . CONDITIONS IN SAIGON WERE " CHAOTIC, / 
DECLARED U THANT, ADDING THAT " CONSTITUTIONAL PROCESSES " ARE " 
A FEATURE WHICH IS COMPLETELY ABSENT IN VIET NAM . " 
THEY ARE, OF COURSE, COMPLETELY ABSENT IN HIS OWN COUNTRY, BURMA, 
WHICH IS RULED BY GENERAL NE WIN, AS FIRM A DICTATOR 
AS EXISTS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA BUT NEVER CRITICIZED BY U THANT 
. 