0 - The Black Vault

THE BDM CORPORATION
Program Title- Rural Construction
Objectives:
0 Control of the villages by:
- destruction of enemy main force elements by US forces
- pacification efforts locally by the RVNAF
0 Provision of continuous local security
* Restoration of effective, responsible local government
* Improvement of local living conditions
Timeframe, i965 - 1966
initiator-
GVN
% US Proponent:
Ambassador Lodge, General Edward Lansdale, and MACV.
GVN Proponent,
""rYoung Turk" Generals- Nguyen Cao Ky, and Nguyen Van Thieu.
Other Supporters:
Free World Allies (FWMAF)--South Korea, Philippines, Australia,
and Thailand.
Results:
0 The III MAF and ARVN units took control of the combat effort from
the Da Nang area to the Demilitarized Zone and discovered that the
toughest war was in the villages. The Marines virtually reversed
their efforts against the VC/PAVN evemy, and concentrated on pacifying
the viiiages within their Tactical Area of Responsibility,
0 US Army units moved aggressively intc II and III Corps Tactical
Zones,
0 Political turbulence and military deterioration continued
throughout 1965 and into 1966, and most of the modest resources
that were allocated by the GVN for its Rural Construction effort
were diverted back to meet conventional combat requirements.
Remarks-
* Each member nation of the FWMAF had a different approach to
pacification within its Tnctical Areas of Responsibility, which
nighlighted why the US and GVN were having difficuities with
their pacification efforts,
0 Rural construction ran into difficulties because of a confused
3nd fragmented chain of command, a lack of skilied cadre, the
inability to rezruit local RF and PF, and local political party
ooposition.
Figure 5-12.
The Rural Construction Program
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