Intelligence and Security Operations of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Ministry of National Defense

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Vietnam (RVN) Prime Minister Ngo Dinh Diem in paving the way for the
takeover of South Vietnam through the holding of national elections if agreed
upon by Diem. The CBV instructed these MPS components to subvert
Republic of Vietnam Army (ARVN) officers, penetrate ARVN division and
regimental-size units, and to collect military intelligence through nonviolent
and nonterrorist means. In July 1955, Diem rejected the holding of national
elections and became the first RVN President in October 1955. At this stage,
the Lao Dong Party tasked its CBV and subordinate MPS components in South
Vietnam to resort to enemy proselytizing actions through the use of terrorism
to foment conditions for a civil war in South Vietnam.
In January 1959, the 15th Plenum of the Lao Dong Party Central
Committee issued a resolution to guide the southern party apparatus in waging
armed and political struggle activities against the Diem government. Nam Bo
Region Party Secretary and Politburo member Le Duan was called to Hanoi to
give a report on the situation in South Vietnam. Le Duan was accompanied by
Phan Xuan Thai alias Hai Van, head of the Nam Bo Public Security Office,
who in turn gave a report to the Politburo on military proselytizing, security
and intelligence activities in South Vietnam. '
I
The Buildup: 1960 to 1964
In September 1960, the Third Congress of the Lao Dong Party laid down
strategic tasks for waging a war of national liberation in South Vietnam, and
for the reestablishment of the Nam Bo Region Party Committee as COSVN.
The‘P_AVN Military Proselytizing Department became known as the Enemy
Proselytizing Department (Cuc Dich Van/CDV). On 20 December 1960, the
Lao Dong Party established the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam
(NLFSVN) as its overt political front in South Vietnam. In February 1961, the
South Vietnamese Liberation Army (SVNLA) was established as the overt
military arm of PAVN in South Vietnam. In March 1961, Major General Tran
Luong arrived as the political officer of the SVNLA, and was immediately
tasked with reorganizing the military proselytizing branch of the Nam Bo
Region Party Committee's Public Security Office. This development preceded
the official October 1961 reestablishment of the Nam Bo Region Party
Committee as COSVN. Major General Tran Luong then became a COSVN
Current Affairs Committee member and secretary of its Military Affairs
Committee under which the military proselytizing branch was reorganized; In
December 1961, the People's Revolutionary Party (PRP) of South Vietnam
was established as the southern branch of the Lao Dong Party with Major
General Tran Luong as its secretary-general and as the PRP representative to
the NLFSVN Central Committee. All power rested in the Lao Dong Party's
forward COSVN headquarters with PAVN in full control of the SVNLA.
By 1962, the civilian security, military security, military intelligence,
enemy and military proselytizing branches of the former Nam Bo Region
Party Committee's Public Security Office had been reorganized. Civilian
security operations in South Vietnam were centralized under the Ministry of
Public Security's (BCA) COSVN Security Section (Ban An Ninh) forward
command with a 150-man staff; MND Military Security Department (CBV)
8
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