CHAPTER 4

BUILDING THE STRATEGIC HAMLETS

Early in 1962, even as the strategic hamlets were being built, there was less than universal agreement on either their goals or the plan for their implementation. What was generally understood was that they were an attempt to extend the influence of the government and counter the actions of the Viet Cong. In general, hamlets were to be regrouped into fortified and more readily defendable sett1ements. Once this regrouping was done, economic, social, and political reforms could be undertaken. The program was intended to weed out Viet Cong agents and sympathizers, to re-establish and improve local government administration, to improve the governments image, and to align the peasants more closely with the government.1

CONSTRUCTION GOALS

As a means of achieving these overal1 aims, the government issued its goals for the construction of strategic hamlets by number, by date, and by geographic area.

The government planned to create between 11,000 and 12,000 hamlets, enough to shelter the entire population.2