Krulak knew that much in the realm of pacification should have been accomplished by the South Vietnamese through the rural construction program, but he says, "They do not have the resources, nor do they yet have the integrity or the compassion to administer what resources they have."(11:4) William R. Carson, throughout his book, The Betrayal, reinforces Krulak's perception. Corson holds nothing back in his derision of the Vietnamese government concerning their inability and lack of real desire to effectively conduct pacification. He says,"...the United States has chosen to support the GVN's grotesque pacification efforts through a massive outpouring of material assistance while ignoring the graft and corruption this assistance has produced."(3:155)

He later says that United States programs designed to improve the lot of the people "... were clearly opposed to the interests of the very officials... we asked to conduct and support these programs."(3:159) Even commanders in the field recognized the inefficiency of the GVN efforts in rural development and saw these efforts as denigrating the success achieved by combat action.(11:43)

In 1965 Operation STARLITE and other such operations were conducted to attack VC main force units. The success of these operations caused the guerrillas to return to small unit actions. The Marines responded in kind, conducting significant numbers of ambushes and patrols. In October of 1965 over 5000 of these operations were conducted, and by December the total had risen to over 7000.(17:42) For all of 1965, it was estimated that there were 2500 VC killed through patrolling and ambush by Marines.(14:572) This coincides with Clutterbuck's experience and recommendations as a result of the Malaya war. Large unit actions force the guerrillas to break up; they will not fight unless assured of victory. They cannot keep themselves supplied and protected when constantly on the move in relatively large units. Therefore, they break down into small units to maintain viability.

Pacification and countering the guerrilla go hand in hand. The Marines recognized the importance of providing security to the villagers in order to gain their support and stop them from supplying the VC. Corson says, "Krulak and Walt knew that military-civic action was the direct key to the whole pacification effort."(3:176) Civic action was a specific means for the Marines of I Corps to relate military force to the support of the "...political, social, and economic reconstruction of the GVN."(17:13) It obviously played a key role in pacification. As CG, III MAF, Gen Walt also served as the Special Area Coordinator of Da Nang which made him "... responsible for liaison with local military and civilian leaders concerning matters involving U.S. military personnel."(17:20) He created an I Corps Joint Coordinating Counsel with representatives from the GVN and U.S. military and civilian agencies.(17:20-21) The intent was to coordinate Marine civic action efforts with those of the GVN because Gen Walt recognized that to be successful in defeating the VC the local GVN must be firmly in control and the people must see the efforts of the government to improve their lives through rural construction. This council does in some ways reflect similarities with the War Executive Council that the British used in Malaya. There was an attempt by Gen Walt to coordinate the efforts of the military and civilian agencies in behalf of the people and the counterinsurgency. Civic action by the Marines of I Corps was conducted in a variety of ways, some of which will be addressed here.

GOLDEN FLEECE operations were first conducted in the fall of 1965 at the request of the peasants (17:38) This first effort resulted in 870,000 pounds of rice beginning harvested and denied to the 350O VC it could have fed.(6:191) It was estimated that this prevented the VC from gaining some 90% of the rice they would have normally acquired. (17:38) Obviously, such a denial would have a significant effect on the guerrillas. As previously discussed, the guerrillas must rely on the peasants for food. By denying this support to them, the Marines could force them out of the area. One can certainly expect that such efforts at protection would certainly enhance the peasants' views of the Marines and the GVN which they were there to support.