Controlling the Population

Controlling the population in any counterinsurgency is critical to the success of the counterinsurgent. Three historical theorists, Sir Robert Thompson, David Galula, and Robert Trinquier all agree on this pertinent issue. Success in Malaya hinged on controlling the population in New Villages. Security in Algeria depended on sectors or districts. In both examples, the raising of local security forces to control the population was essential. Two major counterinsurgency efforts were used in Vietnam in controlling the population. The Strategic Hamlet Program, led by the Republic of Vietnam, aimed at controlling the population and winning popular support to the RVN. The second, and the focus of this thesis, was the Civilian Irregular Defense Group (CIDG). The CIDG program raised local security forces in the highlands of South Vietnam to protect the villages from Viet Cong influence and intimidation. Initially, the program was defensive in nature. As ground forces moved into Vietnam in 1965, the CIDG program lost its defensive focus and became offensively focused through the Mobile Strike Forces (MSF). The MSFs initially were designed to reinforce CIDG camps, but quickly became additional infantry battalions. This transition ultimately led to the degradation of the CIDG program and ultimately its disbandment.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.