15
 South Vietnam. It is, therefore, a key element which ultimately will have to be
 overcome along with the military and guerrilla forces. Its numbers are large--with
 a hard core estimated at about 75,000-85,000--but more important is the
 wide geographical extent of its power and the dedication and effectiveness of
 its personnel.

32. Other Communist Organizations. The Communists make a deliberate
 effort to organize most of the people under their control into various work
 forces and semimilitary organizations. Among the more significant of these organizations
 are the self-defense forces, secret self-defense forces, and groups such as
 the "Assault Youth." Moreover, when occasion demands, almost every ablebodied
 person under VC control may be called upon to support the war effort.

33. The self-defense force is described by the Communists as military organization.
 It is clear, however, that its organization and mission differ from that
 of village and hamlet guerrillas. Self-defense forces include people of all ages
 and a substantial percentage of them are females. They are largely unarmed and
 only partially trained. The duties of self-defense units include the maintenance
 of law and order, the construction of bunkers and strong points, warning against
 the approach of allied forces, and the defense of villages and hamlets in VC.
 controlled territory. Self-defense forces do not leave their home areas, and members
 generally perform their duties part-time. Their existence poses an impediment
 to allied sweeps and pacification, however, and in their defensive roke, they
 inflict casualties on allied forces.

34. Another element, the secret self-defense forces, operates in government-controlled
 and contested areas. They provide a residual Communist presence
 in such areas and support the Communist effort primarily by clandestine intelligence
 activities.

35. Durin the past year we have learned more about a VC orgnaization called
 "Assault Youth." They serve full time at district level and above, and they are
 organized into companies and platoons. Although some are armed, the Communists
 do not consider them a combat force; their primary mission appears to
 be logistical, frequently in battlefield areas. This organization also serves as
 a manpower pool and provides a training program for youth who later go into
 the VC main and Local forces. Little information is available to indicate the
 strength or distribution of the "Assault Youth."

36. Our current evidence does not enable us to estimate the present size of
 these groups (self-defense, secret self-defense, the "Assault Youth," or other similar
 VC organizations) with any meansure of confidence. Some documents suggest
 that in early 1966 the aggregate size of the self-defense force was on the order
 of 150,000. This force and to other groups, however, have unquestionably
 suffered substantial attrition since that time, as well as an appreciable decline
 in quality, because of losses, recruiting of some of their members into the guerrillas
 
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 TS 186035