<P> Kennedy's policy toward South Vietnam rested on the assumption that Diệm and his forces had to ultimately defeat the guerrillas on their own . He was against the deployment of American combat troops and observed that "to introduce U.S. forces in large numbers there today, while it might have an initially favorable military impact, would almost certainly lead to adverse political and, in the long run, adverse military consequences ." The quality of the South Vietnamese military, however, remained poor . Poor leadership, corruption, and political promotions all played a part in weakening the South Vietnamese Army (ARVN). The frequency of guerrilla attacks rose as the insurgency gathered steam . While Hanoi's support for the Viet Cong played a role, South Vietnamese governmental incompetence was at the core of the crisis . </P> <P> One major issue Kennedy raised was whether the Soviet space and missile programs had surpassed those of the United States . Although Kennedy stressed long - range missile parity with the Soviets, he was also interested in using special forces for counterinsurgency warfare in Third World countries threatened by communist insurgencies . Although they were originally intended for use behind front lines after a conventional Soviet invasion of Europe, Kennedy believed that the guerrilla tactics employed by special forces such as the Green Berets would be effective in a "brush fire" war in Vietnam . </P> <P> Kennedy advisors Maxwell Taylor and Walt Rostow recommended that U.S. troops be sent to South Vietnam disguised as flood relief workers . Kennedy rejected the idea but increased military assistance yet again . In April 1962, John Kenneth Galbraith warned Kennedy of the "danger we shall replace the French as a colonial force in the area and bleed as the French did ." By November 1963, there were 16,000 American military personnel in South Vietnam, up from Eisenhower's 900 advisors . </P> <P> The Strategic Hamlet Program was initiated in late 1961 . This joint U.S. - South Vietnamese program attempted to resettle the rural population into fortified camps . It was implemented in early 1962 and involved some forced relocation, village internment, and segregation of rural South Vietnamese into new communities where the peasantry would be isolated from Communist insurgents . It was hoped these new communities would provide security for the peasants and strengthen the tie between them and the central government . However, by November 1963 the program had waned, and it officially ended in 1964 . </P>

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