Beginning in 1950, a small cadre of American intelligence officers arrived in Saigon under diplomatic cover to assess the Viet Minh, Chinese Communists, the French, and Nationalist political groups in an attempt to check the spread of communism amid the crumbling French colonial empire. Paul L. Springer was the CIA’s first chief of station in Saigon, Vietnam. CIA involvement during the French-Indochina war has never been covered in depth, largely because Springer’s name and mission remained classified for decades … until now.
The audience will get an intimate look at this CIA professional, revealing how espionage, covert action, and political ambitions intertwined during the French-Indochina War. His assignment was followed by Ed Lansdale’s Saigon Military Mission in 1954, tasked with stabilizing South Vietnam following the Geneva Accords which partitioned the country at the 17th parallel. Also revealed is how two North Vietnamese double-agents infiltrated the highest levels of government in South Vietnam. This is an exhilarating story of risk, betrayal, and covert strategy in the buildup to America’s war in Vietnam. (approximately 45 minutes)
