The Phoenix Program
The Vietnam War CIA Program to destroy the Viet Cong
image: original unissued patch for the Phoenix Program
The Phoenix Program, initiated by the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) during the Vietnam War, represents one of the most contentious and complex operations in the annals of military and intelligence history. Designed to undermine the Viet Cong (VC) insurgency by targeting its political infrastructure rather than engaging in traditional military confrontation, the program sought to dismantle the VC's shadow government, which wielded significant control over rural South Vietnam.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to The Intelligencer to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.