LARGE CROWDS OUTSIDE GENERAL THI'S DANANG HEADQUARTERS; THI BEING CARRIED BY SUPPORTERS ON HIS ARRIVAL AT HEADQUARTERS; CROWDS CHEERING; THI'S SPEECH.




Initials RGM/V/JH/BB



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Background: GENERAL NGUYEN CHANH THI RETURNED TO HIS HEADQUARTERS IN DANANG, 375 MILES (600 KMS) NORTHEAST OF SAIGON ON WEDNESDAY (16 MARCH). GENERAL THI WAS OUSTED AS COMMANDER OF SOUTH VIETNAM'S FIVE NORTHERNMOST MILITARY REGIONS. A CROWD OF SOME 10,000 PEOPLE TURNED OUT TO GREET HIM.

FOR FOUR DAYS, DANANG, THE SECOND LARGEST CITY IN SOUTH VIETNAM, WAS THE SCENE OF DEMONSTRATIONS BY STUDENTS CONDEMNING PRIME MINISTER NGUYEN CAO KY'S GOVERNMENT FOR DISMISSING GENERAL THI FROM HIS POST AS COMMANDER OF THE NORTHERN REGIONS.

AT HIS FORMER HEADQUARTERS AT DANANG, AFTER AN EMOTIONAL WELCOME, GENERAL THI TOLD THE CROWD TO PUT THE NATIONAL INTEREST ABOVE ANYTHING ELSE AND TO GIVE FIRST PRIORITY TO THE STRUGGLE AGAINST COMMUNISM. HE URGED THEM TO THINK ABOUT THE COUNTRY AND NOT OF HIM.

GENERAL THI, RELIEVED OF HIS COMMAND LAST WEEK, SAID HE WOULD TRAVEL TO THE NORTHERN PROVINCES TO EXPLAIN THE SITUATION TO THE TROOPS FORMERLY UNDER HIS COMMAND DURING THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. BEFORE FLYING TO DANANG, HE TOLD HIS BUDDHIST SUPPORTERS THAT HE WAS STILL A FRIEND AND COMRADE OF PRIME MINISTER NGUYEN CAO KY.

THE FORTY-TWO YEAR OLD GENERAL CAME INTO PROMINENCE IN 1960 WHEN HE LED AN ABORTIVE COUP AGAINST THE LATE PRESIDENT NGO DINH DIEM. EARLY LAST YEAR, HE AND A GROUP OF YOUNG GENERALS, FORCED OUT LIEUTENANT-GENERAL NGUYEN KHANH AS PRIME MINISTER.