7 0 , 0 0 0 . ▁No ▁amount ▁of ▁discussion ▁could ▁resolve ▁the ▁difference . ▁Event ually , ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁the ▁C IA ▁under ▁Hel ms ▁went ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁military ' s ▁lower ▁number ▁for ▁the ▁combat ▁strength ▁of ▁the ▁Vietnam ese ▁Commun ist ▁forces . ▁This ▁led ▁a ▁C IA ▁anal yst ▁directly ▁involved ▁in ▁this ▁work ▁to ▁file ▁a ▁formal ▁compla int ▁against ▁D CI ▁Hel ms , ▁which ▁was ▁accord ed ▁due ▁process ▁within ▁the ▁Agency . ▁ ▁Vietnam : ▁Phoenix ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁major ▁element ▁in ▁his ▁counter ins ur gency ▁policy , ▁N go ▁Din h ▁D iem ▁( Pres ident ▁ 1 9 5 4 – 1 9 6 3 ) ▁had ▁earlier ▁introduced ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁strateg ic ▁ham lets ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁contest ▁V iet ▁Cong ▁operations ▁in ▁the ▁coun tr ys ide . ▁From ▁several ▁ante ced ents ▁the ▁controvers ial ▁Phoenix ▁program ▁was ▁launched ▁during ▁ 1 9 6 7 – 1 9 6 8 . ▁Vari ous ▁Vietnam ese ▁forces ▁( int elligence , ▁military , ▁police , ▁and ▁civil ian ) ▁were ▁deployed ▁in ▁the ▁field ▁against ▁V iet ▁Cong ▁support ▁networks . ▁The ▁C IA ▁played ▁a ▁key ▁role ▁in ▁its ▁design ▁and ▁leadership , ▁and ▁built ▁on ▁practices ▁developed ▁by ▁Vietnam ese , ▁i . e ., ▁the ▁provincial ▁chief , ▁Colonel ▁T ran ▁Ng oc ▁Ch au .< ref > C f ., ▁T ran ▁Ng oc ▁Ch au ,