South Vietnamese President Thieu abolishes popular elections in the country’s 10,775 hamlets and supercedes a 1968 law establishing the election of hamlet and village officers. The 44 province chiefs, all appointed by Thieu, were ordered to reorganize local government and appoint hamlet officials. Thieu cited the continuing Communist Nguyen Hue offensive that had begun on March 31 as justification for the measures. He claimed that many hamlet chiefs were communists and provided support for insurgents—but the decree was in preparation before the offensive began.
This Day In History: September 6
