In 1969, as the Vietnam War escalated, widespread political imprisonment and religious persecution flourished under South Vietnam's Thieu-Ky regime - a government maintaining power through U.S. support rather than popular mandate. An eight-day field investigation by the Ad Hoc Committee to Investigate Political and Religious Freedom revealed approximately 45,000 civilians detained without trial in a systematic campaign of repression. The investigation, conducted in both Paris and Saigon, encompassed interviews with President Thieu, government officials, religious leaders, political prisoners, and stakeholders across the ideological spectrum, alongside direct prison visits. Evidence emerged of torture in interrogation centers and targeted suppression of the Buddhist majority population, with prominent Buddhist leaders and political opposition figures among the imprisoned. The findings suggest these repressive policies actively undermined stated American objectives of defending democracy in Southeast Asia while increasing popular support for communist insurgents. Based on extensive documentation of civil liberty violations, the investigation recommends immediate prisoner release, press freedom restoration, establishment of truly representative government, and phased American withdrawal to facilitate Vietnamese self-determination and conflict resolution.