THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03024592
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 15
• Document Creation Date: April 26, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 30, 2019
• Publication Date: December 7, 1967

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DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
(*)
MEMORANDUM
The Situation in Vietnam
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7 December 1967
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10P�Segrer
WARNING
This document contains classified information affecting the national security
of the United States within the meaning of the espionage laws, US Code
Title 18, Sections 793, 794, and 798.
Jap-StrEr-vit
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Information as of 1600
7 December 1967
HIGHLIGHTS
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The Communists have mounted their heaviest
mortar attack against US Marine outposts near the
Demilitarized Zone since September. The commanders
of South Vietnam's four corps areas object to gov-
ernment reorganization plans which would diminish
their power.
I. Military Situation in South Vietnam: Nearly
300 mortar and artillery rounds were fired at US posi-
tions in the Con Thien area on 6 December in what
may be a prelude to larger attacks in Ouana Tri Prov-
ince (Paras 1-7). /
Two
sharp clashes took place in Binh Dinh Province on
6-7 December (Paras. 9-10).
II. Political Developments in South Vietn m
�
Two groups
in the Lower House are trying to organize themselves
as blocs, while a third group appears to have slowed
down in its efforts at both organizing and recruit-
ing (Paras. 3-8).
III. Military Developments in North Vietnam:
There is nothing of significance to report.
IV. Other Communist Military Developments: There
is nothing of significance to report.
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7 December 1967
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Dis osition of NVA Units in the Con Thien Area
STATUTE MILES
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I. MILITARY SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
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1. Nearly 300 enemy artillery and mortar shells
were fired at US Marine positions near Con Thien on 6
December, the firing was the heaviest since the with-
drawal of many of the enemy in late September.
2. The enemy shelling included 60-mm., 82-mm.,
and 120-mm. mortars and 85-mm. artillery. Seven
Americans were killed and 75 wounded. The number of
enemy soldiers killed by our counterf ire is unknown.
3. At the same time, units of the 4th Marine Regi-
ment some two-and-a-half miles northeast of Con Thien
were hit by an estimated North Vietnamese company which
attacked with small arms, machine guns, and bazooka-type
B-40 rockets. Six Marines were killed and 32 wounded.
A Medevac helicopter was hit by enemy fire and disabled.
5. Two subordinates of the 90th Regiment--the
8th and 9th battalions--have been extremely active
near Con Thien. These units recently engaged an
American battalion northeast of the stronghold and
also been involved in numerous small-unit actions.
Additionally, these units have performed extensive
reconnaissance activities in the area. Combat ele-
ments of the 90th Regiment have had considerable mor-
tar, artillery, and rocket fire in support of their
activities./
have
7 December 1967
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7. The renewed enemy activity, coupled with
the recent movements of enemy troops back into the
Con Thien area, suggest that the North Vietnamese
may have decided to begin another round in this
area, possibly in conjunction with an offensive
near Khe Sanh in western Quang Tri Province. This
threat comes at the peak of the monsoon season in
the northern provinces. Most major allied land
supply routes are closed and tactical air support
is hampered.
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Step-up in Binh Dinh
9. Two sharp clashes in Binh Dinh Province
on 6-7 December resulted in ten US and South Korean
soldiers killed compared with 77 enemy killed. In
addition, 25 South Vietnamese civilians were wounded
on 5 December when enemy forces attacked a Revolu-
tionary Development training center in Binh Dinh.
10. The heaviest fighting occurred in the US
1st Cavalry Division's Operation PERSHING in north-
ern Binh Dinh. During the morning of 6 December
two companies of the 1st Cavalry fought an estimated
reinforced enemy company in bunkers and trenches.
Sporadic fighting continued throughout the day and
the US troops held down the enemy during the night
with artillery and tactical air strikes. Ground
action began again on the 7th and was continuing
at last report. Enemy losses in this action are
43 dead.
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Activities of Lower House Blocs
3. Members of the Lower House have been active
recently in consolidating blocs, forming alliances,
and lining up candidates for the house officers.
4. the largely 3.3(h)(2)
Catholic Independence Bloc formally organized itself
as a political group after receiving written pledges of
adherence from 28 deputies during a meeting on 2 Decem-
ber. They elected officers and gave the chairmanship
to Gia Dinh deputy Nguyen Quang Luyen, a Buddhist, in
an effort to defuse charges that the bloc is solely
Catholic. It was further agreed that the bloc would
seek the election of several of its number to Lower
House offices. These include the positions of deputy
chairman, secretary general, and deputy secretary general,
as well as the chairmanships of several committees.
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5. Bloc leaders, have
tentatively decided to seek an alliance with the pro-
government Democratic Bloc and have extended in-
formal feelers to test the Democratic Bloc's re-
action. The leaders reportedly believe their pro-
posal will be accepted since an alliance of the
Independence Bloc's 28 members and the Democratic
Bloc's 51 members would give the two a working
majority in the house.
6. As for the Independence Bloc's attitude
toward the government,
it will support government programs
which it deems worthwhile, but does not want to
become a rubber stamp. The bloc has reportedly
decided against an earlier plan to form a loose
alliance with the largely Buddhist, antigovern-
ment Progressive Bloc. Independence Bloc leaders
now believe that the Progressives are too anti-
government and that such an alliance would hurt
the bloc.
7. The All Vietnam Bloc, a group originally
formed to support Vice President Ky's presidential
candidacy, is also attempting to organize itself
as a formal bloc in the Lower House, but is re-
portedly having difficulty.
bloc members, including seven
Lower House deputies, were unable to agree during
a meeting on 4 December whether the bloc's Lower
House branch should be overt or covert. As a
result, the group made no progress. Bloc chair-
man Tran Van An is reportedly confident, however,
that the bloc can muster the support of 18 to 20
deputies in the Lower House and claims firm com-
mitments from 17. These include Cao Dai, Hoa
Hao, and Nationalist Party (VNQDD) deputies.
8. The Farmer-Worker-Soldier Bloc is having
even more difficulty in organizing its Lower House
contingent. The bloc's liaison man NA7ith the Lower
House has not been attending meetings of the
working committee,
�and the bloc has apparently done little to
its strength.
a bloc member recently that some 20 Catholic deputies
would like to cooperate. Nothing has yet been done
to follow this up, and bloc leaders do not even know
the deputies' names.
group's
increase
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III. MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS IN NORTH VIETNAM
IV. OTHER COMMUNIST MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS
1. There is nothing of significance to report.
7 December 1967
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V. COMMUNIST POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
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Liberation Front Propaganda
1. Spokesmen for the Vietnamese Communists
are presenting a studiously non-Communist picture
of the kind of settlement for South Vietnam en-
visaged in the Liberation Front's new political
program. They try to make the program as appeal-
ing as they can and to soft-pedal the principal
objective--a US withdrawal and a Communist polit-
ical take-over.
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