CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03186521
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 16
• Document Creation Date: April 27, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 30, 2019
• Publication Date: March 6, 1968

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�Top-Secret-
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DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
Central Intelligence Bulletin
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6 'March 1968
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The CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN is produced by the
Director of Central Intelligence to meet his responsibilities for providing
current intelligence bearing on issues of national security to the President,
die National Security Council, and other senior government officials. It
is produced in consultation with the Departments of State and Defense.
When, because of the time factor, adequate consultation with the depart-
ment of primary concern is not feasible, items or portions thereof are pro-
duced by CIA and marked with an asterisk.
interpretations of intelligence information in this publication represent
immediate and preliminary views which are subject to modification in the
light of further information and more complete analysis.
Certain intelligence items in this publication may be designated specifically
for no further dissemination. Other intelligence items may be disseminated
further, but only on a need-to-know basis.
WARNING
This document contains classified information affecting the national security
of the United States within the meaning of the espionage laws, US Code
Title IS, Sections 793, 794, and 798.
1;':�
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6 March 1968
Central Intelligence Bulletin
CONTENTS
Vietnam: Situation report. (Page 1)
Warsaw Pact: Moscow is probably headed for another
clash with the Rumanians. (Page 5)
Ecuador: The presidential election campaign is heating
up. (Page 8)
Panama: Tension continues to rise as Arias pushes
for impeachment of Robles. (Page 9)
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*South Vietnam: The Communists launched mortar
and rocket attacks in widely scattered areas for the
second consecutive night on 4-5 March.
The heaviest attacks came in the III and IV Corps
areas where over 20 separate mortar and rocket bar-
rages hit provincial capitals, military headquarters,
and Revolutionary Development compounds. At last
report, fighting was still going on near Ca Mau city,
the capital of An Xuyen Province, where Viet Cong
troops followed up a 400-round mortar attack with an
infantry assault.
The enemy also struck several points in the central
highlands. South Vietnamese forces reported inflicting
heavy losses on the Communists while beating back two
ground assaults in Binh Dinh and Phu Yen provinces.
along the central coast.
Although far below the intensity of the Tet offensive,
the latest series of actions has generally followed a
similar pattern--the first night's activity in the northern
half of the country, and the second in the southern half..
In the northern part of the country,
shift by the North Vietnamese
320th Division into the northeastern section of Quang Tri
Province. This movement fills a vacuum created when
the North Vietnamese 324B Division moved south earlier
this year. The 320th is in a position to threaten vital
allied supply routes which extend from the Dong Ha - Cua
Viet area north to Gio Linh, Con Thien, and other allied
bases along the Demilitarized Zone,
one
of the regiments of the North Vietnamese 304th Division
� may be moving south from the Khe Sanh area towards
� the A Shau Valley. Late laSt week another regiment
involved in the build-up around Khe Sanh was located
near Hue over 50 miles to the southeast.
6 Mar 68
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In a preliminary assessment,, the US Embassy in
Saigon finds that the Tet offensive not only inflicted
extreme damage on the industrial facilities and the
transportation and communications system in the
South Vietnam, but also dealt a serious blow to busi-
ness confidence. According to the embassy, there
has been an almost complete cessation of investment
planning, import activity is at a standstill, and numer-
ous businessmen are leaving the country.
Trade between urban and rural areas in consumer
goods and agricultural products which increased mark-
edly during the last year, dropped off sharply in the
wake of the Tet offensive because the roads over which
the trade moves are not secure. The Viet Cong had
begun to step up their harassment of commercial traf-
fic some three months before the Tet offensive, and it
now appears that the interdiction of commerce to some
of the main urban centers may be a major Communist
objective.
US military authorities in Vietnam have evidence of
the infiltration of over 20, 000 troops during January 1968,
the highest total in any single month in the year.
Detailed information on the identity of the troops
involved has not yet been received; it is clear, however,
that the bulk were members of the North Vietnamese
304th and 320th divisions which moved into the area of
Khe Sanh and the Demilitarized Zone. Other forces,
such as separate artillery units and a substantial number
of replacement pack'ets'are also believed to have moved
into the northern provinces of South Vietnam during Jan-
uary.
Moreover, when full evidence is in, infiltration
during the last quarter 01 1967�prior to the Tet offensive--
may prove higher than is now known.
Total infiltration for 1967 is now estimated at
69, 500,
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Bucharest will hope to ward off Moscow's
demands for unanimous approval of the US-USSR spon-
sored nonproliferation treaty. Rumania opposes the
treaty in its present form and probably resents being
put under duress from Moscow to approve it.
Bucharest probably will be no more forthcoming
on any new declaration on European security and the
German question. Moscow, East Germany and Poland
want to take a harder line against Bonn's eastern pol-
icy than Bucharest would like because of its recognition
of West Germany. The Rumanians also will carefully
review the wording of any resolution that implies their
concurrence with Soviet policy on sensitive international
Communist issues, such as Vietnam.
6 Mar 68 5
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*Ecuador: Followers of two presidential candi-
dates clashed in Guayaquil on 4 March, and further
violence is likely before the election in June.
The groups involved were supporters of Camilo
Ponce and the leading candidate, Jose Maria Velasco,
whose erratic actions led to his ouster in three of his
four previous presidential terms.
Velasco has announced that he will return on
9 March from his self-imposed exile in Buenos Aires.
In a press interview on 5 March, Velasco accused
interim President Otto Arosemena's administration of
planning "electoral frauds" to defeat him.
6 Mar 68 8
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*Panama: Political tensions continue to rise as
National Union (NU) leader Arnulfo Arias pushes for im-
peachment of President Robles.
In the absence of any conciliatory gesture from
Robles to implement the compromise agreement reached
early Monday, the Arias-controlled National Assembly
is proceeding with its impeachment plans, A three-man
commission appointed to investigate the charges of at-
tempted manipulation of electoral machinery by Robles
may issue its report today and request Robles to ap-
pear before the assembly for questioning.
The assembly may also vote on a date, no sooner
than three days, to hear the commission's decision and
to accept or reject the impeachment charges. If the
accusations are upheld, Robles is required by the con-
stitution to step aside in favor of the first vice presi-
dent--an Arias supporter.
Meanwhile, Robles remains adamant in his refusal
to make any compromise move. Both Robles and govern-
ment candidate Samudio made a determined but unsuc-
cessful effort yesterday to pressure National Guard Com-
mandant Vallarino into dissolving the assembly. 7
the government
may be preparing to take some action--possibly includ-
ing a suspension of constitutional guarantees--to pre-
vent the assembly from convening again.
Both sides appear to be preparing for trouble.
Arias is calling for 5,000 supporters to gather when the
assembly meets, and NU media in the capital have be-
gun to issue inflammatory reports on the activities of
pro-Samudio "hoodlums." Such action in the past has
been responsible for stirring up public emotion and in-
citing violence.
Some disorders by partisans of both Arias and s,
Samudio have already occurred and more can probably
be expected.
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