THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM - 28 DECEMBER 1967 - 1967/12/28

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06752239
• Document Creation Date: July 27, 2018

Approved for Release: 2018/07/11 C06752239
(fl
DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
727
MEMORANDUM
The Situation in Vietnam
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2018/07/11 C06752239
119
28 December 1967
Approved for Release: 2018/07/11 C06752239
Information as of 1600
28 December 1967
HIGHLIGHTS
The enemy threat in the Quang Nam - Quang Tin
Province area has been increased by the move of
another North Vietnamese regiment into the area.
I. The Military Situation in South Vietnam:.
Casualties were high on both sides on 27 December
as US and Communist forces battled in widespread
sections of the country (Paras. 1-6). The North
Vietnamese 31st Regiment has moved into Quang Nam
Province and may join.with other Communist units in
the coastal areas of central I Corps (Paras. 7-9).
II. Political 'Developments in South Vietnam:
Two lower house blocs are attempting to expand
their membership and arrange alliances with other
political groups. There are indications of efforts
to form a national Buddhist political party (Paras.
1-6).
III. Military Developments in North Vietnam:
A number of bypasses for the Doumer Bridge across
the Red River are in place or under construction
(Paras. 1-2).
IV. Other Communist Military Developments:
There is nothing of significance to report.
V. Communist Political Developments: There
is nothing of significance to report.
TOPS
ET
Approved for Release: 2018/07/11 C06752239
Approved for Release: 2018/07/11 C06752239
I. THE MILITARY SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. Large numbers of allied and Communist
troops were killed or wounded as the result of
stepped-up fighting on 27 December.
2. Elements of a battalion of the US 173rd
Airborne Brigade killed at least 31 enemy and
captured 18 weapons in a day-long battle in Phu
Yen Province. The battle followed an airborne
assault on suspected Communist positions some
24 miles north of the provincial capital of Tuy Hoa.
The enemy troops, an estimated two companies,
possibly from the 6th Battalion of the North
Vietnamese 95th Regiment, were in well dug-in
positions. The enemy finally withdrew after nine
hours of US air and artillery bombardments.
American losses were reported as 12 killed and
37 wounded.
3. US forces in this engagement were part
of the two-battalion Operation BOLLING which has
been sweeping central Phu Yen Province since
18 September. The operation thus far has accounted
for 218 enemy killed; 1,725 Communist suspects have
been detained. Elements of the 95th Regiment, a
subordinate of the North Vietnamese 5th Division,
are scattered throughout the area and apparently
have been refitting and preparing for future
military offensives, possibly before the
Tet holidays in late January.
4. An 82-mm. mortar barrage of some 180
rounds was directed at a base camp of the US
25th Infantry Division at Dau Tiengisome 42 -
miles northwest of Saigon in northwestern Binh
Duong Province, late on 27 December. The mortar
attack was accompanied by small-arms fire and
resulted in one killed, 42 wounded, and two heli-
copters damaged. Some of the rounds, may have
been armed with delayed fuses. These shells
exploded as long as two hours after the intense
five-minute shelling and caught the camp's
defenders 1:?1, surprise and added to the casualties.
28 December 1967
I-1
TOP
ET
Approved for Release: 2018/07/11
Approved for Release: 2018/07/11 C06752239
5. The attackers were probably members of the
1,500-man 101st Regiment, a subordinate of the North
Vietnamese 7th Division. Elements of this unit have
been spotted in the northwestern corner of Binh
Duong Province after recently relocating from north-
ern Tay Ninh Province. This repositioning of 7th
Division units has enabled the enemy to harass rear
areas of allied units participating in the sweep
operation now under way in northern Tay NInh Prov-
ince.
6. Another five Americans were killed and 32
wounded on 27 December during a two-hour skirmish
in central Binh Duong Province when a company from
the US 199th Infantry. Brigade engaged a Communist
force of undetermined size while searching an enemy
bunker complex. Two additional companies reinforced
the US patrol and drove off the enemy, who left 34
bodies behind.
New Enemy Regiment Southwest of Da Nang
7. On 26 December, radio direction finding
located the headquarters of the North Vietnamese
31st Regiment southwest of Da Nang in Quang Nam
Province. The 31st, a former subordinate of the
North Vietnamese 341st Division which was active in
the Demilitarized Zone area earlier this year, has
been noted moving southward in the Laotian infil-
tration corridor in recent weeks. Late last month
it was located in Laos just west of the A Shau
Valley. The unit now appears to be en route to
join the North Vietnamese 2nd Division and local
Viet Cong forces in the Quang Nam - Quang Tin border
area. If the 31st does join the 2nd Division, the
enemy's capability to launch attacks in the Que Son -
Hiep Duc area will be greatly increased. The 2nd
Division's regular regiments have been under heavy
pressure from allied forces for the past four months.
8. It is possible that the 31st will operate
just to the north of the 2nd Division in the immediate
Da Nang area.
28 December 1967
1-2
Approved for Release: 2018/07/11 C0R77/c.
3.3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2018/07/11 C06752239
a "well armed" North Vietnamese regiment with
a strength of 2,000 men ha moved into an area some
25 miles west of Da Nang. probably re-
ferring to'the 31st Regiment, fur er tated that
the new unit had orders to coordinate with Viet
Cong forces and conduct a joint campaign in the Dai
Loc - Da Nang area prior to the Tet holiday in., late
January.
9. The recent movement of major elements of
the headquarters of Military Region 5 northward
from their Do Xa base area to the Quang Nam - Quang
Tin border is another indication of impending action
in this general area. An early attack by the 31st
Regiment in particular should not be ruled out.
When the North Vietnamese 88th Regiment moved from
the highlands down to the III Corps area this fall,
it launched an all-out assault near Song Be without
makingtheprolonged "battlefield preparations" which
usually, characterize enemy offensives. Also, the
fighting in the Dak To area began soon after the�
arrival of the North Vietnamese 1st Division in
western Kontum Province in late October.
28.December,1967
1,-3
Approved for Release: 2018/07/11 COR7S�,�,,zn
Approved for Release: 2018/07/11 C06752239
II. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. Both the Buddhist-leaning Progressive Bloc
and the Catholic Independence Bloc in the lower
house are making efforts to expand their membership.
The Progressives may be involved in efforts to found
a national Buddhist political party.
2. The Progressive Bloc convened a meeting on
20 December; to
persuade members of other lower house groups, par-
ticularly the Independence Bloc, to join the Pro-
gressives in forming a new group which would be
called the Popularist Bloc. The new bloc is re-
portedly intended to offset the influence of the pro-
government Democratic Bloc. Only 18 of an expected
40 deputies appeared for the meeting, however, and
several of these seemed disillusioned at the pro-
Buddhist nature of the proposed new bloc. One of
the Progressive Bloc leaders is reported to have
said that the actual purpose of the meeting was to
form a Buddhist political bloc in the lower house.
He claimed the certain support of 20 to 25 deputies.
3. Militant Buddhist Thich Thien Minh and Sena-
tor Ton That Dinh also re ortedl a..eared at the
meeting. , Minh and Dinh
are both involved in efforts to establish a national
Buddhist political front, and a third source reports
that Dinh and Senator Dang Van Sung are attempting
to form a Buddhist socialist party. The purpose of
this party would be to counter -growing Catholic in-
fluence, which Dinh and Sung are said to regard as
more threatening because of the recent election of
three Catholics to �the Senate's board of officers.
4. Dinh and Sung are apparently acting as
representatives of their Farmer-Worker-Soldier Bloc
in these efforts.\ Dinh
is negotiating wit e eaders of both the mili-
tant and the moderate Buddhist factions and that
these leaders appear interested in forming a joint
political bloc under a nonclerical leader and in
becoming associated with an organization headed by
Tran Van Don, Farmer-Worker-Soldier Bloc president.
28 December 1967
Approved for Release: 2018/07/11 C067.c99-40
Approved for Release: 2018/07/11 C06752239
3.5(c)
5. As for the Independence Bloc, its efforts to
ally itself with_other lower house groups may
meet with resistance from some of its members.
3.3(h)(2) \ 1 the bloc is
attempting to get working agreements with members
of the All Vietnam Bloc and the Youth Group and
has been holding talks with the Democratic And
Farmer-Worker-Soldier blocs in an. effort to bring
together what are considered the right-wing groups.
6. Nothing decisive has resulted from these
moves, however. Some of the Independence Bloc's
staunch Catholic members would object to alli-
ances with non-Catholics and are therefore being
kept in the dark about negotiations for alli-
ances and will only. be informed after the fact.
The bloc, is also reported to regard its predomi-
nantly northern Catholic :make-up as something of
a drawback in attracting new members, particularly
Buddhists, and in maintaining an independent image.
28 December 1967
TOP
Approved for Release: 2018/07/11
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2018/07/11 C06752239
III. MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS IN NORTH VIETNAM
1. Photography of 15 December shows three
causeway-pontoon bridges in place or under construc-
tion across the Red River just north and south of
the recently bombed Paul Downer Bridge. The cause-
ways run out from the banks and are constructed of
rock and gravel laid across exposed sand bars.
Pontoon sections are added where necessary to com-
plete the crossings. Two causeway-pontoon bridges
about a mile and a half south of the Downer Bridge
are operational. The third bridge, located about
three quarters of a mile northwest of the Downer
Bridge, is under construction..
2. The new Red River crossings are believed
capable of supporting a moderate level of truck
traffic. The causeways should be serviceable for
several months until undermined and washed out
when the present seasonally low water in the Red
River returns to normal about June. There are 12
other alternate Red River crossing facilities, half
of them within five miles of the Doumer Bridge.
28 December 1967
Approved for Release: 2018/07/11 Cf1R7goon
3.5(c)
3.5(c)
---
Approved for Release: 2018/07/11 C06752239
Approved for Release: 2018/07/11 C06752239