THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM - 29 JANUARY 1968 - 1968/01/29

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06753739
• Document Creation Date: July 27, 2018

Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 C06753739
DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
MEMORANDUM
The Situation in Vietnam
ARCHIVAL RECORD
PLEASE RETII TO
AGENCY ARCHIVES
To cret
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29 January.1.968
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Information as of 1600
29 January 1968
HIGHLIGHTS
Military activity in South Vietnam has slack-
ened since the beginning of the modified allied
cease-fire period. Hanoi has indicated a willing-
ness to discuss a new proposal for negotiations with
UN Secretary General Thant.
I. The Military Situation in South Vietnam:
Over-all fighting has abated since the beginning
of the modified allied cease-fire period on 29
January (Paras. 1-2). A number of reports shed ad-
ditional light on the activities of enemy units
in western Quang Tri Province (Paras. 3-7). Dur-
ing 1967 nearly 1,400 Communist-initiated incidents
were directed at Revolutionary Development cadre
(Paras. 8-9).
II. Political Developments in South Vietnam:
Reaction in Saigon to President Thieuus "state of
the nation" address has been mixed (Para. 1).
IV. Other Communist Military Developments:
There is nothing of significance to report.
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I. THE MILITARY SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. The pace of military activity slackened
on 29 January with the beginning of the modified
allied cease-fire period. There have been no sig-
nificant Communist-initiated actions reported thus
far since the 36-hour allied cease-fire began in
II, III, and IV Corps.
2. In I Corps on 28 January, US Marines
fought a day-long battle with a North Vietnamese
force near the allied strongpoint of Gio Linh in
northeastern Nang Tri Province. This was the
second battle in two days in this same general
area. In both battles the enemy was supported by
heavy mortar and 130-mm. artillery fire. The
artillery possibly came from positions within the
Demilitarized Zone. The enemy unit, tentatively
identified as a battalion of the Communists' 803rd
Regiment, a subordinate of the North Vietnamese
324B Division, had 52 killed and 52 weapons captured;
American casualties were seven killed and 27
wounded.
The Khe Sanh - Demilitarized Zone Area
3 A number of reports from prisoners
shed light on enemy
units, movements, and weapons in the Khe Sanh -
militarized Zone area.
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4. Most significant is the identification of
one, and possibly two, regiments of the North Viet-
namese 320th Division just north of Camp Carroll in
north-central Quang Tri Province. A North Vietnamese
who was taken prisoner less than two
miles north of Camp Carroll claimed that he was a mem-
ber of the 320th Division's 64th Re iment.
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5. Camp Carroll was hit by heavy mortar and rocket
fire last week and US Marines fought two sharp battles
just north of the base which resulted in 27 US and some
150 enemy killed. I
I-1
29 January 1968
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7. Another indication of the possible intro-
duction of heavier antiaircraft.weapons in the Khe
Sanh area waS..reported,on 28 January. The pilot,
of:a.US Air. Force F-105 reported receiving light,
inaccurate 37-Mm. or 57-mm. fire from the hills
north and west of the base.
:Sighting tour 37-mm..
antiaircraft guns: 12 miles northwest of Khe-Sanh.
Prior to these reports, the. heaviest weapons.which
the. Communists used against aircraft in South Viet-
nam were 12.7-mm. machine guns. The introduction
of 37-mm. or 57-mm guns would increase the enemy's
ability to disrupt aerial resupply and reinforce-
ments in the Khe Sanh area.
Communist Actions Against Revolutionary Development
Workers
8. There were 136 enemy incidents directed
against Revolutionary Development cadres during
December: 30 in I Corps, 41 in II Corps, 27 in
III Corps, and 38 in IV Corps. Resulting losses
during the month were 70 killed, 139 wounded, and
seven missing compared with losses to the enemy
of 65 killed and another 11 captured.
9. During the past year, the enemy initiated
1,343 incidents directed against Revolutionary De-
velopment cadre. Losses from enemy action during
the year totaled 720 killed, 1,312 wounded, and 122
missing. The cadres, assisted by South Vietnamese
and allied security forces, were responsible for
, enemy losses of 1,374 killed and 209 captured.
29 January 1968
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III. MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS IN NORTH VIETNAM
1. The apparent effort, to operate MIGs in -
southern-North:NietnamcOntinued on 28 January when
two MIG-21 interceptors flew into the Vinh area in -
the early afternoon. The aircraft took off from
Phuc Yen and were flown by the-sameNorth Vietnamese
airmen. who have flown into the Vinh area-three
times before. As in previous flights, the MIGs
showed. no willingness to engage in aerial combat.
When US aircraft appeared in the Vinh area,. the
fighters were ordered to turn north and return to.
base;
3. The Vinh Airfield was again bombed by
US aircraft on 29 January. Pilots reported blast-
ing craters in the runway in at least three places
and seeding the facility with delayed action
bombs. It is not yet known if US air strikes have
rendered the Vinh Airfield unusable to MIGs.
29 January 1968
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IV. OTHER COMMUNIST MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS
1. There is nothing of significance to report.
29 January 1968
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