CAPABILITY OF THE SUPPLY LINES FOR THE VIET CONG AND THE EFFECT OF INTERDICTION OPERATIONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78S02149R000200100029-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 22, 2004
• Sequence Number: 29
• Content Type: REPORT

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fA of the au3,y Lines for tiuTIA14.;
the Et&tia-t?cif-Interdict ettft; ?ere one
Tlerth VW:nat in poo7"erntion with the Viet Cn8 (VC) bee cneicbrab1.
ealability i end supplies Into the Piereblie of -outh Vista=
(rEgyr4) ?;-.tia:10, end by pea. The generstily rugged terrnin end denve vegeta-
tion al7.^:,743 the inland bard= of the VII conceale On extensive trail neteoz
Oat rein:vets with Omaunise -controlled roads in Leos. Vats long Dm-therm
tarot :lice 7-rith re.:wd, good leatil.ng beeches and the extetteive netvorit at
rivers end. canals In the Delta ivories an **collent environment Ond =nem=
oppteamities for Infiltration by ice. A Irmo variety of route! on be
used, there .re. to imfiltrote nen and supplies into the 21VN.
DI:filtration ,of man ?takes rteme rrine$ptlay over the land tOtite,3 tIalatab,
Leon be:upo gron.pa of ren n.cicing over trails are leee likely to bed.etected
than 1-a7 rx770,..1 by chip. The trail route elao has the odvacta.ge of *darting
the ren rh:ysteelly and rzycho?..ogioally to the 1,1fa a itourgente.lzr
fev men tr, 67c1114 of three cr four, vainly agents and Chilled technicians,
ere RTIcrty4 bre be= infl7trated by sea.
'no 7r171cilel Land routes begin 'with track routes in ITratll Vietnt . end
eni in a rp^,.:1Tork of tralle crooning into the ITU. Of possibkr lee* it,Tor-
tarre 77,ra trails leading troll Cluabodia to VC v.:;tror.ghol.de in the .routIrn
rert of ii7.7 Tflft7 the border. The enrability Cf the ?Pod routes: to deliver
raterislstoCouth Vietcfraii depends in the erd on the mailer rPrtere
end en1.s ttgit the CWrItAn7i.nt 0114 fit to allocate for this parroee. It
ta eqtfratieA tbi.' c orted infiltration system involving *bout 2100
?orn n.tva nrtrts rrcleav doliverect?riboat 2. short ton Ter- 447' (MD) frei
cor rart north Vietnem into nue nrion 171.7CrATICE) at the FM%
ft 1-!.,,...r.ntructe1 rmel (route 9n) reduces the length of this porter
:70.11:(1 permit -tho C:Q7.26 111.000 ren to deliver ebovit 2 STrD throuel?
-
r. Iloreover? during the dry season fr.= December /964 throaed
elta oltnined by the reed vetch tears on the truck routes in tom
t11,71t about 730 tone, in addition to the DTA eatimated er530 tone
rc..Ift.cvt the Corwrniet forces in the rant/ere-le of Leos
-t-77 track into thrt CV)* ? Thus, If the DIA estimate of rewire-
z;ler.te 730 tons, or about 4 VIM Imre available for Infiltration
into the Tr,71:T (L:tring this period over a wool recta.
DIA review(s) completed.
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The nir rtrikes ens t the ur73 routes in !?vth Vietnmasid eoa
bnve ore:ttod difficulties end hi7e redueed the caraaity of andiirasd
the cost of trarspert. This reduction in ealmoity? hovever? did not at
fent the weer et trucks being moved durine the recant dr7 season because
the actuel, 4:,versee number of trucks moved per day vas only about half the
estimted port strike onrecity of the limiting sectors of the mats
The *en routes have e greater potential for infiltratimt of coliglieg
hen do insd routes and have been lees effected ty air strikes, but ve
rracticaliz no evidence on the extent to uhich this lotential is being
utilised. The large nuMber of native craft that normally operate along the
?east of the IV n mates exceedinay difficult the i.nt r.iotiort of the N
VitMfl CZLs ctero. I
Itbere ruj be 0
nted to this Titration, at .v one time.
employe in ees infiltration operations t old
't< eliver about 75 sTPD daily elenG. the at ct the i.
'latter craft, /mind-
Szezba4 shiro? hnve been used in the rest to deliver supplies to the
VC. These ships could have delivered large amounts Cf surplies. In vim
Of the reIztitely low 40111 sullly requirerfsnts of the ve from abroad,
however, the ecteel quoutities delivered by these ships ere estiunted to
have been Ermll. With the rresent incresee In naml patrols and the
imrrovetent in the surveillrn(79 or such craft their ecntribation to '-he
ek*p.7.7
of the VC in the future iotb1y rill not be very lore,.
In ammr7? therefore, besot1 on resementery intelligence, there eppeare
to be a current ospebiltty to infiltratepurplies es follous: a. by
1, 6, CTVD (,,zirin the dry Pelson (stout 6 rontb;) and CrISD daring the
-nv seaso3, nna b. by Oen, about 75 OTPD by nntive ersft arida small
amolnt drAily sey no mare Ulna 5 OTPD by chip. interdiction ofers-
tiors h3ve rree'ei ilifflculties? but hnvit not effected the capabilities
of the aurfpy
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1. rlt Surply Linei
A. Introduction
Sureties detained for infiltretion to the Viet Cons (VC), is well
es supltee for Communist fres in Laos move by truck from the Vinh area
in orth Vienne into Leos. During the Laos,
Denson vest of the trueke move
down route Lk to route 15*, follow routes 15 and 12 into Leos through
Mluflia Pees end proceed south an route 23** to supply dumps located elong
routes 23 401 9. This route is used from about mid-December three& Hoy
or Aloe When route 23 cen only interrittently be ueed by trucks. turplies
for forces in the eonthern tip of the Panhandle of Lace and for infiltra-
tion are drewm from theae &ere throughout the year end roved by truck enet
on route 9 to Ben rovg end eouth on route 92. Airing the recent dry coo-
route 92 vas extended eolith end east towerd the South Vietnams*, Vardar.
A second rte -- the one ueed to infiltrate men from Worth to South Viet
nam aleo trevereee Laos in the rove:lent of tom smile:, to the South
Vietnamese border. Thin route, Which is probably used costly durieg the
rainy season vben route 23 s usually eloped to truck traffic involves
truck nnverionts south from Vinh to the ere* of the Deelliteried os veer
the Laotian border. From there the eupplies are portered to Men Dong along
the northern part of mute 92 (which in the area consists of e winker of
trails acme of which ore at beet Jeepable trails in the dry Deacon). At
Dan Doug lelere this route join the one described above, the eupplies can
be loaded on trucks in for movement south on route 92. Fart of the
trail system north of route 9 le eerelleled by a river that is veritetle
for netive crnft. From the southern part of route 92 surplice are move
further south within Lacs by native craft end by ren over trails end
eventually into South Vietnns by porters on a network of trails. 'These
trails pasz through rugged terrain end dense vegetation making them in-
visible from the air.
D. Ca rabIll.of Cupply Lines,
Before the bridgee end thdkepoints were boabed, the limiting sec-
tor of the truekable mates into loos vac route 23, with a dry season
capacity of *bout 400 short tons. (or about 130 to 135 trucks carrying 3
tons each) cactk ray per 4my. (EUPD). The dry season cepeeity throueheut
of t is route in north Vietnam wee formerly ce ed 12 or
n thinisirecvnidirr the only section of route 23 being discussed 18
that ortlon between routes 12 and 9.
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the mate wna redu:ed In! 1:earl-rine, to Eboit iQ t (30 to 35 t
The cce. 0,1 rciting this Quart:It!" fran Vinh woadhe creetly thereof
be resof yortertzz or ferrying the aurrlies 4 time aroma choke
cr CCI"C915 strew.n, requiring nbotzt 1,000 to 14'00 pecrtere at each
rzirta irrearing yercent ot. the cenilLea1i Ly breakage ar,a
rliferrare 1' tl,a tir-o rellte 23 prairoly is rot truekAble throl.?%it.
Oat 4ma ail (Lys, btzt ca roc* its:fa rarte o!..! ivolably on be aced for
tn.-telt traff1-. rth,i .c.st rainy eerieCtle the road =4i:1r:el to be
to *we antolt by treaci-s ve,71,:ina and byrtera carrying aulrfUee.
The capacity of the second. a% ate - the trail route trnr4 no the
Der..1.,,1tarei 7,one to 11-!-, Dr,ar. on mute 9 -- (lemmas to Owe extent -
hearperei re Berrre route 9n., vas we-tended and arzradeyito
a rood, th raU notvolA vso reported to have teen utilized 1y about
P,O0C cuares f1.14 por'lera. Tt is eatimted nct this rystem %vs envb,e
of dtaiverlsc, abomt 1 elort ton ;sr eAy free near the Demilitarltred Zone
thraugn, Ines; Jr/V.? Thue Mier It-ovince of South ?ietimam. row that al,c...ft
ons-half or tKe route i, trackable tte whole year, it vauld be resell -le
ter ti .ua P,000 men r-es-, detf.ver 2 SM.
C. Iteme.7,rmaents for Trocrui in Laos and Entire livorecl
2.112O0 Pathat Lao and rorth Vietnamees trooFa are logetea in
the Pnahnndle of Laos served by route P3. These fortes require lorl.stital
salpnort Zerth present4 estirsoed by DIA to be 21 shOrt tons
zer day (STPD) for an clOstlea of etWraiee. 171 tVLit4or.7 ol-Krat, 1,5 CTI)
aufplies ore relaired to nal:Ito:IA the truppl.y routes during the dr' serson.
'Thus the total sctr3*7 recTiArcrlent ia the axes in al 5M) during tiro TrIzr".
eeseon fIZT) thirinri Vra dry Deiketnt rekins ft tOti01-1. recr,:ire -
rent of ns.r1r177 11930 fr:".71) mr -slyer. The suprlies ovoi.ileb"le for Wilt=
tiou -,!-.71.a be tte delivered, to Ms ores, ln ceoesa
th.1.3 7eTL3.7rerm?:'",.
It V; cat.1telitltat tore tIxtrt this enotaal. revireratat forhe
Coarnrast ,,,-,-rf?efs Lacs loan roved by trtmir down roete 23 dariag the re-
colt dry neaticri. A rot teen located on the northern Tort of mato
P.3 observedAMrma or the 157 Oar) frets f.1).cY Dec:etilme tsa,
15 and rel-crted. a leve&4 of traffic!! /that ?..as entireterf
ave ';:men 17 t',.rarke per north (excluding trtzeke ,,c4Sservedtr
14 carry-111,s . IT it laeeel?,-Trad Vast each trmh carrlecl.
3 abort tors the vet of tratfic loon cortinno.d for rr.. =174ittr-
'1,171ezip 4-stetsf1l's17* r.7.e11.-:nrtred 9031.0 tons. Tata ectirote
4-1371w-
December
enemy nv.ion
tivae0 for 1
reasibiy
1.1eicated that Viet-tier:wed
o!..hrottg13 1,13;,, 1965 vhen the react-watch team
to leave its sw,Nt. Ts is eastread thst traffic
Ar.lc f-Ztez 30 days during the rtitTs sealita atheUir
??? f241c:otiteel-.-e ax -a atter 25 May.
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delivered to'iies to about 730 tons more than the estimated annual rewire-
Sent for the czee. It is eossible to conclude? therefore, that h SW)
durtng the drr steam were rrehatly aveilehle in the Penhandle of Leos for
infiltration to the VC and en additicmal *mount could have arrived by trails
Sc m the eoetbsen part cf Werth Vietnam, and that the trail network cculd
smile bawl bad the ceencity to deliver this tennee* into South Vietnem.
It is believed, however, that only en amount sufficient to supply VC forces
along the inletd border in the northern provinces would be logically moved
by this route at present. Sem infiltration to other areas of South Viet-
nam prehaely is much easier end less costly. The trail route is likely
maintained eminle to provide a fairly safe route for infiltration of men.
It can also te eoneleded from the available data that theliedbIng
of the trensnort routes orobnbly did not effect the eetuel tonnage fo-
lk/are into Loos by truck. On the average route 23 yes only used et ?beet
one-helf ito nest-strike capacity of 30 to 35 trucks rex' day. During
iasaary end Pebraez7 an nvernge or 1, tracks rer day were tbeerved going
south each ronth. After the 'tontine began, an everoge of 16 trucks rev
day were observed going south iA March, 21 inAoril and 14 taKter.
D. pond Reuters *Tr Car
The VC oleo obtain rupplles, mainly food end email amounts or mili-
tary eurolles, from Catboata by using porters and emugglers who mingle
with nornal village traffic to cross the lightly ratrolled border. In
addition to the *eater infiltration route along the Mekong River (which is
included ha oert or the next eeeeion on euellle lines by see), evidence
indicates thet trails are ueed to crosss the border principally into Thy
Mph Province, which in for the:rost part controlled by the VC. Interro-
action rererts indicate that porters have made regular trips into Clrbodia
in this arca to receive cuopliee that have been transported by ox eert to
the surely ooint.
The reoebility of these routes to move rilitery supplies through
Coshodin pre'oolAy hes been fairly 1w,. hewever, orobably due to the feet
that the Ombedien government hoe net officially acknowledged involveeent
with the W. A large noverent would be difficult to conceal, and the
present cseebility in prebably less then one ton per day.
!XL.,S1107.-tineo bySea
The BereUlo cif South Vietnam (PTO has about 50A0D erertorall
types plying along its l,,500 rile cbettline daily., of ehith the RV! ?level
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.s leen ablE tochfeelr. lets them cne ercan day, Comaicraft
jur1ts. and cvziene con discharge Cal ana cargo at enormoue mambo=
elong the tenehee, coves, rivers and canals of Couth Vietnam.
t inciaLng merchant chits can discharge cargo 13ff-s1ore by the
11 craft CB lighters. Ahredor rroblem Involved. in the intertlic-
itratto of rem anl runnel; by see Is the 8UP/et seouritY
nintalinetity the Vorth Vietnsmeee ana the VC engaged in this
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1 numbers of hldhly trebled Dere 'mil to be used for
Lurptoes vIthin the VC organlration It to not tel4eyed
I have bees infiltrated 'by sem. It ta estimated that
Itlitarr reinforcerlente for the VC rake their law toVOrth
tL lend irlfi1t7ntton routes.
The htUMy .o conation persomel ploolcally end paycholesieetly or
eervice with the VC Curin/3 Vie land infiltration Trooese piers a larce
part In rnIrtasning thin pol_tcy. 'Another factor la that the presence of
lame narIe of pervonnel oA the VO4 infiltration craft %maid rret
?tette tmrge far interdIcticn by naval patreln.
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