COMMUNIST USE OF CAMBODIA TO SUPPORT THE WAR IN SOUTH VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78S02149R000200250014-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 10, 2003
• Sequence Number: 14
• Publication Date: December 16, 1965
• Content Type: MF

Approved Fol Release 2003/03/28 : CIA-RDP78S02149R000200250014-7
11GB JDJ
LD' 1 I / P
EMV NEE JMG k'
16 December 1965
MEMOFANTRJM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence
THRvuGH: Deputy Director for Intelligence
SUBJECT: Communist Use of Cambodia to Support the War in
South Vietnam
1. The attached memorandum is for your information. It responds
to your request of 8 December to the Deputy Director for Intelligence
regarding Communist use of Cambodia as a base of support for the war
in South Vietnam. .
2. The memorandum shows that Cambodia could be of great import-
ance as a base if the Viet Cong could gain the open cooperation of
the Cambodian government. Potentially, military supplies could be
brought into Sihanoukville in amounts much larger than needed to meet
all of the logistic requirements of the VC/PAVN forces and these
supplies could be moved through Cambodia to storage bases along the
South Vietnamese border. Under these conditions the Viet Cong could
also gain a large sanctuary area for military support activities.
3.' Clandestine use of Cambodian territory, such as that currently
being carried on, is abetted by the inability of the Cambodian govern-
ment to control its remote border territories. Photography and other\
sources confirm that some Cambodian territory, particularly in the
northeast, is being used for sanctuary and base areas. It is signifi-.
cant, however, that the only known road connections to these areas lead
from the Lao corridor and do not connect with the Cambodian transport
system.
4. If the Viet Cong were to make maximum clandestine use of
Cambodian territory, they would be able to provide substantial support
to their war effort in South Vietnam. While supplies from this source
probably could not satisfy the current external logistic requirement
of 12 tons daily they could provide a very important supplement to the
existing system of land and sea infiltration. However, since the
capacity of the current supply system through Laos is well in excess
of present VC/PAVN requirements, the use of Cambodia as an infiltration
route under present conditions is more of a convenience than a necessity.
25X1A
Deputy Director
Research and Reports
cc: DDCI
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 25X1 Approved For Release 2003/03/28 : CIA-RDP78SO2149R000200250014-7
Approved For Release 2003/03/28 : CIA-RDP78SO2149R000200250014-7