NORTH VIETNAM CONTINUES TO CONSTRUCT BRIDGES TO THE BORDER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78T05439A000500070015-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 4, 2001
• Sequence Number: 15
• Publication Date: November 1, 1964
• Content Type: BRIEF

ILLEGIB
Approved For Release 2001/08/13 : CIA-RDP78TO5439A000500070015-7
Approved For Release 2001/08/13 : CIA-RDP78TO5439A000500070015-7
 Approved For Release 2001/08/13 : CIA-RDP78TO5439A000500070015-7
S-E-C-R-E-T
The North Vietnamese at present are engaged in an extensive pro-
gram to construct new bridges on important roads within North Vietnam
that lead to central and southern Laos and through Laos to South Vietnam.
Emphasis has been placed on (1) constructing new bridges at points where
streams are crossed by fords or ferries and on (2) replacing low-capacity
wooden bridges with bridges constructed with reinforced concrete. There
is no evidence of a current major. effort to improve roads on the Laotian
side of the border, but improvement of the road network in North Vietnam
will facilitate the movement to the border of men and supplies destined for
Communist forces in Laos and for infiltration into South'Vietnam.
1. Scope and Significance of Construction
Aerial photography reveals that during the past year the North Viet-
namese have carried out a sustained program to construct bridges on
routes 7 and 12 in North Vietnam -- the two most important roads used
by the Communists to transport men and supplies to the Plaine des Jarres
in central Laos and to Communist forces in southern Laos. The North
Vietnamese have carried out maintenance of routes 7 and 12 for a number
of years, but the current program is a?med at substantially improving
the sections of these 2 routes that lie near the border (see the map,
Figure 1).
Although the North Vietnamese have publicized construction of bridges
located in other parts of the country, they have never openly discussed
their construction program on routes 7 and 12. Photography indicates,
however, that the present effort to build bridges on these routes was
launched sometime in - with actual work on many of the bridges
starting early in_ following the termination of the 1963 rainy season.
Construction continued through the 1964 rainy season, suggesting that the
North Vietnamese place high priority on completion of the work. The
bridge construction program in North, Vietnam appears to be motivated
primarily by military considerations and probably is part of a longer
range plan to facilitate access to Laos throughout the year. ' Mostly during
The period of most pronounced rainfall in the central and southern
parts of North Vietnam is during September and October.
 Approved For Release 2001/08/13 : CIA-RDP78TO5439A000500070015-7
-S-E-C-R-E-T
the dry seasons have large numbers of trucks
12 to supply men and materials to Communist
increased trafficability of the routes has been
is possible that greater effort will be applied
and repair of the roads within Laos.
moved over routes 7 and
forces in Laos. Once
insured to the border, it
to stepping up maintenance
Photographic coverage of route 7 -- the only important route
in North Vietnam that leads to the Plaine des Jarres -- reveals that at
least eight bridges either have been recently completed or are at present
under construction. All of the bridges are located along a 50-kilometer (km)
section of the road running between Cua Rao in North Vietnam and the
Laotian border. The bridges are concrete deck-type structures, and they
range in length from 15 to 60 meters. All of the bridges are constructed
over feeder streams that flow into the Nam Mo'River, a large stream
that parallels route 7 in the border area (see the photograph, Figure 2).
b. Construction of Bridges on Route 12
Photographic coverage of route 12 -- the main supply route in
North Vietnam leading to southern Laos -- reveals that seven bridges
either have been completed recently or are still being-built. The bridges
are constructed along a 75-km section of the road running between Loc
Yen in North Vietnam and the Laotian border. Two of the bridges are
north of Bai Duc Thon -- the staging area which was used for the ship-
ment of men and supplies into Laos during the 1963-64 dry season but
which recently has been largely dismantled -- and five bridges are
located between Bai Duc Thon and the border (see the photograph, Fig-
ure 3). Most of the bridges are between 30 and 60 meters in length and
are the same type of structures as those being built on route 7. One
bridge near Bai Duc Thon, however, has a steel superstructure and is
a combination rail and road bridge. (See the photograph, Figure 4).
In addition to the bridge construction program on routes 7 and
12, the North-Vietnamese are engaged in a limited program to improve
route 1, the coastal road leading directly to the demilitarized zone. No
construction has been started to bridge the major water barriers on
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route 1 near Vinh or Dong Hoi, but work is presently underway on two
smaller bridges in the area. One of these is located near Kiern Tam',
approximately 80 km north of Vinh, and the other near Yen Hung, ap-
proximately 90 km south of Vinh. Both structures are roughly 40
meters in length. -
There is no evidence indicating that work is underway to con-
struct new bridges on route 8 -- the only other road leading from North
Vietnam into central or southern Laos. The absence of work to im-
prove this road suggests that the North Vietnamese do not consider
route 8 to be as important as routes 7 and 12 and supports the conclu-
sion that route 8 is used only to 9.upply the relatively few Communist
forces now in the area of Lak Sao.
In addition to the program to improve the road network, the
North Vietnamese are continuing to work on the railroad in the southern
part of the country. The rail line officially reached the Vinh area in
but construction is still in progress in Vinh on such ancillary
facilities as maintenance shops for rolling stock. Construction below
Vinh has reached an advanced stage on the 3-km spur to the port of Ben
Thuy on the Song Ca River, but replacement of the large rail bridge
over the Song Ca on the old main line extending southward has not been
undertaken. Some preliminary work has been-completed in preparation
for possible reconstruction of a second major rail bridge below Vinh
over the Ngan Pho River, and work is actively in progress on a srnalle-r
bridge located approximately 40 km south of Virsh and on- the roadbed at
scattered points along the 70-km section between the Ngan Pho River
and the Bai Duc Thon staging area. There is no indication, however, of
any_ construction activity along the 190-km section of the abandoned line
between Bai Duc Thon and the 17th parallel.
Coord:
 SOUTHERN NORTH VIETNAM
ROAD BRIDGES UNDER CONSTRUCTION
OR RECENTLY COMPLETED
ON SELECTED ROUTES
October 1964
ROUTE 7
1. Ban Ang (19-15N. 104-24E)
2. Khe Kien (19-16N. 104-24E)
3. Ban Houei Cu (19-19N, 104-20E)
4. Ban Ca Tang (19-20N, 104-1BE)
5. Ban Ca Nan (19-21N. 104-17E)
6. Ban Tone (19-22N. 104-15E)
7. Ban Pieng Hom (19-22N. 104-14E)
8. Ban Houei Ti (19-23N. 104-11E)
ROUTE 12
9. Loc Yen (18-11N, 105-43E)
10. La Khe Thon (18-04N. 105-49E)
11. Bai Duc Thon (18-03N, 105-50E)
12. X. Ha(1'-59N, 105-51E)
13 Xom Gi (17-58N, 105-49E)
14. La Trong (17-51N. 105-48E)
15- Don Bai Dinh (17-46N, 105-47E)
ROUTE 1
16. Kiem Tam (19-24N, 105-45E)
17. Yen Hung (18-03N. 106-20E)
 Construction of this bridge started in-and. when completed,
will replace an older bridge that previously was in the same location.
 NORTH VIETNAM
HIGHWAY BRIDGE ON ROUTE. 12 NEAR DON BAI DINH
25X1 D
Construction of this bridge started earl% in_ and photoeraphy
reveals that it was not completed at that time.
25X1 C