THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00826A000100010009-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 16
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 28, 2006
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: January 4, 1966
• Content Type: IM

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11 1 PREPARED FOR THE NATIONAL'SECURITY COUNCIL
FUR FURTHER DISSEMINATION. OF INFOR ATION
CONTAINED HEREIN tS NOT AUTF O lZED
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ARMY review(s) completed.
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4 January 1966
Hanoi's first official statement on the cur-
rent US peace initiative came today in the form of
a tough, unyielding Foreign Ministry statement. It
took note for the first time of the suspension of
US bombing, but declared that the US has no right
to demand any concessions in return for an end to
the air strikes. The statement reiterated in un-
compromising terms the DRV's four-point stand and
called once again for the US to give "proof" that
it accepts these four points.
I. The Military Situation in South Vietnam:
Communist guerrillas launched a heavy mortar attack
against a US/Vietnamese Special Forces camp at Khe
Sanh, in northernmost Quang Tri Province (Para. 1).
Operation MARAUDER, in Hau Nghia Province, the first
major allied penetration of the Mekong Delta, con-
tinues, but there has been no further significant
contact with an estimated force of two Viet Cong
battalions in the area (Paras. 2-3). Two ARVN bat-
talions and two ROK battalions continue to press
their joint offensive in Phu Yen Province against
an estimated two Viet Cong battalions in heavily for-
tified defensive positions (Para. 4). The 1st Bri-
gade/US 1st Air Cavalry Division Monday initiated
a large-scale ground sweep in Pleiku Province near
the Cambodian border (Para. 5). Viet Cong terror-
ism continues in the Saigon area (Para. 6).
II. Political Developments in South Vietnam:
Nothing of significance to report.-
III. Military Developments in North Vietnam:
Status
o sites and equipment in North a nam
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IV. Other Communist Military Developments:
Nothing of significance to report.
V. Communist Political Developments: Hanoi,
in a tough, unyielding Foreign Ministry statement
today, issued its first official pronouncement on
the current US peace initiative.(Paras. 1-3). Chi-
nese Foreign Minister Chen Yi on 30 December hailed
the determination of the DRV to persevere in the
fight "until complete victory" (Para. 4).
4 January 1966
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SOUTH VIETNAM
CURRENT SITUATION
92 12-65
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I. THE MILITARY SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. Communist guerrillas, striking in unde-
termined strength, launched a, heavy mortar attack
early today against a US/Vietna.mese Special Forces
camp at Khe Sanh, in South Vietnam's northernmost
province, Quang Tri. First reports place govern-
ment casualties at 10 killed and 20 wounded (1 US).
In addition, the attackers completely destroyed
the US Special Forces barracks and supply depot.
2. The three South Vietnamese airborne
battalions which had been participating in Oper-
ation MARAUDER, the joint US/ARVN/Australian
ground sweep 25 miles west-southwest of Saigon in
Hau Nghia. Province, have been withdrawn from the
operational area, but remain available for further
commitment if required. Meanwhile, two battalions
of the US 173rd Airborne Brigade, an Australian
infantry battalion, and an ARVN Ranger battalion
continue aggressive patrolling' actions but with-
out significant contact. The allied operation,
initiated on 31 December, has thus far resulted
in cumulative Viet Cong losses of 238 killed
(US body count), 53 captured, and 591 suspects
detained. Friendly casualties to date stand at
46 killed (15 US, 31 ARVN) and 174 wounded (76 US,
98 ARVN).
3. MACV has confirmed that operational ele-
ments of the US 173rd Airborne Brigade partici-
pating in MARAUDER yesterday lost three killed and
seven wounded from two short rounds fired by the
New Zealand artillery battery. Subsequent investi-
gation revealed no errors in firing data, or in
service of the piece, and suggested the possibility
of faulty ammunition. Three additional. members of
the 173rd Airborne Brigade were killed and four
wounded yesterday as the result of a misplaced
500-lb bomb delivered in support of maneuvering
ground elements,
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4. In central coastal Phu Yen Province, two
ARVN battalions and two ROK battalions, supported
by artillery, tactical air, and US naval gunfire,
are continuing to press their joint offensive
against an estimated force of two Viet Cong ba.tta.l-
ions in heavily fortified positions south of the
provincial capital of Tuy Hoa. The joint Victna.-
mese -Korean operation., !odenamed JEFFERSON, and
initiated on 31 December, has thus far. resulted
in cumulative enemy losses of 160 killed (ROK
body count) and nine captured. Friendly casualties
have been placed at 27 killed (22 ARVN, 5 ROK),
58 wounded (27 ARVN, 30 ROK, I US), and four
missing (4 ROK).
5. On 3 January, the 1st Brigade/US 1st
Cavalry Division (Air Mobile) initiated Operation
MATADOR, a large-scale search-and-destroy ground
sweep in Pleiku Province, near the Cambodian
border. The tactical zone of operations is about
15 miles north of the locale of Operation SILVER
BAYONET, the brigade-strength action last November
by the 1st Air Cavalry Division against regimental-
strength PAVN/Viet Cong forces in the Ia Drang
Valley - Chu Pong Mountain area. In the current
US operation, units of the 1st Brigade are making
aggressive reconnaissance patrols to probe enemy
defense positions, while the main strike force is
being held in reserve to react as the situation
develops. According to the latest information
available from MACV, no contact has yet been es-
tablished with the Viet Cong.
6. In the Saigon area, Viet Cong terrorism
against Vietnamese policemen and civic officials
continues. Last night, a terrorist.grenade was
hurled at a policeman near Cholon, the capital's
Chinatown district, killing the peace officer, a
Vietnamese soldier, and a, passing civilian, and
wounding two female bystanders. The previous
night, less than three miles from Saigon, enemy
terrorists tossed a grenade into the house of a
village chief, killing him and a number of his
civil guards, and wounding eight members of his
family.
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II. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN SOUTH VIETNAM
port,
1. There is nothing of significance to re-
4 January 1966
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NORTH VIETNAM: SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE SITES
H.(
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2
bob
2&
Range from surface-to-air missil
(SAM) sites-17.8 n. m.
? Confirmed surface-to-air missile
(SAM) sites
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III. MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS IN NORTH VIETNAM
20 A continuing analysis of drone
photography disclosed another surface-to-air missile
site--number 63--in North Vietnam, The site is lo-.
cated about 28 miles north of Hanoi and has three re-
vetted launch positions and a revetted central guid-
ance area. No missiles or missile-associated equip-
ment were noted.
3. The large number of SAM sites discovered to
date in the DRV does not accurately reflect the status
or capability of the SAM system. It is estimatedi
that there is only enough missile-associated
equipment in the DRV to occupy from 15 to 20 of the 63
SAM sites at any one time, A study is presently un-
der way to determine which SAM sites appear to be op-
erational and to determine how much missile equipment
actually is present in the DRV.
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IV. OTHER COMMUNIST MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS
1. There is nothing of significance to report.
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 Approv
1. Hanoi, in a tough, unyielding Foreign Minis-
try statement today, issued its first official pro-
nouncement on the current US peace initiatives. The
statement took note of the US bombing cessation, ad-
mitting that it was intended by the US "as a sign
of good will." It declared, however, that the US
has no right whatsoever to demand any concessions
from the DRV in return for an end to the air at-
tacks, and it called instead for the US to end "per-
manently and unconditionally its bombings and other
war acts" against the DRV as part of the price for
"consideration" of a political solution to the war.
2. The statement reiterated that the US, in
addition to complete termination of attacks on the
DRV, must also accept the DRV's four-point proposal
and "prove it with practical deeds" before there
can be any political solution to the conflict. The
four points themselves were reprinted in detail,
just as Pham Van Dong originally set them forth.
In Pham's original proposal, however, he called
only for US "recognition" of the four points as the
"basis" for a settlement. The formulation in the
Foreign Ministry statement, calling as it does
for "proof" of the US acceptance of the four points,
continues to suggest a hardening of the DRV posi-
tion. The DRV has been using this formulation oc-
casionally since last August when it was first
broached by Ho Chi Minh.
3. The over-all impression created by the
))RV Foreign Ministry statement is that Hanoi is
simply uninterested in talks at the present time,
except on terms completely unacceptable to the
US. It appears to be implying more strongly than
in recent months that the four points are con-
sidered preconditions to any negotiations. The
4 January 1966
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phraseology, however, still does not make this ex-
plicit. The statement, together with other DRV
pronouncements since the cessation of the bomb-
ing, also suggests that the DRV is concerned over
a possible loss of support for its position in in-
ternational circles as a result of the new US
peace initiatives. Hanoi issued a propaganda piece
of several thousand words today cataloguing "US
crimes" in Vietnam to demonstrate that the US
peace campaign is "hypocritical."
4. In a far-ranging press conference granted
to a correspondent of the Japanese Communist paper
Akahata on 30 December, Chinese Foreign Minister
en hailed the determination of the DRV to per-
severe in the fight "until complete victory," and
restated the Chinese position that if the US ex-
tended the war to China, Peking would "take up the
challenge." After repeating the Chinese charge
that Soviet assistance to the DRV was "far from
commensurate with the strength of the Soviet
Union," Chen Yi introduced a new note in Peking's
criticism of the USSR when he declared that if Mos-
cow "really wanted to help the Vietnamese," it
could have taken diversionary measures in other
parts of the world to "immobilize US forces."
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