THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00826A000500010003-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 16
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 1, 2006
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: March 18, 1966
• Content Type: IM

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100
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM
Information as of 1600
18 March 1966
PREPARED FOR THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
FURTHER DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION
CONTAINED HEREIN IS NOT AUTHORIZED
State Dept. review completed
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18 March 1966
HIGHLIGHTS
The military Directorate in Saigon today de-
cided to adopt a hard line toward the political de-
mands of the Buddhists, Buddhist leader Tri Quang
stated yesterday that Fhieu and Ky had promised to
announce the formation of a constituent assembly
which Quang indicated would fully satisfy the Bud-
dhists. In I Corps General Thi continues his speak-
ing tour, drawing the usually enthusiastic response
from a crowd of 5,000-10,000 persons.
1. The Military Situation in South Vietnam:
Heavy fighting occurred last night between company-
strength ARVN and Viet Cong forces northwest of
Hue, the capital of northern coastal Thua Thien
Province (Para. 1). USAF B-52 Stratofortresses
early today attacked three separate Viet Cong/PAVN
target complexes in the vicinity of A Shau Special
Forces camp, in westernmost Thua Thien Province
(Para. 2). Viet Cong road sabotage in coastal Phu
Yen Province early today killed 15 Vietnamese civil-
ian farmers and wounded four (Para. 3).
II. Political Developments in South Vietnam:
The ruling Directorate, after sounding out the Bud-
dhists yesterday on possible compromises, appar-
ently agreed among themselves today to adopt'a firm
stand against concessions to Buddhist demands (Paras.
1-3). Most. of the major cities were quiet today ex-
cept for Da Nang, where General This presence again
evoked considerable enthusiasm (Paras. 4-5). There
are reports that the Buddhists are preparing a ma-
jor mass meeting and a possible general strike in
the Saigon area, but several prominent Vietnamese
question the extent of popular support for the Bud-
dhists (Paras. 6-7) The assassination of an Over-
seas Chinese in the Saigon area today, presumably
at Viet Cong hands, appears to have increased anx-
iety among the Chinese community (Para, 8).
III. Military Developments in North Vietnam: A
continuing review of photography reveals some
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A US aircraft was owne y
a SAM during operations over North Vietnam yesterday
(Para. 3). DRV air activity over the last two days
included MIG-21 efforts against US reconnaissance
aircraft (Para. 4)1
IV. Other Communist Military Developments:
There is nothing o significance to report.
V. Communist Political Developments: Rumors of
an imminent Sino-US war which are circulating among
ro-Communists in Hon Kon
Peking propagan a again -PI-edges un-
reserved support" for Vietnam (Para. 5).
18 March 1966
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I. THE MILITARY SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. In Thua Thien Province, 12 miles northwest
of Hue, an ARVN company occupying a night blocking
position on a known enemy infiltration route estab-
lished contact with an estimated Viet Cong company
which entered the area. In the two hour and 45
minute engagement that ensued, government forces,
supported by flareships and artillery, killed 51
Viet Cong and captured 21 individual weapons, while
sustaining friendly casualties of 14 wounded.
2. Eighteen USAF B-52 Stratofortresses early
today attacked three separate enemy target complexes
in the vicinity of A Shau Special Forces camp, in
western Thua Thien Province. The target areas,
located approximately 21 nautical miles southwest
of Hue and from one to six nautical miles from the
Laotian border, are believed to contain staging
bases for the regimental-strength Viet Cong/PAVN
forces which overran the A Shau garrison on 10
March. Poststrike ground intelligence sweeps of
the drop zones are planned.
Viet Cong Activity
3. Fifteen South Vietnamese civilian farmers
were reportedly killed and four wounded early to-
day when a Viet Cong pressure mine exploded on a
country road near Tuy Hoa, the capital of coastal
Phu Yen Province. Some of the farmers were travel-
ing in a small scooter bus and others on bicycles,
apparently on their way to collect recently har-
vested rice stockpiles. The incident reportedly
occurred less than a mile from the scene of a simi-
lar terrorist blast last month in which 37 civilian
farmers were killed.
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1. The ruling Directorate reached agreement
today to adopt a hard line toward the political de-
mands of the Buddhists, according to accounts of
this morning's meeting in Saigon. There were evi-
dently some differences among the generals present
over how the Buddhists should be handled, but of-
ficers counseling against any concessions under
Buddhist pressure prevailed. A communique issued
on today's meeting merely "reaffirmed" the need to
maintain unity within the army and between the army
and the people in order to defeat the Communists,
achieve a social revolution, and build democracy.
This bland statement was intended by the Directorate
to leave the door open for future accommodations'f
the Buddhists settle down.
2. Previously, government leaders had indi-
cated that in consultation with ranking Buddhists
yesterday they had discussed possible compromise
formulas. Two plans were put forth by the govern-
ment for speeding up the tempo of democratic evolu-
tion: 1) establishing the currently projected
"democracy building" advisory council, with a major-
ity of its membership to come from the existing
elected provincial councils rather than to be hand
picked by the government as now envisaged; and '2)
abandoning the advisory council in favor of an as-
sembly, to be elected in late summer, for the purpose
of drafting a constitution. As a result of the Di-
rectorate meeting today, both of these plans are being
shelved for the time being.
3. Buddhist leader Tri Quang had told the US Em-
bassy late yesterday that Chief of State Thieu and
Premier Ky had earlier in the day met with Tam Chau
and promised to announce the formation of a constituent
assembly, presumably the second of the two plans.
Quang indicated that this step would fully satisfy
the Buddhists and put an end to the current political
unrest. He warned, however, that if the government did
not keep its promise, the Buddhists would react promptly
and vigorously.
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4. Saigon and Hue were generally quiet today.
In Da Nang, however, there was a partially successful
general strike in the afternoon, coinciding with a
meeting addressed by General Thi, who continues his
personally successful tour of I Corps. Thi made no
adverse comments about his Saigon military colleagues
today, but he drew the usual enthusiastic response
from a crowd of some 5,000-10,000 persons, a fifth
of them military. Other speakers repeated the familiar
Buddhist demands. A student meeting scheduled in Hue
was reportedly canceled; it is unclear whether the
cancellation was by order of local authorities or of
the Buddhist hierarchy in anticipation of a settle-
ment.
5. General Thi's two government escorts, Police
Director Lieu and Military Security Service chief
Loan, are reportedly due back in Saigon today, but
latest reports indicate that Thi himself will remain
in I Corps at least through 19 March. Meanwhile,
Premier Ky has departed Saigon for the resort town
of Dalat, where he expects to remain for at least
part of the weekend. Ky's absence from Saigon is
at least partly designed to demonstrate his unwill-
ingness to undertake any further negotiations with
the Buddhists while their pressure tactics continue.
Ky is becoming in-
creasing y impatient with the Buddhists, particularly
Tri Quang.
6. There are a number of reports indicating
that Buddhist circles in Saigon are gearing up for
further political agitation, including a. mass meet-
ing tomorrow at the Buddhist Institute and possibly
a general strike in the capital. The president of
Saigon's leading labor union, the CVT, reportedly
feels that the situation is becoming serious and is
prepared to order CVT affiliates to rebuff political
approaches. Two CVT representatives reportedly have
been sent from Saigon to Da Nang, where they hope
to put an end to pressure on workers to observe strike
calls.
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7. The president of the Saigon municipal council,
a southern Buddhist, has told an embassy officer he is
becoming concerned about the Buddhist campaign, which
he feels is a drive for a Buddhist-controlled govern-
ment, and the likelihood that it will play into Commu-
nist hands. This source believes that the Buddhists
lack the strength in Saigon to gain much headway, pro-
vided the government acts intelligently and firmly.
Phan Quang Dan, another prominent councilman from sur-
rounding Gia Dinh Province, has also expressed doubt
that there is much real support either for the Buddhists
or for General Thi, and believes that the government
cannot be toppled provided it acts decisively. This
view also appears to be held by a prominent Catholic
leader, Father Lam, who commented that the Catholic
leadership was determined to avoid being drawn into any
dispute with the Buddhists. Former Premier Quat, how-
ever, has reportedly voiced the opinion that by oust-
ing Thi, the Directorate has now upset the precarious
equilibrium among the military on which stability has
been based.
8. An Overseas Chinese was shot and killed early
this morning in Cholon by a two-man assassination team.
This is the third assassination in the Saigon area in
recent months, apparently at Viet Cong hands. Today's
victim reportedly had ties with a covert Chinese group
attempting to identify Communist penetration of the
Overseas Chinese community. The embassy reports that,
coming on top of the government's execution of a Chi-
nese speculator, the incident appears to have increased
anxiety in Chinese circles.
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1. A sizable increase in the North Vietnamese
MIG inventory is suggested by a continuing review
of drone photography of Phuc Yen Airfield
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Air Operations Over North Vietnam
3. Another US aircraft was downed by a SAM in the
central DRV coastal area on 18 March. SAMs, to date,
have downed 17 US aircraft. The plane, a USMC EF-10
Skynight, was flying about 25X1
45 miles southwest of Than h Hoa when h1t by e SAM.
The status of the crew is unknown. This is the
second SAM kill in the Vinh - Thanh Hoa area in the
last two days
4. DRV MIG-21s have been employed on three oc-
casions in the last two days against US aircraft.
On 17 March the supersonic fighters reacted to a
pair of US reconnaissance drones, but were unsuc-
cessful in downing them. On the same day they re-
acted to a US U-2 reconnaissance aircraft, pursuing
it into Laos before they broke off the chase. On
18 March, a MIG-21 made a vigorous attempt to inter-
cept a US U-2 exiting the DRV near Haiphong, reaching
at one point a speed of MACH 2,but this intercept
was also unsuccessful.
III-1 18 March 1966
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1. There is nothing of significance to re-
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1. Rumors of an imminent Sino-US war which
continue to circulate among pro-Communists in Hong
Kong probably reflect alarmist stories circulated
by the Chinese last month.
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5. Peking has once again pledged its "unre-
served support" for the Vietnamese in a People's
Daily editorial on 17 March commemorating the 16th
anniversary of the Vietnamese "People's Struggle
Against the US" and the "Week of Solidarity With
the Vietnamese People." The editorial reiterated
Peking's standard propaganda line in emphasizing the
"brilliant victories" won by the Vietnamese and the
alleged inevitable defeat of the US. In an ap-
parent effort to deter the US from engaging in any
military operations in Laos or Cambodia it declared
that the US has aroused "not only the Vietnamese
people but the Laotian and Cambodian people" to
"resolute resistance by trying to extend the war to
the rest of Indochina."
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