THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00826A000500010077-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 20
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 31, 2006
• Sequence Number: 77
• Publication Date: April 13, 1966
• Content Type: MEMO

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> ARED FOR 'H FNATIONAL SECURIt ~t .OUNCIL
UR7H I DISS M NATIQN o INFO MA `ION
CONTAINED ' l t x QT AUTHC r ~
State Dept. review competed
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ARMY review(s) completed.
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13 April 1966
HIGHLIGHTS
The National Political Congress is slated to
vote tomorrow on the nature of institutions to cre-
ate an eventual civilian government. The Buddhists,
in a reversal of their original position, have ac-
cepted an invitation to attend the session. Another
PAVN regiment has been confirmed, bringing total ac-
cepted PAVN strength in South Vietnam to 20,130. An-
other US aircraft has been downed by a SAM near Vinh
in southern North Vietnam.
1. The Military Situation in South Vietnam:
MACV has provided more details on yesterdays Viet
Cong attack on Saigon's Tan Son Nhut Air'Base (Paras.
1:-2). VC terrorists early today threw grenades at
two Saigon police stations (Para. 3). Confirmation
of another PAVN regiment brings total confirmed PAVN
strength in South Vietnam to 20,130 (Paras. 4-5).
Operation BUN KAE V by three ROK battalions in Binh
Dinh Province has been terminated favorably (Para.
7). A CIDG Special Forces patrol took moderate cas-
ualties yesterday in an engagement with an estimated
company of PAVN troops in southwestern Pleiku Prov-
ince (Para. 8). Weekly reviews of South Vietnam
transportation routes and battle statistics: (Paras.
9-10).
II. Political Developments in South Vietnam: The
Buddhists have deci, ed to attend tomorrow's session
of the National Political Congress, which is to vote
on the institutions to create an eventual civilian
government (Paras. 1-3).
Premier
Ky reportedly concedes. .tea. e oral con-
vention will have to be an elected one, and considers
the main current issue the question of who will
oversee the elections (Parrs..6-7) . Demonstra-
tions also occurred in.Hu.e and Da Nang, but Saigon
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was relatively quiet (Paras. 8-10).
III. Military Developments in North Vietnam: North
Vietnamese SAMs have shot down six US aircraft in the
southern ar q of North Vietnam since 25 February
(Para. 1).
IV. Other Communist Military Developments: There
;Ls nothing of significance to report.
V. Communist Political Developments: There is
nothing of significance to report.
13 April 1966
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 Approved Felease 2007/03/08: CIA-RDP79T00A000500010077-6
C AMB ODI
CPled
Tan Son Nhuf
Air Base
Prit~o
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l ,TA L{~NG
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~?~'~ NGHI ~.,k uan Loc
KEN -1
.T4ONG
UONG
TOIEN
VINH
BINH
eo, HU
BON
THAILAND
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QUANG
NGA
KONTUM
'..~Kontum
 App
THE MILITARY SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. MACV now reports on the basis of more com-
plete information that yesterday's Viet Cong attack
on Saigon's Tan Son Nhut Air Base lasted approxi-
mately 10 to 15 minutes, with an estimated 90 rounds
of 82-mm. mortar and 75-mm. recoilless rifle fire
fired at runways, storage areas, aircraft, and ve-
hicles. Revised friendly casualties have been
placed at nine killed (7 US, 2 Vietnamese civilians)
and 120 wounded (106 US, 14 ARVN). Four aircraft
and 19 vehicles were destroyed, and 59 aircraft, 26
buildings, and the tactical air control radar sys-
tem damaged. A large ESSO storage tank containing
about 420,000 gallons of aviation fuel was set ablaze.
Approximately 12 hits were scored on runways and
seven on the main taxiway; this damage was minor,
however, and has been repaired. The airfield was
reopened for normal military operations at 11:00 p..m.
EST last night.
2. J-2 MACV believes that the ESSO POL storage
tanks and a variety of fixed wing aircraft and heli-
copters were the chief targets of the attack. In
reaction/pursuit operations, the 35th ARVN Ranger
Battalion discovered a large amount of mortar pack-
ing material about 2.5 nautical miles southwest of
the airfield. The attacking force may have been
from the 6th Battalion/165-A Viet Cong Regiment
which was last reported (on 28 March) to be in this
area.
3. Unconfirmed press reports state that Viet
Cong terrorists early today exploded grenades out-
side two Vietnamese police stat16ns in-Saigon,
wounding three policemen and six civilians.
13 April 1966
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4. MACV has confirmed the presence in the I
Corps area of the 6th PAVN Regiment. It was activated
during October 1965 in Quang Tri Province and has
three subordinate battalions--the 800th (VC), the
806th (PAVN), and an unidentified battalion. Pend-
ing identification of the third battalion, the new
unit is accepted with a strength of 1,000 men (two
battalions plus support and HQ companies). The 806th
Battalion apparently arrived in South Vietnam in Feb-
ruary. MACV has also accepted as confirmed the 812th
PAVN Battalion with a strength of 500.
5. Confirmed PAVN units in South Vietnam now
amount to 11 regiments and five battalions, with a
total strength of 20,130. Acceptance of other PAVN
regiments reported but not yet confirmed would put
total PAVN strength in South Vietnam well over 30,000
troops. The increased mixing of North and South Viet-
namese personnel in Communist units will make it in-
creasingly difficult in the future to measure PAVN
strength in South Vietnam accurately.
6. A Communist soldier captured on 1 April in
Pleiku Province claimed he was a member of the 271st
PAVN Regiment, which had helped build a road from
Laos to Cambodia prior to the regiment's deployment
into South Vietnam. The road referred to by the
prisoner may be the newly discovered route from Siem
Pang in Cambodia to the area south of Attopeu in
Laos, and then southeast into Kontum Province in South
Vietnam. This is the first report of the 271st NVA
Regiment in South Vietnam. There now may be as many
as 7,000 to 10,000 PAVN troops in the Laotian pan-
handle engaged in either road construction, mainte-
nance, or security activities. This is the first re-
port that a unit of this type has been sent from the
Laotian panhandle into South Vietnam.
GVN-Allied Operations
7. Three battalions of the ROK Capital Division
have terminated search-and-destroy Operation BUN KAE
V northwest of Qui Nhon, in Binh Dinh Province, af-
ter 12 days. Korean sources claim that 292 Viet Cong
were killed,74 captured, and 107 suspects apprehended,
in co--rast to ROK casualties of 23 killed and 63
wounded.
13 April 1966
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CURRENT OPERATIONAL STATUS OF MAJOR TRANSPORTATION ROUTES AND COASTAL RAILROAD
+-F--i- Section of operable railroad
Section of inoperable road
Note: Routes are inoperable primarily
because of Viet Cong sabotage/
interdiction efforts.
Information as of 9 April 1966
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 App
8. A 50-man Vietnamese CIDG Special Forces re-
connaissance patrol yesterday engaged an estimated
PAVN company near the Cambodian border in southwest-
ern Pleiku Province. In the firefight that ensued,
one US Special Forces team commander was killed and
21 CIDG troops wounded, including a Vietnamese Spe-
cial Forces base commander. Enemy losses were un-
known.
Operational Status of Major Communication Routes
9. The operational status of South Vietnam's
major highways reflected little significant improve-
ment during the period 2-9 April. The opening of
Route 4 in the delta, province of Vinh Long and por-
tions of Route 1 in Binh Dinh Province was somewhat
offset by the closure of stretches of Route 1 in
Quang Tin Province. The nation's coastal railway
displayed some limited gains in operational capa-
bility with the reopening of the important northern
terminus from Da Nang to Hue. However, this devel-
opment, too, was offset by the closure of a stretch
of rail line along the south-central coast from Thap
Cham (Ninh Thuan Province) to Ninh Hoa (Khanh Hoa
Province).
10. This week (2-9 April) as compared with last
week (26 Mar - 2 Apr):
Time At- Regimental- Battalion- Company- Ter-
Period tacks size size size rorism
26 Mar - 8 0 1 1 651
2 Apr
2- 9 Apr 5 0 0
Time
Period Sabotage Propaganda
26 Mar - 48 43
2 Apr
2 - 9 Apr
Anti-
Aircraft
Total
Incidents
815
13 April 1966
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 App
II. CASUALTIES
Killed
Wounded
Missing/Captured
VC/PAVN
26 Mar-2 Apr 2-9 Apr
26 Mar -2 Apr
155
337
73 140, 26
TOTALS ;;1,035 925 518
67
211
0
US
FREE WORLD
26 Mar-2 Apr
2-9 Apr
Mar?2 Apr _
pr
Killed
101
95
18
15
Wounded
690
501
51
25
Missing/Captured
12
2
0
0
TOTALS
803
598
69
III. WEAPONS
VC/PAVN
Individual
Crew-=served
26 Mar-2 Apr 2?9 Apr
247 245
8 3
GVN
2 Mar?2 Apr 2- Apr
102
2
36
0
13 April 1966
2-9 Apr
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 App
II. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. The National Political Congress is scheduled
to vote tomorrow morning on institutions to create an
eventual civilian government. F_ I
the proposal for an
elected constitutional convention has overwhelming
support among the delegates,
2. The congress yesterday elected officers and
adopted a bylaw setting forth the purpose of the con-
gress. This morning's session was largely taken up
by a number of general statements on the need for a
constitutional convention. Attendance increased to
118 delegates today, with the additions including
representatives of the government-sponsored Council
of Religions and a number of private individuals.
3. The Buddhists' decision to send representa-
tives to tomorrow's session of the congress does not
necessarily reflect a softening of their demands.
They may attempt to persuade other delegates to ask
for the immediate resignation of the Ky regime in
favor of some interim government until elections can
be held. There were indications at today's session
of some support for such a demand. Dr. Pham Quang
Dan, elected chairman of the congress yesterday, re-
portedly has not yet made up his mind as to whether
the Ky government should remain in office during the
interim period.
13 April 1966
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6. Premier Ky remarked to several Vietnam-
ese journalists at a dinner last night that he
was fully prepared to resist any attempts to re-
place him at this time. Ky was critical of
Deputy Premier Co and Chief of State Thieu, in-
dicating that he was not sure of their present
loyalties.
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7. 1
Premier Ky said that the Directorate
was prepared to accept as inevitable the decision
of the National Political Congress for an elected
constitutional convention. Ky then stated that the
major point of contention now was which government
would oversee the elections, and that he and his
colleagues would resist any attempt to replace the
current regime until a civilian government is estab-
lished. He hinted that if the Buddhists refuse to
accept his government during the interim period, he
would "unleash" field-grade officers who are reported
eager to take action against antigovernment elements.
8. Saigon remained relatively quiet but tense
today, largely because of the Viet Cong attack on Tan
Son Nhut Air Base and several grenade incidents. A
major Buddhist demonstration is scheduled tomorrow in
Saigon; one source has predicted that there may be as
many as 100,000 participants. General Khang, the Sai-
gon military commander, says the government has given
permission for the demonstration, He reportedly in-
tends to station some 10 of the 12 infantry battalions
now in the capital along the line of march.
9. Officials of the nationalist VNQDD Party in
Hue told US officials today that they plan a demonstra-
tion in Hue tomorrow which will be anti-Communist and
partially "'antistruggle movement." Leaders of the
struggle groups, however, have reportedly demanded
that some of the participants carry :antigovernment
banners. VNQDD leaders are reportedly not certain at
present how they should reply to this demand, but they
are apparently going ahead with their plans for the
demonstration. US officials are trying to dissuade
participants from carrying arms. Last night in Hue,
3,000 to 4,000 high school and university students
climaxed a -torchlight parade by burning Ky and Thieu
in effigy,
10. A small antigovernment demonstration was re-
ported from Da Nang today. Buddhist "student troops"
from Da Nang arrived today in Tam Ky, capital of Quang
Tin Province, and local authorities fear a clash be-
tween the students and VNQDD elements. All US mili-
tary personnel except duty officers have been ordered
to remain inside the military compound,
13 April 1966
11-3
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 Appro
12. There is evidence of friction and uncer-
tainty among Catholic groups over current political
events. Thus far, northern Catholic refugee leader
Father Hoang Quynh has successfully kept militant
Catholics from taking to the streets in opposition-
to the Buddhists,
Father uyn as a so a
some publicized contacts with Buddhist Institute lead-
ers. His independence in this regard has aroused
other members of the northern refugee bloc, who have
reportedly attempted to restrict his authority by
forming a seven-man presidium which will issue fu-
ture announcements and policy statements for the
northern group. Exactly what this policy might be is
not clear, although one member of this group hinted
at some kind of anti-Buddhist action with the help
of some members of the current military government.
25X1
Gen-
erally, tholics do not wane totally uncom-
mitted in the event that a new government is formed.
13 April 1966
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CHINA
Ching-hsi
Bao Lac? ,,, C H I N A
Ha Giang
.,/Lao Cai
\ ~?. ,~?? - - Ha Dong?'.. 'HANOI , ', QuangYen 'Hon Gai
\..-?~??` r? : ~_- - Hoa Binh ?` Duong Haiphorig
-*Bac Giang
PhucYen? - ? BacNinh
Sor Tay' .* '
Xieng Khouang ?
J
VIENT'N ~??~
i Nong Khai
PhuLy0
0, Thai
Nam Dinh ?t?''-_.
Ninh Binhs'
'Thanh Hoa
Vi6h
Linh'
Cam ?'HaTinh
v.~
Muang Nakhon Phanom:,.Kh
o
amm
uane
Muang Sakon Nakh on?
Vinh Linh
~? --'!. DEMARCATION LINE
Dong Ha
NORTH VIFTNA M S4pone B ~Ho Su ?Quang Tr,
Hue
\. ~ ` VIETNAM
jLAOS
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 App
III. MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS IN NORTH VIETNAM
1. The loss of a US A-lH Skyraider to a SAM
in the vicinity of Vinh on 13 April is the sixth
SAM kill in the southern DRV since 25 February.
Prior to that time, no SAM deployments had been
noted south of Thanh Hoa. The North Vietnamese are
apparently trying to make the best use of their
limited amount of missile equipment by dispatching
individual firing battalions to areas of concentrated
US air activity, while most of the equipment is kept
in the Hanoi-Haiphong area. If B-52 attacks on tar-
gets in the Laos-Vietnam supply corridor continue,
tha North Vietnamese will probably deploy SAMs to
that area.
13 April 1966
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OTHER COMMUNIST MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS
1. There is nothing of significance to report.
13 April 1966
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 Approve
1. There is nothing of significance to report.
13 April 1966
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