THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00826A001000010032-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 19, 2006
• Sequence Number: 32
• Publication Date: July 14, 1966
• Content Type: IM

TOP S1 CR1 T
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
THE. SITUATION IN VIETNAM
State Dept. review completed
PREPARED FOR THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
FURTHER DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION
CONTAINED HEREIN IS NOT AUTHORIZED
Approved For Release 20 (5114g2L1,~9T00826A001000010032-9
 25X1 Approved For Release 2007/03/14: CIA-RDP79T00826AO01000010032-9
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14 July 1966
USAF jet fighters downed two North Vietnamese
MIG-21 Fishbeds with air-to-air missiles during air
engagements early today north and northwest of Hanoi.
Former I Corps commander General Thi, currently
under confinement in Saigon, has reportedly been
given permission to leave for the United States at
any time. Press reports indicate that militant Tri
Quang may soon end his hunger strike, possibly to
assume a more active role in Buddhist political af-
fairs.
I. The Military Situation in South Vietnam:
US Operation EWA and South Vietnamese Operation
BINH PHU II have ended (Paras. 2-3). Philippine
President Marcos.-finally signs Vietnam Aid Bill
(Para. 4).
II. Political Developments in South Vietnam:
General Thi has apparently been given permission to
leave for the United States immediately if he wishes
to do so (Para. 1). Thi will probably come to the
'US for an indefinite period, but US;..observers think
that he and his associates envisage Thi's ultimate
return to Vietnam to occupy an important position
(Para. 2). The government's negotiations with the
dissident tribal autonomy movement FULRO are re-
ported endangered by Premier Ky's latest attitude
(Para. 3). Some 700 individuals have filed as
candidates for the 108 seats at stake in the Septem-
ber elections for a constitutional assembly (Para. 4).
Internal problems within the Buddhist Institute
remain unresolved (Para..5). Tri Quang may soon
abandon his fast and may be considering coopera-
tion with the antigovernment "Religious Citizens
Bloc" (Para. 6).
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III. Military Developments in North Vietnam: US
fighters downed two MIG-21 Fishbeds north of Hanoi,
bringing the confirmed number of MIGs shot down to
18. In a separate air engagement with MIG-17 Frescos,
one F-8E Crusader received battle damage and the pi-
lot was forced to eject (Paras. 1-4).
IV. Other Communist Military Developments: There
is nothing of significance to report.
V. Communist Political Developments: A 9 July
communiqu6 by the Liberation Front Central Committee
reflects the more sober view now being taken by the
Communists of the situation in South Vietnam (Paras.
1-2). Reports from Rumania indicate that Bucharest
may send volunteer medical teams to North Vietnam but
no combat troops (Paras. 3-4).
14 July 1966
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CURRENT SITUATION
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1. US forces are participating in nine of 26
battalion-sized or larger ground operations currently
in progress in South Vietnam. Ground combat activity
is reported continuing at low intensity.
2. Operation EWA, a. six-day search-and-destroy
operation conducted by one battalion of the 25th In-
fantry Division in an area about 35 miles west of
Saigon in Hau Nghia Province, ended yesterday. Al-
though two Viet Cong battalions--the 267th and the
269th--were reported to be in the area of operations,
only light contact was made with the enemy. One
American was reported wounded. A total of 16 Viet
Cong were killed and eight captured. In addition,
US forces captured or destroyed 33 tons of rice
and large quantities of enemy military equipment
and fortifications.
3. South Vietnamese Operation BINH PHU 11, a
highway security operation along Route 1 in coastal
Binh Dinh Province, was terminated on 12 July. South
Vietnamese casualties totaled 12 killed and 11 wounded
in contrast with Viet Cong losses of 91 killed.
Philippine Aid to Vietnam
4. The Vietnam Aid Bill, passed after stormy
debate by the Philippine Senate, has finally been
signed into law by President Marcos after a one-
month delay. The bill authorizes a 2,000-man con-
tingent to be made up of construction engineers
and security guards. An advance contingent is ex-
pected to leave for Saigon within 30 days and the
full contingent is expected to be in South Vietnam
by the end of the year. Commander of the troops
will be Brig. Gen. Guandencio Tobias, a paratroop
commander and veteran of the anti-Huk campaigns.
A military spokesman has declined to locate the
general's headquarters but has stated that it will
be within 45 minutes' flying time of Saigon.
14 July 1966
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II. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN SOUTH VIETNAM
General Thi May Soon Depart for the US
2. Thi previously has expressed a clear-cut de-
sire to come to the United States eventually, and may
well decide to do so in the near future. Despite the
fact that Thi's visit in the US would be for an indefi-
nite period, US observers have commented that there
seems to be little question that both Thi and his as-
sociates contemplate Thi's eventual return to Vietnam to
occupy a position of political or military importance.
FULRO Negotiations May Be Running Into Trouble
3. Contrary to previous indications, Premier Ky
recently refused to agree to two key demands made by the
25X1 dissident tribal autonomy movement, FULRO
The two issues were the rights of the montagnards to
form separate paramilitary units and to fly their own
pennant along with the Vietnamese flag. Thus far, FULRO
representatives who have been meeting with government
negotiators in Ban Me Thuot have not been told of the
premier's decision for fear that negotiations would break
down. The government's special commissioner for monta-
gnard affairs, Paul Nur, will probably attempt to per-
suade Premier Ky to reverse his recent decision.
14 July 1966
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Election Developments
4. According to preliminary reports, some 700
individuals have filed as candidates for the 108
seats at -stake in the September election for the con-
stitutional assembly. The Vietnamese Interior Min-
istry official who provided the basis for this infor-
mation, was. pleased by the number of candidates, al-
though there will probably be some shrinkage due to
.subsequent withdrawals. The names and affiliations
of the, candidates are not yet available.
Buddhist Developments
5. Thich`Ho Giac, a close associate of Insti-
tute chairman Tam Chau, told a US Embassy officer
today that Premier Ky has agreed to release the 58
Buddhist monks still under government detention.
Ho Giac commented, however, that this concession was
"too late" because the militant Institute faction
had become convinced that cooperation with-the gov-
ernmerrt--was not feasible. Despite Tam Chau"s letter
of withdrawal from Institute affairs yesterday, Ho
Giac claimed that the questions of Institute policy
and leadership were still basically undecided.
6. A US wire service today quoted Buddhist
sources as stating-that Thich Tri Quang may soon
abandon his hunger fast--a move which might signify
Quang's intention to assume a more active political_Xole.
The press item also stated that Quang yesterday held
a lengthy-conference with Catholic Father Hoang
Quynh, leader of the recently formed antigovernment
"Religious Citizens Bloc." A Tri Quang supporter
on the Buddhist Institute council has been cooperat-
ing with the Religious Citizens Bloc, and it is
possible that Tri Quang is now seriously corrsider-
ing throwing his weight behind this movement.
Thus far, the bloc has attracted the support of
several political and religious splinter groups
and unemployed civilian politicians in its criticism
of the government and the forthcoming September
elections.
14 July 1966
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102 Koch u
Xieng Khouang;'
Samneua'
Ninh Binh
NORTH VIETNAM
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Ching-hsi
:.,~?%`~~ CHINA
~Bac Giang
is Ninh
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III. MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS IN NORTH VIETNAM
1. USAF F-4C Phantom jets in two encounters
with North Vietnamese MIG-21 Fishbeds on 14 July
scored two kills with air-to-air missiles. No US
aircraft were lost. US pilots have now downed 18
North Vietnamese fighter aircraft, three of which
have been supersonic MIG-21s.
2. The first air engagement on 14 July took
place 12 miles north of Hanoi as a flight of four
F-4Cs observed a MIG-21 making a run on a USAF F-
105 Thunderchief. The US flight leader gained
position behind the MIG and destroyed it with a
Sidewinder missile.
3. The second air engagement occurred moments
later 33 miles northwest of Hanoi and involved the
same flight of Phantoms. A MIG-21 attempted to
engage one of the US jets but was hit by Side-
winders from a second F-4C before he could fire.
The MIG-21 pilot was observed ejecting as his air-
craft stalled, inverted, and fell away.
4. In a separate incident 22 miles southeast
of Hanoi, three Navy F-8E Crusaders exchanged fire
with two MIG-17 Frescos. The US pilots reported
hitting one MIG in the wing with gunfire after
launching two missiles which failed to guide. One
F-8E received hits in the tail and wing and was
losing fuel as the US planes departed the area.
The refueling probe of the damaged F-8E failed to
extend and the pilot was forced to eject en route
to Da Nang. A helicopter rescue was effected and
the pilot is reported in good condition.
14 July 1966
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IV. OTHER COMMUNIST MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS
1. There is nothing of significance to report.
14 July 1966
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V. COMMUNIST POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. The increasingly sober view the Communists
are taking of the situation in South Vietnam was re-
flected in a communique issued at the conclusion of
an enlarged conference of the Liberation Front Cen-
tral Committee Presidium. This conference, which
was held from 7-9 July, examined "the over--all sit-
uation" in the South since the introduction of US
combat troops in March 1965 and devoted "a great
deal of time" to assessing the future plans of the
US. It concluded that the US intends to continue
to strengthen its forces and to "escalate" its air
attacks on North Vietnam.
2. The communique reiterated in routine fashion
the determination of the Front to continue to fight
and made the usual prediction of ultimate victory.
It avoided, however, any threat of retaliation for
US air strikes against POL facilities in North Viet-
nam.
3. The US Embassy in Bucharest reported on 13
July
that mania as called upon its hospitals to pro-
vide a limited number of medical teams to "volunteer"
for service in Vietnam. other
"technicians" may also go to North Vietnam for
"strictly defensive aid." No details were given
as to what kind of technicians might be sent.
4? no
serious consideration has been given to the dispatch
of Rumanian combat troops to Vietnam. The Czech
ambassador to Bucharest on 7 July told a Brazilian
representative there that the Warsaw Pact members
have no intention of sending "volunteer" troops to
Vietnam.
14 July 1966
App overt Far Release 90f17103114 ? CIA-Rnp79Tnng7RAnn1lllf11f1(1132_9