THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00826A001700010061-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 16
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 23, 2004
• Sequence Number: 61
• Publication Date: March 17, 1967
• Content Type: MEMO

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Top Secret
DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
MEMORANDUM
The Situation in Vietnam
Top Secret
ill
17 March 1967
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Information as of 1600
17 March 1967
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I. The Military Situation in South Vietnam:
The Communists are reportedly 5uildi7 g a new infil-
tration and supply route from the highlands of Kon-
tum Province to the coast in Quang N ai Province
(Paras? 1-2).
II. Political Developments in South Vietnam:
There has been no indication whether the deputies
of the Constituent Assembly have reached agreement
over the Directorate's proposed changes in the con-
stitution (Para, 1)o The Peoples-Army Council ap-
proved a resolution including views on Vietnamese
self-determination (Para. 2)m The Ministry of Economy
and Finance is being strengthened (Para, 3).
III. Military Developments in North Vietnam:
Traffic across a bridge on t e Re River in Hanoi
has been halted since two bombs were inadvertently
dropped from a US aircraft into the river bed nearb
(Paras 1-2).
IV, Other Communist Military Developments:
There is nothing of significance to report.
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. Communist Political Developments:
IMOSt or Vietnamese leaders
0o advantage of the Tet standdown in air strikes
to visit the provinces (Paras. 4-6).
VI. Other Major Aspects: A Communist unit
estimated to be a regiment was discovered recently
in the Laotian panhandle near Route 922 which is
being extended into South Vietnam (Paras. 1-3).
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(J aravane t '>ANG NAM UUAWr TIN 131.
CheoReoe"'lu
OARL.AC
Ban Me
Thoot
'PHU. _
Tu
Vun,giau.
BINH
PH JANr:
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I. THE MILITARY SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. Construction of a new infiltration/supply
route in the central highlands began late last month
in northeastern Kontum Province
The trail,
w .ic- is expected to be completed in a month, may
terminate in a Viet Cong base area in southeastern
Quang Ngai Province.
2. The route was selected
Ito facilitate the movement of
war equipment and food supplies for Communist units
which become engaged with allied search-and-destroy
operations. Other supply routes are believed to
exist between the coastal areas and the highlands
and this particular route may supplement those
routes.
Mission of Assault Youth Groups in South Vietnam
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fthe Assault
~f s are organized along mill a~tines in squad,
platoon, company, and battalion-size formations, but
are not used for combat duties. The youths are di-
vided into three categories: "Front Line" Youths,
who transport provisions, ammunition, and equipment
to the battlefield; "Middle Line" Youths, responsible
for moving these items up to Front Line Youth posi-
tions from the rear; and "Rear" Youths, who work at
base depots.
5. The Assault Youth Groups were first organized
in South Vietnam in 1965 to give logistical support
to Viet Cong rear service units following the buildup
of Communist forces which occurred at that time. The
groups also serve as a manpower pool for future Viet
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Cong recruitment. No evidence is yet available on
the number of Assault Youths operating throughout
the South, but it is known that groups ex?
village, district, and provincial levels. 25X1
an Assault
Youth unit is probably attached to the Central Office
for South Vietnam and that groups at the regional
level are also being established.
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II. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. The Constituent Assembly, which is consid-
ering the Directorate's proposed changes in the
constitution, met briefly on 16 March to consider
revisions of specific articles, but. recessed until
17 March without reaching any decisions. Sources
in the government suggested that the assembly's
final version, including any alterations reflecting
the Directorate's position, might be ready by 18
March. In view of the departure of Premier Ky and
Chief of State Thieu to Guam on the 19th, however,
the deputies may stall further. There have been no
reports from assembly deputies to indicate whether
they will bend toward a compromise with the Direc-
torate, which appears to have come down hard against
the assembly's self-appointed. authority to act as
an interim legislature.
Advisory Council Resolution
2. In keening with the current government
propaganda campaign to counter "false peace" proposals,
the Peoples - Army Council (PAC) resolved on 16 March
that peace proposals made without consultation with
the GVN are contrary to its right of self-determina-
tion. The resolution also called for the strengthen-
ing of the Foreign Ministry and the clear declara-
tion of the "position" of allied armies through
written agreements. The debate appears to have
provoked little interest since only 16 of the 80
advisory council members were in attendance.
Changes in Ministry of Economy and Finance
3. Nguyen Huu Hanh, the governor of the National
Bank of Vietnam, appears to be firmly established as
the new minister of economy and finance, although
the GVN has not officially announced his appointment.
The post was vacated last fall when the former min-
ister, southern civilian Au Truong Thanh, resigned
in protest against alleged northern intimidation of
a southern subcabinet official. Since then, Premier
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Ky has sought to bolster the economy ministry which
he considers the weakest portion of his cabinet,
especially in view of inflationary problems and
the cyclical rice shortages. The interim economy
minister, Truong Thai Ton, resigned because of ill
health, according to a Vietnamese press release on
16 March. The semiofficial release also cited
authoritative sources who confirmed Hanh's appoint-
ment to the post.
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?~'? ~""' ? Ha Giang
Lao Cai
Tuyen Quang
?
L A 0 S Samneua?
Phu Tho
Phuc
NORTH VIETNAM
?Bac Giang
1? Bac Ninh
ed River Bridge
HAN011--
Hao ?H on Gai
Duong ?*Haiphong
Hung Yen Kien An
?
Phu Ly
Thai Binh
Nam DaY
Ninh BinhL
.,..~.,~' Hu
? VIETNAM
Muong Nong"
Vinh Linh
., DEMARKATION LINE
Jrl
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III. MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS IN NORTH VIETNAM
raf fic
across tkie Red River bridge in Hanoi had been sus-
pended for three days with no reason given by local
authorities. The ban affects cyclists as well as
cars and trucks. Traffic has apparently been re-
routed to cross the river on temporary structures
made of bamboo. likely reason
for the suspension is a presence of two unex-
ploded bombs which a US fighter-bomber reportedly
dropped on 12 March. The bombs apparently fell on
a sand bank in the river.
2. Operational reports indicate that two bombs
which had failed to release on target, fell from an
F-105 in the vicinity of the Red River. The pilot
reported that the bombs were unarmed when they
dropped.
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IV. OTHER COMMUNIST MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS
1. There is nothing of significance to report.
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DRV Leaders Visit Provinces
4. All of the North Vietnamese politburo,
with three notable exceptions, have shown up at
public affairs recently. Many politburo members
took advantage of the Tet bombing lull to tour
the provinces. Vo Nguyen Giap reviewed the
troops in the southern DRV and Ho Chi Minh went
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out into agricultural areas just south of Hanoi to
visit evacuation centers for former residents of
the capital. The three who have not appeared since
the first of the year are Nguyen Chi Thanh, Le Duc
Tho, and Hoang Van Hoan.
5. Nguyen Chi Thanh's absence is explained by
his continued presence in South Vietnam and,
Hoang Van
Hoan is in Peking "as standing representative with
particular responsibility for the transit of sup-
plies. "
Hanoi has not an-
nounced a replacement for the former DRV ambassador
in Peking, Tran Tu Binh, who died last month. Hoan
is a former ambassador to Peking and reportedly has
strong pro-Chinese sympathies. Peking would cer-
tainly consider him one of the most acceptable of
the Vietnamese leadership with whom to deal. There
have also been unconfirmed reports
hat new arrangements
have been made to facilitate Soviet aid shipments
across China. According to these reports, the Viet-
namese have reportedly agreed. to take over aid
shipments at the Sino-Soviet border.
6. There is as yet no explanation for Le Duc
Tho's almost total disappearance from the Hanoi
scene since he returned from a tour of Europe at
the end of last year.
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VI. OTHER MAJOR ASPECTS
1. Friendly guerrillas operating in the vicin-
ity of Route 922 in the Laos panhandle reported an
estimated regimental-size enemy force near the Laos/
South Vietnam border on 7 March., Route 922 is being
extended by the Communists into South Vietnam toward
the A Shau Valley.
2. The friendly guerrillas encountered a 23-
man patrol--probably of enemy security personnel--
on 4 March and five platoon-size enemy elements were
contacted on 5 March. On 6 March an estimated bat-
talion-size enemy force attacked a perimeter which
had been established by the guerrillas. The enemy
force was driven off by air.str-ikes.
3. The guerrillas reported that roadwork was
under way on the nights of 3 to 5 March with sounds
of blasting and truck shuttles reported. A generator
and a bulldozer were also heard on both nights. The
guerrillas also observed a North Vietnamese engineer
platoon on 7 March constructing a pontoon bridge.
It is possible that this activity is for the purpose
of constructing a bypass to Route 922, which is cur-
rently believed to be motorable almost to the Laos/
South Vietnam border. The North Vietnamese often
construct alternate bridges to cope with the effects
of US air strikes.
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