Eleventh Report COMMUNIST VIOLATIONS OF THE VIETNAM AND LAOS SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T01719R000100160006-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 16
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 6, 2004
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: April 27, 1973
• Content Type: PERRPT

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YUP
COMMUNIST VIOLATIONS OF
THE VIETNAM AND LAOS SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS
(This report covers the week from
27 April through 3 May 1973)
This memorandum has been prepared jointly by the
Central Intelligence Agency and the Department of Defense
DIA review(s) completed.
Top Secret
28
4 May 1973
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Eleventh Report
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4 May 1973
Eleventh Report
COMMUNIST VIOLATIONS OF
THE VIETNAM AND LAOS SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS*
(This report covers the week from
27 April through 3 May 1973)
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The Key Points
Heavy North Vietnamese logistic activity con-
tinued, however, all along the Ho Chi Minh
Trail in Laos, in northern South Vietnam, and
in the North Vietnamese Panhandle.
Combat activity during the week remained at a
low level in both South Vietnam and Laos.
* This report has been prepared jointly by the
Central Intelligence Agency and the Department
of Defense.
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The Details
NOTE: This is the eleventh in a series of reports
detailing recently received evidence of (a) Commu-
nist efforts to infiltrate new manpower and mili-
tary materiel toward and into South Vietnam, and
(b) Communist-instigated combat activity in viola-
tion of the Vietnam and Laos settlement agreements.
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B. Movement of Military Equipment and Supplies To-
ward and into South Vietnam and Laos
4. There was no slackening in the pace of NVA
logistic activity during the reporting period as
large numbers of cargo vehicles were observed moving
in the Laos Panhandle and northern South Vietnam.
Traffic was again very heavy on Route 99, the major
north-south road in the central Laos Panhandle, par-
ticularly in the area between Muong Nong and Ban Bac.
(The map on the following page shows the roads and
route numbers which. are mentioned in this report.)
Other roads in the Panhandle were also sustaining
substantial levels of vehicle activity.
Communist truck traffic in GVN MR 1 con-
tinued to be heavy and further hard evidence was re-
ceived of large NVA ordnance stockpiles in the Laos/
South Vietnam border area of MR 1. Heavy NVA re-
supply activity also continues to be detected in
southern North Vietnam where large numbers of cargo
trucks have been observed shuttling supplies south-
ward from Dong Hoi toward destinations in Laos and
northern South Vietnam.
5. Additional evidence has been received on
North Vietnamese efforts to repair and improve sev-
eral airfields in Laos and northern South Vietnam.
The airstrip at Sam Neua in northeastern Laos has
already been repaired and has been operational since
February. Seventeen kilometers away near Ban Nakay
Neua, a new airfield at Muong Nga is approximately
95 percent completed. At Phong Savan on the south-
eastern edge of the PDJ, runway repair was underway
Approved
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South Vietnam
and
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as of mid-April and by late April 2,300 feet of the
strip appeared usable. In south Laos, the old air-
strip at Tchepone has been repaired and is also con-
sidered usable. In South Vietnam's MR 1, upgrading
.continues at the Khe Sanh airfield where 3,200 feet
of pierced steel planking-type surface has been laid
on the newly prepared 4,480 foot runway. Some repair
activity has also been noted at Dong Ha, although
currently only 1,800 feet of the 3,700 foot planked
runway is considered serviceable. In MR 2, the 4,300
foot runway at Dak To has received repairs and is
considered usable by light transport aircraft like
the AN-2. Although tenuous reports have been received
of activity in and around other small airfields and
heliports in South Vietnam, no new construction ac-
tivity on landing surfaces can be validated. There
is no evidence that any near-term plans are being
made to attempt flights to any facilities other than
Khe Sanh and possibly Dong Ha in MR 1. When and if
these airfields are used, they will probably be
limited to light transport activity in support of
VIP movements, both military and civilian, or de-
liveries of small critical supply items such as
electronic components and medicines.
6. The following instances of Communist lo-
gistic activity were observed in South Vietnam dur-
ing the period. Activity observed in South Vietnam
probably reflects supplies which have recently
entered the country.
(a) NVA vehicle activity was observed on
routes within South Vietnam during
the reporting period as follows.
(1)
- 53 cargo vehicles were ob-
served on Route 9 between Dong
Ha and the Laos/South Vietnam
border (15 eastbound, 13 west-
bound, 25 parked).
- 32 cargo vehicles were seen
on Route 616 southeast of Khe
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Sanh (9 eastbound, 11 westbound,
12 parked).
(2)
- There were 113 cargo vehicles
on Route 608 northwest of Khe
Sanh (3 eastbound, 110 parked).
- 63 cargo trucks were detected
on Route 9 between Dong Ha and
the Laos/South Vietnam border
(19 eastbound, 32 westbound, 12
parked).
(3)
cargo vehicles were trav-
eling on Route 1 north of Dong
Ha (7 northbound, 5 southbound,
8 parked).
- There were 25 cargo vehicles
observed on Route 9 between the
Laos/South Vietnam border and
the route's intersection with
Route 6088 (9 eastbound, 15 west-
bound, 1 parked).
- 17 cargo trucks were on Route
6089 southeast of Khe Sanh (5
northbound, 12 southbound).
- 37 cargo vehicles were parked
on Route 616 south of Khe Sanh.
(4) 2 May:
- 20 cargo vehicles were moving
south on Route 1 north of Dong
Ha.
- 59 cargo trucks were detected
on Route 9 from the Laos/South
Vietnam border to the route's
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intersection with Route 6088 (8
eastbound, 30 westbound, 21
parked).
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7. During the reporting period the following
indications of North Vietnamese logistic activity
in southern Laos were noted. Historical precedent
would suggest that much of this activity probably
involved supplies destined for South Vietnam.
(a) On 25 and 26 April, nearly 300 NVA
vehicles were active in the tri-
border area of the southern Laos
Panhandle and northeastern Cambodia.
Although no information was available
on the type of cargo being carried,
most of the vehicles were shuttling
cargo eastward into South Vietnam.
(b) The following vehicle activity was
detected on Route 99 during the re-
porting period:
(1) On 26 April, there were 110 NVA
cargo trucks traveling on the
route between Muong Nong and Ban
Bac (30 northbound, 10 south-
bound, 70 parked).
(2) On 27 April, there were 169
cargo vehicles between Muong
Nong and Ban Bac (61 northbound,
46 southbound, 62 parked).
(3) On 28 April, there were 287 cargo
trucks between Muong Nong and
Ban Bac (153 northbound, 73 south-
bound, 61 parked).
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(4) On 29 April, 65 cargo vehicles
were detected traveling the road
south of Muong Nong (14 north-
bound, 36 southbound, 15 parked).
(5) On 1 May, there were 85 cargo
vehicles observed on the route
south of Muong Nong (60 north-
bound, 23 southbound, 2 parked).
25 of the northbound vehicles
were carrying personnel.
(6) On 2 May, 223 cargo vehicles
were seen on the route segment
between Muong Nong and Ban Bac
(15 northbound, 67 southbound,
141 parked).
(c) The following vehicle movements were
observed on Route 92 north of Muong
Nong.
(1) 26 April - 100 cargo vehicles
(57 northbound, 8 southbound,
35 parked).
(2) 29 April - 73 cargo vehicles
(15 northbound, 16 southbound,
42 parked).
(3) 30 April - 21 cargo trucks (3
northbound, 1 southbound, 17
parked).
(4) 1 May - 34 cargo trucks (13 north-
bound, 16 southbound, 5 parked).
(d) On 26 April, there were 24 cargo trucks
on Route 9211 south of Saravane (18
southbound, 6 northbound). There were
46 cargo vehicles on this route on 30
April (9 northbound, 33 southbound,
4 parked) and 18 trucks on 1 May (11
northbound, 7 southbound).
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(e) On 30 April, there were 28 cargo trucks
detected on Route 9 from the Route 92
intersection east to the Laos/South
Vietnam border (8 eastbound, 20 parked).
There were 41 cargo vehicles observed
on the same segment on 1 May (15 west-
bound, 26 parked).
8. There is additional evidence of the con-
tinuing movement within North Vietnam of military
and other supplies probably destined for South Viet-
nam and southern Laos.
(c) On 28 and 29 April, over 140 NVA
cargo vehicles were observed crossing
the Giang River in the southern North
Vietnam Panhandle.
C. Combat Activity Initiated by Communist Forces
In South Vietnam Since the Ceasefire
9. In South Vietnam, the total number of Com-
munist-initiated ceasefire violations reported by
the South Vietnamese Armed Forces since 28 January
and for the last week (27 Apr-3 May) are shown below:
Military Total Since Ceasefire Last Week (27 Apr-3 May)
Region Level of Action Level of Action
Major Minor Major Minor
MR 1 854 2,850 34 92
MR 2 202 1,404 5 88
MR 3 309 1,931 16 88
MR 4 478 4,360 28 313
Totals 1,843 10,545 83(,102)1/ 581(574)1/
1/ Denotes totals of previous week.
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10. Some of these violations may have been
initiated by GVN forces rather than Communist forces,
and it is impossible in all cases to determine the
actual instigator. The table above and the chart
.on the following page, however, do show fairly ac-
curately the trend in the amount of combat that has
occurred in South Vietnam since the ceasefire. The
fact that a combat incident occurred at a particular
time and place is generally. reported accurately by
the South Vietnamese, even though the question of who
started it may not always be treated in objective
fashion. In some cases, the Joint Military Commis-
sion (GVN/PRG) also reports violations of the cease-
fire.
11. The following is a chronological listing
of only the most significant "major" Communist vio-
lations of the ceasefire in South Vietnam that were
reported by the South Vietnamese Armed Forces during
the past week.
MILITARY REGION 1
(a) Between 27 April and 4 May, friendly
forces in Thua Thien Province con-
tinued to receive moderate attacks-
by-fire and limited ground probes.
(b) On 28 and 29 April ranger elements
10 kilometers northwest of Mo Duc
received 146 rounds of mortar fire
in two attacks-by-fire.
MILITARY REGION 2
On 2 May, an ARVN unit 11 kilometers
northwest of Bong Son in Binh Dinh
Province received a ground attack.
MILITARY REGION 3
Between 27 April and 4 May, friendly
forces at Tonle Chan continued to
receive attacks-by-fire.
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 JAN-FIB
OTAL
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CEASE-FIRE VIOLATIONS IN SOUTH VIETNAM AS REPORTED BY RVNAF
(28 JANUARY 1913 TO THE PRESENT)
0~ N00% 14%
I & % N S
MAR
4UU
300
200
-I ~y I I I I
APR
4uu
300
200
MAY
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MILITARY REGION 4
(a) On 26 April, 10 kilometers west of
Kien Thien, a PF unit received an
attack-by-fire of 123 mixed mortar
rounds.
(b) On 27 April, 6 kilometers north of
Hong Nhu, friendly forces received
a ground attack.
D. Combat Activity Initiated By Communist Forces
n Laos Dur n the Week From 27 A r 1 to 3 may
12. In north Laos, North Vietnamese Army
forces wiped the slate clean in the Tha Vieng sector
southeast of the Plain of Jars by dislodging the
last remaining government units from the area on
26 and 27 April. All government units formerly com-
mitted to the defense of Tha Vieng and Route 4 are
now located in or withdrawing toward Muong Decha, a
Meo resettlement center 35 kilometers southwest of
Tha Vieng. in Military Region 1 of Laos, a Royal
Lao Army (FAR) reaction force succeeded in recap-
turing one of three positions in northwestern
Sayaboury Province lost during a coordinated Commu-
nist thrust on 20 April, but failed in an attempt
to retake a second position. In south Laos, sev-
eral company-sized engagements occurred in the con-
tested area southeast of Thakhek during the week,
and a sharp Communist attack east of Soukhouma in
Champassak Province resulted in the government's
loss'of Ban Bunkeo, a Mekong River Village. Else-
where in Laos, no significant military activity oc-
curred during the reporting period.
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