CABLE TO HENRY A. KISSINGER FROM ALEXANDER HAIG

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-503-7-4-1
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: November 18, 2011
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: July 2, 1972
• Content Type: CABLE

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ON-FILE NSC RELEASE
INSTRUCTIONS APPLY
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/11/22: LOC-HAK-503-7-4-1
T. 0 r C G R E SENSITIVE 021035Z JUL 72
FROM: GENERAL HAIG SAIGON 0107 IMMEDIATE
(BUNKER)
T0: THE WHITE. RUSE, FOR HENRY A. KISSINGER
I SPENT THE DAY IN MR I ALONG WITH NEGROPONTE, KRAEMER AND
BROWN. WE ARRIVED IN HUE IN THE MIDST OF SOME EXCITEMENT AS A
RESULT OF EARLY AM 130MM SHELLING OF NW OUTSKIRTS OF THE CITY.
THE ATTACK BY FIRE WAS BRIEF KILLING ABOUT 8 CIVILIANS BUT NOT
IN MY VIEW OF ANY GREAT SIGNIFICANCE. IT WAS PROBABLY LAUNCHED IN
AN EFFORT TO INFLUENCE THE QUANG TRI OFFENSIVE.
I MET IN SUCCESSION WITH GENERAL TRUONG CG MR I, GEN LAM
MARINE DIVISION. CG, GENERAL DONG AIRBORNE CG, GEN PHU 1ST
DIVISION CG AND.:GENERAL THI 2ND DIVISION CG. ALL EXCEPT THE
LATTER WERE CQNF'IDENT AND NOT PARTICULARLY APPREHENSIVE OF ENEMY
CAPABILITIES. -THE MARINES WERE CONVINCED THAT THEY
COULD MOVE TO THE DMZ RAPIDLY AND WITH EASE. THE AIRBORNE DIVISION
CG WAS ALTHOUGH CONFIDENT THOUGH PROPERLY CONCERNED WITH HIS LEFT
FLANK. HE TOOK ME ASIDE AND ASKED IF FOR POLITICAL REASONS HE
SHOULD PRESS TO TAKE QUANG TRI BECAUSE IF SO HE COULD DO SO IN TWO
OR THREE DAYS. I TOLD :HIM YES BUT ONLY IF THE MOVE WERE
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/11/22 : LOC-HAK-503-7-4-1
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/11/22: LOC-HAK-503-7-4-1
STRATEGICALLY SOUND CONSIDERING THE THREAT TO HIS FLANK. IN THIS
REGARD IT IS INTERESTING THAT THE WEAPONS BEING CAPTURED IN THE
DRIVE ARE IN THE RATIO OF ONE TO ONE BETWEEN CREW SERVED AND
INDIVIDUAL WEAPONS. THIS WOULD TEND TO SUGGEST THAT THE ENEMY
IS SHORT OF INFANTRY AND HAS ESTABLISHED A FACADE FORCE OF ANTI-
AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY AND TANKS. IT IS ALSO INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT
FOR THE MOST PART THE ENEMY BEING ENCOUNTERED IS NOT FIGHTING BUT
ABANDONING HIS WEAPONS AND EVEN SOME TANKS. THE AIRBORNE
DIVISION IS HOWEVER GETTING SOME PRESSURE FROM ITS LEFT FLANK.
THIS AM THE AIRBORNE HAD A SHARP CONTACT FROM TANKS AND INFANTRY
IN WHICH OVER 100 ENEMY WERE KILLED AND SEVEN WERE CAPTURED.
MY OWN ASSESSMENT ADMITTEDLY BASED UPON THE MOST LIMITED
KNOWLEDGE IS THAT THE OFFENSIVE SHOULD CONTINUE UNTIL QUANG TRI
IS LIBERATED. ALL THE COMMANDERS I SPOKE TO WERE CONFIDENT THAT
THE ENEMY WAS MUCH WEAKER THAN HE HAD' BEEN. ALL CLEARLY EMPHASIZED
A SHARP DROP IN ENEMY MORALE, TRAINING AND COMPETENCE. CONVERSELY,
ALL ARVN UNITS WERE STRONGER TODAY THAN DURING EARLIER PHASES OF THE
ENEMY OFFENSIVE.
I WAS IMPRESSED' AND PLEASED TO SEE HOW GEN TRUONG HAS
IMPROVED FIRE COORDINATION IN MR I. HE HAS ESTABLISHED A DIRECTION
CENTER WHICH INCLUDES ALL NAVY, AIR AND ARTILLERY - US AND GVN
IN ONE CONTROL.SITE. THIS SYSTEM COMBINED WITH SOPHISTICATED SHELL
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No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/11/22 : LOC-HAK-503-7-4-1
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/11/22: LOC-HAK-503-7-4-1
REPORTING AND SENSOR TECHNIQUES HAS GREATLY IMPROVED ARVN' S
ABILITY TO LOCATE AND DESTROY ENEMY ARTILLERY.
MY DISCUSSIONS WITH GENERAL PHU9 NOW CHARGED WITH THE DEFENSE
OF HUE AS THE AIRBORNE AND MARINES MOVE NORTH, HAVE ADDED TO
THE IMPRESSION THAT THE ENEMY IS NO LONGER CAPABLE OF TAKING HUE
EVEN WITH THE THINNING OF FRIENDLY FORCES WHICH HAS RESULTED FROM
THE OFFENSIVE. PHU'S DIVISION IS NEVERTHELESS TIRED HAVING
BEEN IN CONTACT SINCE EARLY MARCH.
ALL OF THE ARVN COMMANDERS SEEMED VERY APPREHENSIVE ABOUT
THE PROSPECTS FOR A CEASE FIRE. ALL REFLECTED SOME MIXED FEELINGS
FEAR THAT A BAD DEAL MIGHT BE IMPOSED ON THEM BUT OBVIOUSLY ANXIOUS
TO PERCEIVE A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL. ALL WERE DELIGHTED AND
IMPRESSED WITH US ACTIONS AGAINST THE NORTH. TRUONG AND LAM
MENTIONED THAT BEFORE TOO LONG THEY COULD AND SHOULD ATTACK NORTH OF
THE DMZ IF NECESSARY.
GENERAL PHU STATED THAT HE BELIEVED THE ENEMY WILL NOT BE
ABLE TO RETURN IN EQUIVALENT STRENGTH FOR ANOTHER FOUR YEARS IF
WE CONTINUE. TO PUNISH HIM FOR A FEW MORE MONTHS.
I SPOKE TO VOGT EARLY THIS AM PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FOR MR I.
HE IS FULLY APPRISED OF YOUR THINKING ON BOMBING AND WILL COMPLY.
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/11/22 : LOC-HAK-503-7-4-1
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 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/11/22: LOC-HAK-503-7-4-1
GENERAL WEYAND IS ALSO WELL AWARE OF HOW THINGS ARE DONE IN DC
AND OF THE NEED TO USE THE SPECIAL CHANNEL THROUGH BUNKER WHENEVER
DOUBTS EXIST.
I AM PROCEEDING NOW TO PHNOM PENH AND WILL SEE LON NOL IN
AM AND THIEU TOMORROW AFTERNOON. I WILL HAVE DINNER WITH BUNKER
TOMORROW NIGHT AND DEPART SAIGON AT 10:00 PM LOCAL FOR EL TORO
VIA CINCPAC. WARM REGARDS.
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/11/22: LOC-HAK-503-7-4-1
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