THE SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM (AS OF 1500 EST)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-559-30-14-3
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: October 14, 2011
• Sequence Number: 14
• Publication Date: April 5, 1972
• Content Type: MEMO

Wi No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/10/14: LOC-HAK-559-30-14-3
State Dept. review
completed
CENTRAL INTLLLXGBNCB AGENCY
Directorate of Intelligence
5 April 1972
The Situation in South Vietnam
As of 1500 HST
1. The fighting in northern Military Region, 1
is continuing at a slower pace, but South vietnamese
forces are organizing counterattacks. Heavy enemy -
pressure continues, however, against Fire Support
Base Pedro west of Quang Tara City, and Quang Tri
Combat Base is being shelled sporadically. Further
south,.enemy artillary and ground attacks'are
continuing against Firebases Birmingham and Bastogne,
west of Hue, but government forces reportedly are
still holding their ground.
~.'
2. The latest reporting indicates that the
weather is poor for flying again from Hue to north
of the DMZ. Cloud cover and rains reportedly have
limited Allied airatrikes and press reports indicate
that the weather will remain bad through tomorrow.
3. South Vietnamese-units in Quang Tri Province
are getting ready to launch counter attacks against
enemy units north of Dong Ha. General Lam, the
government's MR 1 commander, .reportedly plans. to begin
the operations against the equivalent of three Communist
divisions in Quang Tri as soon as additional reinforce-
ments are in position. Nine ranger battalions were.
airlifted to MR-1 from Tay Ninh Province yesterday to
beef up the ARVN 3rd infantry Division. In addition,
an ARVN division from the delta--possibly' the 9th--is
to be deployed to MR-1. Plans reportedly call for the
delta division to go to Quang Nam Province, freeing the
2nd ARVtf Division there for duty farther north in Quang
Tri.
ILLEGIB
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/10/14 : LOC-HAK-559-30-14-3
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/10/14: LOC-HAK-559-30-14-3
4. Lam reportedly has also established a forward
command post at Hue to oversee government operations
in Thua Thien Province. Some 30,000 regional and
popular force troops have been put under the control
of the regular army, and 4,000 members of the province's
local re therformerd
t 25X1
to h harp strc~ g
imperial capital.
four combat regiments of the Nc~rt e namese
Z
.
Division are now south of the DM
all
th
Tri
of the -entire 300th Div s On. to north
gmnmm" ern Qusnnrevari.ng
25X1
supports otnez?, ti.4~ _--- -
-for another round of heavy attacks against government
units in Quang Tri. Province. Moreover, there are
growing indications that elements of the enemy's 3248
Division West of Rue are preparing heavy attacks against
government-positions protecting the approaches tun that
city.
hope to coax ina a ear a acs n nor hern Quang Tri
with heavier action against flue to spread government
forces,thin and capture both areas.
6. in an assessment of the military situation in
MR 1, Consul General Brown in 1a Nang reports that none
of his contacts is optimistic about the ability of the
South Vietnamese 3rd Division to hold off the Communists.
He says the "virtuoso performance" of the North Vietnamese
artillery has left a profound impression on the South Tri
Vietnamese and that government commanders innuQvango get
City do not seem to be moving very ap
new operations organized. Despite the probability that
Lam is getting the equivalent of another division,
Brown's contacts question whether the reinforcements will
arrive in time or whether they will be adequate.
-2-
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/10/14: LOC-HAK-559-30-14-3
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/10/14: LOC-HAK-559-30-14-3
H h].ands Auti yity
7. Communist military activity in the highlands
on 4-5 April was largely limited to artillery-attacks.
A fire base in Kontum Province was shelled and probed by
a small ground force. There were three shel7,ings in
Pleiku Province, including a five-round rocket attack
on.the Military Region 2 headquarters in the provincial
capital. Four of the large-caliber rockets were duds,
however, and-the other caused minor damage. South
Vietnamese clearing operations north of Dak To on.
4 April mat enemy resistance. An estimated enemy battalion
was engaged in a day-long battle, but casualties were
light.
8. The South Vietnamese Joint General Staff expects
large-scale-enemy attacks in the highlands to get under-
way very soon, with the Iontum City - Dak To region as
a likely target. other probable enemy targets include
the area along Highway 14' between Kontum and Pleiku
cities and to the north of Kontum towards Tan Can.
North of Saigon
9. Three additional Communist formations have
moved into South Vietnam from eastern Cambodia bringing the
total number of newly arrived enethy regiments in MR 3 to
six. On 5 April, the Communist 9th Division's 272nd Regi-
ment was detected just northeast of An Loc, the capital
of Binh Long Province. This regiment and the newly-arrived
Gth Regiment were probably involved in the series of
attacks against Loc Ninh and An Loc early on.5 April.
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/10/14: LOC-HAK-559-30-14-3
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/10/14: LOC-HAK-559-30-14-3
Saigon Government Asks Pao
United Su
13. The Saigon government is encouraging ',popular'
support for tho South Vietnamese army and is presenting a
fairly sober picture of the current fighting. In a
nationwide radio and television address today, President
Thieu asserted that Communist forces had been halted in
Quang Tr'i 'P'rovince. He warned that Hanoi might send
additional troops to the battlefield and might also use
its air force, but he said South Vietnamese forces were
ready .to cope with this,
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/10/14 : LOC-HAK-559-30-14-3+
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/10/14: LOC-HAK-559-30-14-3
14. Thiou warned,however, that the Communists'
goal is to capture Quang Tri and Thua Thien Provinces,
in order to set up a capital for the Viet Cong. The
present battle, the President said, is decisive for
South Vietnam's survival. Ile asserted that all necessary
measures would be taken to maintain security-and to
prevent terrorist attacks and other disturbances,
and he called on the people to support the common effort.
Thiou also called on the press to play up South Vietnamese
battlefield successes and to refrain from publishing
"false, inaccurate, and exaggerated reports" which could
harm the morale of the troops and the political stability
of the country.
15. Government-controlled media, meanwhile, have
been stressing the heavy losses of the enemy, as well as
the strong support of the US for South Vietnam. The
media have also given heavy play to denunciations of the
Communists for invading South Vietnam across the Demilitar-
ized Zone.
Communist Pro2aganda
16. Viet Cong negotiator Madame Nguyen Thi Binh has
scheduled a news conference in Paris tomorrow morning.
Since the suspension of the peace talks, several weeks
ago, Communist spokesmen in Paris have been relying heavily
on impromptu news sessions to float their latest propaganda.
The meeting scheduled for tomorrow morning may be intended
to give the other side a better forum to publicize recent
Communist gains on the battlefield in South Vietnam.
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/10/14 : LOC-HAK-559-30-14-3