SUMMARY OF VIET CONG ACTIVITIES IN TAY NINH-PROVINCE DURING DECEMBER 1967

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Keywords: MILITARY ACTIVITIES
• Keywords: SOUTH VIETNAM
• Keywords: TAY NINH PROVINCE
• Keywords: VIET CONG
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00095748
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: April 26, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 30, 2019
• Publication Date: January 30, 1968

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LBJ LIBRARY ,
Maod.atory Prsyje
Case # 'NLJ
Document #_
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Intelligence Information Cable
EO.
� Rour13526
3. 3(h)(2
IN
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STATE/INR DIA NmCC/mC (SECDEF JCS ARM
e IR) CIA/NmCC NIC NSA SDO ONE CRS-
0OER FBI S DOS IRS AID USIA
7
1Ph1s material contains information affecting the National Defe s�t lied States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title 18. U.S.
cs. 793 and 71H, the transmission or revelation of which in y a � net to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
,
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THIS IS AN INFORMATION REPORT. NOT' FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE.
COUNTRY SOUTH VIETNAM
CITE
DIST
30 JANUARY 1968-1!
1.3(a)(4)
Doi 1-31 'DECEMBER 1967 �
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SUBJECT SUMMARY OF VIET CONG ACTIVITIES IN my WNI? PROVINCE
DURI14.G DECEMBER 1967
ACQ VIETNAM, BIEN HOA (18 JAN 1968)
SOURCE
� FIELD NO.
1.3(04
SUMMARY-- CONTINUATION OF THE WINTER-SPRING CAMPAIGN WAS THE
BASIC VIET CONG /VC/ POLICY IN TAY NINH PROVINCE DURING DECEMBER.
WHILE VC-INITIATED MILITARY INCIDENTS DECREASED DURING THE MONTH,
THE OVERALL LEVEL OF VC ACTIVITY INCREASED. THE BIGGEST INCREASE
WAS IN VC TERRORIST ACTIVITY, PARTICULARLY KIDNAPPINGS WHICH
5 NETTED THE VC MORE THAN 2721 PERSONS. VC TAXATION' ACTIVITIES REIY'AINED
4
3 HIGH DURING THE MONTH, AND THERE WERE INDICATIONS THAT THEY WERE
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PAGE 2 OF 9 PAGES 1.3(8)(4)
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ENJOYING SOME SUCCESS. HOWEVER A� CAPTURED DISTRICT LEVEL FINANCE-
ECONOMY SECTION CLERK STATED THAT THE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE FROM VC-
CONTROLLED TERRITORY INTO GOVERNMENT OF VIETNAM NEW LIFE HAMLETS
HAD CAUSED A SHARP DROP IN VC *TAX REVENUES. END SUMMARY.
POLICY
I. VI1ET CONG /VC/ POLICY IN TAY NINH PROVINCE DURING DECEMBER
CONTINUED TO BE CENTERED UPON THE VC WINTER-SPRING CAMPAIGN WHICH
I
BEGAN IN NOVEMBER AND WAS GEARED TO THROW GOVERNMENT OF VIETNAM
/GVN/ AND 'U.S. FORCES OFF BALANCE. EMPHASIS WAS MAINTAINED ON
DEMONSTRATING THAT THE -VC HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO STRIKE WHEN AND
WHERE THEY, DESIRE. ALTHOUGH VC-INITIATED MILITARY INCIDENTS
DECLINED DURING DECEMBER FROM THE YEAR'S-HIGH DURING NOVEMBER,
OVERALL VC ACTIVITY INCREASED. TARGETTING WAS MORE -SELECTIVE, WITH
EMPHASIS PLACED ON UNNERVING THE GENERAL POPULATION AS OPPOSED TO
-
LAST MONTH'S CONCENTRATION ON TERRORIZING ISOLATED GVN OUTPOSTS.
THE MOST NOTABLE SHIFT IN TACTICS WAS AN UPSURGE OF KIDNAPPINGS
THROUGHOUT THE PROVINCE. THE EXTENSIVE KIDNAPPINGS NOT ONLY SPREAD
UNEASINESS THROUGHOUT THE PROVINCE, BUT ALSO PROVIDED THE VC WITH,
NEW MILITARY RECRUITS AND LABORERS. DECEMBER WAS THE HEIGHT OF THE
RICE HARVEST IN TAY NINH, AND. STATEMENTS BY ESCAPED AND RELEASED
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KIDNAP. VICTIMS INDICATED THAT MANY* OF THOSE 'KIDNAPPED WERE USED IN
SUPPORT OF VC RICE COLLECTION ACTIVITIES.
OPERATIONS
2. ALTHOUGH VC-INITIATED *MILITARY INCIDENTS DECREASED DURING
DECEMBER IN TAY NINH PROVINCE, THOSE THAT WERE CONDUCTED WERE
REMARKABLY SUCCESSFUL. THE VC SEEMED TO PICK THEIR TARGETS ON
THE BASIS OF POTENTIAL PROPAGANDA VALUE AND MINIMAL RISK. THE
ONLY EXCEPTION WAS AN ESTIMATED BATTALION-SIZED ATTACK ON A U.S.
OPERATION "YELLOWSTONE" BASE CAMP LOCATED IN THE UNPOPULATED
NORTHERN PORTION OF THE PROVINCE. MOST OF THE SEMAINING VC INCIDENTS
WERE IN THE POPULOUS SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE PROVINCE AND INVOLVED
SMALL UNITS OF COMPANY SIZE OR LESS AGAINST SELECTIVE TARGETS.
3. IN THREE COMPANY-SIZED ACTIONS THE VC SUCCESSFULLY ATTACKED
THE PROVINCE CHIEU HOI /OPEN ARMS/ CENTER I THE PHILLIPINE CIVIC
ACTION GROUP MODEL REFUGEE SETTLEMENT AND OVERRAN A GVN OUTPOST
PROTECTING A NEW LIFE HAMLET. SMALL UNIT HARASSMENT INCIDENTS
INCLUDED TWO SEPARATE SMALL ARMS ATTACKS ON THE MACV COMPOUND
LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PROVINCE CAPITAL ON 29 AND 31 DECEMBER.
4. 1'3(8)(
5 THERE WERE 27 VC KIDNAPPING OPERATIONS DURING DECEMBER WHICH
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ACCOUNTED FOR 275 INDIVIDUALS. A NUMBER OF THE VICTIMS WERE LATER
RELEASED BY THE VC OR ESCAPED. ABOUT 25 PERCENT OF THE CAPTIVES .
ARE STILL IN VC HANDS, HOWEVER EITHER AS FORCED LABORERS OR AS
MILITARY RECRUITS. ASSASSINATIONS DURING THE MONTH REMAINED AT
ABOUT THE SAME LEVEL AS IN NOVEMBER. TWO HAMLET CHIEFS WERE
ASSASSINATED AND ANOTHER SERIOUSLY WOUNDED IN CONJUNCTION WITH
A VC ATTACK ON A GvN OUTPOST. THE ONLY OTHER ASSASSINATION OCCURRED .
WHEN A U.S. CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE OF A CONTRACT CONSTRUCTION FIRM WAS
KILLED ON: HIGHWAY 13, NOT FAR FROM THE BASE CAMP OF A U.S. BRIGADE.
THE ASSASSINATION WAS THE SIXTH SUCH INCIDENT ALONG HIGHWAY 13 WITH-
IN THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS. ALL OF THE _INCIDENTS HAVE TAKEN PLACE
WITHIN FIVE KILOMETERS OF THE PROVINCE CAPITAL AND WITHIN ONLY
SEVERAL KILOMETERS OF THE BRIGADE'S BASE CAMP.,
5. VC TAXATION ACTIVITIES REMAINED PROMINENT THROUGHOUT TAY13(a)
NINH DURING DECEMBER.
11111111111110111111111111111 THE AVERAGE INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT FOR SUPPORT
OF THE WI tTER -.SPRING CAMPAIGN WAS VN$5 00.00 /USS4 .24 / WITH HIGHER
AMOUNTS CHARGED TO MORE AFFLUENT INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD ABOVE AVERAGE
5 INCOMES. /DOLLAR EQUIVALENTS ARE BASED ON THE OFFICIAL EXCHANGE
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1.30)(4
1.304(4)
RATE OF VN$118 TO US$1.00./ THIS AMOUNT WAS IN ADDITION TO OTHER
VC TAXES LEVIED FOR THE YEAR. FUNDS FOR THE WINTER-SPRING CAMPAIGN -
WERE COLLECTED UNDER A NUMBER OF NAMES INCLUDING "GENERAL UPRISING
FUND" AND � 'TROOP NOURISHMENT TAX' THERE .WERE NO INDICATIONS THAT
THE VC WERE EXPERIENCING ANY DIFFICULTY IN COLLECTING TAXES DUE TO
POPULAR RESISTANCE. RICE TAXATION RATES VARIED CONSIDERABLY THROUGH-
OUT THE PROVINCE RANGING FROM 20 TO 30 PERCENT OF THE CROP AND
PAYABLE EITHER IN RICE OR CASH. IN CONTRAST TO EARLIER YEARS THE
VC WERE ALLOWING FARMERS TO TAKE THE RICE TO MARKETS TO .SELL AND
IN SOME CASES WERE EVEN ENCOURAGING VILLAGERS TO DO SO. A
POSSIBLE EXPLANATION FOR THIS POLICY IS VC INTEREST IN OBTAINING .
MONEY IN ORDER TO PURCHASE RICE IN CAMBODIA WHERE RICE IS CHEAPER
OR. TO PURCHASE OTHER COMMODITIES.
6. A RECENT COMPILATION
PROVIDED A ROUGH ESTIMATE OF VC TAX REVENUE DERIVED
FROM RUBBER PLANTATION WORKERS IN TAY NINH. A PLANTATION WORKER
WOULD PAY THE VC THE EQUIVALENT OF HIS OR HER AVERAGE DAILY WAGE
MONTHLY, EXCLUSIVE OF THE TET MONTH WHEN NO TAX IS COLLECTED. BASE
ON AN AVERAGE DAILY WAGE OF VN$50 /US$0.42/ AND AN ESTIMATED 2,700
5 PLANTATION WORKERS IN THE PROVINCE, THE VC COLLECT. ALMOST ONE AND
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A HALF MILLION PIASTRES /US$ 12,700/ A YEAR FROM RUBBER WORKERS
ALONE. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE TAX OF VN$500 /US$4.24/ PER
PERSON TO SUPPORT THE WINTER-SPRING CAMPAIGN. A 304(4)
FORMER VC DISTRICT-LEVEL FINANCE-ECONOMY CLER.K, CONFIRMED 1101111
THAT RUBBER PLANTATION WORKERS WERE TAXED AT
THE RATE OF ONE DAY'S WAGES PER MONTH. HOWEVER HE STATED AVERAGE
WAGE WAS ONLY VN$35. A RECENT
allEREPOiRT ALSO CONFIRMED THE RATE AT WHICH EACH RUBBER PLAN-
TATION WORKER WAS TAXED.
THE
CwNER OF CAU KIWI, THE LARGEST PLANTATION IN THE AREA, PAID THE VC
VN$ I, 000, 000 /US$8,5 00/ A- YEAR TO. OPERATE_ AND THAT ONE OF THE
SMALLER PLANTATIONS, BINH LINH, PAID VN$100,000/ /US$850/ A YEAR.
7. ANOTHER VC FINANCE-ECONOMY ACTIVITY DURING DECEMBER WAS THE
SEIZURE OF CARTS AND OXEN FOR TRANSPORTATION OR REVENUE PURPOSES.
11.111 APPROXIMATELY 100 CARTS AND OXEN WERE TAKEN FROM TWO
VILLAGES. 20
CARTS AND OXEN WERE TAKEN AND HELD FOR RANSOM.
TWO-THIRDS OF THE OWNERS
.3(a)(4)
HAD PAID THE RANSOM AND HAD REGAINED POSSESSION OF THEIR PROPERTY./
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FE REMAINING ONE-THIRD FORFEITED THEIR PROPERTY BECAUSE THEY
COULD NOT PAY THE RANSOM. NUMEROUS REPORTS WERE ALSO RECEIVED
DURING THE MONTH OF THE VC COMMANDEERING CARTS AND OXEN FOR ONLY 1301)(4
ONE NIGHT OF FORCED LABOR.
TEMPORARY SEIZURE OF CARTS AND OXEN FOR THE TRANSPORT OF RICE
DURING THE RICE HARVEST SEASON WAS A COMMON VC PRACTICE.
CRGANIZATION
S. AN OCTOBER TAY NINH VC PROVINCE COMMITTEE DIRECTIVE STRESSED
THE NEED FOR THE PARTY TO CONCENTRATE MORE EFFORT TOWARD _BUILDING
UP PARTY ORGANIZATIONS AT THE VILLAGE AND HAMLET LEVEL, PARTICULARLY
WITH RESPECT TO ENABLING THE PARTY TO CONTROL ANY FUTURE COALITION
GOVERNMENT THAT MAY COME INTO EXISTENCE. EVIDENCE THAT MORE EMPHASIS
WAS BEING PLACED ON THIS WAS INDICATED BY A RECENTLY CAPTURED DOCUMENT
FROM THE VC GO DAU /GVN HIEU THIEN/ DISTRICT SECURITY SECTION
COVERING MISSIONS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED BY VILLAGE SECURITY SECTIONS.
THE DOCUMENT DIRECTED ADDRESSEES TO PAY MORE ATTENTION TO ACTIVATING
VILLAGE AND HAMLET SECURITY SECTIONS IN THE "LIBERATED AREAS" AND
GVN "STRATEGIC" HAMLETS. SUBORDINATES WERE URGED TO ASSIGN AT
LEAST THREE CADRES FOR VILLAGE SECURITY SECTIONS AND THREE CADRES
5 FOR EACH HAMLET SECTION BY THE END OF DECEMBER 1967. IN ADDITION,
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SECURITY AGENTS IN THE HAMLETS MUST BE INCREASED TO 21 BY MARCH
1968, WITH TWO-THIRDS OF THE AGENTS BEING COVERT.
1301(0
.I/RNIMIEIEIIIIIERIMMIMMMMWIIMIV_NEW REQUIREMENT.
EMPHASIZED THE NEED
FOR BETTER:i AND MORE FREQUENT VILLAGE AND HAMLET REPORTING. THE
DISTRICT-L1EVEL REQUIREMENT PROVIDED A SAMPLE REPORT FOLLOWED BY
� I
AN ALL-INCLUSIVE LISTING OF SUBJECTS TO BE COVERED. IN ADDITION
TO A MONTHLY REPORT DUE AT THE DISTRICT �HEADOUARTERS � ON THE 20TH
OF EACH MOINTH, A SO-CALLED 10-DAY REPORT WAS ALSO REQUIRED ON THE
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15TH AND 25TH OF EACH MONTH. 1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111.1
1111111 SEVERAL VC OFFICIALS OF VC TAN BIEN DISTRICT HAD BEEN REASSIGNED
TO. POSITIONS IN. VC TOA THANH DISTRICT. 1111111111.11111111111111111
MUOI DAN, FORMER SECRETARY OF THE VC TAN BIEN DISTRICT COMMITTEE 1.3(6)(4
WAS ASSIGNED AS DEPUTY SECRETARY OF THE VC TOA THANH DISTRICT
COMMITTEE.
9. THERE WERE 21 RALLIERS DURING DECEMBER AS COMPARED WITH 15
DURING NOVEMBER. HOWEVER, OF THE 21 ONLY S WERE FROM TAY NINH
PROVINCE.
TAY NINH, LIKE VUNG TAU AUTONOMOUS CITY, APPEARS TO HAVE
ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS AN ''IN'' PLACE TO RALLY. TWO OF DECEMBER'S
11.1111111111111111111.111.1111.1111.
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HAD ONLY BEEN WITH THE VC FOR 27 DAYS AND ALL BUT ONE
WERE .LOW.-LEVEL LABOR AND SUPPORT TYPES.
PROBLEMS
10. IONE OF THE MORE PRESSING VC PROBLEMS IN TAY N1NH IS THE
MOVEMENT OF THE LOCAL POPULATION OUT OF VC-CONTROLLED AREAS AND
INTO NEW LIFE HAMLETS. THIS MOVEMENT OF THE POPULATJON NOT ONLY
CAUSES THE VC DIFFICULTY IN OBTAINING FORCED LABOR BUT ALSO
HURTS THEIR TAX COLLECTION EFFORTS. 143(9)(4
THE MOVEMENT OF THE POPULATION INTO NEW LIFE HAMLETS HAD CUT VC
REVENUES IN GO DAU DISTRICT FROM A MONTHLY AVERAGE OF VN$250,000
/US$2,110/ PER MONTH IN -1966 DOWN .TO. AN..AVERAGE OF ONLY ABOUT
VN$401,000 /US$339.10/ IN THE FIRST 9 MONTHS OF 1967. DISTRICT
MONTHLY OPERATIONAL EXPENSES USUALLY AVERAGED ABOUT 'VN$60,010
/US$508.13/ PER MONTH IN 1966. THE BALANCE OF THE REVENUE WAS
TURNED OVER TO THE PROVINCIAL COMMITTEE. SINCE 1967 THE DISTRICT
COMMITTEE' HAS BEEN FORCED TO DRAW ON PROVINCE FUNDS TO CONTINUE
OPERATIONS.
. I
11. FIELD DISSEM-- STATE USMACV CORDS 7TH AF USARV COMNAVFORV
USAID DIR/JUSPAO /MR 2ORTHIAN ONLY/ CINCPAC PACFLT ARPAC PACAF.
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