THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

Document Type:

CREST [1]

Collection:

General CIA Records [2]

Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST):

CIA-RDP79T00826A001400010069-5

Release Decision:

RIPPUB

Original Classification:

T

Document Page Count:

22

Document Creation Date:

December 16, 2016

Document Release Date:

September 29, 2004

Sequence Number:

69

Case Number:

Publication Date:

November 25, 1966

Content Type:

MEMO

File:

Attachment	Size
CIA-RDP79T00826A001400010069-5.pdf [3]	870.2 KB

Body:

Approved Fjlease 2004/11/03: CIA-RDP79T00 OV 0014Qecre9-5 p 25X1 MEMORANDUM DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE The Situation in Vietnam State Department review completed 25X1 Top Secret Approved For Release 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T00826AO01400010069-5 25X1 Approved For Release 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T00826AO01400010069-5 Approved For Release 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T00826AO01400010069-5 Appro Information as of 1600 I. The Military Situation in South Vietnam: Heavy contact has been reported between two CIDG com- panies and an enemy force near War Zone "C" in Tay Ninh Province (Para. 1). The largest allied operation of the war--Operation ATTLEBORO--ended on.25 November (Para. 2). A five-hour battle on.24 November in coastal Binh Dinh Province resulted in 30 Communist soldiers killed (Para. 3). Twenty-three enemy troops were re- ported killed in a. three-hour engagement between US Ma- rines and communist troops northwest of Quang Ngai city (Para.. 4). Latest results of the Viet Cong am- bush of a convoy near Da Lat on 24 November are re- ported as nine allied killed and 11 wounded (Paras. 5-6). The Viet Cong k'i'dnaped- over 100 persons from a New Life hamlet in the Mekong Delta near where a similar incident occurred several weeks ago (Para. 7). Weekly review of South Vietnam battle statistics (Para. 8). II. Political Developments in South Vietnam: The issue of military pressures for certain ambassadorial appointments continues to cause concern (Para. 1). Constituent Assembly chairman Phan Khac Suu believes that government leaders are willing to give up their veto power over the draft constitution and also to prolong the life of the assembly, but US Embassy offi- cers are more skeptical (Para. 2). 25 25 25 25 Approve 110 Appro 25 25 VI. Other Major Aspects: There are increasing in- dications that Cambodia has been taking steps to limit Viet Cong use of Cambodian territory as a sanctuary (Paras. 1-7). South Vietnam Battle Statistics from 1963 Through 13-?19 November 1966 -Weapons and Personnel Losses -Viet Corn Attacks and Incidents To August 1.966 -South Vietnamese Desertions To 2 November 1966 -Chieu Hoi (Open Arms) Returnees South Vietnamese and Viet Cong Casualties And Weapons Losses - 1962 to 31 Oct 19bb: -General Statistical Data -Composite Annual Totals -Viet Cong Incidents 25 Approv Sihago ville Approved For 7 Sepo Saravan rA " C A M C I D I KTN ~ON se 2004/11/03: CIA-RDP79T008201400010069-5 /,N{ ?~N,~nn VIEt'NM NH ING U. ,nh VINH BINH\\" !?-OuaQQg Tri NG TRI/'-, e. ,`It? l Hue HUA TH ttopeu QUAN G USMC OPE ATION w lA.. h'f.. L. itAA t Quang Ngai 1 QUA'1`G INGAI C-z. Da Nang HUOC TUY- >QN ' Jung Tau p0 LONG wing O K%N N. 4 ..,. BINH "TUY An khe. PLEI U (1bI Nhon Cd` o}eo BON DAR"C Ban Me Thuot PHI YEN NIN ` HI N! 'N nrI a Trang 0 25 50 75 100 M,Ies 0 25 50 75 100 Kilometers Approved For Release 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T00826AO01400010069-5 USA OP1441ON T AYER II 25 Approq I. THE MILITARY SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM 1. Two South Vietnamese Civilian Irregular De- fense Group (CIDG) companies have been reported in heavy contact with an enemy force near Communist War Zone "C" in central Tay Ninh Province. The battle area is in deep jungle some ten miles northeast of Tay Ninh city. US artillery and tactical air strikes have been supporting the irregulars and US troops are preparing to send reinforcements into the fight. Only light casualties have been reported thus far in the action. US Operations 2. Operation ATTLEBORO in Tay Ninh Province, which at one time included 17 US and two South Viet- namese battalions and was the largest allied sweep of the war, ended on 25 November. Total casualties for this six-week-long operation are 111 Americans killed and 416 wounded compared to 1,089 Viet Cong killed and 44 captured. Enemy losses included large amounts of foodstuffs, arms and ammunition; many enemy base camps were also destroyed. A total of 176 B-52 strikes and 1,560 tactical air strikes supported this operation. (See Section VI for Cambodian reaction to Operation ATTLEBORO.) 3. Two companies of the US 1st Air Cavalry Divi- sion participating in Operation THAYER II reported killing 30 Communist soldiers during a five-hour bat- tle on 24 November in the rugged coastal area of Binh Dinh Province approximately 46 miles north-northeast of Qui Nhon. American casualties in this action were nine killed and 21 wounded. Two US reconnaissance heli- copters were shot down by enemy ground fire. A total of 378 enemy troops have been killed since this four- battalion search-and-destroy operation began on 24 Oc- tober. 4. The US Marine battalion conducting Operation RIO BLANCO in coastal Quang Ngai Province established contact with an estimated 100 Viet Cong early on 25 No- vember about 17 miles northwest of Quang Ngai city. In a three-hour engagement, two Americans were killed and 23 wounded compared to 23 enemy soldiers killed and five captured. 25 November 1966 25 25 Approv*d For Release 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T00826A001400010969-5 Appro 5. The latest report of casualties resulting from the ambush of a. ten-truck US civilian/mili- tary convoy six miles southeast of Da Lat in Tuyen Duc Province on 24 November shows nine killed (one US military, one US civilian, and seven foreign na- tional civilians). Eleven others were reported wounded (six US military, one US civilian, and four foreign nationals.) 6. The daily convoy, which transports civil- ian technicians to a communications site under con- struction near Da Lat, was traveling along Route 11 which is normally free from Viet Cong harassment. Three vehicles were destroyed and five damaged. A reaction force dispatched from Da Lat hit a mine and also received small arms fire, but forced the enemy to withdraw. The reaction force sustained no casualties; Viet Cong casualties are not known. 7. A Viet Cone force of unknown size entered the Din Cu New Life hamlet 24 miles southeast of Phu Vinh in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Binh on 24 November. The guerrillas burned 15 houses and kidnaped 109 civilians. The captives were re- ported to be refugees from a nearby Viet Cong - con- trolled area. The village had a total population of nearly 500. A South Vietnamese Regional Force company hasbeen dispatched to the village, but there have been no reports of contact with the enemy. This village is in the same area where the Viet Cong cap- tured 107 civilians from another village several weeks ago. Weekly Review of South Vietnam Battle Statistics 8. The week of 13-19 November compared with 6-12 November: I. Viet Cong Incidents Time At- Regimental Battalion Period tacks size size Approv 25 25 Appr Time Company Period size Harassment Terrorism 6-12 Nov 1 459 36 13-19 Nov 2 358 32 Time Sabo- Propa- Anti- Total Period tage cfanda Aircraft Incidents II. Casualties VC/NVA GVN Killed 1,525 905 237 248 Wounded ----- --- 556 545 Missing/ 193 149 66 77 Captured TOTALS 1,718 1,054 859 870 Killed 126 99 21 29 Wounded 810 747 45 73 Missing/ 16 0 0 0 Captured 25X1 25 App4oved For Release 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T00826A001400010069-5 Approv~d For Release 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T00826A00140001009-5 25 III. Weapons Captured VC/NVA Individual 315 Not 127 236 Crew-Served 72 Reported 1 10 25 Appro}red For Release 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T00826A0014000100P9-5 Approj II. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN SOUTH VIETNAM 1. Foreign Minister Tran Van Do has told US Embassy officials that he had a long talk with Pre- mier Ky about military pressures on the Foreign Ministry. Do is uncertain if his arguments against such pressures were successful since several ambas- sadorial changes are still scheduled against Do's wishes. Bui Diem, one of Ky's close advisers, will probably be assigned as ambassador either to the United States or to Japan. Dinh Trinh Chinh, another adviser, is slated to become ambassador to Thailand. Generals DoCao Tri and Tran Van Minh are slated for Tunisia and Senegal, respectively. There is also pres- sure to replace the current ambassador to Laos, but Do is still objecting, and this appointment is not yet settled. 2. Constituent Assembly chairman Phan Khac Suu believes that government leaders are willing to give up their present strong power to amend the assembly's version of the constitution, and to agree to prolong the life of the assembly after the promulgation of the constitution. Suu and 11 other assembly delegates met with Premier Ky and Chief of State Thieu to dis- cuss these issues on 18 November. A formal govern- ment answer is expected, perhaps next week. US Embassy officers, however, feel that it is unlikely that the government will agree to all the changes that the as- sembly has requested. 25 25X1 App~oved For Release 2004/11/03: CIA-RDP79T00826A00140001 25X1 Approved For Release 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T00826AO01400010069-5 Next 5 Page(s) In Document Exempt Approved For Release 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T00826AO01400010069-5 App 1. There are increasing indications that Phnom Penh has been taking some steps to limit Viet Cong use of Cambodian territory for sanctuary during the course of Operation ATTLEBORO in Tay Ninh Province. 25 25 5. One reflection of the Cambodian attitude, however, has been provided by a Cambodian soldier who was captured in Tay Ninh Province, a few miles from the border, on 19 November. He told US inter- rogators that he was part of a three-man team sent across the border to warn the Viet Cong that they 25X1 Approved For Release 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T00826A00140001 25X1 25X1 Appro would be fired on if they attempted to cross into Cambodia. He said. that this policy has been in effect since mid-October. ]Be ]also sai triat it was a common occurrence for small numbers of Viet Cong to take refuge in Cambodia during allied ground sweeps or air attacks along the border. He claimed that Cam- bodian troops engaged the Communists when they were encountered, but he doubted that more extensive measures would be taken to control the border since the Viet Cong re-entered South Vietnam when the dan- ger was past. 25 25 25 7. Phnom Penh has issued a strong protest over an alleged South Vietnamese mortar attack against a Cambodian border post opposite Kien Tuong-- Kien Phong provinces on 22 November. Cambodia claims that it lost five killed and five wounded in the "un- provoked" attack, and brought an International Con- trol Commission team to the scene to inspect the damage. Sihanouk has at various times characterized these border incidents as "inevitable" by-products of the South Vietnam war, but, in more belligerent moments, he has ordered Cambodian reprisals. I 25 25 25 Appro 25X1 Approve - 400010069-5 South Vietnamese and Viet Cong Casualties and Weapons Losses: 1962 - 31 October 1966 1. General Statistical Data: Time P d i Viet Cong Inci- d Killed in Action Wounded in Action Captured or Missing Total Casualties Weapons Losses er o ents GVN VC GVN VC GVN VC GVN VC GVN VC 1962 1825 299 1294 475 212 116 390 890 1896 - Jan 1963 927 453 1754 908 318 102 379 1463 2451 457 683 1964 1770 343 1223 913 - 555 240 1811 1463 917 532 1965 2206 904 2203 1938 - 471 565 3313 2768 1700 711 1966 3914 747 2648 1557 - 450 588 2754 3236 935 979 1962 1460 244 1205 300 316 124 353 668 1874 - - Feb 1963 788 379 1082 656 303 82 292 1117 1677 253 399 1964 2078 374 1055 916 - 303 289 1593 1344 708 471 1965 1982 880 1564 1840 - 1394 309 4114 1873 2454 620 1966 3100 1015 4727 2095 - 477 508 3587 5235 1076 1219 1962 1961 523 1456 737 551 140 523 1400 2530 - - Mar 1963 1282 410 1443 851 368 66 222 1327 2033 467 367 1964 2160 439 1456 1249 - 345 531 2033 1987 814 532 1965 2056 751 2022 1633 - 720 394 3104 2416 1442 698 1966 3670 938 5685 1961 - 466 604 3365 6289 1393 1632 1962 1933 387 1596 532 292 151 415 1070 2303 - - Apr 1963 1331 506 1660 878 256 96 388 1440 2304 797 468 1964 2284 594 1671 1584 - 398 245 2576 1916 990 424 1965 1860 591 1909 1650 - 232 529 2473 2438 757 973 1966 3235 573 2818 15.22 - 121 483 2216 3301 594 829 1962 1825 390 1756 5109 352 94 524 993 2632 - May 1963 1208 435 1895 889 295 94 695 1418 2885 463 564 1964 2143 458 1135 987 - 202 242 1647 1377 723 281 1965 2263 1049 1975 2143 - 873 548 4065 2523 1701 831 1966 3566 661 4239 1454 - 196 652 2311 4891 493 1087 1962 1477 325 1666 6:L3 413 77 441 1015 2520 - - Jun 1963 1311 389 1863 772 310 90 437 1251 2609 580 394 1964 2062 494 1005 1145 - 313 230 1952 1235 718 387 1965 2597 1211 2208 1920 - 1260 189 4391 2397 2387 793 1966 3359 860 4815 1800 - 183 752 2843 5567 735 3761 1962 1564 384 1544 686 424 212 542 1282 2510 - - Jul 1963 1368 529 1918 1071 372 306 387 1906 2677 663 374 1964 3045 900 1427 1812 - 510 219 3222 1646 1889 447 1965 2520 1160 2980 1591 - 540 580 3425 3560 1375 882 1966 2844 1592 5532 1800 - 196 444 3598 5976 744 1483 25X1 Approve - 400010069-5 Approved Viet Killed Cong in Inci- Action 1962 1642 377 Aug 1963 1349 411 1964 2580 721 1965 2498 808 1966 2401 722 1962 1375 419 Sep 1963 1763 672 1964 3091 819 1965 2473 655 1966 2864 566 1962 1357 365 Oct 1963 1422 428 1964 2827 739 1965 3330 961 1966 2923 906 1962 1311 410 Nov 1963 3182 664 1964 1982 574 1965 3638 1034 1962 1346 294 Dec 1963 1921 389 1964 2504 1002 1965 4106 1239 Wounded in Action GVN VC 2271 626 367 1685 804 237 1449 1.612 3624 1.945 5857 1.491 2218 646 365 1982 1.155 234 1187 1.759 3485 1.724 4447 1.554 1967 619 286 1520 989 244 1617 1.583 - 3874 2416 5665 2118 1982 834 368 2333 1.554 373 1747 1.404 5516 2056 2203 618 289 1440 961 191 1813 2053 4076 2262 Captured Total or Missing Casualties GVN VC GVN VC 63 669 1066 3307 352 482 1567 2404 478 282 2811 1731 287 606 3040 4230 209 924 2422 6781 59 446 1124 3029 566 347 2393 2563 737 230 3315 1417 266 838 2645 4323 185 839 2305 5286 64 373 1048 2626 398 236 1815 2000 693 576 3015 2193 225 660 3602 4534 216 2438 3240 8103 92 561 1336 2911 665 252 2883 2958 410 570 2388 2317 520 592 3610 6108 78 463 990 2955 320 190 1670 1821 1092 503 4147 2316 926 516 4427 4592 Composite Annual Totals VC Time Inci- KIA Period dents GVN VC 1962 19076 4417 21158 1963 17852 5665 20575 1964 28526 7457 16785 1965 31529 11243 35436 **1966 31876 7848 46426 WIA GVN VC 7195 4235 11488 3501 17017 2311.8 17190 Captured Total or Missing Casualties GVN VC GVN VC 1270 5700 12882 31093 3137 4307 20290 28383 6036 4157 30510 20942 7848 6326 42209 41762 2745 8210 27783 54636 *Monthly data unavailable for 1962 Weapons Losses. **Through 31 October 1966 25X1 Approved 25 Weapons Losses GVN VC 637 428 1106 619 705 1074 654 1298 878 389 1465 525 778 838 426 753 330 1510 482 762 1013 851 1595 , 455 1104 515 1126 2164 724 546 2111 666 1728 1158 Weapons Losses GVN VC 5195 4049* 8267 5397 14055 5881 16915 11755 7941 - Approved For Release 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T00~ 4 0140001 2. Viet Cong Incidents: 1962 - 31 October 1966 II A T T A C K S Time Viet Cong eriod Incidents Small- Scale Co. Size Bn. Size or Larger Total Harassment & Terrorism Sabotage Propa- Banda Anti- Aircraft 1962 1825 528 21 0 549 839 180 257 - Jan 1963 927 242 8 2 252 447 49 179 - 1964 1770 218 2 3 223 1244 129 174 - 1965 2206 57 5 1 63 1489 272 170 212 1966 3914 42 23 5 70 2490 312 299 743 1962 1460 480 20 0 500 613 137 210 - Feb 1963 788 181 13 1 195 433 69 91 - 1964 2078 211 3 3 217 1389 210 271 - 1965 1982 73 6 3 82 1411 267 91 131 ? 1966 3100 50 10 9 6 9 1829 201 172 829 1962 1961 561 27 0 588 660 290 423 - Mar 1963 1282 333 11 0 344 653 131 154 - 1964 2160 198 n 1 1 /-V3 1632 158 167 1965 2056 80 3 3 86 1476 240 90 164 1966 3670 32 10 10 52 2332 212 154 920 1962 1933 470 27 0 497 1024 220 192 Apr 1963 1331 371 9 3 383 688 105 155 - 1964 2284 211 6 3 220 1738 169 157 - 1965 1860 38 1 4 43 1407 149 96 165 1966 3235 61 7 9 77 2238 252 110 513 1962 1825 490 28 0 528 892 154 251 - May 1963 1208 344 13 0 357 608 93 150 - 1964 2143 170 3 2 175 418 217 140 193 1965 2263 40 7 11 58 1558 365 115 170 10 1966 3566 37 9 7 53 2552 295 106 560 1962 1477 339 23 0 362 736 157 222 - Jun 1963 1311 398 11 1 410 652 107 142 - 1964 2062 128 10 2 140 1390 176 162 194 1965 2597 62 1 6 69 1784 469 103 172 1966 3359 47 10 11 68 2382 211 110 588 1962 1564 437 10 1 448 735 158 223 - Jul 1963 19 4 1368 398 8 1 407 698 80 183 - 6 196 3045 166 12 7 185 2132 286 224 218 25X1 5 2520 42 0 6 48 1706 400 154 212 1966 2844 91 0 0 91 1906 200 86 561 Approved for Release 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T00826AO01400010069-5 Approved For Release 2004/11/03: CIA-RDP79T00826A0 A T T A C S Time Period Viet Cong Incidents Small- Scale Bn. Size Co. Size and Larger Total Harassment & Terrorism Sabotage Propa- ganda Anti- Aircraft 1962 1564 437 10 1 448 735 158 223 - Jul 1963 1368 398 8 1 407 698 80 183 - 1964 3045 166 12 7 185 2132 286 224 218 1965 1966 2520 42 0 6 48 1706 400 154 212 2844 91 0 0 91 1906 200 86 561 1962 1642 368 10 0 378 885 146 233 - Aug 1963 1349 356 11 1 368 647 113 221 - 1964 2580 107 3 3 113 1775 315 173 204 1965 2498 38 9 5 52 1597 349 200 300 1966 2401 59 10 5 74 1752 113 87 385 1962 1375 382 9 0 391 624 178 182 - Sep 1963 1763 483 17 3 503 889 164 207 - 1964 3091 110 4 4 118 1938 482 178 375 1965 2473 19 7 5 31 1530 278 185 449 1966 2864 86 6 0 86 1972 90 115 601 1962 1357 406 12 1 419 583 189 166 - Oct 1963 1422 359 6 0 365 802 105 150 - 1964 2827 75 2 6 83 1790 480 197 277 1965 3330 24 8 12 44 1969 415 198 704 1966 2923 105 16 0 137 1749 103 81 869 1962 1311 411 7 3 421 614 144 132 - Nov 1963 3182 631 11 3 645 1990 269 278 - 1964 1982 57 2 1 60 1391 247 109 175 1965 3638 26 16 10 52 2234 486 255 611 1962 1346 375 8 1 384 670 107 185 - Dec 1963 1921 258 3 0 261 1298 111 251 - 1964 2504 81 9 6 96 1719 318 128 243 1965 4106 32 18 7 57 2572 442 317 718 Composite Annual Totals 1962 19076 5247 212 6 5465 8875 2060 2676 No Data 1963 17852 4354 121 15 4490 9805 1396 2161 No Data 1964 28526 1732 60 41 1833 19556 3178 2080 1879 1965 31529 531 81 73 685 20730 4132 1974 4008 25X1 *1966 31876 610 83 74 767 21247 1989 1320 6569 *Through 31 October 1966 25X1 Approved For Release 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T00826A001400010069-5 Approved Fo*lease 2004/11/03: CIA-RDP79T008001400010069-5 Weapons Losses Personnel Losses (Excluding Wounded) Viet Cong/PAVN GVN/US/other Free World 0 t I I I I I 1 1 1 1 1 1963 8,103 US Casualties to Date: Killed 5,965 Wounded 34,457 SEP OCT NOV 1966 25 Approved For Release 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T00826AO01400010069-5 Approved Fo*lease 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T008*01400010069-5 Viet Cong Attacks CTOBER 4000 Viet Cong Incidents (Excluding Attacks) OCTOBER 2 991 SEP OCT 1966 I I 13 -19 NOV -1 670 TOTAL. 1 226 AA Fire 16 Propaganda 38 Sabotage 32 Terrorism I I.LJJ NOV 25 64928 11-66 CIA Approved For Release 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T00826AO01400010069-5 Approved FoSlease 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T008001400010069-5 Chieu Hoi Returnees Military 1, 747 TOTAL 1,037 Yearly Total 5,417 11,124 15,221 through 2 Nov Military 2,171 8,173 25 Approved For Release 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T00826A001400010069-5 Approved Foolease 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T008001400010069-5 South Vietnamese Desertions AUGUST I 8,108 TOTAL Regional, & Popular Forc s 4,1 07 4,0 01 silT, 1 #v4 1965 1966 1967 Yearly Total 36,441 73,010 113,168 84,213 Regulars 9,666 21,441 47,279 43,401 64930 11-66 CIA 25 Approved For Release 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T00826AO01400010069-5 25X1 Top provetd ecre Forleease 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T00821001400010069-5 Top Secret Approved For Release 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T00826AO01400010069-5