THE SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM NO. 13

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Keywords: INDEXF199300857
• Keywords: MILITARY SITUATION
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00010644
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: April 27, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 30, 2019
• Publication Date: February 4, 1968

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LIU LIBRARY
Mandatory Review
Case # NLJ
Document #
SC No. 07431/68
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Directorate of Intelligence
4 February 1068
INTELLIGENCE MEMORANDUM
The r.tt-r.,7:t o S.)1: th Vitri }10.
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(As err'
There were najer neviLlit trio:Zs by Commu-
nist forces during the_nighl: of 3-4 rebruary.
Allied forces continue to clear an in enemy
elements from the city of Hue. WrIs3.1.
Aucasn tbef.11,..C.N�pi ino res -DOW in frie.ndly )ant12.!,
but"Speradic mortar and sniper fire is
ported in or 1. of_the_provincial capitals.
sc. jcrlic.ififtlfilf,D'ccurred tluI�ing the night in -tho
syea; Although A few geattered
enemy remnants tool; place within the city. Enemy
activityin the Delta provinces vos Chrtractprized by
a'neries of Sinai unit assaults against district
towns, outposts, And night defensive positions.
.� Despite the prat:mit relative calm, thoro Aro
continuing -11 tot _the CerSup:nis t s-are�rt 13_
st,p�offonqivek; -in,trtippl.nr74. in the Da Nang area er.2
not and -Vveiit � of SiiDen in South- yietnaM'f.3 � Ili ...Ono
hua�,
The trends previously reported on the initial
reaction of the populace to the attacks, continue
to be evident. The assaults apparently produced
for And surprise over the VC presence and strength,
and revulsion at the gross enemy .violation of the
sacred Tct holiday in nbout even proportions. Evident
Also is A strong undercurrent of belief that, if the
government does not move speedily and vith vigor to
normalise the situation in the cities, and restore
its presence Anti authority in the countryside, it
will Irmo heavilyterns of pePular confidence. Approved for Release
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X Corps
1. No significant Co=unist offensive activi-
tio wereres)orted during the ni.ght of R-/A February;
however, Euveral small-aeale mortar attar-Rs and
nround pzebez took place.
2.. Mo.: At mid-morning on 4-rehruary, sporadic
contact LZWeen allied and ene:Ay forces continued
thirt the walled eitadel area of the city just aorth
of the Pc;rfume, River. South.Vietnamese have coxp)ote
�Control tow or.the.citadel_airstripLands together
�witiOUS units,. are continuing to swoop sections of
the-eitfidel. Tho-oaomY is still
�holed t% flscattered city hnildings on the south
bank of the river. ..
3. Interrogation. of a prisoner taken in tho �
-..11.uoLfighting reveals that at least some of the at-
- ttcicifol=1.was eompesod of Viet Cong or regroupees;.
The. captive clamed_that_the_llue_eity.vavaici pal. unit
'and the 800t1' Viet Cong flattalion of the North Viet-
'nameSc Gt% Regiment- were tasked with attacking the.
MACY. compound for_throe-days and if�resistanee proved .
� hoavy,� to continue the for an additional four
days:. Ho also_einimed'thRt-it thesc-forces were- �
reinforeed,-the fiGhting could-continue for �15-clayS.-_
4. Other .olements._of the North Viotnamese'fith
flc�ntprobablyiWere also .given target areas within
the city to atack. The-enemy's stubborn' resistance.:
within the city may-stcm-from-their_intontion to
folXow the battle plan or in .anticipation of addi- �
tonal enemy forces:coming to their-oid. There have
been reports of large 'groups of enemy troopr.--probably
�rbinforeing elements�On the outskirts of town, but
nlliod blocking-nanenvers have effectively .kept them
from joiniug-up-with-the�onemy.within the city.
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5. Cluanj: Tin P:ovinut: A South Vietnamese field
position and a 15:c5T-re.1:15(le area se:qo 10 miles north of
1Cy v9re attacked yesterday. The enemy penetrated
the retugeo camp AM destroyed 71 Wildings with
grenades and explosive charges. Twenty-five eivi3ians
and one soldier were killed and anether 19 eivilSans
wounded during the action.
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6. No further details ore ovai:nnto on tnu
largo-so:Ile action roportod earlior hetwc:.41 DS
rarine und gnew units several miles south of Da
Nam however,an.LilditionoVsubordivate:or the.
Korth Nii.etnanese OPP-Division-has joined .the build-
-up (%t Communist units in tho coastal flatlaod
- Re, fot.and Da v,
..7�-:! This wassing-ot onem.Y main force elements
-in this.lrpertant-area-along-the coast,- togothgr with
tho.rePortee: position1ng-01-a-regimontal,--s1ze enomy
_.....cgree near tho.strategic-liai-Von pass just north of
..wt Nang, suggest h CommunistOffOrt-_-ray,be under-
way to gut off_Dn Nang. _This could. load to, or bo
conneetod furthor.atzans,-inclueting.reohot
and artillery, on-the hey. US airbaso as.vell Ds the �
city itself,
IX Corps
8. Thoro has boon littlo significant enemy
.activity in control South. Vietnam thus far on 4 Fob-.
rury. The situation in the coastal city of Phan
Thiot, capital of Dinh Thvan Provincoshas improved
and all ma:',or pbpulation centers are now undor friendly
control.
D. Nan Thigt: On the mornin; of 4 February
sporadic firgiTws continuing around the outskirts
of town following the Laecessful-allied drivo to
ropol throe Co:Amu:lists battalions which attacked
during the night. A wisoaer stated that one of tbo
.onemy ullits involved in the fighting�the 840th
Viet Co nfl nattalion�is withdrawing to a. secret base
camp'northoa.st of the city. Early on 4 February a
cony-sized Viet Co ng fore� attacked a staoll village
just north or, Phan Thiet, possibly as a diversionary
tactic to covor the retreat of the other Units.
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10. Ban t.,!e. Thoot: The city re.:Itains quiet, hew-
over,.roperts ceati.InU-6 on the baild-up of North Viet-
namese many.as 2,000--aear tho
city. 1:.'nollic...attalien pi the North Vietnames.
Regime= bre:: bean
aS relocating jrif 7,0utb of tbi.
nC prowincial capital.. .
11, Yontum: Light -enemy mortar and small arms
fire.wac s7=WomIng in at novel-al points in the
City at�notin on 4 February.. Speradic.Snipinv has also
,OP114rued dur.;ng both nighttime-and daytime hours.
1;,3(pius attempt agains.t the airfield rens made durin
-the_nIght, but wan swiftly::boaten-bac%.-��.
OnlySporadie...$nipar...fire'hns boon
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Da.iat as-South�Vietnamese-reinforcoments
confirm� to ,;VO into the city. �
,Sax4ena;i i17 Corp
�13. NO major-gighting-ooeUrrod-in-Saigcn Curing
-the�niftht ar oarly voro �
_several assaults en��tho US baSe-iaeil.itiet And district
-towns dt:ring the night.
. . M. Saigon: � Soveral-sharpclashes toe lace ��
betwoen haMHZYViet.Cong�antl:Senthlrietnaficso police
trld Rangers. in at least two. instnaCesu,.goVern:itent
fom;.es had�OlAteoa sizo_enemy_foreeS surrounded in
.Eaigon buildings and mero preparin to attack and
-cicar them Out:, In oncvcaue a�croup�Oi-terrorists
��vore roportpd hriVing...itik0)1-;r0iIIS* Vth003.
1104160, They it1�0 armedith_automaticLyeapons and
...grenade launchers and had:a_maehine..gun�on-the root
Pi the school.
11-nild7Up.: Captured decument &_)(4)
indicato-that-the'fith-Viet Co ng
_which Aormally oparatea,iknorthwest-.1.7..7. Cor.ps along
tho.Cambodian bordor--may bo noving eloser..to Sigon.
� 10. One ciA 4gbooc cAptuvod several
-�reaty8 no about 3094i t:.wost ot Skizon--oiAlines
!!flow miSsioe i!or the 0th AeCerding,to
the notes8-higher headquarters recently ordered the -
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. Dth to undertako a "long march" which would bo tho
uroatest.mArch in tho histor1. of," tho.war_against �.
tho Amoricans.wittem****olitetita4: at lona
eloments ol tho ivision wero to leavo.Camhodian �
territory on 21 January, movo through .Tay.Ninh Prov-
ince,- tnd arrive in Cu Chi District northwest of .
. . Saigon 0n.30 January. The division was. to_oT,orato
....in-an Area_ where the- terrain featUres.were extremoly
'complicated, an Area never experienced in the
. During the .:11arch evory ellort. would be'mado to maintain
riarch schedule, sectirity, and noise discipline.
-. . .17.- 4,1?er doctimontspapturcd.in the_sa:Ie arca
�-. --. nlv f'
:idontify-tho Dth.bivisiOn's' 271st "RegiNent-and-prob-
Abl elev . e e 1 nop.4",.t. . 1 � 4' �
tho 9th DiViKiOn s
�Ixrc4 no i( tho 273rd, WAS deployed just .to tho
. north ofihe capitn1 in south orn Dinh DuOng Provinco
A. Tint Flue -District, Gu. Dinh Province. The lattor
district hdquarters-isJecated-only fivo-mtics
northWost of Saigon.-
18, A South Viotnamose Marino base in Thu DUO
eiritriCt Caco uader A sharp, but onsuocossful., onemy
attEck on 3 Fobruary, possibly by a battalion of the
273rd Viet Cong Rogimonc. burin tho past-low days
ail of tho VS basos located in an area around Saigon
from northwost to northoast--Cu Chi, Don Cat, Lai
Ella., and Bien IW.--have been sholled repeatedly, in
many CAsOS With heavy l2:i-nm..rechots Vac% aro hcqd
only by main force units. The 274th And 275th
flo!siments cyl tbo 5th Viot Cong. Division were identi- -
Pied in tho Attacks on Bien Hoa, northoant o:i! Saigon.
coW Clore i$ fairly good evidence that tho Dth
niViCiOA iN aplying pressure from the northwest.
The goaoral Communist strategy mny havo boon for
theve forces to follow-up and roinforce the initial
Attackt;. in tho Saigon aroa uhich aro believed to
It hoon conducted by Viet"Conz local forces and
special ,,liadn. Failing this tha Dth and Sth Divi-
nionA may hope to spread out VS forces and tie the,m
dorm oa tho onts:cirts of_the capital.
10.
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' Otter III Corps:
20. In othor action in the III Corps area, a
'US baso camp and district town in in Long Provinco
came %Inder attack last night. There was no report
of casuzltios, bnt the US base was hit by heavy 322-11m.
rooRet fir�. Thoro hi u As y..�t boon no attaeli on An
Lou, the capital of Binh Lon, but reports today indi-
cate that the Viet Cong have taken over control of
"Dst Of thc. Vatmlot& in the WoVinge and can movo M.
will. They have also sot up roadblocks on the routes
loading into An Leo. A somovAlat similar condition
exists in Tay Kinh Provinco where Rovolutionary Dovolop-
ment ?cams have bad to vitherao from their hamlets
� to their roxpectivo district tows.
. 21._.An-attack.vasroportOd_last-night'on Tam
Uyon diEtrict town in -Bien 'tea Provinee. An unRnown-
SizoViot.Cong fore� breached-tho ton's proteativo �
wire barriOrs overran sovoral-soOtions Of -tho. town �
-ttncl at lash roport vau�advanOing:On-the-distriot.� '
hoadquartOus. Thoro vas no word -on casnaltios. US
Array swoops in Ban -Nstia.and Binh Duong.ProVincos--�
roperteil sporadic-contact with onemy troops yoster-
day afternoon.
-��---- -22. Xuan Lot, 06-capital:Of Long Kbanh Prov.-.�
��-���inco northonst-of� Saigon, vas-quiet Lt-l5 t report
yesterday evon;,ng but the town was �tonso._ Some�.
Viot Cong..aro-still-holieVod-to-be-in the townand
Allied authorities anticipAted- further �attachs on
their oomponnds during__ the night.
23. The intention of �tbo enomy �to-continuo his
prossnro on urban aroas is contihninco to be borno
outity.A4Oppner1M04404VOimMWand. nowilty capture�
64 .6utn.- One such doonclont.captOod at Vim Tan
Son Nhut AArbas6 poritlotor statos�ttat-in ordor to
�berviotorions, the VC muSt..oxpand attackint forces
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and guerrilla var to the cities, and increase at-
tacks on ltne!:.; oi eommunications.so as tejsolate
the urban areas.
XV nor's
2. All- of the major provincial capitals in
the dela aro in friendly hands, a)though en the
Periphery of several citieLl sporadic contact with
Vie Con forces is still reported. During the night
of 3-d February, the CoNmunists launched small unit
ftttacks on'astrict towns, outposts, and al]ied field
positions.
23. So Dec: Early this morning, An undetermined
size Viet UUFK -force attacked Sa Dec city and n nearby
district town. The EACv compound was fm-
fore the attnchers wero_driven back after a two-hour
fight. This attack folIov,ed one-late on 3 Pebrnary .
uhich was diroeted against the Ch;eu iej center and
the provincial huadquarLor building. At last-report,
elexents of the enemy force were still in the city.
26 Too Linh: This capitol city of Men Phong
province ws gilTowa today by an estimated two Viet
Cong companies. The onomy withdrew after_one hour
of fightin; no casualties were reported. .
27. Other Delta Actions: In Dinh Wong Prov-
ince, five diii&6771F-aW175-Vietnamosu outposts wore
struck with rocoilless ri.fle barrages Into on 3
February.fl Phong Dinh Province, the Thuon When
District town and the Binh Thuy airfield yore hit
by Viet Con mortarmon. Twolva Aircraft were damaged
At Binh Thuy. In Vinh Long Province, the provincial
capital of Vinh Long, its airfield, and nearby district
town wore nll attached with harassing mOrtAr and small
arms fire. Ben Tre and thc_nenrhy district town of
Mo Cay, in RiCIA Hoa wore hit by light mortar attacks
during tho night. Other scattered district towns
were also Light-1y mortarod on 3-d rebruary as tho
Viet Co ng continued to maintain pressure on populated
areas throughout, the delta provinces.
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