PACIFICATION IN THE WAKE OF THE TET OFFENSIVE IN SOUTH VIETNAM
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00011824
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Publication Date:
March 19, 1968
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DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
�Secret -- 13(8)(4)
LTV LIBRARY
Mandatory Re.---knv
Case
Document
Intelligence Memorandum
�
Pacification in the Wake of the Tet Offensive
in South Vietnam
Approved fRoAritIARase
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5
19 March 1968
No.
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Directorate of Intelligence
19 March 1968
INTELLIGENCE MEMORANDUM
Pacification in the Wake of the Tet Offensive
in South Vietnam
Although the evidence is still incomplete, the
evidence that is now available indicates that the
pacification program has received a severe setback
in the majority of South Vietnam's 44 provinces as
a result of enemy activities since the initiation
of the Tet offensive on 30 January. In some areas,
many of the gains made by the allies since 1965
were apparently negated.
Areas where only a slight to moderate setback
occurred appear to be those of least significance
from the standpoint of population density and stra-
tegic location. It is probable, moreover, that as
the gaps in information are filled, the extent of
personnel and material losses will grow.
In the long run, the most damaging aspect of
the offensive may well prove to be its adverse im-
pact on popular attitudes toward pacification. Evi-
dence already indicates that the enemy action has
greatly increased the apathy and passivity of many
rural residents toward government programs and per-
sonnel.
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SOUTH VIETNAM: Revolutionary Development Cadre
I
1 January 1968
Revolutionary Development Teams
Total Personnel. 29,120
Total Teams: 555
Truong Son Teams (Montagnard)
Total Personnel: 6,768
Total Teams: 108
Static Census Grievance Cadre
Total Personnel: 5,502 (SCGC)
� Provincial Reconnaissance Unit
Total Personnel: 3,780 (PRU)
TOTAL CADRE: 45,170
RD Priority Provinces for 1968
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TEAMS STRENGTH
129 7,515
10 698
SCG CADRE:1,204
PRU: 787
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TEAMS STRENGTH
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TEAMS STRENGTH
83 4,574
13 _ 781
SCG CADRE:1,248
PRU: 1,140
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TEAMS STRENGTH
162 8,745
84 4,676
SCG CADRE:1.440
PRU: 551
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The Pre-Tet Situation
1.3(.(4)
1. The blow to pacification caused by the Tet
offensive did not come on the heels of steady, all
around progress in the program. Rather, it was an
additional, heavier setback in a rural security sit-
uation that had been gradually deteriorating in many
areas since at least August 1967. The decline began
to accelerate as the Communists' winter-spring cam-
paign moved into high gear in October. Thus, for
several months prior to Tet, the enemy had maintained
coptinuous pressure on many rural areas, reducing
the effectiveness of the GVN presence and improving
his own political and military posture.
2. In the initial phases of the Tet assaults,
pacification areas and personnel assets generally
were not Communist targets. As a result of Viet
Cong military action in the months before the of
and the absence of government personnel for the
Tet holiday, the forces involved in pacification in
most places were easily bypassed or presented no
effective opposition to the enemy's military forces.
Since the offensive, however, as the enemy has at-
tempted to consolidate his grasp on the countryside,
those military units and Revolutionary Development
(RD) teams that either remained in their assigned
areas or are again operating in them have in most
cases been subjected to a considerable increase in
enemy pressure.
Present Status of Personnel
3. The status of the personnel assets of the
related pacification programs--the bulk of whom,
some 45,000 persons, are Revolutionary Development
and other cadres--is still only partially known.
Those provinces reporting casualties usually have
only partial statistics available. There have, more-
over, been few reports of cadre missing or deserting,
although it is apparent that this has occurred to
some degree.. On 1 January, 555 Vietnamese RD teams
with a field strength of about 29,120 had reportedly
been formed. The Truong Son, or montagnard, RD teams
numbered 108 with a field strength of approximately
6,770. The Static Census Grievance (SCG) cadres
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stood at around 5,500 and the members of the Pro-
vincial Reconnaissance Units (PRU) totaled some
3,780. During January, an additional 2,500 Vietnam-
ese RD cadres finished training. Considering prob-
able attrition in January, the RD cadres probably
went into the Tet period numbering around 29,200.
4. As of 12 March, US officials in Vietnam re-
ported that 321 Vietnamese RD teams--totaling ap-
proximately 13,800 cadres--were working in assigned
RD hamlets. In addition, 93 Truong Son teams with
about 5,900 men were in field positions. Of these,
US officials have stated that about half were in
planned 1968 locations. Although thee teams are
accounted for in the sense that they have been re-
ported at a given locale, there is very little informa-
tion available on their activities. Their personnel
strength, moreover, appears to be an approximation
at best.
5. Considering the extent of Viet Cong in-
fluence reported in the countryside and the drift of
the fragmentary reports on current RD activities, it
seems likely that the teams which have returned
to the field are still largely involved in defensive
activities. It is also doubtful that in the near
future most of the teams can perform an effective
mission among the people.
6. The condition of the Static Census Griev-
ance program in the wake of the Tet offensive varies
widely from province to province. In some cases,
the SCG cadres performed effectively during the
attack period and have been a major source of in-
formation on enemy activities in the countryside.
In others, the personnel assets and effectiveness
of the SCG have been seriously degraded or no
cadre reporting has been received from the rural
areas.
7. With few exceptions, however, the Provincial
Reconnaissance Units (PRU) are reported to have per-
formed admirably, both during the attacks at Tet
and subsequently. In a few cases, the PRU provided
the only effective government military defense in
urban areas and the units appear to have moved
rapidly to the offensive as enemy troops withdrew.
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The effectiveness of the PRU is almost certainly
the result of their disciplined military character
and the fact that they are directly under US rather
than South Vietnamese Government direction. The
units, however, took heavy casualties in some in-
stances and it remains questionable whether they
could sustain their punch under renewed assaults
such as occurred at Tet.
Military Support for Pacification
8. As of 16 March, MACV reported that 20 of
the 51 RD support battalions were not in their as-
signed areas. These battalions, for the most part,
are still drawn off for security duty in and around
urban centers. Most of the battalions now in place
on pacification duty still appear to be deployed in
defensive positions or are operating in RD areas
only during daylight hours.
9. The status of the military forces most
relied upon for pacification support--the Regional
and Popular Forces (RF and PF)--remains unclear.
Based upon initial reports, the 150,000 PF soldiers
appear to have suffered heavily, particularly in
the wake of the urban offensive, as the Communists
focused their attention on the rural areas. At
least 360 militia outposts, primarily manned by
the PF, have been overrun or abandoned in the delta
alone. A number of the RF and PF units throughout
the country were, like the ARVN, withdrawn in early
February from the rural areas and brought to the
provincial and district towns to augment defensive
forces. Many of these forces have apparently not
returned to the countryside.
The 1968 Plan
1 .3(.(4)
10. Generally speaking, the government's over-
all 1968 pacification plan is being held in abeyance
until security improves and the situation in the
rural areas is fully determined. Although efforts
are under way by the Vietnamese Government to assess
the present status of pacification and to get the
program moving again, officials seem to be working
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at cross-purposes to some extent. The government has
formulated several new concepts and has issued sev-
eral seemingly conflicting directives without agree-
ing on a single plan. New pacification guidelines
thus far formulated by US authorities have not been
coordinated with the South Vietnamese Government.
Some of the Vietnamese officials apparently believe
that the US plans go beyond the government's present
capabilities.
11. It will be several weeks, at least, before
the US Mission and the GVN have an agreed concept,
and it may be the middle of May before the revised
provincial pacification plans are approved, re-funded,
and acted upon by a majority of the provinces. This
assumes that the GVN will be capable of resuming an
offensive stance in the countryside.
'fitaVt4)
Prospects
12. It does not yet appear that most provincial
governments are capable, on the one hand, of provid-
ing continuing security and handling the plethora of
greatly compounded socioeconomic problems and, on the
other, of restoring and maintaining the momentum of
pacification activities. Government movement back
to the countryside from the cities and towns has so
far been very slow. This has been due in part to
continued harassment of the urban areas by the Viet
Cong and to the need for extensive diversion of per-
sonnel resources to reconstruction tasks in the cities.
13. It also appears, however, that the delay in
the government's return to the countryside is due in
part to the pervasive fear of enemy reprisal and to
uncertainty about the political future of the govern-
ment among provincial and district civil and military
officials. The psychological impact of the recent
fighting on this echelon of the government leadership
and on many of the individuals directly involved in
executing the specific pacification programs is bound
to be significant and may be far-reaching. The loss
of life among district and provincial officials, as
well as the destruction of pacification facilities
and records, was severe in a number of provinces.
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14. Since pacification stands or falls on the
confidence and enthusiasm of these individuals--and
on the receptiveness of the rural populace--the extent
of future support and participation in pacification by
local Vietnamese remains in question. The past com-
mitment of many of these officials to pacification has
often been less than adequate, and in the aftermath of
recent events, considerable foot-dragging can be an-
ticipated. In the final analysis, however, the most
significant effect of the enemy offensive may have beeri
its revelation of the over-all vulnerability and rela-
tive shallowness of the pacification gains made during
past years, despite the heavy cost and effort applied
to achieve them.
15. Summaries of the situation by Corps are
contained in the attached annex, along with detailed
assessments of each province.
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ANNEX
I Corps
1. The VC in I Corps do not appear to have
concentrated on the RD areas, at least initially,
except in the province of Quang Tri. The situa-
tion in Thua Thien Province remains unclear, how-
ever, and the program there has probably been
completely disrupted. Although the VC are active
in the countryside in Quang Tin, Quang Nam, and
Quang Ngai provinces, lack of RDC activity there
appears to be related more to the defensive at-
titudes of the GVN officials than to VC opera-
tions. Only in Quang Tri is an aggressive effort
being made by the GVN to recover its RD area.
2. Cadre losses in I Corps are probably much
higher than reported to date because of the lack
of information on Thua Thien and the still incom-
plete accounting of the number of cadres on Tet
leave. The RD cadre teams in I Corps were or-
dered back to their hamlets on 23 February, but
the full degree of compliance with this order
is not yet known. The 15 RD support battalions
in I Corps were reported not to be operating in
their assigned RD area as of I March, but four
battalions were on pacification support duty as
of 13 March.
Quang Tri
3. The three ARVN battalions assigned in
direct support of the RD areas were withdrawn to
Quang Tri city during the enemy attack, and by
3 February the Communists held two thirds of the
RD campaign area, principally in Trieu Phong Dis-
trict. At least three New Life Hamlets in this
district were destroyed. Although the damage from
enemy attack on Quang Tri city was light, several
hamlets on the northern outskirts of the city
were destroyed. The refugee situation has become
particularly acute around the city as a result
of the widespread fighting.
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4. In Quang Tri, as in other provinces, the
Viet Cong appear to have concentrated for the most
part on the 1967 RD projects and to have initially
left the RD teams, which had already moved to 1968
locations, virtually untouched. By mid-February,
however, only four RD teams remained in the field,
all in hamlets located close to Trieu Phong District
Headquarters; only one of these teams was in its
1968 hamlet. The province's other 12 teams were
manning Quang Tri city's defense. Although morale
and fighting capability of the teams has remained
high, the RD control group has shown itself inept
in trying to reorganize teams, exploit opportunities,
and conduct required administration.
5. Prior to the Tet offensive, the four Truong
Son (montagnard) RD teams had suffered from North
Vietnamese Army activity in the Khe Sanh area.
The teams were forced to withdraw in late January
to US Marine areas, where they were assisting with
refugees.
6. The South Vietnamese Army began by late
February to try to move back into the RD areas. On
the night of 24-25 February, the ARVN RD battalions
moved into the RD area north of Quang Tri city
for the first time since Tet. Although they con-
tinued operations against the enemy, the three RD
support battalions were reported in early March
still to be out of their assigned areas.
7. No assessment of the Static Census Griev-
ance program in the rural areas had been possible
as of mid-February because of a lack of communica-
tions and the absence of SCG leaders, who had gone
to Hue for Tet and were still missing. The Provincial
Reconnaissance Units (PRU), on the other hand, were re-
ported to have performed well during the emergency,
participating in the defense of Quang Tri city, as-
sisting US troops in operations outside the city,
and conducting patrols in the countryside.
8. In the Cua valley of Quang Tri, the Commu-
nists have been propagandizing the 8,000 members of
the Bru tribe who live there, demanding that all
village and hamlet officials renounce the GVN and
join the Liberation Front. If the local leaders do
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not join, according to reports, the enemy has
stated he will kill all the local paramilitary de-
fenders, who have been the target of heavy proselyt-
ing from the Communists.
9. In the Trieu Phong District RD areas, the
Viet Cong have formed the youth of four hamlets
into ad hoc civil militia units to free regular
troops from occupation duty. Success in this is
reportedly small since most such units dissolve
when the enemy forces leave. Additionally, accord-
ing to informants, the enemy has attempted to in-
cite villagers in at least four villages of Trieu
Phong District to prepare for an "uprising," and
the Viet Cong district and town committees re-
portedly have orders to destroy the RD program.
10. Most instances of the recent use of youths
by the enemy in Quang Tri have apparently been on-
the-spot improvisations to take maximum advantage
of the vacuum created by the withdrawal of the allies.
In Gio Linh District, however, many youths have re-
portedly been impressed into military service.
Thua Thien
11. The Viet Cong's Tet offensive is believed
to have almost completely disrupted the pacification
program in Thua Thien; the ex-chief of Thua Thien
Province claimed that the enemy had "cut-off the head
of the program" by bringing about the destruction of
Hue. The RD control group headquarters in Hue, ap-
parently a primary target, was attacked and heavily
damaged. The RD cadre chief was killed, and several
members of the control staff are believed to have
been captured.
12. Although there has only been intermittent
contact with the districts, it appears that most
RD teams are apparently in district headquarters rather
than in their assigned hamlets. There are as yet,
however, no estimates on personnel strengths. Ac-
cordingly, there is little information available on
the status of the countryside, but US officials have
reported that the situation in Quang Bien District
remains bleak and Phu Loc District was overrun. These
were primary pacification areas.
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13. The SCG Program, recently revised, has
been similarly disrupted, and its chief was also re-
ported killed. In early February a 51-man PRU ele-
ment successfully defended its compound against five
attacks until a shortage of ammunition forced it to
withdraw. Survivors ofthe unit have since been
operating with US Marine forces. The remaining PRU
units were not operating in their assigned areas as
of 1 March, and their status is not known. Damage
to RDC, SCG, and PRU installations and equipment has
been heavy and will require considerable reconstruction.
14. A new RD cadre chief was appointed on 22
February, and on 10 March, province officials and
advisers began anew to formulate plans for the utiliza-
tion of the RD teams. According to the revised plan,
six teams which had been working north of Hue in Huong
Tra District will continue there, and most of the re-
maining 16 teams will be posted in the primary paci-
fication area in Phu yang District east of Hue, hope-
fully during March. At least one team will work with
the refugees in Hue city.
Da Nang
15. As of I March, there was no indication that
the four RD teams in the Da Nang area, which were
pulled into the city when the Viet Cong's Tet offen-
sive began, had been redeployed to their assigned
hamlets. There is also no information on the status
on the SCG cadres in the Da Nang area. Security in
the previously GVN-controlled areas near Da Nang
has remained poor.
Quang Nam
16. The 30 RD teams in the province--concentrated
in Hieu Nhon and Dien Ban Districts--were all pulled
into the province capital or to the district towns
in early.February. One RD team returned on 12 Febru-
ary to Cam Nam Island, which lies near Hoi An city
and where six teams had turned the area into the most
promising pro-GVN sector in I Corps. The RD area was
practically obliterated by allied bombing during the
Tet attack and few people were still there. None of
the remaining 29 teams is known to be in its assigned
hamlet. Four teams were in Hoi An, the province
capital, as of mid-February, and three were in, or
adjacent to, Dien Ban District Headquarters. For
the most part, the teams do not seem to have been
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specific VC targets, but 17 teams had some casualties
from contact with the enemy. Through February, the
pacification program remained unsettled and without
adequate GVN direction. The province chief was de-
voting practically all his attention to city defenses
and rehabilitation, and he seemed unlikely to get
around to the RD problem for several weeks at least.
17. The Static Census Grievance program was
reportedly not disrupted in the rural areas, but
with many cadres still absent on Tet leave and roads
still interdicted, there was little reporting. The
small Provincial Reconnaissance Unit in Quang Nam
was used to guard the RD advisers' billet.
' 18. As of I March, the five battalions as-
signed to the direct support of pacification had not
returned to their RD areas, partly because of con-
cern that the Viet Cong would launch further attacks
on the capital city of Hoi An and the various district
headquarters.
19. The enemy, meanwhile, has been hyperactive
in the rural areas of Quang Nam recruiting, propagan-
dizing, and maintaining military pressure against the
district towns and scattered outposts. The Viet Cong
are alleged to be recruiting youths from 14 to 16
years of age for military service, and each Viet Cong
district has been instructed to form a new battalion--
Hieu Nhan and Dai Loc have reportedly already done
so.
Quang Tin
20. In Quang Tin Province, effective RD opera-
tions have been hindered more by the defensive atti-
tude of province officials than by aggressive enemy
action. Provincial officials were obsessed with the
fear of future attacks at district and provincial
headquarters and, by mid-February, indecisiveness and
arbitrary shifts on their part in complete disregard
of directives from above, had created confusion as to
the location and operations of the RD teams. The
province chief had, for example, suspended the 1968
pacification plan for Tam Ky District "for the dura-
tion of the emergency."
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21. As of late February, few teams were located
in planned 1968 hamlets. Three teams were in the
provincial capital of Tam Ky and five teams were in
Ly Tin District headquarters. The Thang Binh District
teams were believed to be generally in their assigned
1967 hamlets along Highway 1. The shifting of the
teams was, according to US officials, largely unneces-
sary because there was no real Viet Cong occupation
of the RD areas and the teams apparently were not an
enemy target. Nevertheless, at least 11 teams have
reported hostile contact with the Viet Cong.
22. Although there had been little real_change
in the situation as of I March, the RD committee had
assumed the responsibility of organizing and training
the population into self-defense militia units. In
the Tam Ky area, some 1,658 people from 15 to 40 years
of age had been organized by the committee in coopera-
tion with village officials; in Thang Binh District,
817 people had been armed; and in Ly Tin District,
200 had been trained and armed.
14)
23. There is no indication that the SCG program
in the province was disrupted as a result of the
emergency situation. The SCG program in Tien Phuoc
District, however, continues to suffer from VNQDD
(NationalParty) infighting which has resulted in a
number of SCG resignations. . The PRU continued opera-
tions during the offensive. Its camp at Tam Ky was
attacked on the night of 31 January, but the PRU re-
pulsed the enemy, The two ARVN battalions assigned in
direct support of RD areas were still being used for
defensive purposes outside of RD areas as of 1 March.
24. The Viet Cong have not been idle, however,
and have been reported conducting meetings in some
hamlets of Thang Binh, Tam Ky, and Tien Phuoc districts.
The enemy has reportedly established "liberation"
committees in GVN-controlled areas that could func-
tion if the Viet Cong could seize power. In Tam Ky
District, the people were being forced to join po-
litical demonstrations against the GVN and to build
"combat hamlets." Reports have been received that
the VC plan to draft males aged 15 and above and
females between ages 17 to 25 to fill guerrilla units;
civilian workers were to be drafted up to age 60 for
males and 45 for females.
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Quang Ngai
11,0
25. The rural areas of Quang Ngai Province had
been largely under Communist control for years. Never-
theless, the GVN pacification program. had challenged
the enemy and, up until mid-1967, showed some signs
of success. Since then, the enemy has regained much
of his losses and at present GVN control is largely
restricted to the provincial capital, district towns,
and stretches along Route 1.
26. As of 15 February, GVN officials had
pulled in 15 of the 39 RD teams from their assigned
areas--in Tu Nghia and Binh Son districts, and along
Highway 1--to provide protection for the provincial
and district headquarters and to do work normally
within the purview of the army. Few of the remain-
ing 24 RD teams were staying in their hamlets over-
night and, in at least one district, Binh Son, the
teams were not working at all.
27. As February progressed, there were increased
reports of clashes between the teams and the Viet Cong,
and RD cadre casualties were growing. The RD cadre head-
quarters in Quang Ngai city, containing the control
group offices and warehouses, has been &repeated Viet
Cong target since Tet, suffering three ground attacks
by early March which resulted in the destruction of
the warehouse and its contents, and damage to the
other buildings. There were several casualties among
the control group personnel, whose morale appeared
somewhat shaken.
28. There is little information on the status .
and activities of the six Truong Son RD Teams in Quang'
Ngai, but they are known to have sustained some casu-
alties, including the death of two group leaders. The
Viet Cong offensive had reportedly had little effect
on the Static Census Grievance program, which was the
primary source of tactical intelligence during the
crucial early period of the offensive. As of 15 Feb-
ruary, the SCG was functioning, but at a reduced pace.
The Provincial Reconnaissance Unit continued to perform
its mission without disruption.
29. The two ARVN battalions assigned in direct
support of RD reportedly had not returned to their RD
areas as of I March.
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II Corps
1. During January and February; the security
situation in the three major highland provinces of
Darlac, Pleiku, and Kontum was worse than at anytime
since 1965. This has seriously affected RD activity
in the area. The bulk of the populace, however,
resides in the coastal provinces which suffered vary-
ing degrees of RD damage. The effects have been par-
ticularly adverse in Binh Dinh Province, once a
showplace for pacification. The sparsely populated
provinces of Phu Bon, Quang Duc, and Lam Dong were
not significantly affected by the VC Tet offensive.
2. By the end of February, the ARVN battalions
assigned to support RD areas were reported back in
their areas, and many of the RD and Truong Son teams
had also returned. Throughout II Corps, however,
there have been many reports that the VC were taking
advantage of reduced security in the countryside
to conduct propaganda, recruit, and establish their
political organization.
Kontum
3. Communist operations in the province since
Tet have made all roads insecure, and have signifi-
cantly reduced communications within the- province,
and have generally confined the allies to the pro-
vincial and district towns. Since Tet, the enemy
forces have been attacking villages and outposts and
entering hamlets to seize foodstuffs or deliver
propaganda lectures. It has reportedly become a
standard nightly occurrence for enemy forces to
enter the hamlets around Kontum City on recruit-
ment, food, and propaganda missions.
4. As of mid-February, one Vietnamese RD team
was reported to be in its assigned hamlet while
the other three were in Kontum City as a security
force. The eleven Truong Son teams have been ac-
counted for and are either in hamlets or on security
detail in one of the towns. Initial reports suggest
that casualties among the Truong Son teams in Kontum
have been the heaviest cadre losses in II Corps.
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5. The PRU was effective in helping repel the
enemy assault on Kontum city, but since then has
remained relatively inactive.
Binh Dinh
6. A serious setback in pacification has oc-
curred in Binh Dinh Province, previously one of the
showplaces for the program. US officials believe
it will take at least 18 months to reach the same
stage of hamlet development that existed six months
ago when provincial security began to decline. Viet-
namese police reports indicate that the Viet Cong
are becoming increasingly active in the countryside,
particularly in the priority districts of Tuy
Phuoc, An Nhon, Phu Cat, and Binh Khe. Enemy units,
apparently unopposed, are entering hamlets on propa-
ganda and food collection missions, and Vietnamese
intelligence services have reported that the enemy
is conducting an intensive manpower drive, impress-
ing or recruiting both males and females from 15
years of age and up into military service.
7. During the initial days of the Tet fight-
ing at least half of Binh Dinh's 50 RD teams were
moved from their assigned hamlets tc5 provide security
for the capital city of Qui Nhon and the various
district headquarters, or to help secure other ham-
lets. This move was at least in part necessitated
by the withdrawal of local security forces to the
district and provincial headquarters.
8. The Viet Cong apparently made a point of
attacking RD hamlets in two of the three districts
where the program was concentrated--Tuy Phuoc and
An Nhon. As of 12 February, they had hit seven
hamlets worked in these districts in 1966, nine
worked in 1967, and nine included in the 1968 plan.
Vinh Quang hamlet in Tuy Phuoc District, a show
place hamlet in which an RD Team had been working
for 18 months (mid-1966 to December 1967), was
destroyed as a result of both enemy and allied ac-
tions. Many of-the new refugees generated by the
Tet offensive came from overrun RD hamlets.
9. In mid-February, because of the large
number of RD cadres missing, the RD control group
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chief was considering earmarking seven of nine new
teams scheduled for 1968 as fillers for existing
teams. The 1968 pacification plan was also ex-
pected to be rewritten. As of 10 March, however,
a number of teams were in their assigned villages
although primarily in defensive positions with
the RD support battalions.
10. The SCG program was inoperative during
the enemy offensive. The PRU, however, continued
to function during the action.
Pleiku
11. The GVN has been operating a relatively
small pacification program in Pleiku with limited
success. Most of this rugged province is populated
by montagnards and the countryside has been, and
remains, generally under enemy control. The Tet
offensive in Pleiku Province caused considerable
dislocation of RD and Truong Son teams but no
team was reportedly disbanded or even attacked.
Security requirements .caused two RD teams to be
moved to Le Thanh District headquarters and
another team was moved into Pleiku city. Although
the remaining teams reportedly remained in their
assigned hamlets, about half the total RD and
Truong Son personnel were assigned to security
duties. By 2 March, all RD teams were in place,
but it was not possible to judge their effective-
ness because security conditions prevented on-
the-spot inspections.
12. There have been reports, however, that
the Viet Cong have increased tax and rice collec-
tions and have stepped up assassinations of hamlet
and village chiefs. In addition, Vietnamese in-
telligence reports indicate the enemy is attempting
to conduct a large-scale recruitment drive in those
villages and hamlets which have come under his con-
trol as the result of the withdrawal of friendly
military units.
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13. The SCG program reportedly continued to
function throughout the Tet period. The PRU acted
as a defensive force for the RD compound and the
Pleiku Montagnard Training Center, repulsing two
attacks against the latter.
14. Vietnamese officials in Pleiku were rec-
ommending in February that the RD and Truong Son
teams be reassigned from their 1968 hamlets to
work in Pleiku city and other towns with refugee
problems. Although there is no word on the fate
of this proposal, the RD chief believes that it
will be necessary at least to revise the 1968 pac-
ification plan for Le Trung District--where almost
all the eight teams are located--because of the
lack of security.
Phu Bon
15. The small pacification program in this
underpopulated province was expected to remain on
schedule, although the RD program was delayed in
February for at least a week because of a province-
wide alert. Truong Son cadres have shown some re-
luctance to return to their hamlets, but US advisers
do not expect this to hinder the program signifi-
cantly.
16. Viet Cong activity in Thuan Man District,
where over 150 persons reportedly were abducted,
caused more than 700 people to seek safety at the
Bon Bleck Special Forces camp. It was planned to
send Truong Son cadres to assist in the refugee
resettlement which will be an addition to the 1968
pacification plan.
17. Although enemy military activity has been
sparse in Phu Bon, allied forces in March have re-
ported an increased enemy movement toward the
coast along infiltration trails in Thuan Man Dis-
trict. The montagnards kidnapped by the enemy will
probably be used as porters.
Phu Yen
18. By the end of February, GVN forces had
been moved out of Tuy Hoa city and into the adjacent
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rural areas, but they were deployed in what one
American adviser termed a "defensive posture." Two
battalions of the 47th ARVN Regiment were serving
as a reaction force for Tuy Hoa. This requires
that they concentrate their forces at night and thus
limits their security value to the rural population.
The third battalion of the 47th Regiment, whose
mission was to provide security for the RD teams in
Tuy Hoa District, reportedly was reluctant to
patrol at night or set ambushes, and instead moved
in company strength from one strongpoint to another.
Even in the daytime, many of ARVN's "operations"
in Tuy Hoa District were being conducted around
1967 New Life Hamlets rather than in the more
insecure areas beyond.
19. As a result of the defensive concentration
of friendly forces, Viet Cong units reportedly were
relatively free to operate, even through RD areas,
in platoon strength. GVN sources reported that the
Viet Cong were taxing villagers, confiscating rice,
and, in addition to these economic gains, were re-
cruiting replacements for losses sustained during
the Tet offensive. Unless the situation changes
radically, the serious setback to pacification will
continue in Phu Yen, previously a showcase province
in which good progress had been made.
20. The 29 Vietnamese and seven montagnard-AD
teams have, for the most part, been back in their
hamlets since mid-February, but because of limited
military protection, many were forced to withdraw
at night to more secure areas. About five RD teams
were forced from their hamlets in early February and may
still be employed as a security force in the province
capital. The Truong Son teams have reportedly re-
mained in their 1967 hamlets, in which they have
been scheduled to continue work under the 1968
pacification plan. The wounding of the SCG chief
in early February has caused a decline in SCG
performance. The PRU have been restricted to pro-
viding security for the provincial and district
headquarters.
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21. Prolonged fighting and heavy destruction
in Ban Me Thuot have rendered most of the provin-
cial government inoperative. Enemy forces, ap-
parently unopposed, now have control of most of
the province with the exception of the provincial
capital and district towns. Fear prevades the
attitudes of the people in Ban Me Thuot; a US
observer has reported that local residents who
voiced pro-GVN sentiments before Tet have now
adopted a neutral attitude. In many villages,
the enemy had, by early March, established an
infrastructure to control and exploit the
inhabitants.
22. In the face of the present military
situation, pacification has unquestionably
suffered heavily. The 1968 pacification plan
will probably be abandoned. GVN military units
in support of pacification were withdrawn in
February. Although an ARVN battalion support-
ing pacification has reportedly returned to its
RD area--possibly the Quang Nhiem Land Develop-
ment center--it is not known if any RD teams are
with it. At least three of the province's 26
teams were overrun in early February and the
exact status of the remaining teams is as yet
unknown. At least 12 appear to be in the Ban
Me Thuot area and 11 may still be in their
assigned hamlets. Cadre morale is reported to
be low as a result of personnal and equipment
losses, including the weapons of some 200 cadres
In early March, enemy units were reportedly at-
tacking villages where the teams were operating.
23. The SCG program was inoperative until
6 February, but since then it has been one of
the few valid information sources for the
province. Approximately half of the 28-man
PRU resigned between 30 January and 3 February,
but 23 new recruits were hired by 10 February
and since then the unit has reportedly been
operative.
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Khanh Hoa
24, Despite GVN claims that all RD groups
stayed in their areas during the Tet offensive,
a mid-February visit by a US official to seven of
the province's 20 teams showed that two teams had
been moved out of their assigned hamlets to provide
security for a district town, Many RD cadres were
visiting Nha Trang during Tet and, while stranded
by the attack, were assembled and assigned a
security mission within the city. As of mid-Febru-
ary, about 50 cadres remained in that assignment.
RD activities in the province generally are still
focused on security rather than development.
25. The SCG program has continued to operate,
and even the SCG chief was reportedly out col-
lecting information. PRU operations were dis-
rupted, primarily by the Tet holidays, but since
8 February have been about normal. SCG and other
Vietnamese intelligence services have reported that
the Communists appear to be making an effort to
build up their political organizations in the vil-
lages and hamlets in what appears to be an attempt
to organize a support base for future large-scale
attacks on the provincial capital.
Cam Ranh City
26. Cam Ranh was not attacked until Struck
by mortar fire in early March; however, the pac-
ification program was apparently disrupted in
the area. Although the four 34-man RD teams in
this special zone have remained in their assigned
1968 hamlets, their activities have been almost
entirely of a military nature in the face of threat-
ening attacks. The SCG program is apparently un-
affected, but there is no information available on
its status. The morale of the cadres and the populace
is reported to be high, although the cost of living
has soared, there are no indications of panic.
� Quang Duc
27. Quang Duc, the least populated province
in the country, has remained relatively quiet since
Tet, although there have been reports of increased
Viet Cong activity in the countryside and in-
cidents of hamlet entry. The enemy offensive
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elsewhere caused province officials in Quang Duc to
strengthen defensive positions, resulting in only
one RD team's moving to its 1968 hamlet, two teams'
remaining in their 1967 hamlets, and a fourth team's
moving to a district headquarters. The seven Truong
Son teams have apparently remained in their 1968
hamlets.
Tuyen Duc
28. Pacification has apparently suffered a
major setback in this province. No attacks
against the rural areas of the province were
reported until after the Viet Cong had withdrawn
from the city of Da Lat. Since then, enemy
forces have been focusing on the rural areas
while friendly forces have concentrated on
securing Da Lat city and on handling the socio-
economic problems which have arisen in the wake
of the fighting. Since at least 6 March, enemy
forces have been launching small-scale attacks
throughout the province and against the RD hamlets
located astride Route 11.
29. In early February, the province chief--
since removed--had pulled six of the seven Viet-
namese RD teams and four of the seven Truong Son
teams into the provincial and district head-
quarters to act as an additional security force.
These teams had apparently not returned to their
hamlets by the first of March, and the RD cadre
chief, as of that time, was still forbidden by
the province chief to leave Da Lat to visit the
teams.
30. Reports of early March indicate that
the enemy has been attempting to recruit re-
placements for his military forces, especially
in montagnard settlements. About 300 new re-
cruits were reportedly being trained as replace-
ments for two battalions which had participated
in the attack on Da Lat. There is also some
evidence that the Viet Cong have been creating
a form of local government in the southern area
of Don Duong District.
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Lam Dong
31. There has been only limited Viet Cong mili-
tary activity reported in this province since Tet.
Five of the six RD teams were in their 1968 hamlets
prior to Tet and have remained in place. The sixth
team was working, under the direction of the prov-
ince chief, in a 1967 hamlet near Bao Loc and was
providing a 20-man security force for the province
capital. The seven Truong Son teams have remained
in their 1968 hamlets, and the SCG and PRU have con-
tinued to function normally.
32. As of 7 March, however, Vietnamese intel-
ligence reports indicated an increase in Viet Cong
activity in the countryside, including a number of
hamlet entries. US observers have indicated that
among the populace there is an increasing erosion
of confidence in the ability of the GVN to protect
them.
Ninh Thuan
33. In this province, one of four in II Corps
that did not experience widespread attacks during
the Tet offensive, incidents of hamlet entry by Viet
Cong propaganda squads rose considerably during Feb-
ruary. Virtually all of the hamlets--about 12--that
had either been worked by RD teams during 1967 or
were scheduled for development during 1968 were
entered for purposes of propaganda and food collec-
tion. In addition, the VC devoted considerable ef-
fort to disrupting the major lines of communication
(LOC) in the province during the month. US officials
in Ninh Thuan have for some time noted a Viet Cong
propensity to wait until teams move out of a hamlet
before trying to reassert control.
34. As of mid-February, seven of the eleven
RD teams were being used as security forces in Phan
Rang city and were thus unable to move to their 1968
hamlets. Two of the five Truong Son teams had to
be removed from their 1968 hamlets for security reasons.
35. The SCG program, on the other hand, has
provided excellent information since Tet, despite
interdiction of the LOCs. Unfortunately, the PRU
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has been held in a static defensive position by
province officials. As of the end of February,
the ARVN battalion in support of RD was apparently
in its assigned area around Phan Rang.
Binh Thuan
36. It appears that the Viet Cong have ef-
fectively checked the pacification program in the
populous southern half of Binh Thuan Province
and have dealt it a serious setback, but there ap-
pears to have been no major disruption in the north-
ern half of the province. The Viet Cong mounted
their attacks on the provincial capital of Phan
Thiet from hamlets adjacent to the city and by mid-
February were reported to be conducting nightly
meetings and indoctrination courses in villages
around the city. Census grievance reports indicate
the enemy has been extremely active in these villages
and hamlets, forcibly recruiting both males and fe-
males from 15 years of age and up, and attempting
tore-establish a village and hamlet infrastructure
through impressment of village elders into their
organizations. One estimate places the number of
new Viet Cong recruits at approximately 2,000 in
southern Binh Thuan. There have also been reports
that, as enemy units withdrew from the city, they
broke up into small elements and that families in
the hamlets were assigned the responsibility of
housing and feeding individual soldiers-.
37. The eight RD teams assigned to hamlets
in the northern section of the province were not
affected by the VC attacks on the province capi-
tal of Phan Thiet. The RD teams around Phan Thiet,
however, apparently withdrew to the city when the
attacks occurred, and approximately three fourths
of the personnel of these teams were still there
as of mid-February. The two "Quarter Zone" teams--
supplements to the RD team effort--proved ineffec-
tive in the face of the Viet Cong incursions; eight
members of one team reported to the enemy when the
attacks came, and the hamlet in which the other team
operated was completely destroyed.
38. Because of the lack of communications,
the status of the three Truong Son teams is not
known. The SCG program remained completely inoperative.
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until mid-February, mid-February, but appears to be starting up
again. In early February, the PRU were operating
in Thien Giao District but were mistakenly hit
by friendly air strikes. Their present status is
generally unknown.
39. The two ARVN battalions in support of RD
were reportedly back in their assigned areas in
southern Binh Thuan by 1 March.
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III Corps
1. The pacification program unquestionably suf-
fered a very severe, and perhaps a disastrous setback
in some of the most important areas of III Corps. The
provinces around Saigon, for example, which have been
the scene of vigorous pacification efforts--off and on--
for some years, appear to have virtually no real paci-
fication effort under way at present. Although the
teams remain in their fiela posts in some sectors in
these provinces, they appear to be mainly engaged in
defensive tasks and little or no serious proselyting
work in favor of the government is under way.
2. The provinces to the east of the capital--
Binh Tuy, Long Khanh, and Phuoc Tuy for-example--
appear to have suffered the least, and it seems that
the RD effort there was bypassed to a large extent
by the enemy. This is doubtless in part because pac-
ification in some of these provinces is minor in scope
and not a serious threat to the enemy. Even in this
area, however, the Communists are said to be very ac-
tive in the countryside in the wake of the Tet offen-
sive, and the remaining RD assets in field positions
are in many cases pulled up tight in defensive positions.
3. Along the Cambodian border, the enemy has
been very active for a number of months and, in the
wake of the Tet offensive, has by and large pushed the
government back into the district towns and provincial
capitals. Although some of these provinces are not
overly important in terms of the pacification effort,
in Binh Long and Phuoc Long, for the present at least,
it has all but ceased.
Phuoc Long
4. The Viet Cong are reported to be in control
of the countryside in this relatively under-populated
(46,000) province, which is inhabited primarily by
montagnards and has not been heavily contested by the
government. The government's somewhat limited pacifi-
cation program, which was largely an activity in and
around the provincial capital, was reported in both
February and March to have been seriously affected, if
not at a standstill. The status of the province's 630
or so cadres involved in the various programs is gen-
erally unknown. About half the provincial capital has
been destroyed and most US personnel were evacuated
from the province by mid-February. On 19 February only
about 244 of 520 national policemen in the province
were available for duty, and the ARVN ranger battalion
in Song Be was down to 75 percent of its strength.
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Long Khanh
5. There are conflicting reports from Long Khanh
Province on the status of the rural areas. Although
the enemy is reportedly more active in the countryside,
all the RD teams reportedly remained in their hamlets
during and since the Tet offensive. However, by mid-
February, a number of 1967 RD hamlets had been hit
and/or infiltrated, and the team members were con- �
cerned with the increased Viet Cong harassment which
had forced them into a defensive role. The teams
have requested heavier weapons, such as the M-79 grenade
launcher, in order to compete with the enemy's B-40
rockets. There are indications the people of these
hamlets are confused and that Viet Cong elements in
them were forming or reinforcing underground cells.
6. The SCG did not function until 6 February
because of Tet leaves and disrupted communications,
but partial operations did resume after 6 February
when the SCG chief returned from leave. When the
public transportation, upon which the SCG cadre are
dependent, returns to normal, the SCG will be fully
operational. Presumably, all hamlet cadres are still
in place.
7. Following an in-province training course,
the PRU were given leave during Tet and were thus
scattered throughout the province and unarmed. This,
in addition to the temporary capture of the PRU
leader by the Viet Cong, delayed PRU participation
in resisting the enemy's attacks. After regrouping,
the PRUs were primarily involved in reconnaissance.
of the hamlets in the vicinity of Xuan Loc. The
people of the Xuan Loc area are now reported to have
a strong dislike for the Viet Cong, but the general
populace is more frightened and is more apprehensive
than ever of the government's ability to protect
them.
Binh Tuy
8. Very little information is as yet available
on the status of the pacification program in Binh
Tuy Province. It does not appear, however, that much
disruption has occurred in any program. There has
been a slowdown of the RD cadre, SCG,and PRU programs,
but this may have primarily resulted from the Tet holi-
day rather than the Viet Cong offensive.
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Binh Long
9. According to reports, the enemy controls
all of Binh Long Province except for the provincial
capital and district towns. A feeling of apathy
has settled over GVN officials. The Viet Cong are
erasing government influence in the villages and ham-
lets by appointing or "electing" their own administra-
tions and mobilizing the population into a "people's
militia." In many hamlets, however, this organizing �
was not necessary as the Viet Cong infrastructure was
already firmly in place and required no facade.
10. Only 50 percent of the approximately 340
RD cadres were in place on 1 February, and the
status of the programs' personnel is generally un-
known. The SCG program was not very effective be-
cause a number of SCG personnel were still stranded
in mid-February in the rural areas. Moreover, as in
other provinces there was a prevailing sense of gen-
eral apathy on the part of the populace. The PRUs,
on the other hand, were providing one of the most
effective forces in the province, operating as a
reaction force and in sweep and ambush operations.
Tay Ninh
11. Tay Ninh was not initially involved in the
first phase of the enemy attacks, but pacification
ground to a halt on 1 February when the province
chief ordered almost all the cadre teams to return
to their respective district towns. By 12 February
the teams had all been pulled into the provincial
capital to augment defensive forces. It was expected
at that time that the teams would be able to return
to their hamlets by the end of February. However, on
5 March a number of installations in Tay Ninh city
were attacked by mortar fire and it is not known in
the subsequent crisis if the teams actually did return
to their hamlets.
12. As a result of the curfew, there were few
reports from SCG cadres. All PRU were ordered into
the capital city area on 1 February and were used by
the province chief for night ambushes throughout the
capital city and neighboring Phu Khuong District
headquarters area.
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Binh Duong
13. Fighting in Binh Duong, including the south-
ern portion where the pacification program was
concentrated has been rather heavy in-past weeks, and a
number of government outposts have been overrun and
abandoned. As a result, the pacification program in
Binh Duong has been severely disrupted. As of mid-
February only two of the eight RD teams were working
in their assigned hamlets. Five of the teams were as-
signed to Phu Cuong, the provincial capital, for refugee
relief activities, and one group was assisting the Na-
tional Police in the distribution of rice ration tickets
to the populace in that city. The RD leadership losses
in this province were extraordinarily heavy and one
team leader and four assistant leaders are still missing.
14. The SCG program continued to function fairly
effectively, but was hampered by the insecurity of the
lines of communication. The PRU, placed in the dis-
tricts, performed in a creditable manner. The Ben Cat
District PRU operated effectively throughout the offen-
sive and was instrumental in preventing the district
town from being overrun. The Chau Thanh and Lai Thieu
district PRU joined with local forces on operations,
while those in Phu Hoa and Tri Tam districts remained in
the district towns as defensive forces because of the
security situation.
Bien Hoa
15. During February there was a high level of
Viet Cong activity and movement throughout Bien Hoa
Province. The enemy was reported in late February
to have been recruiting or kidnapping youths in Di
An District and threatening the lives of local offi-
cials, SCG and RD cadres, and other government workers.
Actual conditions in the countryside remain difficult
to determine, but since 1 February, Communist forces
have been carrying on a province-wide campaign of
intimidation and terrorism against government offi-
cials. This campaign has included assassinations,
letters containing either threats or appeals to join
the Viet Cong, harassment of the families of govern-
ment supporters, and an extensive propaganda campaign
urging the people to be passive for their own protec-
tion.
16. Local Communist forces in Bien Hoa have
reportedly rendered most of the secondary roads in
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the province impassable, have torn down power and
telephone lines, and also have interdicted the rail-
road. Probes continue to be made against several dis-
trict towns; one district town, Cong Thanh, was ap-
parently overrun in early February.
17. The adverse security situation and the with-
drawal of ARVN units assigned to support of RD areas
has precluded the movement of the RD teams to their
1968 hamlets. There is, however, no indication that
the teams were withdrawn from their hamlets to pro-
vide security to district towns. During February, how-
ever, one report indicated that RD cadres had collab-
orated with elements of the Vietnam Information Serv-
ice (VIS) and assisted social welfare officials in
refugee work. This suggests some were located in the
cities or towns. .
18. The PRU have joined with other friendly
forces on offensive military missions and have also
served in a defensive role. By the latter part of
February, the PRU were beginning to return to their
primary mission.
Phuoc Tuy
19. In a nine hour battle for the provincial
town on 2 February, the Viet Cong were repelled but
Phuoc Le suffered heavily. Since then the Viet Cong
have contacted some residents and made small payments
for property damage. Elsewhere in the province, the
Communists have been raiding hamlets in Long Dien
District and "abducting" men and women 15 years of
age and older. Long Dien District town was attacked
on 7-8 February, and the Viet Cong reportedly had
plenty of popular support.
20. The security situation apparently remains
poor outside the provincial capital, and communica-
tion with the rural areas is intermittent. The RD
cadre program was clearly disrupted throughout the
province, although the personnel assets are generally
reported intact. As of late February, three teams were
in Phuoc Le working with the refugees. One team
was in a district town because of the lack of security
in its hamlet area, and two teams remained in their
assigned hamlets apparently unaffected by recent
events.
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3(a)(4)
21. The SCG program, although it apparently
suffered no losses, has been totally ineffective,
since most of the hamlet cadres went into hiding or
into GVN outposts. Most of the PRU were present
for duty and had conducted themselves very well in
heavy sustained combat. As the initial enemy offen-
sive waned, however, the PRU reverted to a defensive
role, guarding allied provincial and district compounds.
Gia Dinh
22. The years of effort to try to pacify Gia Dinh
Province, within which the city of Saigon is located,
have not met with much success. The government's pro-
vincial officials have never committed themselves very
fully to the programs. In the days prior to Tet, the
Viet Cong moved large numbers of men and quantities of
supplies through the province apparently without any
government personnel becoming aware ofit. As in other
areas, this suggests either greater popular apathy or
more support for the Viet Cong than had been generally
assumed.
23. Field work by the RD teams apparently ceased
in Gia Dinh with the onset of the Tet offensive. At
that time, the teams were awaiting the inspection of
the hamlets in which they had been working prior to
moving into 1968 hamlets. At least half of the over 700
cadres were on leave when the Tet offensive began and
most of them are apparently still unaccounted for. In
one instance, an RD team was reported to have deserted
its hamlet and dispersed. Little information is
available on most of the 250 cadres who composed the
SCG and PRU.
Hau Nghia
24. For all practical purposes, it would appear
that the pacification effort in Hau Nghia has ceased.
Military support units assigned the task of RD se-
curity were withdrawn from their assigned hamlets and
were involved in securing the provincial capital and
district towns. A significant number of outposts
throughout the province have been overrun or abandoned.
The district town of Duc Hue was overrun and controlled
by the enemy for a week.
25. Cu Chi, the center of the pacification ef-
fort, was the hardest hit district, and continued to
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be harassed through the end of February. The RD ef-
fort was seriously disrupted in Cu Chi and cadres were
unable to return to their assigned hamlets because
of the presence of large Viet Cong units. A number
of RD cadres were in the district town distributing
commodities to refugees and providing security for
the district compound.
26. In Duc Hoa District, the RD effort was also
completely disrupted. Due to lack of security, only
two teams remained in their 1967 hamlets; one of the
teams was not working, and the other combined with
cadres from two other teams to work during daylight
hours only. In Trang Bang District, the one team
assigned was in the province capital where it was
expected to remain until the heavy enemy activity
in the area ceased.
27. The SCG program was disrupted primarily be-
cause of lack of communications and the reluctance of
the populace to associate with SCG cadre while Viet
Cong were in the area. The conduct of the PRU was
exceptional. These cadres were involved in a number
of conventional missions during the Viet Cong offen-
sive, and, in some cases, served as the focal point
of resistance to the enemy.
Long An
28. Long An Province has long been a key prov-
ince in allied pacification plans, but progress here
has always been less than satisfactory. The Viet
Cong seem to be able to adopt to changing allied
strategies and survive, and possibly have a more sig-
nificant degree of support or acquiescence than is
generally realized. At the beginning of the Communists'
Tet offensive, the Viet Cong entered a number of RD
hamlets, but did little or no damage to them. Since
most of the cadres were on Tet leave, those who stayed
in the hamlets moved to the province capital when it
became apparent the Viet Cong were around.
29. Since then, the cadres have been reluctant
to return to the countryside. Only after the pro-
vincial authorities refused to pay their wages did
seven of the eight Long An RD teams move to their
1968 hamlets. In several cases, this action was
ephemeral--as soon as they were paid and the province
chief was out of sight, the cadres changed to civilian
clothes and returned to Can Giuoc district towns. Those
cadres who had earlier moved to the provincial capital
were remaining there and assisting in refugee relief.
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The cadre teams had been working in northern Rach Kien
and Can Giuoc districts adjacent to Gia Dinh Province.
30. The PRUs in Tan An city were ,very active
during the Tet offensive and continue to function as
a cohesive unit, conducting a number of strike opera-
tions into Viet Cong controlled areas around the town.
The PRU have also used their familiarity with the
local enemy elements to spot or identify important
Viet Cong prisoners.
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IV Corps
1. Damage to the pacification program
throughout the delta was as serious as- that
inflicted anywhere in the country. The Viet
Cong appear to have largely reversed the gains
made by the government during the last two
years in the northern tier of delta provinces.
In most of the southern delta provinces, only
a very limited government presence had ever been
exerted outside the district towns and provincial
capitals. In most of these areas, the VC appear
to have again penetrated and are conducting anti-
government activity.
2. In many areas, it will be necessary to
start at least with the 1967 hamlets in attempt-
ing to regain support from the populace. So far,
probably no more than half of the RD teams are back
in the field, and most of these are engaged in
mainly defensive tasks and have little time for
winning hearts and minds. Some eight of the 15
ARVN battalions assigned to pacification are
said to be in their assigned areas. The rest are
apparently on static security assignment in the
cities. The recent efforts to get the ARVN moving
will probably help relieve the enemy pressure on
some RD areas in the near future, but it seems
doubtful if any viable pacification programs will
get under way in any significant area of the delta
for as long as the Viet Cong are able to keep
up any reasonable semblance of the pressure they
have maintained for the past six weeks.
An Giang
3. This province--the seat of the Hoa Hao
sect--has been and probably remains the most se-
cure province in South Vietnam. Since the Tet of-
fensive was launched, An Giang has remained virtually
unscathed. Although the Viet Cong appear weak in
this province, there have been past allegations of
Hoa Hao-Viet Cong collusion.
4. By mid-February all 38 pacification teams
had returned to their respective villages after
having been brought to the provincial capital during
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the initial period of-the offensive. The PRU assets
were still being used as a defensive force in Long
Xuyen. There is no SCG program in An Giang as the
Hoa Haoinformation net provides the Hoa Hao provin-
cial leaders with the information they desire.
An Xuyen
5. This province has been a Viet Cong strong-
hold for 20 years and, with the exception of the
provincial capital--which the VC tried several times
to overrun--and the district towns, the Communists
by and large control the province. Here it is not
a matter of the GVN taking the offensive but of hold-
ing on to what it has.
6. The limited pacification program was at a
standstill as of the latter part of February. Most
of the 250 RD cadres were being used in the defense
of Ca Mau city or were under the control of Vietnam-
ese Army units. The province chief has reported that
tha remainder--possibly very few--were in their as-
signed hamlets around the provincial capital. Al-
though communications with the teams is still poor,
attacks have been reported specifically against the
RD areas.
7. The SCG center in Ca Mau city was in full
operation and had provided some good intelligence
on enemy forces and personalities. The PRU operated
extremely well during the enemy offensive both as
a reaction and reconnaissance force in the country-
side, and in the city itself as an intelligence
mechanism.
1.3(a)(4)
Ba Xuyen
8. Ba Xuyen, another GVN priority area, appears
to be in relatively poor shape as a result of the re-
cent fighting. In mid-February many outposts in the
province were overrun or abandoned as the GVN pulled
into defensive positions. The reaction of the people
in the countryside to the enemy offensive cannot yet
be determined, although US officials feel they prob-
ably have been impressed by the Viet Cong's actions.
The enemy meanwhile has stepped up recruiting through-
out the province.
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9. As of late February, all 12 RD teams had
been accounted for. Three teams were in district
towns as an additional security force and were also
working on refugee relief. Six teams were still
in 1967 Phase II hamlets, and three had been moved
from their assigned hamlets to more secure areas.
Most of the teams were apparently still well below
strength, partly because cadre have still not re-
turned from Tet leaves. The RD cadre control group
in Soc Trang was, however, gathering the stragglers
together in the city. Most of the pacification
program had been concentrated-in Long Phu District;
the amount of disruption here is still unknown. The
SCG program was operating at a reduced pace because
communication was only available with two of the
province's six districts. The PRUs had been operat-
ing efficiently since mid-February. They appear
to be in such a position that planned 1968 programs
could be launched.
Bac Lieu
10. Although the RD teams were reported in the
field undisturbed on 8 February, by mid-February the
teams had-been engaged several times, and as a re- �
suit most were moved to more secure areas. Only
two of the eight teams were remaining in place; how-
ever, they were not working on pacification. Two
teams have been withdrawn into the district towns
and three are, at last report, in Vinh Loi city as
defensive forces and attempting to bolster the
morale of the people.
11. The SCG headquarters was closed down for
a week after the early February attacks and has since
remained ineffective. Moreover, there had been no
contact with outlying CG cadres. Since the attacks
the PRU have functioned primarily in a conventional
military role, largely involving defense of the
perimeters of the PRU compound which is located in
an isolated area near the provincial capital.
Chau. Doc
12. The RD program which is dominated by Hoa
Hao elements in this province has never been notably
aggressive in pursuing the objective of pacifying
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the predominantly Khmer-populated districts of Tri
Ton and Tinh Bien, in which is located the Seven
Mountains base of the VC 510th and 512th battalions.
The pacification program is also concentrated in
those districts. In the aftermath of the Communists'
Tet offensive, four of the provinces' 13 teams are
being used in refugee relief work in the hard hit
province capital. The remaining teams had been pulled
into the district towns for defense. This, combined �
with the defensive posture of allied forces, indi-
cates that the pacification program has come to a halt,
at least for the present. District towns continue to-
be harassed and there-are signs that Viet Cong are
otherwise active in the countryside.
13. The PRU, which was primarily responsible
for driving off the 31 January attack on the province
capital have remained in Chau Phu. The SCG cadre in
and around Chau Phu have been accounted for, but
those cadres outside the defense perimeter of the
city have not been heard from.
14. VC activity had intensified particularly
against the district towns of Chau Phu since August
1967 with a gradual but measured escalation which
culminated in the Tet offensive.
Chuong Thien
15. Chuong Thien was not involved to any great
extent in the initial Tet fighting, and thus the RD
teams are still largely in place and intact. By
mid-February the 10 RD teams had about 16 engagements
with the Viet Cong, but suffered only light losses.
The Viet Cong in this province were also applying
less violent pressure on the cadres by sending them
letters extolling Communist victories elsewhere and
urging the cadres to desert the GVN and join them.
Because of the situation, the teams have assumed a
defensive role in their hamlets.
16. The SCG program has contributed effective
intelligence since the offensive began. The PRU,
however, are being used defensively and in ambush.
Aside from one operation on 7 February which re-
sulted in ten Viet Cong killed and one captured,
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the PRU have reported virtually no contact with the
enemy.
17. According to a US official, the populace
of Chuong Thien is scared and probably feels ne-
glected and abandoned, especially in the country-
side. The Viet Cong have been active there, and
a Vietnamese intelligence officer believes the enemy
has recruited two new battalions in the province
during the past few months.
18. Roads and canals to the districts from
the provincial capital are for the most part in-
secure and closed. Viet Cong tax collectors are
trying to enter RD and other government controlled
areas to tax the March rice harvest.
19. This province has been and remains largely
an enemy domain, and there is believed to be a
strong, pro - Viet Cong feeling among most of the
rural people.
174
Dinh Tuong
20. Although little firm information is avail-
able on the situation in the rural areas of this
important and populous province (population at least
600,000), US officials have reported that the Viet
Cong have isolated the provincial capital of My Tho,
the district towns, and except for stretches of
Route 4, control the province by default. Here,
as elsewhere, the enemy is reportedly conducting a
heavy recruitment campaign in the countryside, has
overrun some outposts, and is interdicting lines
of communication.
21. In mid-February, Viet Cong propaganda cells
were still active in My Tho, and the populace was
reluctant to cooperate with the police. Allied op-
erations are now, however, being conducted in and
around the city, with some degree of success in
reducing pressure directly on the city.
22. Pacification operations in Dinh Tuong
Province in general and around My Tho city in par-
ticular remain completely disrupted. As of late
February only two thirds of the 600 RD cadres were
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accounted for, and their activities in the rural
areas were halted. During the Viet Cong attack
on My Tho in early February, the RD warehouse was
damaged and all equipment and arms were lost. The
administrative files of the RD program were also
either destroyed or captured,. thus requiring that
the SCG and RD cadre record base be completely
rebuilt. The personal assets of the three cadre
programs remain dispersed and have presumably suf-
fered severe losses.
Go Cong
23. The GVN control the provincial capital and
district towns and, to some extent, Route 24 to My
Tho and Route 5 to Saigon, but the Viet Cong move
relatively freely elsewhere. Government outposts
have been frequently attacked and have suffered
severe casualties; as of 27 February, few outposts
had been lost. The province chief believes he does
not have enough forces available to carry out any
offensive operations, but police forces are initi-
ating cordon and search missions.
24. According to local Vietnamese estimates,
the enemy has not yet committed his 'main assets,
and the security situation in and around Go Cong
city is expected to remain tenuous for some time.
In addition, the enemy reportedly was taking over
villages which were formerly declared pacified. For
example, two hamlets less than a mile from the Go
Cong airfield, which had been declared pacified in
1967, were considered Viet Cong controlled as of
mid-February.
25. Nine of 11 RD teams were in Go Cong city
as of mid-February, and were providing the outer
perimeter defense on two sides of the province cap-
ital. Two teams were still being employed to de-
fend their hamlets.
1.3(),(4)
26. The SCG program had also come to a complete
halt by mid-February. The province chief called in
20 hamlet cadres, armed them, and was using them to
patrol the Go Cong city streets. One SCG intelligence
report resulted in the assassination of the alleged
Viet Cong province chief and the chief of the military
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affairs section. The PRU were, in mid-February, not
working against the Communist infrastructure, but
instead were being used for tactical reconnaissance
and urban security.
27. In response to a widespread program of
Viet Cong recruitment in Go Cong, the provincial
officials were encouraging military age males to
voluntarily come into district towns for protection. �
Two thousand were on hand by 24 February and were
being supported by government and US assistance.
Most of the men spend the day at home and sleep in
the district towns at night. This sudden surge of
men into the towns of a small province like Go Cong
(population 167,000) indicates the bottom of the
manpower pool in the delta has not yet been reached;
Kien Giang
28. Information on what is occurring in the
countryside of Kien Giang is still relatively
sparse. Enemy forces attacked the prdvincial capi-
tal, Rach Gia, on several occasions between 31
January and 25 February and this seems to have pre-
cluded effective communications with the districts
and countryside. The Viet Cong are known to have
attacked and destroyed an ethnic Cambodian hamlet
containing an ARVN RD battalion headquarters; this
was the principal RD campaign area in the province.
The nine RD teams in Kien Giang had been under in-
creasing Viet Cong harassment since early last De-
cember. The Tet offensive exacerbated this situa-
tion and has resulted in a further decline in cadre
morale. At last report, the majority (310) of RD
cadres were in Rach Gia or the district towns as
security forces or working with the refugees. The
rest of the cadres (218) were widely dispersed,
either in areas that were inaccessible, or in the
four RD areas considered occupied by the VC.
29. The SCG program is reported intact but
is only able to provide intelligence on the capi-
tal city and areas immediatelyadjacent to it.
There is virtually no communication between the
SCG center and the rural areas, but some hamlet
cadres are reporting to the district towns.
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30. The PRU are being used primarily in the
defense of Rach Gia city. On 25 February, the PRU
camp came under heavy attack. Although they held,
the PRU suffered several casualties. .
Kien Hoa
1.3(a),(4)
31. The Viet Cong in Kien Hoa Province (popula-.
tion at least 570,000) retain the initiative and the
government continues in a largely defensive stance.
The enemy continues day and night harassment of the
provincial capital and district towns. The populace
is generally apprehensive, and the government's prob-
lems are compounded by the extensive destruction
of the provincial capital, Ben Tre. The enemy has
apparently laid useigell to the town, and 27 GVN
outposts around it have either been overrun or
abandoned by their defenders.
32. This province, long a Viet Cong strong-
hold, had lately been contested by the government.
As of mid-March, however, it appears that with cer-
tain exceptions, the enemy again dominates the
rural areas. Little explicit information is avail-
able on enemy activities in the countryside, but
the Communists must be presumed to be filling the
void and tightening their hold. The government's
1968 pacification plan is being held in abeyance.
33. As of late February, the majority of
the province's 700 RD cadres were still unaccounted
for. It is not clear whether this was the result
of enemy action, or of failure by the cadres to
return from Tet leave, perhaps in fear of Viet
Cong reprisals. Reports from seven of the eight
RD teams in the priority pacification area in Ba
Tri District, for example, indicate thatonly a
handful of cadres were present in mid-February.
The number on duty was growing, however, and the
area was still relatively secure, primarily be-
cause the two ARVN battalions providing security
for the RD program in Ba Tri remained in place.
There were approximately 150 cadres in Ben Tre
city being used as security forces.
34. The SCG headquarters in Ben Tre was
damaged by mortar rounds in early February, but
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remained in operation. Some PRU cadres were
organized and instructed by the province chief
to operate in the area immediately adjacent to Ben
Tre, but the local ARVN regimental commander re-
fused to allow the PRU outside of the citydefen-
sive perimeter.
13(8)(4)
Kien Phong
35. Government control within this province
is, for the most part, limited to the provincial
capital of Cao Lanh and to the district towns.
Government forces are restricted to defensive
operations and, as a result, only three of the
14 hamlets recorded as pacified during 1967 remain
under government control. As of 25 February, only
six of the 34 outposts around Cao Lanh remained
in GVN hands as the enemy appears to be laying
siege to the city. In anticipation of these attacks,
an estimated 50 to 80 percent of the people have
left the city.
36. The transportation and commercial
routes in the province, except for the Mekong
River, have been cut, and the economic life of the
province has suffered. Most of the March rice
harvest may fall into Viet Cong hands since they
control the majority of the rice mills and ware-
houses.
37. All seven RD teams were withdrawn to the
provincial or district towns in February, and ap-
parently remain there as security or work forces.
Only about a half of all RD, SCG, and PRU cadres
were accounted for on 6 February. The 1968
pacification plan has been suspended by the prov-
ince chief because of the lack of security in the
countryside.
38. The SCG cadres, within narrow limits,
have provided timely and exploitable information,
and the eight-man PRU has been principally used
to defend the RD cadre headquarters.
Kien Tuong
39. This province has never been heavily con-
tested by the government. Two New Life Hamlets
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completed in 1967 were overrun in February by the
Viet Cong, but additional information on the status
of the sparsely populated countryside is not avail-
able. None of the RD teams remain in. the field.
Four of the six teams were in Moc Hoa, the province
capital, for a ceremony at the time of the Viet Cong
attack on 1-2 February, and they have subsequently
been used as security forces in the city. The other
two teams are defending the district towns of Tuyen
Nhon and Kien Binh.
40. Here, at elsewhere, the PRU were reported
to be the most effective troops in the defense of
the provincial capital and contributed heavily to
cleaning up enemy strongpoints. The SCG program is
functioning, but contributing little.
Phong Dinh
41. Since the initial Tet attacks on Can Tho
city, government officials, according to a US
observer, have been "staggered by the whole show."
As of mid-March sporadic enemy harassment of Can
Tho and its airfields continued. In addition, the
enemy has been conducting forays against almost
all the districts, and government sources report
extensive enemy movement in the countryside. On
13 March a six battalion GVN operation was launched
in Phong Dinh Province, but there has been only
light enemy contact.
42. The Viet Cong have reportedly been con-
ducting vigorous propaganda and recruitment programs
in the rural areas. A report of late February in-
dicated the VC were attempting to create one or
two additional main force battalions in the province,
one to two additional companies per district, and
one or two additional platoons for each village.
They are also reportedly attempting to upgrade
guerrilla units into main force units while re-
cruiting males from ages 14 to 45 to strengthen
local force units.
43. In addition, the Viet Cong have been
attempting to interdict the lines of communica-
tion in the province and have heavily taxed traffic
on the waterways, particularly the Bassac River.
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44. A number of RD cadres left their teams
prior to Tet in an attempt to reach their homes for
the holiday. The Viet Cong attacks in and around
Can Tho city, where almost all the province's 14
teams were working, and disruption of the lines of
communication throughout the province, have ap-
parently prevented large numbers of cadres from re-
turning to their teams. As of late February,
elements of 12 teams were working in the city of
Can Tho and two teams were working in a nearby
hamlet. Forty five cadres, who were on the Tet
leave in or around Phuong Hiep district town, were
working under the direction of the Phuong Hiep
district chief.
45. It is planned that the RD' teams will
continue to work in Can Tho city until major enemy
units have been dispersed. Thereafter, the teams
will have to move back into the Phase II 1967
hamlets in order to re-establish the confidence of
the people, reopen schools, assess damage, and con-
duct a census. The security situation, the ex-
tensive property damage, and loss of GVN influence
have all affected the 1968 pacification plan. It
may be necessary to consolidate hamlets in three
villages around Can Tho that were badly damaged
during the fighting.
46. The performance of the SCG has been af-
fected by poor morale, and severed lines-of com-
munication. Little information was being received
from the hamlet cadres as of late February.
47. Although initially the PRU was used in a
defensive role to ward off the attacking Viet Cong,
it has since done an outstanding job of recon-
naissance in and around Can Tho and some of the
district towns.
Sa Dec
I.3(t)(4)
48. The pacification program was severely dis-
rupted by the Tet offensive, and the enemy appears
to have undisputed control of the countryside. In
mid-February, the six RD teams evacuated the rural
areas and regrouped in Sa Dec city following the
apparently unopposed enemy occupation of outposts
in the RD areas.
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49. Duc Ton District, which lies astride the
principal land route between Vinh Long city and
the 9th Division Headquarters at Sa Dec, was re-
ported as of 15 February to be entirely controlled
by the Viet Cong, except for the district town.
Two New Life Hamlets in the district were hit hard
by allied air strikes when the Viet Cong moved into
them.
50. The province chief's continued efforts to
use the RD cadres to defend the province capital
were reportedly overruled at corps level, and the
cadres directed to return to the rural areas, but
it ii doubtful theyare able to do so. The SCG
performance since Tet has been unimpressive, while
those PRU cadres who have been present for duty
have been used in defense roles.
Vinh Binh
I .3()(4)
51. By mid-February the VC controlled most of
the province except for the provincial capital. seven
district towns, and a coastal base. The status of
the primary pacification area in Cang Long District
is unknown. Almost 115 GVN outposts in the province
had been overrun or abandoned, 51 of them in Chau
Thanh District alone.
52. The VC were reported to be recruiting
heavily among the villages. A 22 February report stated
that the Viet Cong had recruited the equivalent of
two companies of young and old men in two villages
immediately east of Tra Vinh city--areas that had
previously been considered secure.
53. During the VC attack on Tra Vinh the
capital of Vinh Binh Province, RD teams remained in
their assigned hamlets, but in some cases they
were severely understrength because of the Tet
holidays. Since then, however, the status of
the teams has been largely unknown. Fifty-
seven cadres were in Tra Vinh at the time of
the attack and were detailed to work with GVN
services in cleaning up the city. Moreover,
the SCG program was inoperative as of mid-Feb-
ruary because communications with outlying areas
had been severed.
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54. The PRU was the only effective Vietnam-
ese fighting unit continuously deployed from the
beginning of the offensive. As of mid-February
the PRU was conducting reconnaissance operations
outside of the city following the movements of
the enemy main force units.
Vinh Long
55. Populous Vinh Long Province, areas of
which were previously believed relatively secure,
has apparently slipped under Viet Cong control
again. The government holds only the district
towns, the provincial capital--by and large a
shambles from the recent fighting--and some
scattered installations. Since the heavy at-
tacks on Vinh Long. city, the Viet Cong have
concentrated on attacking outposts and lines of
communications, The outposts reportedly are
faring badly and some are being destroyed or
abandoned by the government or overrun by the
enemy. At least 43 out of 50 GVN outposts are
no longer manned in Cho Lach District alone.
56. Communist propaganda units are con-
ducting a vigorous propaganda and recruitment
campaign throughout the province. Reports of
youths being impressed into service are wide-
spread; three ralliers between 10 and 13 years
of age claimed they were being used by the
enemy as porters. Many of these reports con-
cerning enemy impressment and recruitment come
from southern Chou Thanh District, which
previously was the center of the pacification
effort in the province. In addition, the enemy
now controls the Mang Thet - Nicoloi Canal which
was secured last year.
57. Enemy propaganda is also being directed
at the popular forces; two outposts were destroyed
by the allies when it was learned the Viet Cong
were conducting indoctrination sessions in them.
58. ARVN forces are also reported to have
looted extensively, and continue to assume a de-
fensive posture. Friendly forces in the district
towns, however, began on 12 March to move out and
are making sporadic contact with the enemy.
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59. Nine of the 11 RD teams in the province
were used to help defend the district towns or the
province capital and apparently remain in these
locations. About 100 cadres are in Vinh Long city
helping in the refugee centers.
60. Most SCG cadres in Vinh Long city had
returned to work by 15 February, but the only
field cadres reporting were in the district
around the provincial capital. The PRU assisted
ARVN during the fighting in Vinh Long city, suf-
fering most of their casualties when their compound
was accidentally hit by friendly fire. The PRU
compound was destroyed and many of the PRU
dependents killed. Although the province chief
initially used the PRU to guard a section of town
and forbade it to conduct operations, the PRU
are reported to be again operating in the country-
side.
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1.3(a)(4)