THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03029766
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 17
• Document Creation Date: April 26, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 30, 2019
• Publication Date: November 15, 1967

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DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
MEMORANDUM
The Situation in Vietnam
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15 November 1967
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WARNING
Tliis document contains classified information affecting ti ,! national security
We United States within the meaning of the espiom4e laws, US Code
litle 18, Sections 793, 794, and 798.
re
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Information as of 1600
15 November 1967
HIGHLIGHTS
There has been no Communist response to Ambas-
sador Goldberg's recent statements that the US would
not block Liberation Front �artic'
concerning Vietnam.
�.
� �
I. Military Situation in South Vietnam: Com-
munist forces continue offensive activity in the cen-
tral highlands, apparently in coordination with the
main effort in the Dak To area (Paras. 1-5). The
Weekly Review of South Vietnam Battle Statistics
(Para. 6). (Graphs)
II. Political Developments in South Vietnam:
A group largely composed of retired generals and call-
ing itself the Freedom Fighters' Association has an-
nounced its intention of becoming a political party
(Paras. 1-2).
III. Military Developments in North Vietnam:
There is nothing of significance to report.
V. Communist Political Developments: A North
Vietnamese trade union delegation was due in Italy
on 15 November (Paras. 1-3). The Vietnamese Com-
munists have thus far failed to report or comment on
Ambassador Goldberg's recent statement that the US
would not block Liberation Front participation in
talks concerning Vietnam (Paras. 4-7).
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\ NORTH
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SOUTH VIETNAM
IS NOVEMBER
EMM
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68666 11-67 CIA
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I. THE MILITARY SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. North Vietnamese mortarmen on 15 November
launched two attacks on a base camp of the US 4th
Infantry Division at Dak To. Two Air Force C-130
transport planes were destroyed and a third damaged.
Part of an ammunition dump was set afire. These were
the third and fourth shellings of Dak To since the
current round of fighting began two weeks ago.
Meanwhile, US 3-52 aircraft continued to bomb the
rugged terrain south and west of Dak To. Among
the targets were suspected locations of the North
Vietnamese 32nd and 66th Regiments.
2. The only ground fighting reported in the im-
mediate Dak To area involved a South Vietnamese Army
battalion which encountered heavy resistance while
attempting to seize a hill approximately ten miles
northeast of the camp on 14 November. Ten govern-
ment soldiers were reported killed; enemy losses were
not determined.
3. Communist forces are continuing offensive
activity in other sections of the central highlands
apparently in coordination with the main effort at
Dak To.
4. On 14 November, under cover of a mortar
barrage, a small enemy force made a hit-and-run at-
tack on a South Vietnamese compound on the outskirts
of Kontum city, 25 miles south of Dak To. Seven
militiamen were killed. Enemy casualties are not
known. Farther south in Darlac Province a US artil-
lery fire support base some 15 miles north of Ban
Me Thuot was struck by 30-90 rounds of mortar fire
on 14 November. One US soldier was killed and five
wounded.
5. Revised casualty reports indicate that in
Lam Dong, the southernmost highlands province,
the South Vietnamese Army lost 86 killed and 64
wounded in the three days of fighting which ended
15 November 1967
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on 14 November. The engagement began when enemy
troops destroyed a bridge on Route 20 and then
ambushed a reaction force. During the action on
13 November one South Vietnamese company was re-
portedly cut off and suffered 70 percent casualties
Known enemy losses were two killed.
Weekly Review of South Vietnam Battle Statistics
6. The week of 5-11 November compared with
the week of 29 October - 4 November:
I. Casualties
VC/NVA
29 Oct-4 Nov 5-11 Nov
Killed 1,894 1,802
Wounded
Missing/
Captured
TOTALS 1,804 1,802
US
29 Oct-4 Nov
5-11 Nov
178
174
793
759
971
933
GVN FREE WORLD
29 Oct-4 Nov 5-11 Nov 29 Oct-4 Nov 5-11 Nov
Killed
160
279
10
57
Wounded
533
810
8
103
Missing/
Captured
60
91
0
0
TOTALS
753
1,180
18
160
15 November
1967
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II. Viet Cong Incidents
29 Oct-4 Nov
5-11
Nov
Attacks 69
59
Battalion or Larger . . . � . . �
3
� �
� �
2
Small Unit. � . � � � � � � � . �
66
� �
� �
57
Harassment 297
245
Terrorism 29
26
Sabotage 27
48
Propaganda 8
2
Antiaircraft 84
137
TOTALS 514
517
III. Weapons Captured
VC/NVA
GVN
29
Oct-4 Nov 5-11 Nov
29 Oct-4 Nov
5-11 Nov
Individual
430
Not
92
225
Crew-Served
61
Reported
0
6
TOTALS
491
92
231
15 November 1967
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8000
diet Cong
GVN
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Nore
Weapons Losses
2000
SEC
1500
SEPT
5-11 NOV _
1,877500
1963 1964
1966 1967
OCT NOV
1_9_67
16000
Viet Cong/N VA
GVN/US/other
ree World
12000
5-11 NOV
1,802
SEP OCT NOV
- - - _
963 1964 f 965
1967
US Casualties to Date: Killed 14,731 Wounded 91,879 Captured 218 Missing 580
*Due to a change in the reporting of personnel losses, beginning 72 February 7967, the weekly and monthly
figure will represent only personnel killed.
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400
200
645
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Nue
Viet Cong Attacks
ET
1 11 111 11 1 11
1963
1 11111 11 11 1
111 111 1 111 1
11111111111
1 11111 11 111
1964 1965 1966 1967
Viet Cong Incidents
(Excluding Atta s)
1963
1964 1965 1966
1967
1000
750
500
250
SEP OCT NOV
1967
5-11 NOV
SEP OCT NOV
1967
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AA Fire
2 Propaganda
48 Sabotage
26 Terrorism
Harassment
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II. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. A group composed largely of retired generals
has announced its intention of becoming a political
party. The group was originally formed in July as
a veteran's association. Called variously the Free-
dom Fighters' Association or the Free Combatant's
Association, it is headed by Senator Tran Van Don.
Its executive committee includes other retired gen-
erals such as Thai Quang Hoang, Tran Tu Oai, Le Van
Nghiem, Mai Huu Xuan, and Senators Ton That Dinh and
Nguyen Van Chuan. Despite the large number of ex-mili-
tary men presently enz-Jlled, the association claims
to be recruiting among workers. The association plans
to extend its activities to rural areas, security
permitting, and has as its objective combating both
corruption and Communism.
2. Tran Van Don is also one of the leaders of
the Farmer-Worker-Soldier Party, but retired General
Pham Van Dong, chairman of the Freedom Fighters'
Saigon chapter, claims there is no connection between
the two groups. Both organizations, however, appeal
to the same elements--military and labor--and appear
to have similar political ambitions. It therefore
seems _Likely that Don will work to bring the two
organizations together, if indeed there is no exist-
ing connection.
15 November 1967
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MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS IN NORTH VIETNAM
1. There is nothing of significance to report.
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. COMMUNIST POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. The Italian Foreign Ministry has informed
the US Embassy in Rome that a North Vietnamese
trade union delegation will arrive there on 15
November for a ten-day visit as guests of a Com-
munist-dominated trade union. The delegation in-
cludes Nguyen Cong Hoa, vice president of the
North Vietnamese trade union, and several other
trade union officials who have recently been in
Prague and who attended the Soviet anniversary
celebrations in Moscow. According to the Com-
munist paper, L'Unita, the delegation will visit
several Italian cities.
2. This is the first visit of a North
Vietnamese delegation to Italy and is another step
in Hanoi's continuing effort to establish contact
in the West. Twice before Hanoi attempted to send
more impressive delegations to Italy, but the
Italian Government refused entrance visas. The
Italian trade union reportedly has assured the
government that the delegation will not engage in
political activity while in the country.
3. During the past year, Hanoi has also sent
trade union groups to several Scandinavian countries
and at present has an industrial delegation touring
France.
No Communist Comment on Goldberg Statements
4. Communist media so far have not reported
or commented on Ambassador Goldberg's statements
of 2 November that the United States would not
block Liberation Front participation in talks
concerning Vietnam at the United Nations or at a
Geneva-type conference. The lack of comment by
the Vietnamese Communists suggests they consider
Goldberg's remarks a modification in the US
position.
5. The South Vietnamese press, in contrast,
reacted almost immediately to the Goldberg remarks.
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The US Embassy in Saigon reports the statements
made headlines on 4 November and that subsequently
they have received considerable unfavorable comment
as a "dangerous concession to the Communists."
6. Hanoi's failure to denounce Goldberg's
suggestion that the Front might participate in UN
Security Council discussions is especially striking.
Both the Front and Hanoi are normally quick to
rule out a role for the United Nations in Vietnam,
They may, however, still be pondering a proper
response.
7. Recent statements by Vietnamese Communist
spokesmen have continued to take the line that the
US must "recognize" the Front as the "sole"--or,
alternatively, the "only genuine"--representative
of the South Vietnamese people. They have long
insisted that the US must deal with the Front in
any negotiations for a settlement in the South,
and they may interpret Goldberg's remarks as a
major step in this direction.
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