CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03150366
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 17
• Document Creation Date: April 27, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 30, 2019
• Publication Date: March 26, 1968

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DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
�Tap-Secret-
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Central Intelligence Bulletin
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26 March 1968
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Top Secret
The CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN is produced by the
Director of Central Intelligence to meet his responsibilities for providing
current intelligence bearing on issues of national security to the President,
the National Security Council, and other senior government officials. It
is produced in consultation with the Departments of State and Defense.
When, because of the time factor, adequate consultation with the depart-
ment of primary concern is not feasible, items or portions thereof are pro-
duced by CIA and marked with an asterisk.
interpretations of intelligence information in this publication represent
immediate and preliminary views which are subject to modification in the
light of further information and more complete analysis.
Certain intelligence items in this publication may be designated specifically
for no further dissemination. Other intelligence items may be disseminated
further, but only on a need-to-know basis.
WARNING
This document contains classified information affecting the national security
of the United States within the meaning of the espionage laws, US Code
Title IS, Sections 793, 794, and 798.
4op-Seoret�
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26 March 1968
Central Intelligence Bulletin
CONTENTS
Vietnam: Situation report. (Page 1)
Panama: "President" Delvalle charges National Guard
with acting arbitrarily. (Page 3)
Guatemala: Kidnaping of archbishop tied to rightist
plot against Mendez government. (Page 7)
USSR: Soviets deploy mobile missile system to Sino-
Soviet border. (Page 8)
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*Vietnam:
North Vietnam: Hanoi evidently has decided to
pump substantial new forces into South Vietnam, pos-
sibly for a strong follow-up to the Tet offensive,
unusually heavy south-
bound enemy truck traffic in North Vietnam and Laos.
The messages convey a distinct sense of urgency.
an average of more
than 100 trucks a day moving through the Mu Gia Pass
area between 20 and 23 March, the highest level since
just before the Communist Tet offensive.
Some of these trucks carried troops,
a most unusual procedure, again suggesting urgency.
high degree of
activity by North Vietnamese logistic authorities in
Laos near the South Vietnam border.
As part of their longer-term efforts to sustain
military operations in the South, the Communists
continue to improve their logistics network,
they are building a new road which
apparently will skirt the western end of the Demili-
tarized Zone. This will provide a considerably short-
ened supply route to the Khe Sanh and A Shau Valley
areas than provided by the usual route through the Mu
Gia Pass.
Progress in the construction of the new road has
been rapid with some 16 miles of high-quality road
completed southward from the Dong Hoi area in North
Vietnam in two months. (Map)
(continued)
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South Vietnam: Action in the ground war continued
at a slow pace on 24-25 March.
The most significant fighting was near Khe Sanh
and Camp Carroll in Quang Tri Province where some
80 Communists were killed. The action near Khe Sanh
took place on Hill 575, where a US Marine patrol en-
countered a platoon-size enemy force in fortified posi-
tions.
nenemy plan to establish antiaircraft positions
Hill 575, which overlooks the Khe Sanh airstrip.
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*Panama In an address last night, "President"
Max Delvalle charged the National Guard with arbitrary
action and the creation of a state of siege.
Followers of National Union (NU) presidential
candidate Arnulfo Arias as well as others opposed to
Robles have made the Guard their prime target since
yesterday morning's raid on NU headquarters and the
arrest of over 300 party members. Opposition media
gave heavy play to the use of tear gas, set off periodi-
cally as a "clearing operation."
The tear gas also inspired the first allusions to
the US presence in Panama. The Delvalle cabinet was
considering a protest to the US Senate Foreign Rela-
tions Committee for the Guard's use of US AID-deliv-
ered riot weaponry for political purposes. A former
treaty negotiator, Jorge Illueca, asserted on television
that "there are 1,000 Guard members paid by a foreign
power."
In an open challenge to the Guard, Delvalle has
summoned the National Assembly today to hear a mes-
sage on electoral reforms. The Guard refuses to rec-
ognize the Assembly and yesterday denied deputies en-
trance to the building. Delvalle promised to "rectify"
Guard measures and appealed for equanimity on the part
of the citizenry.
Earlier yesterday, Christian Democratic presi-
dential candidate Antonio Gonzalez Revilla also placed
the blame on the Guard for "whatever trouble results"
and praised the actions of the National Assembly. Gon-
zalez made the original call for the impeachment of
President Robles and thus touched off the month-long
legal jockeying that climaxed Sunday with the installa-
tion of Delvalle as chief executive.
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(continued)
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NU media continue to call for a general strike.
With NU Secretary General Nicosia under arrest, his
assistant has been ordered to get the strike moving.
President Robles continues to dispute Delvalle's
claim to the presidency and has strongly endorsed the
Guard's action.
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Guatemala: The recent kidnaping of Archbishop
Casariego has been tied to a plot to overthrow the
Mendez government.
President Mendez asserts "there is no doubt it was
the work of extreme rightists." He adds that he has no
evidence yet of any military involvement although it
is possible that military elements might have been a
party to the plot. Some rightist plotters have been ar-
rested, but Mendez is not likely to take action against
the vice president or the military if it would alienate
essential support.
The ramifications of the recent plot point to the
possibility of further attempts against his government.
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USSR: The Soviets have deployed a mobile missile
system to three Strategic Rocket Forces bases on the
Sino-Soviet border.
The transporter for the missile system was first
seen in a parade in Moscow last November. Subsequently,
an article in Red Star stated that this system was in
the hands of the Strategic Rocket Forces. The missile
within the environmental pod carried on the transporter
may be the SS-12, which has probably been operational
since late 1965 and has a range of about 450 miles.
The deployment of this system would considerably
increase the ability of local commanders to destroy
transportation centers and military concentrations in-
side northern China in the event of hostilities.
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