CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1968/01/08

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03186502
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July 27, 2018
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Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 C03186502 DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE Central Intelligence Bulletin 3.5(c) Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 C03186502 C 197 8 January 1968 Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 C03186502 Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 C03186502 3.5(c) Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 C031865023.5(c) TOP ET 8 January 1968 Central Intelligence Bulletin CONTENTS Vietnam: Situation report. Page 1) TQP-SECRET 3.5(c) Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 C03186502 NR NR 3.5(c) Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 C03186502 Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 C03186502 3.3(h)(2) Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 C03186502 3.5(c) *Vietnam: North Vietnam: Short-range, surface-to-surface missiles intended for coastal defense may have been introduced into North Vietnam,. If confirmed, they could endanger US warships conducting shore bombardment operations along the coast. Photography of 19 December 1967 reveals two positions just south of Thanh boa which contain camou- flaged equipment, including one object Identified as probably an SS-N-2 (STYX) missile and several pos- sible rail-type launchers. Both sites contain six revetted positions that initially appeared to be intended for surface-to-air missile operations. The sites were struck repeatedly by US Navy air- craft on 5 and 6 January and operational reports indicate that extensive damage was inflicted. There is no firm evidence from photography or pilot reports, however, that either site was occupied at the time of the attacks. If North Vietnam has received STYX missiles to oppose US naval operations near its coast, the locations of the sites noted in photography are well-suited to this purpose. This missile has a range of about 20 miles and was the weapon used by the Egyptian Navy on 21 October 1967 to sink the Israeli destroyer Mat. US aircraft carriers customarily operate beyond the range of a STYX missile fired from the Vietnamese coast. South Vietnam: Vice President Ky claims that he and senior army generals have urged President Thieu to exercise more dynamic leadership. 8 Jan 68 1 CRET Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 C03186502 3.5(c) 3.3(h)(2) Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 C03186502 Demilitarized Zone Ot.. A NG TR Hue' ILUA. TH E Loc THAILAND 0 Da Nang -.) �II: ( ()I IAN A C ).. .i.,., UANG TIN - l IJANG rI4GA \ KONTUM DARLAC LIANG DUD PHNO PENH L.A.; N LAM DONG N IN H THU A N LONG BINK � TUY nitlyen KIFN HONCUONG PH JOC TY BINH THUA :Ht.IONG H IF V Ittff - �f3tNH HAL LiFU AN \ iVC !I YEN 6917 3 1-68 CIA � 50 75 100 Kies 0 25 5(1 75 1 0 K lometerS .(3 Jan 68 CEAPproved for Release: 2018/07/26 C031865021TN man Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 C03186502 3.5(c) TO CRET Government administrative centers and Allied out- posts in various parts of the country have been subjected to enemy assaults during the past several days. In Thua Thien Province on 6 January, the Communists conducted a series of coordinated attacks against Phu Loc District headquarters, three adjacent Combined Action Platoons and a US Marine reaction force. Friendly forces suffered 34 killed and 80 wounded in these actions while the enemy lost 91 killed. On 5 January in Quang Tin Province, the enemy assaulted a US fire support base near a district town which had been attacked on 3 January. These two incidents cost the Allies 46 killed and 113 wounded while the enemy is reported to have lost 80 killed. Other district headquarters in Quang Ngai and Quang Nam provinces of I Corps have been recent Communist targets, while in II Corps, there were several coordinated mortar barrages in and around the capital of Darlac Province. A district headquarters in Tuyen Duc Province of II Corps also received mortar fire on 5 January. During the night of 6 January enemy forces appear to have coordinated a number of incidents in the III Corps provinces of Binh Duong and Bien Hoa. The brunt of this effort was directed against a Vietnamese Army regimental 8 Jan 68 2 CRET Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 C03186502 3.5(c) 3.3(h)(2) 3.3(h)(2) Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 C03186502 TOP SJT 3.5(c) headquarters at Tan Uyen in Bien Hoa Province, The Communists did not succeed in overrunning the army compound, but they appear to have held the town for several hours. Almost simultaneously, at least four other en- gagements occurred in the adjacent areas of Bien Hoa and Binh Duong provinces. Preliminary casualty reports from all incidents indicate Allied losses of 12 killed and 45 wounded. Enemy losses were unknown. In southernmost IV Corps, the Viet Cong on 6 Jan- uary hit a military training center, an army convoy and a Revolutionary Development area in Vinh Long Province. In adjacent Vinh Binh Province, two villages were as- saulted and in Ba Xuyen Province, a district capital out- post apparently overrun. This flurry of enemy activity cost the Vietnamese at least 42 killed, 98 wounded and 67 weapons lost. Enemy casualties are unknown. 8 Jan 68 3 Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 C03186502 3.5(c) Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 C03186502 NR Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 C03186502 Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 C03186502 NR Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 C03186502 Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 C03186502 Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 C03186502 NR Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 C03186502 NR Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 C03186502 T ecret Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 C03186502 Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 C03186502