SUMMARY OF VIET CONG ACTIVITIES IN BIEN HOA PROVINCE DURING DECEMBER 1967

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 05072257
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: April 26, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 30, 2019
• Publication Date: January 25, 1968

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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This material contains Information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title lat IT�E$4.
Sees. 793 and 794. the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
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CITE
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DIST 25 JANUARY 1968
SUMMARY OF VIET CONG ACTIVITIES IN BIEN HON PROVINCE
3.3(h)(2)
DURING DECEMBER 1967
1.4
SUMMARY-- DURING DECEMBER THE VIET CONG /VC/ SHIFTED THEIR'
EMPHASIS FROM POLITICAL TO MILITARY ACTIVITY. THE SECURITY
SITUATION IN BIEN HOA PROVINCE DETERIORATED AS THE VC INCREASED
MILITARY AND ,TERRORIST ACTIVITIES. THE NUMBER OF RALLIERS BEING
PROCESSED THROUGH THE CHIEU HOI /OPEN ARMS/ CENTER DECLINED AGAIN IN
5 DECEMBER CAPTURED ENEMY, DOCUMENTS LISTED THREE PROBLEMS FACING 5
4 4
3 THE VC-- /1/ THE DEFECTION OF YOUTH INTO GVN-CONTROLLED AREAS, 3
2 2
1 1
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CONF �INTIAL NO IPCFOLT
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3.5(c)
/2/ A SHORTAGE OF CASH AND, /3/ IRREGULARITIES .AND POOR
ADMINISTRATIVE PRACTICES IN THE HANDLING OF FINANCE-ECONOMY- MATTERS
END SUMMARY.
- POLICY
1. DURING DECEMBER THE VIET CONG NC/ CONTINUED THEIR OVERALL
POLICY OF ATTEMPTING TO DEFEAT GOVERNMENT OF VIETNAM /GVN/ AND
ALLIED MILITARY FORCES AND ASSUME GOVERNMENTAL POWER � HOWEVER,
THE METHOD BY WHICH THIS POLICY IS TO BE PURSUED HAS CHANGED IN
THE PAST THREE MONTHS. ACCORDING TO THE CHIEF OF A VIETNAMESE
CIVIC AND POLITICAL ACTION ORGANIZATION AND COMPETENT AMERICAN
OBSERVERS IN BIEN HOA PROVINCE THE VC HAVE SHIFTED THEIR EMPHASIS
FROM POLITICAL TO MILITARY ACTION. U.S. MILITARY OBSERVERS IN
III CORPS BELIEVE THAT DURING THE NEXT PHASE OF THE CURRENT VC
WINTER-SPRING CAMPAIGN THE VC WILL INCREASE THEIR MILITARY ACTIVITY
AS THEY PUSH FOR A MORE FAVORABLE MILITARY AND POLITICAL POSITION.
A VC NOTEBOOK CAPTURED IN BINH DUONG PROVINCE CALLED THE BIEN HOA
AREA THE ''MOBILE POINT'' AND 'GATE" TO SAIGON.
OPERATIONS
2. THE SECURITY SITUATION IN BIEN HOA PROVINCE CONTINUED TO
5 DETERIORATE, WITH 92 INCIDENTS REPORTED IN DECEMBER, AND THE VC 5
4 4
3 ESTEPPED UP THEIR MILITAii-ACTIVITY. THERE-�WERtHR E BATTALION- 3
2 2
1 SIZED ATTA IN THE PROVINCE DURING THE MONTH,AS COMPARED WITH 1
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3.5(c)
CONFI
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TWO DURING NOVEMBER. , THE MOST SPECTACULAR VC ACTION AND THE ONE
THAT UNDOUBTEDLY MOST IMPRESSED THE LOCAL POPULATI'ON WAS THE �
SUCCESSFUL 21 DECEMBER ATTACK ON THE REGIONAL /PROVINCIAL CHIEU
HOT /OPEN ARMS/ CENTER. ONE GVN PROPAGANDA WORKER WAS KILLED
DURING THE ATTACK AND EIGHT OTHERS WERE.WOUNDED � OTHER SIGNIFICANT
MILITARY ACTIONS BY THE VC INCLUDED ATTACKS ON THREE DISTRICT TOWNS
AND AN ATTACK ON THE THAI REGIMENT IN NHON TRACH DISTRICT
3. ATTACKS AND ACTS OF TERRORISM AGAINST GVN WORKERS AND
OFFICIALS ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THE OVERALL DECLINE IN THE SECURITY
SITUATION. ON 6 DECEMBER THE VC ATTACKED THE REGIONAL FORCES /RF/
COMMAND HEADQUARTERS IN BIEN HOA CITY, KILLING 3 RF TROOPS AND
WOUNDING 3 OTHERS. TWO MEMBERS OF THE VIETNAMESE MILITARY SECURITY
SERVICE WERE ASSASSINATED IN BIEN HOA CITY, ONE OF THEM BY A FEMALE
VC TERRORIST ACCORDING TO A U.S. PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISER, THE VC
MADE A NUMBER OF THREATS DURING THE MONTH AGAINST CENSUS GRIEVANCE
WORKERS AND ACCORDING TO CENSUS GRIEVANCE RECORDS, ONE OF ITS
WORKERS WAS ASSASSINATED BY THE VC DURING DECEMBER
4. THE VC PROPAGANDA TARGET SHIFTED AGAIN FOR THE FOURTH TIME
._
IN AS MANY MONTHS. IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER _IT WAS THEPRESIDENTIAL'
5 AND CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS .IN NOVEMBER THE ATTACK CENTERED ON 5
4 ..:2 4
3 THE NEWLY ELECTED GOVERNMENT, WHICH WAS CALLED A "TOOL OF THE 3
2 2
1 AMERICANS" DECEMBER VC PROPA NDA ZEROED IN ON THE PROPOSED 1
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CONFI TIAL NOP"GN DISSEM
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GYN DRAFT LAW , WHICH WOULD LOWER THE DRAFT AGE TO .18. THE CHIEF OF
A CIVIC AND POLITICAL ACTION GROUP IN BIEN HOA PROVINCE FEELS �
THAT THE PROPAGANDA MAY BE HAVING SOME EFFECT AMONG STUDENTS. HE
ALSO SAID THAT INFORMATION REACHING HIM SUGGESTS THAT VC PROPAGANDA
IS MORE EFFECTIVE IN RURAL AREAS THAN IN THE URBAN AREAS. HE
ATTRIBUTED THIN TO 'TILE _FACT THAS RURAL AREAS ARE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO
THE VC AND THAT PEOPLE IN RURAL OR REMOTE AREAS MAY FEEL THAT THE VC
ARE GAINING.
5� VC TAX COLLECTION ACTIVITIES INCREASED DURING DECEMBER
NORMAL RICE HARVEST ACTIVITIES AND THE NEED FOR EXTRA FOOD AND FUNDS
�FOR THE TET CELEBRATIONS PROBABLY ACCOUNTED FOR PART OF THE INCREASE.
HOWEVER, INCREASED VC MILITARY ACTIVITY, WHICH REQUIRED MORE FUNDS
AND FOOD, PROBABLY WAS THE MAJOR REASON FOR INCREASED TAXATION.
ORGANIZATION
6. A CAPTURED VC PERSONNEL REPORT REVEALED THAT IN MID 1967 THE
VC THU DAU MOT PROVINCE /GVN BINH DUONG AND PART OF BIEN HOA PROVINCES/
CLAIMED A. PROVINCIAL HEADQUARTERS�.STRENGTH�Oi -132 PERSONS: ANOTHER 388
PERSONS WORKED IN AUXILIARY SERVICES AND 807 PERSONS WERE LOCATED
IN-TAN UYEN DISTRICT, BIEN HOA PROVINCE. /THE LATTER FIGURE
3.5(c)
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5 INCLUDED TWO VC DISTRICT COMPANIES/. THE STRENGTH OF THE
4
3 PROVINCIAL HEADQUARTERS AND ITS SUBORDINATE OFFICES ILLUSTRATES THE
2
5
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2
IMPORTANT MILITARY ND SUPPLY FUNCTIONS OF THIS ORGANIZATION.
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ON DISSEM
CONFID 1AL No
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3.5(c)
PROBLEMS
RECRUITMENT INTO PARTY ORGANIZATIONS. THE DOCUMENT STATED THAT IN
IN EARLY AND MID-1967 ALLIED MILITARY OPERATIONS HAD HINDERED
7. A CAPTURED REPORT OF THE PEOPLES' REVOLUTIONARY PARTY ANRP/
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE VC BA BIEN PROVINCE COMMITTEE STATED THAT
JULY, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER SOME 210 MEMBERS OF LOCAL VC YOUTH
ORGANIZATIONS HAD DEFECTED TO GVN-CONTROLLED AREAS. THIS INFORMATION
SUGGESTS THAT NOT ALL RALIIERS END UP IN CHIEU HOI CENTERS. RATHER,
IT SEEMS THAT MANY SUCH PEOPLE JUST RESUME UNOBTRUSIVE ROLES IN
THEIR HOME AREAS. IN DECEMBER THERE WERE ONLY FOUR RALLIERS, A
FURTHER DECLINE FROM THE YEAR'S PREVIOUS LOW OF 11 IN NOVEMBER.
8. A CAPTURED SA BIENPROVINCE FINANCE-ECONOMY CIRCULAR, GIVES
AN INSIGHT INTO THE PROBLEMS FACED BY THE SECTION. THE CIRCULAR
STATED THAT PROGRESS IN FINANCIAL MATTERS HAD BEEN MADE IN THE
PROVINCE IN EARLY 1967. IT ADMITTED, RowEvER, THAT NUMEROUS
FINANCIAL DEFICIENCIES STILL EXISTED- AND INCLUDED THE IMPROPER
REQUISITIONING OF FOOD, MERCHANDISE AND EQUIPMENT, WHICH FOSTERED
ABUSE AND CORRUPTION, THE COLLECTION OF GOODS AND MONEY FROM
WEALTHY SOURCES WHILE NEGLECTING POOR CONTRIBUTORS, THE LACK OF
CONTROL IN THE CONFISCATION OF PRIVATE PROPERTY AND THE LACK OF
5
4 FREQUENT INSPECTIONS, INVENTORIES AND TAXATION REPORTS.
3
2 9. ACCORDING TO A VIETNAMESE CIVIC AND POLITICAL ACTION TEAM
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REPORT, THE VC ARE NOT FACING A CRITICAL FOOD SHORTAGE IN BIEN HOA
PROVINCE. THEY DO, HOWEVER, EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTIES IN PROCUREMENT
OF FOOD SUPPLIES BECAUSE OF ALLIED OPERATIONS'. A CAPTURED DOCUMENT
3.5(c)
ISSUED BY THE VC BA BIEN FINANCE-ECONOMY SECTION STATED THAT IN
LATE 1967 MEMBERS OF VC.UNITS RECEIVED 15 LITERS OF RICE, ALONG
WITH SOME RATION MONEY TO PURCHASE ADDITIONAL RICE. THE DOCUMENT DID NOT
STATE WHAT THE OLD RATION ALLOTMENT WAS BUT IT DID. INDICATE THAT
FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES HAD NECESSITATED THE ISSUANCE OF A REVISED
ALLOWANCE. THE ORDER ALSO SUSPENDED POCKET MONEY AND ADDITIONAL
DISBURSEMENTS TO INDIVIDUALS. OTHER EXPENDITURES WERE ALSO TO BE
LIMITED.
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