THE SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM NO. 6

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06766060
• Document Creation Date: January 28, 2019

Approved for Release: 2019/01/17 C06766060
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Directorate of Intelligence
1February �1968
INTELLIGENCE MEMORANDUM
The Situation in South Vietnam No. 6
(As of 7 A.M. EST)
1. The vigor of the Communist Tet offensive--
now in its third day--is slackening. The enemy
still has partial control of several major prov-
incial capitals, but his attacks for the most part/
have been reduced to scattered pockets of resistance
throughout the rest of the country.
2. Initial, incomplete reports reflect ex-
tremely high enemy losses in personnel in contrast
to allied casualties. More than 6,000 Communists
reportedly have been killed during the past three
days. This number is expected to increase as more
complete reports come in. Friendly/losses now stand
at 571 killed (99 US) and 1,714 wounded (562 US).
No estimate of civilian casualties is yet available,
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but it is expected to be high.
3. The Communists have added a new element to
the situation with their announcement on 31 January
of the establishment of a "Revolutionary Administra-
tion" in South Vietnam. It appears that they plan
to use the new organization as another mechanism
for attempts to rally support from the South Viet-
namese populace. Details of the new apparatus are
described below.
I Corps
4. . With the ekception of Hue in Thua Thien.Prov-
ince, allied reaction forces have effectively coun-
tered the enemy's latest thrust throughout the
northern I Corps area.
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5. Quang Tri city: Two battalions of Commu-
nist troops attacked this northernmost provincial capital
yesterday afternoon, but were forced to withdraw
early this morning. An estimated 300 bodies were
left behind by the retreating enemy force. The
city is now considered secure.
6. Hue: An enemy force believed to be of regi-
mental size, and tentatively identified as the North
Vietnamese 6th Regiment, is still in control of an
important sector of the city. They are concentrated
north of the Huong River in the "imperial city" or
citadel. However, key military installations in this
sector, including the South Vietnamese 1st Division
Headquarters, are still in allied hands and believed to
be in no immediate danger. The enemy may attempt to
make a prolonged stand within the 'citadel, which is
relatively easy to defend.
7. Hoi An: The provincial capital of Quang
Nam is refic3FUR by MACV to be' under complete allied
control. �However, several smaller towns, including
a district capital west of Hoi An, were attacked by
enemy forces yesterday. South Korean Marines were
dispatched to the area and have encountered sporadic
resistance.
8. Tam Ky: Enemy attacks and attempts to over-
run Quang�Tilirg capital city were repulsed late
yesterday and the city is now quiet. The fighting
cost the enemy some 226 killed; South Vietnamese
and American casualties were light.
9. Quang Ngai City: Sporadic contact was re-
ported continuing early this morning with enemy units
in isolated areas of the city. The city, neverthe-
less, appears to be largely in allied hands.
II Corps
10. The cities of Kontum and Ban Me Thuot in
the western highlands remained in contest at last
report. Most of the cities in the coastal provinces
have been secured, but sporadic contact is still
reported in the outskirts of several provincial
capitals.
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11. Kontum: The Communists still occupy about
half of the city; however, all allied military com-
pounds and installations are controlled by friendly
forces. US reinforcements are expected to completely
clear the city today. A South Vietnamese civilian
who claims to have mingled with the enemy troops
this morning reported that they hope to hold the
town for seven days until reinforcements arrive from
across the Cambodian border--some 35 miles to the west.
To date, 210 enemy troops have been reported killed
in the heavy fighting. Enemy forces in the city are
identified.as elements of the North Vietnamese 174th
Regiment supported by three Viet Cong local force and
sapper battalions.
12. Ban Me Thuot: At mid-day on 1 February,
heavy fighting was reported still going on in this
city with the enemy force concentrated near the air-
field. Two battalions of the North Vietnamese 33rd
Regiment, together with a Viet Cong local force
battalion and a district company have been identified
as participating in the action. The MACV compound
and Headquarters of the South Vietnamese 24th Divi-
sion have been subjected to heavy fire, but have
managed to hold out. The South Vietnamese 23rd Ranger
Battalion has been airlifted into the city to assist
in driving out the attackers.
13. Nha Trang: Light contact with elements of
the retreating 8th Battalion of the North Vietnamese
18B Regiment was reported west of the city during
the night. Also during the night, the airfield and
nearby Special Forces compound were hit by a barrage
of mortar fire. The action caused no casualties or
damage to aircraft or facilities, however, the city
is now quiet and completely in friendly control.
14. Qui Nhon: An enemy force of undetermined
size attacked an ammunition dump at:Qui:Nhon late
last night with 90-mm, recoilless rifle fire. At
last report, the depot was still on fire with parts
of it already destroyed. A reaction force has been
deployed.
15. No further action in the other major cities
of II Corps has been reported.
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Saigon and III Corps
16. Sharp fighting flared again in the Saigon
area late on 31 January and on 1.Fe4ruary. Within
the Tan Son Nhut airfield and headquarters complex
northwest of the city l allied forces met heavy op-
position while successfully clearing out a number
of enemy strongpoints. In the capital itself, heavy
fighting took place on the western outskirts near the
race track* and around the South Vietnamese Joint Gen-
eral Staff compound. Fighting also flared at several
points in the downtown area where enemy forces have
established pockets of resistance.
17. By mid-day on 1 February, (local Saigon
time) most enemy forces in the capital area had been
routed but Viet Cong platoons still held out in a
building near the Joint General Staff compound and
in the An Quang Buddhist Pagoda, while an estimated
100 Viet Cong were in the Gia Dinh market area. At
last report allied troops were moving against these
forces.
18. A late report indicates that South Vietnam-
ese forces were driven back in an attempt to clear
the An Quang pagoda. This site is suspected by MACV
to be the VC command post for their Saigon operation.
IV Corps
19. In the delta south of Saigon sporadic heavy
fighting continued on 1 February within or on the out-
skirts of several provincial capitals and other smaller
towns. In no instance, however, have the Viet Cong
completely gained control of a major town.
20. The heaviest enemy attacks on 1 February
in the delta were at My Tho, the capital of Dinh Thong
Province, and at Ben Tre in Kien Hoa Province and
Chau Phu in Chau Doc Province. My Tho was under heavy
mortar and ground attack at noon on the 1st.. US Army
troops were scheduled to be airlifted into the city
during the afternoon. At Ben Tre enemy action also
continued on 1 February. Enemy forces are reported
in regimental strength in this fight, but ARVN troops
were holding their own at last report. In Chau Doc
Province, to the west along the Cambodian border, a
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large Viet Cong force, which seized control of Chau
Phu city on the 31st, apparently is still contesting
the area and heavy fighting is reported within the
city.
Other Related Developments
21. "Revolutionary Administration" Established:
The clandestine Viet Cong Liberation Radio in South
Vietnam and Hanoi Radio late last night announced the
establishment of a,"Revolutionary Administration" in
South Vietnam.
22. The "Revolutionary. Administration" purportedly
would have authority and administrative power in Saigon
and in areas where the Viet Cong have an influence on
the people. The purpose of the "Revolutionary Power,"
according to the Communists, is to act as an authorita-
tive voice to demand the withdrawal of US forces to
end the war and to call for negotiations with the
Liberation Front. The Hanoi broadcast asserted that
"an unprecedented enthusiastic atmosphere is powerfully
mounting throughout Saigon city and its suburbs." Ac-
cording to the broadcast, the Communists, in areas of
the city they allegedly control, have started organizing
thousands of "militia units" and establishing "revolu-
tionary political parties."
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23. Since the new Communist political move has
been endorsed by both Hanoi and the Front radio, it
would appear to be .a carefully calculated act and
further attests to the extensive planning and to :the high
significance which the Communists attach to their
latest offensive.
24. It would now appear, in view of their politi-
cal move, that the Communists consider their current
push to represent at least the start of their classic
"general uprising" which has been their grand strategy
for some years in seizing power in South Vietnam,
While they almost certainly do not expect to
topple the Saigon government with their current of-
fensive, they may believe it will establish a better
base for them in their attempts to influence the
populace--especially the urban populace. Communist
documents indicate that their loss of contact with
the people, and their failure to influence those in
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the cities, was increasingly their weakest point.
By a bold military move, accompanied by the estab-
lishment of a new political mechanism to facilitate
contact, the Communists apparently hope to remedy the
situation.
25. The full ramifications of the "Revolutionary
Administration" will probably not be clear for some
time. How it fits in with the long established Na-
tional Liberation Front, for example, is still impre-
cise. It would appear, however, that the Communists
regard it as something in between the Front and the
people, designed to facilitate greater popular sup-
port. With their new organization, they can work better
in the streets among the people without some of the
stigma attached by the NLF which posed in some respects
as a formal national government.
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