LOGISTIC REQUIREMENT IN SOUTH VIETNAM IF NVA FORCES ARE AUGMENTED BY THREE DIVISIONS

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06786625
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: April 27, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 30, 2019

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.N Cambodia, The remaining fosd requircments and the tonnages of
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Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 C06786625
Logistic Requiremente in South Vietnam
If AVA Forces are Augmented 17 Three Divisions
If Communist troop strength in South Vietnam were to be aug-
rented by three KVA divisions, the daily logistical resupply
requirement would probably be increased by about 45 short tons
per day. Approximately one half of thie requirement would have
to be obtained from external sources. This estimate of the
increased requirement fclr logistic support would apply generally
to e uituation in which the total Increment in enemy forces is
concentrated in I Cerpc, and also in the event that one division
was deployed in I Corps and tw; divisions in II Corp. (See Table I
for details)
Currently VC and NVA forces in Sontb Vietnam requiLe approxi-
1:nte1y tons of lugietic support daily of which almost 95 tmk:
avc obtained from external sources. Sixty Ions represent ic.od
ond the remainder weapons, equipment and ammunitin. (See Table 2
for details)
The total daily requitement ter logistic suppert in the event
that NVA forces in :7':u'u1-Vietnum are augmented three division.
would total a maximum or :-A5 tons of which w?r215 '3ons
hLve to be obtained from exPrnal uere. 04 75 f-nc: 7rvulfq
r:ensist of food and the remaining h0 rould concirt of weap(nr,
-quipment and ammunition. Uo assuuz that a naj,,r portion of the
load rfiquirement fv.1.01 c-xternal courcss eUll be obtained from
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weapons, equipment and ammunition that Would have to be obtained
wL11 come almost exclusively from North Vietnam and would amount
to 70 tons a day. The ulowafcmt, of this volume of supplies would
involve the use of less than 15 percent of the capacity of the
truck re:uteri leading from lees to the South Vietnamese border.
During the first two months .of 1968 truek traffic through
Wes huE been at such a high level that an average of 200 tone a
day or almost 3 times the anticipated requirements, could have
been made available fox the forcer in South Vietnam. Even third
high level of traffic has used lees than 50 percent of the
alpacity of the read system.
Given this demmstratien of reaupply operations under
conditions of heavy tnerdittion, and the fact that in three years
no road seems to have yedueed nuch more than 25 percent of its
copacity, there iv littic: 1.eacon to believe that logistics con-
siderations viii be a mcaningful restraint to a build-up of forces.
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Table 1
Daily Logistic Resupply Requirements
for Three.. Additional NVA Divisions
in South Vietnam *
(In Short Tons)
Requirement from
Total Requirement External Sources
Case 1. (All Divisions
Deployed in Northern I Corps)
Class I'
35.00
17.50 **
Class II and IV
6.13
2.02 **
Class III
Negl.
Negl.
Class V
3.45
3.09 **
Total
W:58.
0767.
Case 2. (1 Division Deployed
in I Corps; 2 Divisions in II Corpsxxx)
Class I
35.00
17.50 ****
Class II and IV
6.13
2.02 **
Class III
Negl.
Negl.
Class V
2.32
2.08 **
Total
43.45
21765
Total strength estimated at 35,000 men.
** Source: North Vietnam.
-x-x-* 1 division in Western Highlands and 1 division in coastal areas.
xxxx Source: Cambodia.
Note: This estimate is predicated on combat ammunition expenditure
of one-third the basic load per engagement, and combat levels
of each unit being engaged one in 15 days in I Corps, and one
in 30 days in II Corps.
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Table 2
Deily Logiatie Resupply Requirements for_
Current VC/NVA Forces in South Viotnam*
Tai Requirement
2;6.fx)
42030
Negl.
23.9
-401.co
In Ehort Tone
Requirement fram
Lztel-nal E6urees
6o.00
14.00
Negl.
20.66**
94.66
* 0Aer .of Bettie inelvdes 156,600 5VA, and VC main and local
farle ':,;roopo) au uoll es C0,000 edminietraive rvice troops.
** This estimate lu prcAieatrA am e)mbot ammunition expenditures
cue-third the baste leAld per engagement, and (albat levele
oah unit engaged rm,a in 15 daye in I Corx,- one in 30 dayE
in II Corps, me in a). daye in II/ Crilis and (5ac in days in
IV CorpL.
C;Ll
'
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