POPULAR REACTIONS TO THE VIET CONG TET ATTACK ON CAN THO CITY

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06786724
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: April 27, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 30, 2019
• Publication Date: March 12, 1968

Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 C06786724
CENTRAL INT:i'LLIGENCE AGZI:C?
Intelligence information Cable
IN T.:IMF:1'0'X II
PAGE 1 OF 3 PAGES
NIACCMC �:- � (Sean, JCSARRIY, NIC NSA SOO ONE CIIS
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'OER FENS OCS IRS AID OsIA
Is material containa� Informatfon 'affecting the National. Defense Of the 'United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws. Title 18. �$.C.
Secs. 793 and, 794. the transmission ar revelation of which la any manner,to an unauthorized person Is prohibited by law.
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THIS IS AN INFORMATION REPORT. NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE.
.__CON-FIDENT-t-At
r, COUNTRY, '-tSOUTH VIETNAM ,
DOI 31 JANUARY - EARLY FPBR13 RY3
SUBJECT POPULAR REACTIONS TO THE VIET CONG TET ATTACK
ON CAN THO CITY
CITE
DIST 12 NARC:i 1963
/ - j�,2 - 3
1. THE ABILITY OF THE viEt ciiie ;I'm/ TO ENTER THE CITY OF
N THO DURING THE TET /LUNAR NEW YEAR/ ATTACK ON 31 JANUARY 1968
SER IOUSLY DAMAGED THE CONFIDENCE 'OF THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY IN
THE ABILITY OF THE ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM /ARVN/ TO
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3.5(c)
3.5(c)
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3.5(c)
DEFENVT HE.0 IT Y MANY TOWNSPEOPLE COMMENTED THAT IF AR VN
COULD NOT., DEFEND ITS OWN COR PS HEADQUARTERS CITY, THE ENT IRE
DELTA ..-REGION MUST BE EVEN MORE .VULNERABLE TO VC ATTACK AND SE 1Z URE' .
'POPULARMORALE.;... IN.,THE::.CIT-Y7WAS:,BADtr'.DEPRESSED FOLLOWING THE
C ATTACK'fl'
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PE OPLECRIT IC IZED ;AR MORE FOR ITS POOR INTELL IGENCE IN
NOT PAVING ANY PRIOR :WARNING ;OF THE ''�:/C ATTACK THAN FOR THE
MANNER t�IN,WHICH,T.HE -TROOPS FOUGHT ONCE THE ATTACK WAS UNDERWAY.
. NEVERTHELESS, MANY ',PEOPLE WERE CONVINCED THAT THE VC WOULD HAVE
OVERRUN THE CITY ON 3 1 JA NUAR Y IF 1 HE ATTACK HAD NOT BEEN
STOPPED BY:.:U .S A IR FOR CE AER IAL BOMBARDMENT. DESPITE
; THE DAMAGE."CAUSED 'BY THE BOMBING,2'MANY� OF 'THE PEOPLE OF THE
TOW-N WELCOMED THE 'A IR ATTACKS, REASONING THAT MORE LIVES WOULD
�;HAVE BEEN LOST VC- SUCCESS THANf'_WERE. �L'OS-T. IN THE BOMBING.
�
: 2 DESPITE LOW POPULAR MORALE RESULTING FROM THE ATTACK. NO
..;ONE IN THE CITY WAS KNOWN To. HAVE JCINED. THE . VC SIDE DURING OR
T'AFTER; THE- -'ATTA OK . NOT HING WAS HEARD OF ANY BELIEF AMONG THE
OW ils"F>i
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UMOR S OF A COAL IT 10 N
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vtli. Nit. rit INCLUDING.T THE NATIONAL. FRCNT.. FOR . THE LIBERATION OF SOUTH
VIETNAM WERE NOT " WIDESPREAD IN. THE CITY. 5
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PAGE 3 OF 3 PAGES
3.5(c)
3. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE BATTLE ENDED, THE PROVINCE CHIEF.
AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES BEGAN TO SET UP REFUGEE RELIEF SERVICES,
WHICH WERE APPRECIATED. BY TILE.. PEOPLE.
3.3(h)(2)
CALLED THE REFUGEE RELIEF EFFORTS ''REMARKABLE.''/
4. PRESIDENT NGUYEN VAN THIEU'S SPEECH TO THE NATION ON 2
FEBRUARY HAD A GENERALLY GOOD EFFECT ON THE PEOPLE IN CAN T HO ,
NOT AS MUCH FOR WHAT HE SAID AS FOR THE FACT THAT HE ADDRESSED
HE NATION,' AT A TIME OF MUCH DOUBT AND FEAR WHEN EVIDENCE OF THE
CENTRAL"- GOVERNMENT'S AUTHOR IT?. WAS NEEDED.
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