COMMUNIST VIOLATIONS OF THE VIETNAM AND LAOS SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78T02095R000700080034-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 18
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 30, 2009
• Sequence Number: 34
• Publication Date: June 22, 1973
• Content Type: REPORT

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Secret
NSA review completed
srnres ~
Eighteenth Report
COMMUNIST VIOLATIONS OF
THE VIETNAM AND LAOS SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS
(This report covers the week from
15 June through 21 June 1973)
This memorandum has been prepared jointly by the
Central Intelligence Agency and the Department of Defense
Secret
~.
fl~
22 June 1973
DIA Review
Completed
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22 June 1973
Eighteenth Report
COMMUNIST VIOLATIONS OF
THE VIETNAM AND LAOS SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS*
(This report covers the week from
15 June through 21 June 1973)
The Key Points
A group of North Vietnamese artillery personnel
totalling an estimated 200 to 250 men was ob-
served beginning the infiltration trip toward
southern Laos during the week. While the group's
departure had apparently been delayed for some
reason, it clearly will leave North Vietnam
well after the l5 June effective date of the
Paris "Communique."
Communist logistic activity remains at very low,
rainy-season levels in southern Laos, but has
increased in northern South Vietnam and in the
North Vietnamese Panhandle.
Combat activity in South .Vietnam diminished with-
in a few days after the Paris "Communique" went
into effect on 15 June. Activity in Laos re-
mained at a very low level.
* This report has been prepared jointly_by the
Central Intelligence Agency and the Department
of Defense.
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NOTE: This is the eighteenth in a series of reports
detailing recently received evidence of (a) Communist
efforts to infiltrate new manpower and military mate-
riel toward and into South Vietnam, and (b) Communist-
initiated combat activity in violation of the Vietnam
and Laos settlement agreements.
Infiltration and Rede loyments of North Viet-
- - -
namese Personnel
1. One new group of North Vietnamese Army com-
bat personnel was detected beginning the infiltration
trip south from North Vietnam during the week. The
group is destined for southern Laos and probably con-
tains about 200 to 250 artillery personnel. Since
it was still located within North Vietnam as of 18
June, it was clearly to depart the country well after
the 15 June effective date of the Paris "Communique."
Of the combat infiltration groups which we have de-
tected in recent months, this is the first one since
February 1973 which has been earmarked for southern
Laos. There are indications that this. group may have
originally been scheduled to make its trip southward
in late 1972, but that its departure from North Viet-
nam was delayed (for reasons unknown to us) for-some
six months. If this is in fact the case', the group's
movement at this time does not of itself presage a
resumption of large scale infiltration to southern
Laos.
2. In addition to these combat troops, during
the week we also detected eleven additional small
groups of civil and military specialists--probably
totalling around 200 men--who are presently moving
south in the infiltration pipeline.
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3. Our total estimate of North Vietnamese per-
sonnel infiltrating into South Vietnam and adjacent
border areas since 27 January now stands at some
51,000--25,000 of whom were already in the infiltra-
tion pipeline as of 27 January plus nearly 26,000 who
started their infiltration trip since that date. (An-
nex II, contains a morn detailed
discussion of the information pertaining to infiltra-
tion which was received during the past week.)
4. In northern Laos, at least one company of
a North Vietnamese engineering battalion appears to
be withdrawing to North Vietnam. -The company, which
formerly operated in the Plains des Jarres area, was
identified as having recently arrived in the Laos/
North Vietnamese border area and was scheduled to
continue its move eastward, There is no evidence to~.
indicate that the battalion's headquarters or other
two subordinate companies are also withdrawing; on
the other hand we have no information on the. loca-
tions of these units since mid-May. Although we
have no firm evidence on the reason for this move,
there have been previous indications that a number
of NVA combat units were to reposition for the rainy
season. There is no hard evidence that any combat
units have yet withdrawn from northern Laos, but
some may return to North Vietnam to rest and refit
as they have done in previous rainy seasons,.
B. Movement of Militar E ui ment and Su lies
Through and Into Laos an South Vietnam
5. The pattern of logistic activity in south-
ern Laos was essentially unchanged from that observed
during the preceding several weeks. Cargo movements
in the Laos Panhandle--which is now we11 into the
rainy season--have slowed to a funereal pace. In
contrast to recent weeks, however, there was an in-
crease in the movement of supplies through the Vinh
area of North Vietnam. In addition to the continuing
movement of vehicles through the Dong Hoi area, there
were substantial quantities of ammunition detected
being transferred around Vinh, at least part of which
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was destined for onward shipment to either northern
Laos or South Vietnam. There was also an increase
in Communist supply movements in northern South
Vietnam, as the North Vietnamese continued to
implement the major "transportation campaign" in
this area which we discussed last week. (See
ANNEX. III, or more details on
this subject.)
6. The following instances of Communist lo-
gistic activity were observed in South Vietnam during
the period, Activity observed in South Vietnam prob-
ably reflects supplies which have recently entered
the country. This activity, while it is carried out
by military logisticians, may well have a dual pur-
pose--to resupply the combat forces, but also to pro-
vide logistical support for the civilian population
in Communist-controlled areas. In recent months, the
North Vietnamese have brought at least 20,000 civilians
into the northern areas of GVN MR 1. (The map: on the
following page shows the roads and route numbers
which appear below.)
a)
bound, 27 westbound, 41 parked).
e ec a on Route 9 between Dong Ha and
the Laos/South Vietnam border (21 east-
there were 89 cargo trucks
92 cargo vehicles were ob-
c)
d)
served on the western segment of Route
9 between the Laos/South Vietnam bor-
der and the junction with Route 6088
(8 eastbound, 5 westbound, 79 parked).
on Route 6089 south of Khe Sanh (5
northbound, 31 southbound, 48 parked).
there were 84 cargo trucks
hicles detected on Route 616 southeast
of Khe Sanh (23 northbound, 42 south-
bound, 44 parked).
there were 109 cargo ve-
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are not neceasa rily authorife rive
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of Control and Supervision
region boundary
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POL pipeline
25 50 75 Mlles
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25 50 75 Kilometers
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e)
f)
31 cargo vehicles were
with Route 6088 (4 eastbound, 4 west-
bound, 23 parked).
seen along Route 9 between the Laos/
South Vietnam border and the junction
90 trucks (11 southbound,
25 northbound,- and 54 parked) were
observed on Route 6089 south of Khe
Sanh, and 42 trucks (7 southbound,
28 westbound, and 7 parked) were seen
on Route 616 in the same area.
g) 86 trucks (43 northbound,
13 southbound, and 30 parked) were
observed on Route 548 in the A Shau
Valley.
7. During the reporting period the following
indications of North Vietnamese logistic activity in
southern Laos were noted. Historical precedent would
suggest that much of this activity probably involved
supplies destined for South Vietnam.
a) The table below Lists observed NVA
vehicle activity on selected routes
in the Laos Panhandle during the re-
porting period.*
Rt 99
Rt 9211
Rt 958
0
1 (1-N)
NC
1(Parked)
1(Parked)
0
7 (3-S)
0
NC
3 (1-S )
1 (Parked)
NC
0
0
NC
NC
NC
NC
NC
NC
NC
* The first number in each entry is the total num-
ber of vehicles. Of these totals, the number of trucks
moving north (N) or south (S) are noted in the paren-
theses after each total. The remainder of the vehicles
detected were parked along the roadway. "NC" indi-
cates no coverage.
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b) On 14 June, 11 cargo vehicles were
sighted on Route 914 south of Tchepone
(l northbound, 2 southbound, 8 parked).
8. There is additional evidence of the con-
tinuing movement within North Vietnam of military and
other supplies probably destined for South Vietnam
and northern and southern Laos.
a) Between 29 May and 15 June, a trans-
shipment point south of Vinh report-
edly received over 210 tons of cargo
from another facility in the same area.
On 12 and 13 June, 7 tons of 82-mm
mortar ammunition were dispatched
from a storage facility in the Vinh
area to Route 7 for delivery to
northern Laos.
c) On 13 and 14 June, there were over
160 tons of weapons and ammunition
observed moving between logistic en-
tities in the Vinh area, including
over three tons of recoilless rifle
ammunition specifically designated
for shipment to South Vietnam,
d) On 15 June, an NVA logistic unit op-
erating north of Dong Hoi received
1,100 tons of assorted cargo, in-
clud~;ng~foodstuffs, medical and quar-
termaster supplies, and over 200 tons
of explosives.,
e) On l5 June, over 30 tons of amm~ini-
tion, mostly 57-mm AAA, were observed
moving between logistic units in the
Vinh area, On the same. date, over
50 tons of assorted ammunition were
sent from Vinh to northern Laos via
Route 7.
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f) On 18 June, three barges were detected
moving on the Gianh River north of
Dong Hoi carrying 112 tons of uniden-
tified cargo.
On 19 June, 30 northbound and 45 south-
bound cargo vehicles passed through
the operational area of an NVA lo-
gistic unit north of Dong Hoi.
C. Combat Activit Initiated b Communist Forces
in South V etnam Since the Ceasefire
9. In South Vietnam,. the total number of Com-
munist-initiated ceasefire violations reported by
the South Vietnamese Armed Forces since 27 January
and for the last week (15-21 June) are shown below:
Military
Region
Total Since Ceasefire
Level of Action
Last Week (15-21 June)
Level of Action
Major
Minor
Major
Minor
MR 1
1,050
3,453
25
94
MR 2
278
1,926
14
72
MR 3
409
2,692
7
116
MR 4
711
6,485
33
319
Totals
2,448
14,556
79(112)
601(710)
1/ Denotes totals of previous week.
10. Some of these violations may have been
initiated by GVN forces rather than Communist farces,
and it is impossible in all cases to determine the
actual instigator. The table above and the chart
on the following page, however, do show fairly ac-
curately the trend in the amount of combat that has
occurred in South Vietnam since the ceasefire. The
fact that a combat incident occurred at a particular
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JAN-FEB Zao
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
0
200
T I INS
1 0 I S
inn 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
"NEW"
CEASE-FIRE
lUL
VIETNAM AS REPORTED BY RVHAf
(28 IANUARII 1913 TO THE PRESENTI
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time and place is generally reported accurately by
the South Vietnamese, even though the question of
who started it may not always be treated in objective
fashion. In some cases, the Joint Military Commission
(GVN/PRG) also reports violations of the ceasefire.
11. The following is a chronological listing
of only the most significant "major" Communist viola-
tions of-the ceasefire in South Vietnam that were
reported by the-South Vietnamese Armed Forces during
the past week.
MILITARY REGION 1
a) On 15 June, ARVN forces 32 males south-
west of Da Nang received a ground at-
tack.
b) On 17 June, ground fire downed a VNAF
UH-1H helicopter 30 miles southwest
of Da Nang.
MILITARY REGION 2
a) On 15 June, friendly forces 10 miles
west of Kontum City received a ground
attack.
b) On 18 June, ARVN forces seven miles
south of Bong Son received a ground
attack.
MILITARY REGION 3
a) No significant activity.
MILITARY REGION ~
a) On 15 June, friendly forces six miles
southwest of Vi Thanh received a
ground attack.
b) On 17 June, ARVN forces eight miles
southwest of Ca Mau received a ground
attack.
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D. Combat Activit Initiated b Communist Forces
~,n-Laos Dur ng t e Wee From T rout 2 June
12. On 14 and. 15 June, a government local de-~
fense force which had been under intermittent enemy
pressure in the San Soak airstrip area in extreme.
northern Khamouane Province was finally driven from
the area by an estimated two enemy companies.. Over
350 refugees followed the withdrawing government
troops to the village of Pha Hom, approximately 30
kilometers northwest of San Soak.
13., Elsewhere, Communist-initiated combat ac-
tivity in Laos during the week was limited to small
scale harassment actions.
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ument Denied
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ANNEX II
Post-Ceasefire Infiltration of North
Vietnamese Personnel to the South
1. During the past week, one regular infiltra-
tion group--5059--was detected in the pipeline in
North Vietnam destined for southern Laos. The group
was initially observed in northern Quang Binh Prov-
ince on 18 June. It is believed to be artillery-
associated and probably represents a delayed move
by one out of a bloc of such groups that deployed
to the Laotian Panhandle in late 1972. The numerical
sequence of this new group suggests that two addi-
tional combat groups deployed undetected to southern
Laos earlier this dry season, probably prior to the
22 February ceasefire agreement in Laos.
2. Eleven small special purpose groups--ten
destined for South Vietnam and one for southern Laos--
were also detected for the first time during the past
week. Only one group, however, was observed starting
its trip south from Binh Tram 18 in North Vietnam;
the other ten were noted farther down in the in-
filtration pipeline in the southern Laos/South Viet-
nam border area. The location and date of detection
of the eleven groups indicate that they all started
their journeys south prior to the 15 June effective
date of the Paris Communique. The following table
lists those infiltration groups which were initially
reported during the past week.
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Infiltration Groups Initially Reported
During the Past Week
Group.
Designator Strength
5059
QL 102
QL 113
QL 2'06
QL 330
Z 116
Z 136
Z 213
Y 115
KB 8 61
Unknown
13
11
Unknown
4
27
Unknown
Unknown
28
Unknown
11
Unknown
Location
North Vietnam
South Laos/SVN.
South Laos/SVN
South Laos
South Laos/SVN
South Laos/SVItT
South Laos/SVN
South Laos/SVN
South Laos/SVN
South Laos
North Vietnam
South Laos/SVN
Date of
Detection
18 June
4 June
20 June
12 June
4 June
17 June
19 June
15 June
17 June
12 June
13 June
18 June
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NVA "TRANSPORTATION CAMPAIGN" IN
NORTHERN SOUTH VIETNAM
Intercepted messages received during the week
indicate that the North V~,etnamese "transportation
campaign" in northern South Vietnam (on which we
reported initially last week) is continuing.- The
campaign started on 11 June and is to last until 25
June. To date, shuttling of vehicles and supplies
from north of the DMZ to areas at least as far south
as the A Shau Valley has been noted. Major quanti-
ties of supplies, including POL, have been involved
in this campaign, but references to military hard-
ware or ammunition have been sparse. with the on-
set of the rainy season in the Laos Panhandle and
the relocation of a number of major NVA logistic
units from that area eastward into South Vietnam,
the Communists probably intend to increase their
stockpiles along this new supply corridor which runs
through western South Vietnam all the way from the
DMZ to the central highlands. In addit~,on, this
transportation campaign, while it is being carried
out by military logisticians, may well have a dual
purpose--to resupply the combat forces, but also to
provide logistical support for the civilian popula-
tion in Communist-controlled areas. In recent months,
the North Vietnamese have brought at least 20,000
civilians into the northern areas of GVN MR 1.
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Secret
Secret
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