THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00472A001900010014-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 2, 2012
• Sequence Number: 14
• Publication Date: February 22, 1965
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/10: CIA-RDP79T00472AO01900010014-6
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 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/10: CIA-RDP79T00472A001900010014-6
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Office of Current Intelligence
22 February 1965
The Situation in Vietnam as
,of 0500 EST I
Political Developments in South Vietnam
General Khanh, to all appearances, has now
bowed to a decree issued Sunday replacing him as
armed forces commander by Major General Tran Van
(Little) Minh. Khanh had tried to fight his ouster
at the hands of the Armed Forces Council, but was
unable to round up any military support. His des-
p;_--rate efforts yesterday took him on a C-47 flight
fiom his command post at Vung Tau to Nha Trang, and
'.finally to Dalat where his plane landed almost out
of fuel. A reported move on Saigon airport yester-
day by a pro-Khanh tank column never materialized.
2. This morning in Dalat, Khanh conferred
with representatives of the Armed Forces Council
and agreed to accept the Council's decision. Pre-
sent plans call for him to remain in Dalat until
reassigned, probably to a post abroad.
3. Khanh may have some lingering hopes of pos-
sibly salvaging his position by blaming the US for
his downfall. Yesterday, he told a MACV senior ad-
viser that there was widespread belief that the US
sponsored the shortlived coup of 19-20 February with
the objective of deposing Khanh. He argued that
his relief from command would confirm these beliefs,
and he warned of repercussions among the military.
4. The status of the Quat government has not
been affected by the upheavals of the past few days.
The events, however, may leave serious scars among
the military, and possibly lead to further dissen-
sions in the future. The appointment of "Little"
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Minh as commander-in-chief of the armed forces is
on a temporary basis, reportedly as a compromise
figure that all members of the Armed Forces Council
could support, Minh, a competent staff officer in
his mid-forties, has generally remained aloof from
political activity. He remains concurrently Chief
of Staff of the Joint Staff.
Viet Cong Military Activity
5. The Viet Cong continue to mount an aggres-
sive campaign of smallscale actions throughout the
country. The number of daily incidents has shown
a slow rise and has reached a relatively high level.
Much of the Viet Cong activity consists of mortar
harassing fire on government posts, district towns,
New Life Hamlets and villages. Sabotage against
government communications lines also continues.
During the.period 15-21 February, cumulative sabo-
tage acts left main highway 1 impassable to traffic
in II Corps area. Acts of railroad sabotage de-
clined somewhat during this period, but the line
prom Da Nang to Nha Trang was closed as a result of
Viet Cong actions.
6. A close inspection of the Communist supply
ship sunk off Phu Yen Province on
21 February reveals that the vessel vas new, well
designed, and expertly constructed. The ship was a
coastal freighter, trawler type, with a cargo capac-
ity of 30 tons for ocean voyages and with additional
deck loading possible for coastal shipping,
C?jmm,anist Military Developments
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9. Preliminary. analysis of aerial photography
of 19 February indicates that there is no significant
change in the Chinese air order.of battle at Mengtzu
.and Kunming. Sixty MIG 15-17s were identified at
Mengtzu whereas 65 were observed there on 14 February.
Communist Political Developments
Kosygin's trip to Hanoi will result in the Soviets
giving:"defensive" aid to North Vietnam in the form
.of fighter planes, SAMs and radar equipments F
I A
press service report from-Moscow dated 21 February
quoted "diplomatic sources'.' as stating that shipment
of SAMs and jet fighters was under way..
11, A Western press report from.. Moscow quotes
the commander of the Soviet rocket forces, Marshal
.Krylov, as stating in the Soviet trade union news-
paper that if the US seeks to "carry out criminal
schemes" against "countries of the socialist camp,'.'
the "war will immediately, be transferred to the
territory of the aggressor," Krylov's article,
which did not mention Vietnam, represents standard
rhetoric in this kind of propaganda,
12. No major propaganda pronouncements on the
Vietnamese situation have been.issued during the
past 24 hours by Peiping, Hanoi or'Moscow,
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/10: CIA-RDP79T00472AO01900010014-6
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/10 : CIA-RDP79T00472A001900010014-6