THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00472A001900030017-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 19
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 2, 2013
• Sequence Number: 17
• Publication Date: March 31, 1965
• Content Type: MEMO

1,-L1-00?00061-00VZL170016LdCl-V10 O//LO aseala ..104 peAalcldv AC100 PeZ4P8S Pud u! Pc'!4!zzi-Pz'u
I HID SW. JO/
/h7ZEF"'
????v
\OVA.
tr.*.
?
ri,HE"i4
I,: 0(09F
.......
??????
/7 ."") IA/ rv-v ?-? Mr C7 TAIN
1,-Z L 00?0006 1-00VZL170016LdCll-V10 o/ L/2 L O eSe3IeI ..104 panaidd
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/12/02 : CIA-RDP79T00472A001900030017-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/12/02 : CIA-RDP79T00472A001900030017-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/12/02 : CIA-RDP79T00472A0019000300177jo
HIGHLIGHTS
Asian Communist propaganda is playing the US
Embassy bombing in Saigon as a new example of the
insurgent intention to "continue to strike at the
Americans" as long as they remain in South Vietnam.
The commentary suggests that the bombing was co-
ordinated by the North Vietnamese. DRV approval of
such a heavy, frontal assault on the US diplomatic
headquarters would indicate a willingness to risk
a stiff US retaliatory response.
I. The Military Situation in South Vietnam:
There are press reports of a major battle in prog-
ress for control of a strategic government outpost
south of Da Nang in Quang Tin Province. Over-all
Viet Cong military activity, as reported by MACV,
continues relatively light and widely scattered
(Paras. 2 and 3). On the ARVN side, significant
Viet Cong casualties have resulted from three large-
scale government search-and-destroy operations in
the southern delta (Para. 5). Also, a:major US-
Vietnamese napalm attack has reportedly been
launched against a Communist base area north of
Saigon (Para. 7).
II, Political Developments in South Vietnam:
Operations at the US Embassy in Saigon were re-
stored today with a reduced staff (Para. 1). Last
night, six Viet Cong armed with hand grenades were
reportedly seized in Da Nang, suggesting that
several anti-US terrorist acts were planned for
the last few days (Para. 2). In Saigon today, a
small government-sponsored rally protested the
bombing of the US Embassy (Para. 3).
III. Military Developments in North Vietnam:
Air operations were continued today against the
DRV radar system. Six radar sites were struck by
US and VNAF planes in a coordinated assault; some
of the raiders subsequently conducted an armed re-
connaissance mission down a major DRV supply route
into Laos. Full photographic results of today's
strikes are not yet available (Paras. 1-6).
''50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/12/02 : CIA-RDP79T00472A001900030017-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/12/02 : CIA-RDP79T00472A001900030017-1
.-/l/" I
I
IV. Other Communist Military Developments:
No bloc military movements connected with the sit-
uation in Vietnam have been detected today.
V. Communist Political Developments: Both
Hanoi and Peiping have joined With the Viet Cong
in depicting the EMbassy attack as symbolic of US
weakness in South Vietnam (Paras. 1, 2, 49 and 5).
The Liberation Front has alluded to the bombing as
a response to coordinated calls for anti-US acts
by both the North and South Vietnamese Communists;
this line follows recent Hanoi statements which
have more openly admitted DRV involvement in the
war (Para. 3). Moscow has been more restrained
in its handling of the bombing, although it is
pointing to the deed .as indicative of the inef-
fectiveness of US policy (Para. 7).
VI. Other Major Aspects: Some free world
merchant shipping circles are concerned over the
effects of US policy on shipments to and from North
Vietnamese ports. No actual diversions of scheduled
shipping to the DRY have yet been noted, however.
(Paras. 1-3).
CaDO
?J?,.//? I
I Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/12/02 : CIA-RDP79T00472A001900030017-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/12/02 : CIA-RDP79T00472A001900030017-1
IP. IIP
104
Muang
Salon Nakhon
,
-16
1v,,, " ?? 106
\
Muang
Nakhon Phanom a.bThakhek Ny
1
?
e
? Savennakhet Muong Ph
AfeL
?????..047.1
108
NORTH , oong,o,
IETNAhl
N., .i.
' I
'
.. ,o.: DEMARCATION LINE
...-
, 'Tho Ho Su .9 ang Tri
irepone!
; QUANG
?.., TRI
, ST V b it)
?...ft. e
(THIEN
e% '
110
I CORPS ?
? ? kW! DA HANG
O'Vtlallg (Tourane)
16 .
TH?
?Surin
e
, .
ILA'ND .1?.., ??.
se
Muang
Ubon '
Stun 'Wads Paks
Chamrap
i
I...rn
?-?--P'
21Baravane ? -' QUA N G
.A.-/ 0 \ Ves Bout,
s.,
\,. 2c1 ivfon
.. Q U
(_
o
eAttopeu ')
it KO,NTUM
?
/ /
..
AM a?Hoi?Alt ?
Chien Dang
? N,,,,
A NIG TIN '
r k.. ?
0Quang Ngai .
QUA NG \
c
NGAI
-
.
KontumVVVV 0Hoai Nhon'?.
-14
\ ..../.'kes..g? "
Vs
., ,
--ad. Di'