THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00472A001900050009-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 16
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 6, 2014
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: April 26, 1965
• Content Type: MEMO

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26 April 1965
HIGHLIGHTS
US aircraft sank a 60-foot patrol craft on 26
April in the vicinity of the Quang Khe Naval Base.
I. The Military Situation inSouth Vietnam:
UH-1B helicopters have reportedly killed an estimated
75 Viet Cong in Phuoc Thanh PrdVince (Para. 1). A
Viet Cong maritime infiltration attempt has been
reported in Vinh Binh Province (Para. 3).
II. Political Developments in South Vietnam:
Air Vice Marshal Ky and generals close to him re-
portedly have approved Premier Quat's suggestion to
dissolve the Armed Forces Council quietly, but have
not yet agreed to abolish the position of armed
forces commander-in-chief (Para. 1). Premier Quat
plans early cabinet changes as well as new diplo7
matic appointments (Para. 3). The Quat cabinet is
also said to have agreed to replace military province
officials and police chiefs in central Vietnam with.
civilians (Para. 4). The Viet Cong Liberation Front
is reported to be holding a party conference begin7
ning today (Para. 6). -
III. Military Developments in North Vietnam: US
and South Vietnamese planes conducted generally suc-
cessful road and coastal interdiction missions against
the southern DRV on 26 April. US Navy aircraft
attacked and sank a 60-foot patrol craft in the
vicinity of the Quang Khe Naval Base (Paras. 1-3).
IV ,Other Communist Military Developments: There
is nothing of significance to report.
1.
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V. Communist Political Developments; The Peiping
press today. highlighted Chou En-lai's farewell speech
in Djakarta which reiterated the Communist position
that the National Liberation Front is the "only genuine
representative" of the South Vietnamese people (Para. 1).
There have been no hints as to the nature or outcome
of the Chinese-DRV talks in Peiping since the North
Vietnamese delegation returned home on 23 April (Para. 3).
VI. Other Major Aspects:- A mob has attacked the
US Embassy in Phnom Penh.
26 April: 1965
11
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I. THE MILITARY SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. An. estimated 75 Communist guerrillas_were
reported killed in Phuoc Thanh:Province on 24_ April
when five UH-1B helicopters on a visual surveillance
mission attacked a group of Viet Cong personnel and
camouflaged trucks caught in an open area. One hel-
icopter received hits from groOnd fire.
2. MACV now estimates that a Viet Cong force
of battalion strength was responsible for the 23
April mortar ambush of elements of two Vietnamese
junk divisions and a Popular Forces platoon in Kien
Hoa Province. Corrected final results of the action
list friendly losses as 23 killed, seven wounded, ten
missing, and 35 weapons captured.- ExfiltratOrs re-
ported enemy losses Of 100 dead or woUnded. The Viet
Cong apparently withdrew into a mangrove swamp after
the 50-minute assault. On 24 April, River Assault
Group (RAG) units landed a Ranger battalion in the
area. TheiRanger force failed to establish initial,
Contact with the Viet Cong, but plans to remain in
the area for two days.
3. In Vinh Binh Province a VNAF flareship was
directed to the mouth of the Bassac River on 23 April
because of intelligence that three Viet Cong boats
would attempt to infiltrate the area. No sightings
were made. At first light on 24 April observatiam
aircraft reported a boat 50 feet long and three
large camouflaged sampans in the area. Strike air-
craft were dispatched to the area, but failed to
locate the targets.
4. MACV's military report for 24 April shims
46 Communist-initiated incidents, four of them oc-
curring during the reporting'period. Small-scale
terrorism, sabotage, and harassing fire actions
against government troops, hamlets, and outposts
predominated.
5. Government operations of battalion strength
or larger increased on 24. April from 22 to 25 in
26 April 1965
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progress, with eight initiated and five terminated,
none of which resulted in significant contact with
the enemy.
6. Small-unit actions conducted on 24 April
increased to 2,529. Only six contacts were made
with the Viet Cong, with minor losses reported on
both sides.
7. USAF activity, continued to reflect an in-
crease, particularly in the number of logistic sup-
port missions flown, while VNAF operations again
displayed a slight decline. Pilot reports from
countrywide combat air operations conducted on 24
April (exclusive of the Phuoc Thanh ?action cited in
paragraph 1) list 44 Viet Cong killed and 134 struc-
tures destroyed or damaged.
26 April 1965
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II. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN SOUTH VIETNAM
I. Premier Quat on 24 April reportedly won
the agreement of Air Vice Marshal Ky and other gen-
erals close to Ky for is idea of dissolving the
Armed Forces Council.
the dissolution will take place in the immediate
future, but without a formal announcement. The gen-
erals who were consulted, however, have not yet ap-
proved Quat's proposal to abolish the role of com-
mander in chief and to create a chief of the Joint
General Staff.
2. According to another report, Deputy Premier
and Defense Minister General Thieu agrees with Quat
that the commander in chief position should be
eliminated because its responsibilities, accrued when
General Khanh held the post, are too great for any
one man. Thieu believes the best solution would be
to relieve General Minh andhave himself appointed
chief of the Joint General Staff; he fears, how-
ever, that in this role he would become a target
of the Buddhists. Thieu believes Quat prefers to
keep him in the deputy premiership.
3. Premier Quat reportedly also plans to make
changes, in the, cabinet when civilian Deputy Premier
Tuyen returns from Africa. ?These would involve re-
placement of the interior minister, a member of
Tuyen's party, as well as the appointment of new
ministers of economy, education, health, and labor.
Quat also plans at the same time to fill certain
diplomatic posts, although he still has reserva-
tions about at least one prospective appointee.
4
before Tuyen's departure on 12 April, it was
agreed at a cabinet meeting to change most of the
province, district, and police chiefs in central
Vietnam, generally replacing military chiefs with
civilians. The rationale for the changes is that
the military personnel are not "well-versed" in
26 April 1965
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all facets of their administrative responsibilities,
and that corruption is widespread. I Corps Commander
General Thi, a strong advocate of appointing civil-
ians, already has proposed candidates for two prov-
ince chiefs in his corps area. As has occurred in
the past, however, extensive provincial changes
could lead to a slackening of activity as new ap-
pointees learn their jobs; the replacement of po-
lice officials presumably would also increase the
Power ?of Police Director Colonel Lieu, already a
source of concern to Catholic circles.
5. Suspended former Saigon area. commander
General Dong has
been informed by Commander in Chief Minh that the
charges of corruption against him have been
dropped, with the concurrence of Premier Quat. Dong,
who has requested an official announcement to clear
his name, has been offered a temporary position as
commander of the NCO Academy at Nha Trang rather
than reinstatement, and is still considering his
response.
7. A substantial expansion of the political ap-
paratus of the National Liberation Front appears to
have paralleled the Communist military build-up in
the northern half of South Vietnam during the past
26 April 1965
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During the month of November. 1964, the .
volume of news reported on the northern regional
area by the Liberation News Agency reached a level
double that of any month in 1963. Among other
things, the news accounts reported the establish-
ment of typical Front mass organizations for workers,
women, peasants, and minority ethnic groups at both
the regional and provincial levels.
26 April 1965
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26 April 1965
? US STRIKE
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III. MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS IN NORTH VIETNAM.
1. US and South Vietnamese aircraft conducted
eight armed reconnaissance missions along the DRV
coast and various roads in southern North Vietnam on
26 April. All aircraft returned safely.
2. US Navy aircraft attacked and sank a 60-
foot patrol craft in the vicinity of the Quang Khe
Naval Base. Initial pilot reports describe the
target as a P-4 motor torpedo boat.
3. US Air Force F-105 fighter, bombers on armed
reconnaissance of Routes 7, 8, and 12 caused further
damage to the Bai Duc Thon bridge, although it is
still standing. Several cuts were made on Route 8,
and Route 7 was cratered. In addition, two boxcars
were severely damaged along with a truck park, supply
area, and a bulldozer. US Navy aircraft operating
along Route 15 between Vinh and the 20th parallel
left two trucks burning and heavily damaged a small
bridge. Vietnamese aircraft were unable to find any
targets during their road reconnaissance missions.
26 April 1965
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OUAI
V. OTHER COMMUNIST MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS
1. There is nothing of significance to report.
26 April 1965
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V. COMMUNIST POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. Chou En-lai's farewell speech in Djakarta,
reiterating the position that the Liberation Front'
is "theonly genuine representative".of the South
Vietnamese people, was highlighted by the Chinese_
Communist press on 26 April. Chou asserted that
the Viet, Cong had "liberated" three fourths of. the
land and two thirds of the people of South Vietnam,
and that the "puppet regime" in Saigon was "totally
unqualified" to represent the South Vietnamese
people. Chou also repeated Peiping's support for
the Hanoi four-point formula for 'negotiations, de-
claring it to be the "only way" to a'peaceful Set-
tlement. He warned that "failing" a US troop with-
drawal from South Vietnam, there can be no talk about
a peaceful. Settlement.
2. On 25 April the Chinese Government started
showing a series of inflammatory anti-American "docu-
mentary" films on Vietnam in 27 major Chinese cities.
The films depict US bombing of North Vietnam and al-
leged American atrocities in the South. In Peiping
and its outskirts alone, more than 60 movie houses
have reportedly arranged showings of the films, pro-
duced by the Liberation Front, the North Vietnamese
Army, and China's central newsreel studio.
3. There has been no indication of the results
of the DRV? Chinese Communist talks in Peiping Since
the return of the North Vietnamese delegation to
Hanoi on 23 April. The Chinese account of the de-
parture simply reported the event. The Hanoi version
stated that the "friendship visit" to the USSR and
China had ended "successfully."
26 April 1965
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VI. OTHER MAJOR ASPECTS
1. The government-sponsored demonstration
against the US Embassy in Phnom Penh today is further
evidence that Prince Sihanouk believes prospects are
bleak for an international conference on Cambodia.
The demonstration, ostensibly mounted to protest
"slanderous" statements in Newsweek magazine about Si-
hanouk's mother Queen Kossamak, apparently was de-
signed to underline Sihanouk's speeches on 23 and 24
April whick took a negative stance on US and South
Vietnamese participation in a conference. Planning
for the demonstration apparently was under way be-
fore the substance of Secretary Rusk's 25 April state-
ment on a Cambodian conference reached Phnom Penh.
There has been no official Cambodian reaction so far
to the secretary's statement.
26 April 1965
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