THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020004-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 16
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 6, 2014
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: July 20, 1965
• Content Type: MEMO

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20 July 1965
HIGHLIGHTS
Viet Cong guerrillas on 20 July launched
an attack on a South Vietnamese Special Forces
camp in Phuoc Long Province, inflicting heavy
casualties on defending government units. MACV
has increased its estimate of the number of Viet
Cong soldiers from 48,500 to 53,000. On 19 July
the Viet Cong clandestine radio again warned the.
Saigon populace to avoid places frequented by US
troops and Vietnamese Government officials. Fol-
lowing this warning, South Vietnamese security
forces on 20 July discovered a Claymore-type frag-
mentation mine planted near the entrance of Sai-
gon's main stadium.
I. The Military Situation in South Vietnam:
Communist guerrillas, employing mortar, recoilless
rifle, and small-arms fire, launched a major attack
on the evening of 19-20 July against a South Viet-
namese Special Forces camp at.Bu Dop, in Phuoc Long
Province, inflicting heavy casualties on defending
government units (Para. 1). Press speculation that
Viet Cong terrorists tried to assassinate outgoing
US Ambassador Taylor with a bomb at Saigon's main
stadium has been largely discounted by MACV (Para.
2). A regimental-strength ARVN search-and-destroy
operation against a Communist main force battalion
in Thua Thien Province has achieved initially fa-
vorable results (Para. 3). The government's multi-
battalion road clearing operation along lateral
Route 19 in Binh Dinh, and Pleiku provinces. entered
its fifth day today without contact with the Viet
Cong (Para. 4). Clearing operations are also con-
tinuing unopposed along Highway 15, which connects
Bien boa with the port of Vung Tau in Phuoc Tuy
Province (Para. 5). Eight US Coast Guard patrol
craft, with a total complement of 150 volunteers,
arrived at Da Nang yesterday (Para. 6). MACV has
increased its estimate of Viet Cong strength by
4,500 to 53,000 (Para. 9). MACV reports a sharp
decline in Viet Cong-- initiated.actiVity during the
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week 10-17 July; ,noting, only one battalion-size
action during the reporting period (Para. 10).
Sabotage activity against lines of communication
continued and was especially heavy in the III Corps
zone (Para. 11). Combat casualties for both the
government and the Viet Cong declined during the
reporting period, a reflection of the sharp de-
cline in the number of incidents; however, ARVN
weapons losses increased while those of the Viet
Cong declined (Paras,
II, Political Developments in South Vietnam:
The Viet Cones,clandestine radio has again warned
the Saigon populace to avoid places frequented by
US, South Korean, Australian, and New Zealand
civilians and military personnel, as well as by
Vietnamese Government officials (Paras. 1-2).
III, Military Developments in North Vietnam:
USAF F-105 aircraft donducted large-scale leaflet
drops over Hanoi and Haiphong. No resistance was
encountered (Para. 1). Other US aircraft attacked
barracks, an ammunition dump, and bridges and other
transportation targets on 20 July (Para. 2).
IV, Other Communist Military Developments:
Nothing significant to report.
V. Communist Political Developments: A
Ghanaian delegation headed by the ambassador to
the UK left London for Hanoi on 20 July to feel
out the Vietnamese on negotiations (Para. 1).
Hanoi on 19 July publicly reaffirmed its determina-
tion to press for a military victory (Para. 2).
In Peiping the authoritative People's Daily pub-
lished an editorial on 20 July reiterating the
Chinese positions that US troops must be withdrawn
from Vietnam before a settlement is possible and
that the Communists are prepared to fight for how-
ever long is necessary to drive the US out Of Viet-
nam (Para. 3).
20 July 1965
11
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SOUTH VIETNAM SECRET
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I. THE MILITARY SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. Communist guerrillas, employing mortar, re-
coilless rifle, and small-arms fire, launched a heavy
attack last night against a South Vietnamese Special
Forces damp at Bu Dop, ten miles northeast of Phuoc
Binh (Song Be) in Phuoc Long Province. There were
six American advisers and 300 CIDG paramilitary per-
sonnel in the camp. The assault apparently lasted
throughout the night, and interim reports list
friendly casualties of 22 killed (two US), seven
wounded (four US), and 60 missing. Enemy losses have
? been confirmed as 20 killed and two captured. Thirty-
two tactical air strlik,:s have been flown in support
of the defenders. According to late reports, a con-
tingent of 150 CIDG reinforcements had arrived to re-
lieve the beleaguered garrison.
2. South Vietnamese security forces on 20 July
discovered and defused a Claymore-type fragmentation
mine apparently planted by Viet Cong terrorists near
the entrance of Saigon's main-stadium. According to
MACV, the primary purpose of the attempted explosion
probably was to disrupt and harass the "National
Unity Day" rally in progress within the stadium
rather than to assassinate outgoing American Ambas-
sador Maxwell Taylor, who was in attendance. ? Four
suspects, who are believed to have been recruited by
the Viet Cong to plant and detonate the charge, have
been arrested by local police.
3. A large-scale search-and-destroy operation
initiated yesterday by an ARVN reinforced regiment
against the 800th Viet Cong Main Force Battalion in
northern Thua Thien Province has resulted in initial
enemy losses of 33 killed, four captured, and 13
weapons seized. No government losses have been sus-
tained thus far in the operation, which is continuing.
20 July 1965
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4. The government's mul.tibattalion road-clear-
ing operation along lateral Route 19 in Binh Dinh
and Pleiku provinces entered its fifth day today
without contact with the Viet Cong. A third con-
voy, consisting of 128 two and one-half ton:trucks,
33 dump trucks, and 18 ten-ton civilian trucks, ar-
rived at the supply port of Qui Nhon from II Corps
headquarters at Pleiku City yesterday without in-
cident.
5. To the south, two Vietnamese Army bat-
talions with armored and artillery support have
also failed thus far to encounter any Viet Cong
resistance in conducting a three-day clearing opera-
tion along Highway 15, which connects Bien Hoa
with the port of Vung Tau in Phuoc Tuy Province.
Major sections of the road were closed to civilian
and military traffic after Communist saboteurs
destroyed seven bridges and erected three road-
blocks over the past week end.
6. Eight US Coast Guard patrol craft, with
a total complement of 150 volunteers, arrived at
Da Nang yesterday. The 82-foot cutters, each with
a crew of two officers and ten enlisted men (in
addition to maintenance personnel), will be em-
ployed in the northern portion of the South Viet-
namese coastal surveillance area.
7. MACV's military report for 18 July shows
77 Viet Cong.- initiated incidents, 11 of them oc-
curring during the'24-hour reporting period. No
significant new action was reported as the guer-
rilla pattern of small-scale terrorism, harassment,
and sabotage continued to prevail throughout the
countryside.
8. Pilot reports from combat air operations
flown by US and Vietnamese aircraft against Viet
Cong concentrations throughout the four corps tacti-
cal zones of South Vietnam on 18 July estimate
a tOtal of 16 guerrillas killed, 214 structures
destroyed, 102 damaged, and 16 sampans destroyed.
20 July 1965
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9. MACV has changed its order of battle holdings
for the Viet Cong and now confirms the combat strength
of the Viet Cong as 53,000 an increase of 4,500 over
its previous holding of 48,500. Four new battalions have
been accepted, raising the total to 72. The balance
of the increase is accounted for by the revision of
the strengths of previously confirmed units. A summary
of the new MACV holdings is as follows:
Former Holdings New Holdings
Regiments 110 ,10
Battalions 68 72
Companies 188 192
Platoons 114 101
10. According to the USMACV Military Report for
the period 10-17 July, Viet Cong activity decreased
sharply to 480 incidents from the prevtous week's
total of 650. Only one Viet Cong battalion-size ac-
tion was reported during the period, an attack against
ARVN units in northern Binh Duong Province in the III
Corps tactical zone. The decline in the scale and in-
tensity of Viet Cong activity was also reflected in
the lowered number of casualties incurred by both sides.
District towns continued to be attacked and harassed
in I, II, and III Corps zones, while in the IV Corps,
the main Viet Cong activities were low-level harass-
ments of hamlets and small posts, with no attacks or
ambushes being recorded for ?the reporting period.
20 July 1965
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11. Much of the reported Viet Cong sabotage
activity during the eek was directed against land
lines of communication. Routes into the central
highlands area, with the exception of the recently
reopened Route 19, (see Para. 5 above) apparently
remained closed to traffic. Viet Cong operational
activity in III Corps zone was largely concentrated
along the lines of communication.
12. A statistical comparison of last week's
guerrilla activity with that of the previous week
follows:
Time Total
Period Attacks Terrorism Sabotage Propaganda AA Incidents
3 - 10 20 389 118 32 91 650
July
10 - 17 5 332 92 27 24 480
July
13. ARVN casualties during the period 11-17 July to-
taled 734, ,(238 KA, 342 WIA, and 154 MIA/captuked),
a decline from the previous week's total of 882
casualties (284 KIA, 436 WIA, and 162 MIA/captured).
ARVN weapons losses increased to 408 from the 322
reported lost last week.
14.. During 11-17 July, the Viet Cong sustained
447 known casualties (419 KIA and 28 captured),
a sharp....decline in comparison with the previous
weekl.S total of 913 casualtieS (741 KIA and 172 cap-
tured) Government. forces captured 107 weapons
(two crew-served), in contrast to the 195 weapons
(one crew-served) seized last week.
20 July 1965-
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II. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. Possibly foreshadowing stepped up ter-
rorism.against both US and foreign troops as well
as Vietnamese officials, Viet Cong elements have
again warned Vietnamese residents in the Saigon
GiaDinh area to stay away from quarters, working
areas, and entertainment spots used by American,
South Korean, Australian, and New Zealand civil-
ians and Military personnel. In a communiqud
broadcast over the Viet Cones clandestine Libera-
tion Radio on 19 July, Vietnamese were further in-
structed to avoid fellow military and civilian
"traitors," including security agents, police, and
others.
2. The broadcast also charged that both Amer-
ican officials and the Vietnamese Government were
circulating fabricated reports accusing the Viet
Cong of placing explosiV in generally populated
areas. The broadcast claimed that American "im-
perialists"--charging that these acts were the work
of the National Liberation Front--were preparing
to carry out terroristic acts against Vietnamese
civilians.
20 July 1965
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III. MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS IN NORTH VIETNAM
1. On 20 July, USAF F-105s conducted a suc-
cessful large-scale leaflet drop over eight loca-
tions in North Vietnam including Hanoi and Hai-
phong. All target areas were reportedly hit and
all leaflet bombs were dropped except one which
had a faulty release mechanism.
2. Two primary targets--the Ban Xom Lom bar-
racks and the Yen Son ammunition dump--were hit on
20 July with moderately successful results. USAF
armed route reconnaissance aircraft struck the rail-
road yards at Yen Bay, ?the Ron highway bridge, and
the Quang Khe ferry. Results ranged from moderately
good to excellent according to pilot reports. USN
4ircraft, participating in separate armed route re-
connaissance missions, hit several sampans and barges,
a radar site, and a bridge. One RA5C Vigilante'
crashed while attempting to land on the carrier In-
dependence. Both crewmen were killed.
20 July 1965
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IV. OTHER COMMUNIST MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS
1. Nothing of significance to report.
20 July 1965
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V. COMMUNIST POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. According to a British press report, the
Ghanaian high commissioner to the UK Ambassador
Kwesi Armah, left London on 20 July for Hanoi.
Armah is reportedly heading a delegation of Ghanaian
officials to feel out the North, Vietnamese on nego-
tiations--as planned by Pregident Nkrumah in yearly
At the same time, the US Embassy in Accra has
reported that Nkrumah himself has received an in-
vitation from the DRV to visit HanOi or to send
a personal emissary in his place. The embassy fur-
ther reports that Nkrumah has accepted the invita-
tion and plans to leave for Hanoi late this week or
early next week although he is still discussing the
offer with his advisers and may change his mind.
It is not clear if Hanoi will regard the Armah
mission as a response to its invitation. In view.
of Hanoi's treatment ..ofthe Davies mission, it is
unlikely that the Armah delegation will be accepted
if it is publicly connected with the Commonwealth
Peace Mission.
2. , North Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh has
used the anniversary of the signing of the Geneva
accords to restate his country's determination to
continue to press for a Military victory in Vietnam.
In a special appeal to the Vietnamese people issued
on 19 July, HO promised to "fight till final victory,
even if we haveto go on fighting another five years,
ten years, 20 years, or even longer." Ho's appeal
'looks forward. confidently to eventual victory and
states that if the US wishesa peaceful solution
it must implement the Geneva agreements, carry.
out the. FOV?s well-known "four points," And the five
points 'Of the National Liberation Front,
3. Peiping has reiterated its position that
US troopsmust be withdrawn'from Vietnam before a
settlement is possible, and that the Communists
20 July 1965
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are prepared to fight for however long is necessary
to drive the US out of VietnaM. In an editorial
on 20 July commemorating the 11th anniversary of
the Geneva agreements on_.Indochina, the People's.
Daily asserted that the ithdrawal of US troops
from Vietnam is "the basic point and the most im-
portant prerequisite for the settlement of the Viet-
nam question." So long as US armed ,forces remain,
in South Vietnam, it declared, "there is no point"
in talking about respecting sovereignty,_ restoring
peace in .Vietnam, or alio ing the people of Vietnam
to settle their on problems without foreign in-
tervention. Emphasizing Peiping's determination to
see the war continued until the US is driven out,
the editorial warned that if the war cannot be
completed in one year it will be carried on for ten
years, and if it Cannot be completed in this genera-
tion it will be carri d on by the generations to
come. While the editorial is the closest/Peiping
has come to making the ithdrawal of_US troops a_
prerequisite to negotiations, the Chinese are still
being careful to avoid that rigid position.
20 July 1965
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