THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 16
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 6, 2014
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: July 22, 1965
• Content Type: MEMO

1,-9000Z0001,ZOOVZL170016LdC1I-V10 LO/Z0/171,0Z eSe3iei .104 08AaiddV Ad00 PeZWeS 4-led u! 1:3'6Wssei-Jou
,LdilLf, d1ILL
". ..!
0 40.? 4;/* T rrvr P-k T Ink T
44.1:9000Z0001-ZOOVZL170016LdC1-V10 LO/Z0/171-0Z eSe3iei ..104 panaiddv /Woo paz!l!ueS -1-led LI! Pe!PsseloaCI
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1 1
22 July 1965
HIGHLIGHTS
Peiping warned again today in an editorial of
its concern over the US military build-up in South
Vietnam. The editorial reiterated that the DRV
now has the "right" to come to the aid of the Viet
Cong, but did not suggest that direct Chinese Com-
munist involvement is necessary at'present. In the
meantime, the Viet Cong kept up the military pres-
sure in South Vietnam. US forces near Bien Hoa Air
Base were shelled again--for the fourth consecutive
night. Heavy fighting was also reported between a
small government patrol and the Communists some 80
miles northeast of Saigon.
I. The Military Situation in South Vietnam:
For the fourth consecutive night, elements of the
2nd Brigade, 1st US Infantry Division, came under
Viet Conk mortar and small-arms harassing fire at
Bien Hoa Air Base (Para. ly, No damage assessment
is.yet available from yesterday's saturation bomb-
ing raid by 31 Guam-based B-52s against a Viet
Cong stronghold in Binh Duong Province (Para. 2).
No further contact has been reported between Viet
Cong forces and defending government paramilitary
troops at the Vietnamese Special Forces camp of Bu.
Dop in Phuoc Long Province (Para. 3). Heavy fight-
ing was reported today between a small government
patrol and an unknown number of Viet Cong 80 miles
northeast of Saigon, near. the Cambodian border (Para.
4). A large-scale ARVN search-and-destroy operation
conducted yesterday in Quang Tin Province has 'yielded
favorable results (P ra. 5). National Highway 20
between Saigon and Dalat has reportedly been opened
to civilian and military traffic for the first time
in more than six weeks; meanwhile, Communist saboteurs
continue to interdict Route 15, from Bien Hoa to Vung
Tau (Para. 6).
II. Political Developments in South Vietnam:
Buddhist monk Tri Quang is reported to be trying once
again to organize a Buddhist political party that
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1 1
would, at least initially, be under the authority
of monks themselves (Paras. 1.2). US advisers in
27 ofthe 44 provinces in South Vietnam reported
pacification and rural reconstruction proceeding at
an unsatisfactory pace in June, according to the
monthly provincial developments survey issued by
the US Embassy in Saigon (Paras. 3-4).
V. Communist Political Developments: An-
other People's Daily article today was devoted to
underscoring Cliaggg Communist concern over the
US military build-up in Vietnam. The article again
asserted that this build-up gives the DRV the "right"
to support the Viet Cong. It did not suggest, how-
ever, that Chinese Communist involvement was re-
quired at this time (Para'. 1). DRV Minister of
Defense Giap has published a long analysis of the
situation in Vietnam. He concludes that "the de-
feat of the US air attacks on the DRV is of "para-
mount" importance, but that the "last and decisive
factor" will be the outcomeof the fighting in
South Vietnam (Paras. 2-4).
22 July 1965
11
, 50X1
50X1
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1
SOUTH VItNAM
50X1
Menne "N,
Nakhon Pitanoindyirn-d,-,,
- -...
Miial;-/
Sakon Naki an,
Dong Hoi
D ARCA lION LINE
\
THU-
A.'::?
? ?N10,
',---
kTHIEN
. Nb'' Oil!
- Nang (lourane)
I ,oit....:. 4, 11/1
Wil
1
fe. 0
\s. .2d 0
\??? . 00 Hs.
? .....)
?
(,
-*".,.. 61.1 A 0
N?GAI
I CORPS
MILITARY. BOU4bARIES
AS OF 'BJULY 1965
Corps boundary
zone boundary
Division boundary
Hop Tac, area.
? '
Pak5e
Attupa.--
Chu Lai
La; ,o
Qu ng Ngai
Duc
22
:BIN
DIN
..c.. II CORPS
PH
YI-N
? Bu Dop
Ko n .R'Cha
J, NG ?
a 9 - TUY EN
ha Trang
'111
25th Div
PHNOM P 4H
TAY
'INH
r., Nm
t. ? G
wpm.
PguE,!.)alCI
THANH
K Hot1,,
01,t-j,.1
an Thiel
anou Ile
0,K gnaot? . c.fie
Th
.......-......:'..c.-61) L
?1.,, Long
.(
Duong 0
'n1S? ? 1 , 781-la Tien
1, ''?'? ?
DAO PH11 ? I EN
..:? QUO:. :
..... ach i
..?
..,-"...
I N-
ON
P, OC
? llY
uo
Vung Tau
Route
Special
C
n_e_( YNNL
tFi
N 1)1"
1-1T,A
I CORPS Air Base
M ONG
GULF OF
IV CORPS
Vung Tau
MW 811
BUNG
650722 4
O Mdes
O 25 50 25 100 Kaorneteis
?OUNISARS KKKKKKK 'STATION IS
NOT NCCZflASILY AUTHORITATIVE
650701 8
47814
I
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A00210002000g71
I. THE MILITARY SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
? 1. For the fourth consecutive night, elements
of the 20 Brigade, 1st US infantry Division, came
under Viet Cong mortar and small-arms harassing fire
at Bien Hoa Air Base. The shelling, which lasted
for approximately one hour, wounded two Americans.
US artillery batteries returned the fire but re-
sults were not determined.
? 2. No damage assessment is yet available from
yesterday's saturation bombing raid by 31 Guam-based
USAF B-52s against a Viet Ciang stronghold in Binh
Duong Province, 30 miles north-northwest of Saigon.
More than 500 tons of 750-1b. general purpose bombs
were expended on the target area, and all aircraft
were recovered safely at Guam.
3. No further contact has been reported be-
tween Viet Cong forces and defending government para-
military troops at the Vietnamese Special Forces,
camp of Bu Dop in Phuoc,Long Province. Government
losses currently stand at 54 killed (two US), 36
wounded (four US), and 60 missing. A body count
showed that 150 Viet Cong had been killed, two were
captured, and 33 weapons seized. It has been i'e-
vealed that among the 33 weapons were six Chicom-
manufactured copies of the Soviet 7.62-mm. SKS as-
sault rifle. One of the rifles was apparently found
in its original cosmoline wrapper and another had
not yet been fired.
4. Heavy fighting was reported early today
80 miles northeast of Saigon near the Cambodian bor-
der, where a small patrol of Vietnamese rangers and
irregulars, accompanied by US advisers, engaged a
Viet Cong force of undetermined strength. Six US
Army helicopters and two USAF jet fighters provided
close air support for government units in the three-
hour battle, which reportedly resulted in "light"
friendly casualties and unknown enemy casualties.
22 July 1965
I -1
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1 1
5. Twenty-six Viet Cong were killed and 15
captured yesterday as the result of a search-and-
destroy operation conducted by battalion-strength
ARVN elements in Quang Tin Province, 85D miles
northeast of Saigon. Government casualties were
described as "light:"
6. According to unconfirmed press reports,
National Highway 20 leading from Saigon to the
mountain town of Dalat, 175 miles northeast of
Saigon, was opened to civilian and military traf-
fic today for the first time in more than six weeks.
Viet Cong interdiction of Route 20 had virtually
cut off Saigon's supply of fresh vegetables and
had forced rice rationing in Dalat. Meanwhile,
Highway 15, from Bien Hoa to the port of Vung Tau,
was cut again yesterday by the destruction of
another bridge by Communist saboteurs.
7. The Commander, US Military Assistance
Command, Vietnam (COMUSMACV) has announced the
redesignation of the US Army Support Command,
Vietnam. Renamed US Army, Vietnam, the new com-
mand will be responsible for all army-component
command functions in Vietnam. All US Army units
in Vietnam will be assigned to the new command.
The command will be, subordinate to the Commander
in Chief, US Army Pacific (CINCUSARPAC) in Hawaii
for component matters and to COMUSMACV for opera-
tional command.
8. General William C. Westmoreland, COMUSMACV,
will command the newly designated organization in
addition to his present command. The commander of
the former support command, Brigadier General John
Norton, has been named deputy commander.
9. MACVU military report for 20 July shows
58 Viet Cong - initiated incidents, 15:oficthem,'occur-
ring during the 24-hour reporting period. Sixty-
and 81-mm. mortar fire was placed on the-capital
of Go Cong Province; on Dong 'Coal district town
in Phuoc Long Province on the beleaguered CIDG
paramilitary camp at Dtc Co in Pleiku Province,
and on New Life Hamlets, outposts, and watch-
towers in Thua Thien, Kien Phong and Phong Dinh
23 July 1965
1-2
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1
cnvi
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1 '
? provinces. In Bien Hoa Province, Communist guer-
rillas infiltrated and harassed a New Life Hamlet,
resulting in friendly losses of 15 wounded, three
missing, and five weapons captured. Elsewhere,
the prevailing theme of enemy activity continued?
to focus on small-scale terrorism, harassing fire
actions, mine detonations, and sabotage against
major land lines of communibation.
10. Combat air operations were flown by Amer-
ican and Vietnamese aircraft?against Viet Cong
targets throughout the four corps tactical zones
of South Vietnam on 20 July, with pilots reporting
an estimated total of 128 guerrillas killed, 67
structures destroyed and 37 damaged, and six sam-
pans destroyed.
11. ? On 21 July, a USAF F-104 fighter on an
in-country strike in South Vietnam crashed while
making an emergency landing at Chu Lai Air Base.
The aircraft stalled just prior to touchdown and
exploded, killing the pilot.
1-3
22 July 1965
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: ClARDP79T00472A0021000200061Xl
II; POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. Buddhist
monk Thich Tri Quang met over 50X1
the week end with about zu buaanist laymen to begin
organizing a Buddhist political party. Quang re-
portedly indicated that, for the present, the party's
existence would be kept secret, and that members
would not directly seek office. They would, in-
stead, seek to influence sympathizers in office or,
eligible for office. Control of the party would
be vested temporarily in the monks themselves, but
ultimately would be transferred to laymen.
50X1
2. Tri Quang may be
laying the groundwork for more direct political
activity. He has long toyed with the idea of a lay
Buddhist political party, but has not previously
been willing to have the clergy, or sangha, partici-
pate even provisionally as acknowledged party leaders.
That such a party could become Quang's own vehicle
is suggested by other Bud-
dhist monks, incluaing institute cnairman Tam Chau,
approved the idea. Neither they nor their lay
political followers, however, took part in the
organizational meeting.
3. The US Embassy in Saigon has forwarded its
report for June on provincial developments in South
Vietnam. This report is a synthesis and analysis
of replies submitted by a number of MACV and USOM
advisers in the field to eight specific embassy
questions. These questions are asked each month
to gain some insight into the war's effect on the
populace and the economy in South Vietnam. The
questions involve changes in the people's attitude
toward the government, the willingness of the
populace to continue the war, the degree of free-
dom of movement over, main routes of communication
in each province, the impact of Viet Cong activities
on movements of goods and produce, and the progress
of rural reconstruction and pacification.
22 July 1965
50X1
50X1
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1
Env4
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1
4. Twenty-seven of the 44 provinces reported
pacification and rural reconstruction progressing
unsatisfactorily. Several of the provinces indi-
cated that the intensification of Viet Cong activity
had resulted in a shrinkage of the area in which
such activities could be carried on. Only six
provinces reported that movement was possible over
the main roads at night; 22 said movement was gen-
erally possible during the day. A deterioration in
morale was reported from six provinces--a sharp con-
trast to April when no deterioration was reported
by any province. Only seven provinces reported an
improvement in morale, compared to 13 in May.
22 July 1965
11-2
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1
?, ?
NORTH
V1ETNA
HANOI
4
II
.I? ?
?
?
110
?
\\
105
l& ?
?A^i ;
I ?
9
2.1 r, SOUTH
?
VIETNA
LAOS
?
,
GULF
OF
TONKIN
STRIKE TARGETS
? ROLLING THUNDER 23
22 JULY 1965
? US Strike
7,77 Limit of 'RpIling Thunder 23
Armed Recce Missions
46784 /
lb
106
23
108
50X1
50X1
. . . ? . t? . ?
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1 ,
,Ju^
III. MILITARY.DEVELOPMENTS IN NORTH VIETNAM
1. Tropical storm Gilda forced cancellation
of most USN carrier-borne operationson 22 July.
One armed reconnaissance mission was launched from
the Independence but results have not been received.
Eight USAF aircraft restruck the Dong Cao Thon bar-
racks, damaging 20 buildings. USAF aircraft also
conducted' armed reconnaissance missions, but no re-
sults have been received.
22 July 1965
50X1
50X1
50X1
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1
_50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1 ,1
R
Next 1 Page(s) In Document Denied
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1 1
V. COMMUNIST POLITICAL DmigLopmgNTp
1. Peiping has again indicated its concern
over the US military build-up in Vietnam and asserted
that this gives Hanoi the right to support the Viet
Cong. Responding to President Johnson's press con-
ference of 13 July, the People's Daily "Observer"-de-
dared on 22 July that the US was accelerating its
preparations to escalate the war in Vietnam into a
Korean-type war. Observer repeated Peiping's pledge
to support the Vietnamese peOple in all circumstances
and "at whatever sacrifice" until the US is driven
out of Vietnam. However, the article avoided any
suggestion that direct Chinese involvement in Viet
nam is required at this time and reiterated confi-
dence in ultimate Vietnamese victory over the US.
2. Vo Nguyen Giap, North 'Vietnamese defense
minister and commander in chief of the armed forces,
in an analysis of the Vietnam war contained in the
July issue-of the party's theoretical journal, de-
clared that the US attempts ?to "curb the determina-
tion" of the Vietnamese Communists to continue the
war by aei-ial attacks on the north is but "a;,crazy
illusion." According to Giap's analysis, in the
present situation "the defeat of US air attacks on
North Vietnam is of paramount importance," but "the
last and decisive factor" in the outcome of the
war will be the struggle in South Vietnam.
3. Regarding the commitment of US combat
troops to the battle in the south, Giap asserted
that US troops "are even worse than puppet troops'.'
because they are not used to the terrain and cli-
mate and have less experience in coping with guer-
rilla warfare. He warned that the US may "step
by step turn the special war into a local war in
South Vietnam" or even expand the-war to North
Vietnam.
22 July 1965
V-1
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1
any,'
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1
4. Giap warned that the North Vietnamese "need
to make every preparation" in Case the US does
at-
tack North Vietnam with ground forces, and he Lai-
04ed that the "whole Socialist camp" would Come to
Hanoi's, aid if this actually occurred. His present
emphasis on the necessity of DRV preparations for
a much larger role in the war contrasts sharply
With his analysis of the situation 'published last
Year in July. At that time, Giap emphasized the
need for the "liberation forces" in the South to
rely on their own people and on "subjective inter-
nal conditions" to win Victory.
22 July 1965
V-2
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1
TOP SECRET
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/07: CIA-RDP79T00472A002100020006-1