THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00826A001100010012-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 17
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 25, 2006
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: August 3, 1966
• Content Type: MEMO

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
::Aw0rMLPL--1
THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM
information as of 1600
3 August 1966
ARMY review(s) completed.
PREPARED FOR THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
FURTHER DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION
CONTAINED HEREIN IS NOT AUTHORIZED
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3 August 1.966
Political activity in Saigon remains centered
on the issue of elections. Military contact with
the V}et Cong was heaviest in Operation PAUL REVERE
in the Pleiku-Kontum area of the highlands.
I. The Military Situation in South Vietnam:
Scattered, heavy contact with enemy forces con-
tinues to be reported as allied forces participat-
ing in Operation PAUL REVERE are strengthened to
include more than seven battalions (Paras. 1-2).
Operation BUCKS began in Quang Nam Province in an
area where 600 Viet Cong are reported operating
(Para. 3). Weekly review of South Vietnam battle
statistics (Para. 5).
II. Political Developments in South Vietnam:
Ky will reportedly visit the Philippines on 10 Au-
gust (Para. 1).
enera T hi, in e United States only three days,
has informed newsmen that he intends to run for
South Vietnam's premiership (Para. 3).
III. Military Developments in North Vietnam:
There is naming of significance to report.
IV. Other Communist Military Developments:
There is nothing of significance to report.
V. Communist Political Developments: Kosygin
gives standard line on Vietnam in speech to Supreme
Soviet (Paras. 1-2).
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VI. Other Major Aspects: Bertrand Russell
says he plans to conduct mock trials of US leaders
South Vietnam Battle Statistics 24 - 30 July
Total Personnel Losses
Cumulative US Combat Casualties
Total Friendly Forces Personnel Losses
South Vietnam Battle Statistics 24 - 30 July
Viet Cong Incidents
Viet Cong Attacks
Weapons Losses--GVN/VC
3 August 1966
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SOUTH VIETNAM
CURRENT SITUATION
25 50 75 100Mnes
25 50 75 70 Milometers
L163271
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I. THE MILITARY SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. Scattered, heavy contact has been reported in
Operation PAUL REVERE which has expanded to a total
force of three US 25th Infantry division battalions,
three US lst Cavalry Division battalions, one South
Korean battalion, and Civilian Irregular Defense Group
(CIDG) forces. Another brigade of three US infantry
battalions has been alerted for employment in this op-
eration and is presently positioned at Pleiku.
2. One company of the 25th Infantry Division en-
gaged an enemy force of unknown size on the morning of
3 August, resulting in no American casualties and 11
enemy killed. A total of 110 Communist troops have
been reported killed since this renewed fighting in
Pleiku Province began on 1 August.
3. One US Marine battalion, joined by one South
Vietnamese company, began a five-day search-and-destroy
operation five miles southeast of Da Nang yesterday.
This operation--Operation BUCKS--is sweeping an area
in which the 507th Viet Conq Battalion with a strength
of 300 and two unidentified Viet Cong companies of 150
men each are operating.
Status of Major Lines of Communications
4. The operational status of South Vietnam's
major highways remained the same during the week of 24-
30 July. There were no changes in the status of the
railway system. (See map on reverse.)
Weekly Review of South Vietnam Battle Statistics
5. The week of 24-30 July compared with the week
of 16-23 July:
I. Viet Cong Incidents
Time At- Regimental Battalion Company Harass- Ter-
Period tacks size size size ment rorism
16-23 July 24
24-30 July 20
487 20
3 August 1966
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CURRENT OPERATIONAL STATUS OF MAJOR TRANSPORTATION ROUTES AND COASTAL RAILROAD
-~--I Section of operable railroad
Section of inoperable road
Note: Routes are inoperable primarily
because of Viet Cong sabotage/
interdiction efforts.
Note: Bridges are still out alongNa-
tional Route I inQuangNam,
Quang Tri, Ninh Thuan, and
Binh Thuan Provinces; how-
ever, bypasses are available.
Information as of 30July 1966
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I. Viet Cong Incidents (Continued)
Time Sabo- Propa- Anti- Total
Period tage anda Aircraft Incidents
16-23 July 35 11 91 642
24-30 July 34 13 102 676
II. Casualties
VC/PAVN GVN
16-23 July 24-30 July 16-23 July 24-30 July
Killed 1,272 1,153 195 200
Wounded ----- ----- 361 426
Missing/ 120 89 42 31
Captured
TOTALS 1,392 1,242 598 657
US FREE WORLD
16-23 July 24-30 July 16-23 July 24-30 July
Killed 136 99 3 12
Wounded 578 531 7 16
Missing/ 2 20 0 0
Captured -
TOTALS 716 650 10 28
III. Weapons Captured
VC/PAVN
16-23 July 24-30 Jul 16-23 July 24-30 July
Individual 369 Not 151 186
Crew-served 26 Reported 0 3
3 August 1966
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1. Prime Minister Ky's office announced today
that Ky will depart on 10 August for the Philippines
to thank President Marcos personally for supporting
the GVN military effort. On 2 August, a spokesman
from the prime minister's office also issued a con-
firmation of Ky's intentions to "retire" from poli-
tics and return to full-time military duty after
an elected government is established in accordance
with the forthcoming constitution. The date of Ky's
expected retirement has been estimated to be some-
time in the fall of 1967, or, in the words of Ky,
"three to six months" after the constitution is
promulgated. The constitution is expected to be
finished in early 1967.
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3. general Nguyen Chanh Thi, speaking to
newsmen on 3 August at Lynchburg, Virginia,where
two of his children have been staying, said he
will be a candidate for "premier" of South Viet-
nam when elections are held under the new con-
stitution. Thi also stated that he expected to
limit his visit to the United States to about
three months.
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1. There is nothing of significance to report.
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IV. OTHER COMMUNIST MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS
1. There is nothing of significance to re-
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V. COMMUNIST POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. Soviet Premier Kosygin's 3 August speech
before the Supreme Soviet contained nothing new on
questions of foreign affairs and essentially re-
affirmed the polices-followed by Moscow for the
past year. In direct reference to Vietnam, Kosygin
repeated a standard pledge of the USSR to do "every-
thing in its power to help the Vietnamese people
expel as quickly as possible the American occupa-
tionists from Vietnamese soil." He also revealed
once again Soviet frustration over the existing
predicament in Vietnam when he said the US is to
blame for the present state of Soviet-American re-
lations, adding that the "current moment" is "not
favorable for taking concrete measures toward dis-
armament." However, he went on to say that even
now partial measures can be carried out such as
the "conclusion of a treaty on nonproliferation
of nuclear weapons."
2. The Soviet leader also reiterated party
chief Brezhnev's remarks, during the 23rd CPSU
Congress, that "unfortunately" all Soviet attempts
to improve relations with China "remain without
result." He added that Chinese attacks against
the USSR are "rendering a big service to the Ameri-
can imperialists." Consistent with Moscow's tac-'
tic of "reasonableness" in the Sino-Soviet wran-
gling, he claimed for the record that the Soviet peo-
ple still desire a restoration of friendly rela-
tions and unity with the Chinese.
3 August 1966
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VI. OTHER MAJOR ASPECTS
1. According to a Reuters press report from
London, Bertrand Russell plans to stage his well-
publicized mock trial of US policy makers for "war
crimes" in Vietnam next November in Paris. The
North Vietnamese have enthusiastically encouraged
Russell to conduct this kind of a propaganda show,
and according to the Reuters dispatch, Hanoi will
fly some 200 North Vietnamese who have been hurt
in US bombing raids to Paris to "testify." Last
month the DRV set up a special government committee
to investigate "US war crimes" in North Vietnam and
this committee is probably already engaged in pre-
paring "evidence" for presentation at the Russell
trials. The Reuters dispatch reported that the some
12-15 European and Latin American leftist personal-
ities representing legal, religious, and academic
circles will be asked to sit on the tribunal.
3 August 1966
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 SOU'T prVtEq"RAWI eLUO:STA fgln9T00826A0 0010012-0
WFE (LY REPORT 24-30 JULY 1966
Total Personnel Losses
(Killed in Action, Captured or Missing in Action, excluding rounded in Action)
gOO -- .
- GVN /US/other Free World
- Viet Cong/PAVN
AA00 US only
US Combat Casualties in Vietnam
(including North Vietnam)
Cumulative, 1961-1964
Cumulative, 1965
Cumulative, 1966 to date
TOTAL
255
1365
2919
1524
6110
17254
24888
12
136
96
Total Friendly Forces Personnel Losses
(US/GVN/Other Free World)
Killed in action E Missing or Captured in action
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WEEKLY REPORT 24- 30JULY 1966
Propaganda
Sabotage
Terrorism
Harassment
Attacks
NOV DEC I JAN I MAR 1 APR
Company and battalion sized attacks
Battalion sized (and larger) attacks only
Weapons Losses
2,0001
1,500
1,000
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