THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00826A001200010012-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 18
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 4, 2004
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: September 1, 1966
• Content Type: MEMO

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
ZwanorrudwL----1
THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM
Information as of 1600
1 September 1966
PREPARED FOR THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
FURTHER DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION
CONTAINED HEREIN IS NOT AUTHORIZED
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1 September 1966
HIGHLIGHTS
The Buddhist Institute may once again be press-
ing the government for the release of Buddhist po-
litical prisoners and for other concessions. There
are indications that Tri Quang may commit suicide
if the Buddhist demands are not met.
I. The Military Situation in South Vietnam:
South Vietnamese Army units engaged a Communist
force in northernmost Quang Tri Province yesterday,
killing 52 enemy troops (Para. 1). Two US opera-
tions in the central part of the country--PAUL
REVERE III and JOHN PAUL JONES--report li ht con-
tact with Communist forces (Paras. 2-3).
Weekly review of South Vietnam
battle s a is ics (Para. 6)
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III. Military Developments in North Vietnam:
The effectiveness of surface-to-air missiles in
North Vietnam remains low although there has
been a marked increase in the number fired (Paras. 1-4).
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V. Communist Political Developments: Hano=i
has not yet commented on De Gaulle 's Phnom Penh
speech (Para. 1).
South Vietnam Battle Statistics 21-27 Aug
Total Personnel Losses
Cumulative US Combat Casualties
Total Friendly Forces Personnel Losses
South Vietnam Battle Statistics 21-27 Aug
Viet Cong incidents
Viet Cong Attacks
Weapons Losses--GVN/VC
1 September 1966
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t5a va nna khet
C A M B O D I A
'Da Nang
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Kontum?
P10? Ko Bhp
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B.m Me
i Ijot
PHNOM
P EN HO
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SOUTH VIETNAM
CURRENT SITUATION
~Xuykn
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VIETNAM
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I. THE MILITARY SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. South Vietnamese Army units engaged an es-
timated company-size Communist force yesterday in an
area about six miles northeast of Quang Tri town in
northernmost Quang Tri Province. Friendly casualties
were reported as eight killed and four wounded. En-
emy losses included 52 killed and two captured.
2. A 200-man company of the US 101st Airborne
Brigade, participating in Operation JOHN PAUL JONES
in coastal Phu Yen and Binh Dinh provinces, report-
edly encountered a Viet Cong force near Dong Xuan
early today. No casualty reports are available.
This multibattalibn US operation began on 21 July
and has resulted to date in 224 Viet Cong killed and
39 captured.
3. One company of the US 25th Infantry Division
participating in Operation PAUL REVERE III in west-
ern Pleiku Province reported killing at least four
Communist troops in a brief encounter about 18 miles
west of Pleiku town. Phase III of this four-battalion
border surveillance operation began on 25 August.
To date two Americans have been reported killed and
one wounded.
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1 September 1966
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Weekly Review of South Vietnam Battle Statistics
6. The week of 21-27 August compared with the
week of 14-20 August:
I. Viet Cong Incidents
Time At- Regimental Battalion Company Harass- Ter-
Period tacks size size size ment rorism
14-20 Aug 18 0 2 1 403 14
21-27 Aug 23 0 3 4 356 15
Time Anti- Total
Period Sabotage Propaganda Aircraft Incidents
4
14-20 Aug 28 18 75 556
21-27 Aug 31 31 214 670
VC/NVA
GVN
14-20 Aug 21-27 Aug
14-20 Aug
21-27
Aug
Killed
1,877
1,009
216 20
5
Wounded
-----
-----
414 37
5
Missing/Captured
241
191
33 7
8
TOTALS
2,118 1,200 663 65
8
1 September 1966
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II0 Casualties (continued)
14-20 Aug 21-27 Aug 14-20 Aug 21-27 Aug
Killed 91 87
Wounded 425 599
Missing/Captured 8 1
23 5
63 14
0 0
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III0
Weapons Captured
VC/NVA
GV
N
14-20 Aug 21-27 Aug
14-20 Aug
21
-27 Aug
Individual
304
Not
211
208
Crew-served
29
Reported
4
6
TOTALS
333
215
214
1 September 1966
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III. MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS IN NORTH VIETNAM
1. North Vietnamese surface-to-air missile (SAM)
activity continued at a high level during the month
of August as 203 SAM firings succeeded in bringing
down six US aircraft. A total of 27 planes has been
lost to 723 SA-2 missiles fired since the first DRV
SAM firings in July 1965. In contrast to claims in
the Soviet press that the USSR's principal air de-
fense weapon has achieved 100-percent effectiveness
in North Vietnam, only Gout four percent of the mis-
siles fired have hit their targets.
2. The number of missile firings has increased
markedly since 30 June 1966 when Soviet personnel are
believed to have renewed their active participation
in the DRV missile system. During July and August
of this year there were 395 SAMs launched as com-
pared with 297 fired in the preceding 11 months.
Nine US aircraft were lost to SAMs in July and Au-
gust compared with the period between 24 April and 19
July when there were no SAM losses. This increase
was probably due in part to the fact that the number
of US missions has risen markedly and US aircraft
have flown over more heavily defended areas than
ever before. In addition, recent reforms undertaken
in the DRV air defense system may have played a part
in increasing US losses to SAMs. On the basis of
planes destroyed per missiles fired, however, the
effectiveness of the SA-2s in North Vietnam has
actually declined since the Soviets made their reap-
pearance in the system.
1 September 1966
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1 September 1966
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NORTH VIETNAM
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V. COMMUNIST POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. North Vietnam has not as yet reported or
commented on French President De Gaulle's 1 Septem-
ber speech in Phnom Penh on the Vietnam situation.
Hanoi commentary has been primarily concerned with
the celebration of the 21st anniversary of the
DRV's national day on 2 September. This commentary
has emphasized in routine language the Vietnamese
Communists' determination to continue the war and
their confidence in ultimate victory.
1 September 1966
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 SOUTH ftMA-` I I ~. O?TX2fq? JtRDP79TO08"AO01200010012-9
WEEKLY REPORT 21,- 27 AUGUST 1966
Total Personnel Losses
Viet Cong/PAVN
x,000 US only
SET OCT
ii VIII
LLLLJ
FEB
US Combat Casualties in Vietnam
(including North Vietnam)
Cumulative, 1961-1964
Cumulative, 1965
Cumulative, 1966 to date
TOTAL
255
1365
3269
1524
6110
19466
27120
12
136
139
AUG 1 SEPT I OCT I NOV I DEC I JAN I FEB I MAR I APR I MAY I
Total Friendly Forces Personnel Losses
(US/GVN/Other Free World)
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63651 Killed in action 0 Missing or Captured in action = Wounded in action
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SOUTH VIETNAM BATTLE STATISTICS
Viet Cong Incidents
Sabotage
Terrorism
0 Attacks
Viet Cong Attacks
Company and battalion sized attacks
- - - Battalion sized (and larger) attacks only
Weapons Losses
Er"I l .-L
I l E ' ___ > f__i... 1r ~ 1
AUG SEPT CT OV I DEC JAN [ EB I MAR APR MAY I JUNE I JULY I AUG
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