CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00975A022500060001-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 13, 2003
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: August 9, 1972
• Content Type: REPORT

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DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
Central Intelligence Bulletin
Secret
N2 42
9 August 1972
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No. 0190/72
9 August 1972
Central Intelligence Bulletin
SOUTH VIETNAM: Situation report. (Page 1)
CAMBODIA: The Communists continue to disrupt gov-
ernment efforts to reopen Route 1. (Page 3)
NORWAY-EC: The polls show the voters oppose EC
membership. (Page 5)
PANAMA: Legislative elections held without inci-
eent. (Page 6)
CHILE: Devaluation (Page 7)
INDONESIA: Communist activity (Page 7)
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Gulf of
Thailand
XU YH N
ANC", TIN
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C SOUTH VIETNAM: The Communists are putting in-
creased pressure on government forces trying to re-
take Quang Tri City.
Late on 7 August South Vietnamese paratroopers
southwest of the city were attacked by tank-led en-
emy forces, and marine positions inside the city
were hit by heavy North Vietnamese infantry assaults.
Government forces so far are holding their ground
with the help of heavy allied air strikes and ar-
tillery fire, but communications have been lost with
some of the units.
North of town, a third North Vietnamese regi-
ment has been identified along the enemy's major
supply line into the city, suggesting that the Com-
munists may be preparing to shifty from primarily de-
fensive to offensive operations in that sector.
The Communists also are maintaining pressure
against government positions west of Hue. South
Vietnamese forces have repelled several fairly heavy
enemy ground and artillery attacks in the Bastogne-
Checkmate area during the past two days. Additional
information on the recent enemy raids against sev-
eral hamlets south of Hue indicates that the attack-
ers were local Viet Cong under orders to get as
close to the city as possible to test the govern-
ment's defenses. Sporadic fighting continues near
Que Son in Quang Nam Province and along the coast
farther south in Quang Ngai Province.
East of Saigon in Bien Hoa Province, fighting
continues near the district capital of Long Thanh.
Yesterday, government forces suffered fairly heavy
losses when the Communists ambushed a security pa-
trol north of Long Thanh and fired several 122-mm.
rockets into the town.
9 Aug 72 Central Intelligence Bulletin
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Takeo
way Rieng'
Route 1
? n;Loc
SAR3ON?*
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KOMP6NG CRAM
_----- 4Enerny a tacks
Kompon ham*l " Chhup Plantation,
Miles
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CAMBODIA: The Communists are continuing to
disrupt government efforts to reopen Route 1.
In the past few days, enemy troops--reportedly
supported by T-54 tanks--have carried out a series
of sharp attacks against the town of Kompong Trabek,
which recently was recaptured by Cambodian and South
Vietnamese forces. The Communists have pressed
their attacks in the face of heavy US air strikes
and, at last report, had forced the remaining five
government battalions to withdraw to new positions
just west of the town.
This is the first use of armor by the enemy
in the Cambodian conflict. Estimates vary as to
how many tanks are involved in the fighting, but
US pilots have reported that air strikes may have
destroyed or damaged as many as 17. Several North
Vietnamese prisoners have claimed that 18 tanks
recently were dispatched from the Communist-con-
trolled Chup plantation in Kompong Cham Province
to help retake Kompong Trabek. Enemy ground forces
involved in the fighting may include elements of
two seasoned Vietnamese Communist regiments.
The government has rushed reinforcements to
its staging base for Route 1 operations at Neak
Luong to prepare for another push toward Kompong
Trabek. Phnom Penh has asked the South Vietnamese
for fresh assistance in the Kompong Trabek area as
most of the South Vietnamese troops that took part
in the recapture of the town on 24 July have since
returned to the border area.
The enemy pressure on Kompong Trabek is most
likely designed to prevent the Cambodians from
carrying out their planned advance eastward along
Route 1 to the isolated town of Svay Rieng. Such
an advance would jeopardize vital Communist supply
lines running through that area into the delta re-
gion of South Vietnam.
(continued)
9 Aug 72 Central Intelligence Bulletin
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In other sections of the country, the Commu-
nists are generally maintaining a low military pro-
file. Recent harassing attacks against several
government positions on Route 7 west of Kompong Chain
City have again resulted in the temporary closure
of a small portion of that highway. There is no
evidence, however, that suggests that the Communists
intend to mount any major actions in this sector.
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NORWAY-EC: Oslo's initial success at increasing
domestic acceptance for Norwegian membership in the
European Communities has bogged down.
A poll conducted in mid-July showed only 37
percent in favor of entry? the same percentage as
the month before. Although those opposed dropped
from 44 percent to 42 percent, this was hardly prog-
ress for the government, because the opposition had
been as low as 40 percent in April. Thus, the out-
come of the referendum scheduled for 24-25 September
is still in the hands of the 21 percent who remain
"uncertain." A simple majority is necessary. The
practical economic advantages of membership may yet
have a more marked influence on voters. The refer-
endum is only advisory, but most observers expect
the Norwegian parliament to go along with the re-
sult, either way. Three fourths of parliament must
endorse entry before it becomes law.
The outcome in Norway will have some impact on
the Danish referendum scheduled for 2 October. Den-
mark's EC entry would require 71 percent of the
popular vote, which is binding on parliament. The
Irish referendum in May produced an unexpectedl
large ma`orit in favor of joining the EC.
9 Aug 72
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PANAMA: The elections for a national legisla-
ture were conducted without incident, but the next
step toward establishing the Torrijos regime's le-
gitimacy will be more difficult.
The results of the balloting for this 505-mem-
ber body are not yet available, but the government
media are trumpeting the honesty with which it was
conducted and the high percentage of participation.
The regime had ensured the heavy turnout by easing
voting requirements and by announcing that a voting
certificate will be necessary in the future for
such matters as obtaining drivers' licenses.
The election was run without political parties,
issues, or opposition, and merely establishes an
assembly charged with selecting a president and
vice-president and with approving a new constitu-
tion. The tenure of the legislature remains un-
clear. The new constitution presumably could em-
power it to continue in session after its appointed
tasks are accomplished. Even the date of the open-
ing assembly is uncertain. The original election
decree set the first meeting 15 days after the an-
nouncement of the results, but General Torrijos now
is saying that the assembly will meet between 11
October and 11 November.
A consensus on the new constitution evidently
will be difficult to achieve. Last week Torrijos
held a series of meetings with key sectors of Pana-
manian society to discuss the recommendations of
his Constitutional Reform Commission. Discussions
with union leaders, campesinos, and business groups
reportedly went badly, and a good deal more consul-
tation appears likely before the document is ready
for the assembly to consider.
9 Aug 72
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NOTES
CHILE: In an effort to reduce further the for-
eign exchange drain, President Allende has announced
an exchange rate devaluation ranging from nine per-
cent for some non-trade items to 69 percent for
luxury goods. In addition, the government has fur-
ther complicated its multiple exchange rate system
by adding two new trade rates.. Santiago also acted
to discourage Chileans from traveling abroad by
doubling the cost of securing hard-currency. One
probable result of the devaluation will be an in-
crease in inflationary pressures. The private sec-
tor, whose profit margin has been reduced by wage
increases and price controls, will be squeezed fur-
ther because of the increase in the cost of imported
spare parts and raw materials.
INDONESIA: The arrest of several high-ranking
officers for Communist activity will be considered
by Djakarta as justification for the continuous in-
vestigation of Indonesian military and civilian
agencies. Two generals, a colonel, and more than
ten middle-level officers have been charged. The
colonel--former deputy commander of the army engi-
neer corps--has confessed to having been a party
member since 1946 and to involvement in the murder
in 1970 of an Indonesian intelligence officer who
was working against the Communists. This is the
largest roundup of high-ranking officers since
1968. It will further confirm the government's
apprehension over the clandestine subversive threat
and will be interpreted as vindication of its -pol-
icy of keeping critics on a short leash.
9 Aug 72 Central Intelligence Bulletin
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Secret
Secret
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