REQUEST FROM STATE AND NSC STAFF FOR 'FACT SHEET' ON VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01495R000500180010-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 29, 2005
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: May 15, 1974
• Content Type: MEMO

NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS
FFICI OF TVpproved PoYFR@ ?L1Wd CCIA-RDP
The Director
J DATE: May 15, 1974
DCI/NIO/SEA/
Request from State and NSC Staff for
"Fact Sheet" on Vietnam
REMARKS: 1. Monty Stearns (State) and Bill
Stearman (NSC Staff) have asked for a one-page
unclassified "fact sheet" spelling out (a) how
Communist troop strength has increased in
South Vietnam since the January 1973 settlement
agreement, and (b) the present status of
North Vietnamese forces. in Laos and Cambodia.
2. The figures we give will be used by State
DOD
d
, an
White House legislative liaison types
in discussions with congressmen and others on
the Vietnam military and economic aid bills for
FY 75 presently before congress.
3. The attached draft response has been
checked out with the ADDI, C/EA/DDO, C/VNO,
OCI and OER. All are willing to have the
attached "fact sheet" declassified and passed
to Stearns and Stearman for the purpose
indicated.
4. Have you any objections?
Attachment
cc: DDCI
DDO
DDI
D/DCI/NIO
NIO/SEA
25X1
Approved For Release 2006/01/17 : CIA-RDP80B01495R000500180010-0
 Approved For K ease 2006/0W E6IA=RDFiR4VM0A180010-0
F A C T S H E E T
May 15, 1974
Communist Forces in South Vietnam
1. As of mid-May 1974, there were 285,000 Communist main force
troops in South Vietnam (210,000 North Vietnamese and some
75,000 Viet Cong).
2. In late January 1973 when the Vietnam settlement agreement
was signed, there were some 220,000 Communist main force
troops in South Vietnam (160,000 North Vietnamese and
about 60,000 Viet Cong).
3. Infiltration of new troops and unit deployments from North
Vietnam -- in violation of the ceasefire agreement -- has
thus been sufficient to strengthen NVA forces in the South
by some 50,000 men. This increase in the strength of NVA
forces has taken place in spite of tens of thousands of
casualties suffered by North Vietnamese troops in the fighting
which has continued since the ceasefire.
4. North Vietnam has also sent some 400 new tanks to its forces
in the South since the ceasefire, and more than 1,000 field
and anti-aircraft artillery pieces.
North Vietnamese Forces in Laos and Cambodia
1. There are still some 50,000 North Vietnamese troops in Laos,
and available evidence indicates that Hanoi intends to keep
many or most of them in Laos -- in violation of the Laos
settlement agreement.
2. There are about 10,000 North Vietnamese troops in Cambodia.
A few of them are advisors to the Khmer Communists, but most
are engaged in operating and maintaining the NVA supply lines
to South Vietnam which riun through Cambodia. As long as North
Vietnam needs these supply corridors, some NVA troops will
almost certainly remain in Cambodia to man them.
Approved For~te 2006/9CS1AP~ 180010-0