WEEKLY VIETNAM INDICATORS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T01719R000100100004-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 2, 2003
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: January 8, 1972
• Content Type: PERRPT

Approved For Release 2003/06/05 : CIA-RDP80T01719R000100100004-9
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WEEKLY VIETNAM INDICATORS
Week Ending 8 January 1972
Top Secret
NSA review completed
Approved For Release 2003/06/05 : CIA-RDP80TO1719R000100100004-9
 Approved For Release 2003/06/05 : CIA-RDP80T01719R000100100004-9
SOUTH VIETNAM WEEKLY INDICATORS
1968-1972
Weekly average for each month
600
500
400 1*~6
300 y f _ s
OCTOBER 1971 - JANUARY 1972
Weekly data as reported
60
October
November
50
40
30
20
10
0
US BATTLE DEATHS rose to 5 from the 2 reported last
week.
SOUTH VIETNAMESE BATTLE DEATHS
increased from last week's 136 to
149. The official total will change
as late reports are received and
will be lower than the figures re-
leased to the press by the GVN.
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and 2 small, special purpose groups
totaling some 17,292 personnel. The
number of infiltrators noted moving
toward South Vietnam and Cam-
bodia since 1 October 1971 is now
an estimated 55,600-57,600.
ENEMY-INITIATED INCIDENTS declined to 177 from last week's
204.
December I?i uary
ENEMY KILLED IN ACTION dropped to 803 from the 874 of
ctober . November December . Januar
SOUTH VIETNAMESE EFFECTIVENESS
INFILTRITORS DETECTEDII PIPELINE
6 13 20 27 4 11 18 25 1 8
Statistics for the latest week shown are preliminary
as measured by the percentage of
enemy killed by GVN forces climbed
to 98% from the 94% reported last
week.
Approved For e lease - 0100004-9
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 Enemy ActiAIRTved For Release 2003/06/05: CIA-RDP80T01719R000100100004-9
In north Laos, both captured documents and interrogation of
prisoners indicate that the enemy is determined to take Long Tieng,
and during the past week the North Vietnamese have moved some of their
130mm artillery pieces closer to the base. On 6 January, a sapper team
finished the destruction of the Long Tieng ammunition dump begun by the
130's the previous week. On 8 January, an irregular battalion engaged
an estimated 200 NVA on the ridge just two kilometers northeast of
Long Tie%g, killing at least 18 of the enemy. On the night of
8-9 January, 40-50 NVA infiltrated the Long Tieng valley and stirred
up five fire fights, including one in Vang Pao's old headquarters'
compound. The intensity of incoming 130mm artillery has, however,
diminished somewhat: 140-160 rounds last week compared to 370-400 the
week before. With Vang Pao sick, his deputy is directing the defense
from a headquarters to the southwest, while local air and logistical
support is coming from Ban Son, farther to the southwest. North of the
Plain of Jars (PDJ), the friendly position at Bouam Long has received
sporadic harassment and some ground probes, but there as yet has been
no sign of a major enemy effort to capture the site.
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Fighting in southern Laos has been heavy along the major approach
to the BoTovens Plateau between Pakse and Paksong, which was abandoned
under fire by friendly forces on 27 December. Friendly units at Ban
Gnik have come under heavy attack, and a relief column from Pakse was
attacked and brought to a halt several miles to the west of Ban Gnik.
The remainder of Laos has been relatively quiet, although enemy probes
northeast of Luang Prabang have been increasing in number.
In South Vietnam, enemy activity has continued at low levels during
the past week, but all source intelligence continues to reflect Com-
munist intentions to initiate major tactical operations about mid-
February (Tet).
In Cambodia, both enemy and friendly activity has been at low
levels. At this point, the Communists seem more interested in garnering
as much of the current rice crop as possible than in fighting, and for
the next few weeks, assuming FANK remains quiescent, there is not likely
to be much change in the situation. Most ARVN forces are withdrawing
from the Krek area of Cambodia to strengthen South Vietnamese forces in
Military Region 3, and a renewal of ARVN operations in this part of
Cambodia is unlikely until later in the dry season.
Enemy Infiltration
High levels of personnel infiltration were noted during the past
week as 17 regular groups and two small, special purpose groups were
detected moving southward. The acceptance of
raised the weekly estimate of infiltrators to some 17,300 and the
number of infiltrators moving toward South Vietnam-Cambodia since
1 October 1971 to some 55,600-57,600. This range could well be low
in that the sequential numbers of the groups suggest that another 11
h e 6 300 ersonnel have entered the system undetected.
m
t s
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o
groups wi
If these suspectedi are accepted, the estimated num-
ber of infiltrators destined for South Vietnam-Cambodia would be raised
to 61,900-63,900. While the flow of enemy supplies through the Panhandle
also increased this week to a new high for this dry season, the estimated
cumulative total of materiel still remains well behind that reached last
year at this time. The Communists have, however, expended considerable
effort thus far to assure their capability to sustain high levels of
activity by improving their transportation and command and control
posture this season. Roads have been built or improved in Laos, the
DMZ, and northeastern Cambodia, and an expanded apparatus to control
the movement of men and materiel in the Laos Panhandle and northeastern
Cambodia now appears to be operational.
Approved For Release 2003/06/05 : CIA-RDP80T01719R000100100004-9
 Approved For Release 2003/06/05 : CIA-RDP80T01719R000100100004-9
Top Secret
Approved For Release 2003/06/05 : CIA-RDP80T01719R000100100004-9