LAOS SITUATION REPORT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85T00875R001100100157-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 5, 2008
• Sequence Number: 157
• Publication Date: December 21, 1971
• Content Type: IM

 Approved For Release 2008/08/05: CIA-RDP85T00875R001100100157-2
65
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OCI No. 2423/71
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Directorate of Intelligence
21 December 19 71
INTELLIGENCE MEMORANDUM
1. There has been a respite in enemy ground activity
in the Plaine des Jarres area. No information is available
to indicate whether the North Vietnamese have occupied the
two fire support bases--Cobra and Stingray--which were
abandoned on 20 December. The irregulars f.t om these posi-
tions are moving with other forces retreating toward the
defenses around Long Tieng. On the night of 20-21 Jecember
sappers struck Long Tieng :itself, damaging four forward air
controller aircraft and wounding a number of Meo civilians.
2. Vang Pao was in Vientiane on 21 December, and
Ambassador Godley characterized him as "more demoralized
than we have ever seen him." According to Defense Minister
Sisouk, "fang Pao was nearly incoherent during an interview
with Prime Minister Souvanna. He received permission from
Souvanna to evacuate civilians from Long Tieng. The Meo
had already begun moving south before he returned. USAID
has already set up food and medical relief &tations to the
south of Long Tieng in an effort to keep the Meo exodus
under control.
3. Preparations to defend the area west of the Plaine
are continuing. Three 155-mm., six 105-mm., and six 75-mm.
howitzers are being moved into Long Tieng; weather permitting,
they will be deployed in the defensive line by Christmas.
(Total artillery losses on the Plaine amounted to 14
105-mm. and 10 155-mm. howitzers.) In eddition to these
guns, six 105s and six 153s have arrived in Udorn and
will be deployed as soon as possible.
4. The King has delayed the planned move of two
battalions from the Luang Prabang area until 26 December
State Dept. review completed
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SECRET
because of the harvest festival at his farm. A four-
battalion irregular group mobile from Savannakhet is
scheduled to be deployed near Pha Dong. The situation
in south Laos is precarious, however, and new Communist
attacks are anticipated at any time. Yesterday the town
of Dong Hene on Route 9 about 30 miles cast of Savannakhet
was rocketed. There are also numerous indications that an
enemy force of some-three regiments is readying for an
attack on Paksong on the Bolovens Plateau. These develop-
ments may preclude the release to Long Tien g of the highl'r
capabinn irregular units from Savannakhet.
5. Weather over the Plaine is unusually bad, severely
.Limiting Lao Air Force T-28 support. Over 100 US air sorties
are scheduled for today, despite the weather.
SECRET
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