REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM.

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-263-1-97-2
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: December 9, 2009
• Sequence Number: 97
• Publication Date: March 21, 1975
• Content Type: CABLE

OP, Two ;;:
~r~ri~: T ~v-~1# COPY
'DE ATE #1559 0801411
0 2113382 MAR 7
PM THE. SITUATION ROOM //TOHAK 157//
TO Bf3RG/ADA.MS/ROOMAN FOR THE. SECRETARY
S E C R E T CONTAINS CODEWORO
WHSo'J2.B
MEMORANOUM FOR THE SECRETARY
FROMS THE SITUATION ROOM
SUSJECTI REPUBLIC OF, VIETNAM.
THE SITUATION NORTH OF HUE REMAINS SERIOUS; HOWEVER,
GOVERNMENT DEFENSE. LINES A-RED BEGINNING TO STABILIZE AS
THE MILITARY REGION (4R) 1 COMMANDER, MAJ GEN TRUONGO
MOVES HIS FORCE$ INTO DEFENSIVE" POSITIONS NOtRTH, WEST,
AND SOUTH OF THE C>ITY,, THE COMMUNIST ATTACK AND CAPTURE
OF VIRTU.A.LLY DESERTED OUANG TRY CITY ON 19 MARCH AND
SUBSEQUENT REPORTS. OF NVA TANKS AND INFANTRY HEADING SOUTH
TOWARD HOF APPEAR Tp HAVE INITIALLY SHAKIFN ARVN CON+
FIDENCF Its ITS ASIL'ITY TO DEPEND HUE? MOWEVER, THE HEAVY
ASSAULTS AGAINST THE CITY ENVISIONED BY LUCAL SOUTH
VIETNAMESE COMMANDERS HAVE NOT YET OCCURRED ANO P(,ANS FOR
DEFENDING THE CITY ARE DEING IMPLEMENTED. THE MY CHANN
RIVER, WHICH, FORMS THE QUANG IRI?THUA THIEM PROVINCIAL
MOROFR IN THE ROUTE I AREA, WILL 8!! THE NORTHERh4MOST
DEFENSIVE POSITION IT 18 oEFENDEU DY FOUR ARVN RANGIER
AND to REGIONAL ,F"DRCF SAYTALrON5 BACKED BY ARMOR UNITS,
THE LINE EXT!NDIMG St1UTHWEBTWARpIS DEFENDED BY A MARINE
BRIGADE, THE ARVN 15T DIVISION IS OPERATING IN THE HIGH
GR IUND: WEST AND SOUTHWEST OF HUE AND TWO 3ATTALIONS OF
ANOTHER MARINE BRIrADE; ARE DEPLOY!O NEAR PHU LCIC, BETWEEN
HUE . AMD THE MAX VAN PASS. THE VITAL PASS 1$ DEFENDED SY
THREE REGIONAL FORCE BATTALIONS,
SOUTH )Fr DA NANG# TWO BATTALIONS FROM THE ARVN 30 DIVISION
HAVE REINFORCE' QUANG TIN PROVINCEo BUTT AS IN QUANG NGAI
PROVINCE, COMMUNIST FORCES ARE CONTINUING TO PRESSURE GOVERN"
MENT,POSITIONS? AT LAST REPORT, ROUTE' I WAS OPEN BETWEEN
,r +r rv * ,~ ~Ir r a +- * W HS R COMMENT ~- w r w- w
MCFARLANE,Rur)44AN,SEC F
RECALLED
PSNIt?43 68P PAGE. I l
T091080/ I4l 1. Z
25X1
NSA review(s)
completed
ON-FILE NSC RELEASE
INSTRUCTIONS APPLY
DTG1211338Z MAR 7S
r~-;w r+A $ IE C R E T **e**..S COPY
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2009/12/09: LOC-HAK-263-1-97-2
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2009/12/09: LOC-HAK-263-1-97-2
~~r,tr~r-w 8 E C R E T *******S COPY
QUANG NGA I AND DA MANG,
LEAD Et,EMENTS OP- THE EVACUATION COLUMN FROM THE HIGHLANDS
ARRIVED AT TUY HOA PROVINCE LAST NIGHT, INITIAL REPORTS IN.
MATE THAT WITHDRAWING` YROOPS WERE ORDERLY AND UNDER CON.
TROI,. THE EXTENT OP NVA HARASSMENT OF THE CDL;UMM 18 NOT
KNOWN, BUT A 28 MARCH COMMUNIST MESSAGE STATED THAT CHED RED
HAD REEN OCCUPIED ANnt THOUGH PROBABLY.EXAGG 'RAIEI, "TWENTY.
EIGHT 188,MM HOWITZERS, 48 TANKS, AND MANY ARMORED
VEHICLts" HAD BEEN CAPTURED,
ELEMENTS Of THE ARVN 3D AIRBORNE BRIGADE, WHICH ARRIVED AT
CAM RANH BAY ON 19 MARCH, AR.F EN ROUTE TO WESTERN KHANH
HOA PROVINCE* WITH THE DEFEAT OP THE ;0D ARVN DIVISION IN
DARLAC PROVINCE, THE AIRBORNE WILL HAVE TIE IMPORTANT JOB
OP, DE1rENDING THE HIGH GROUND ALONG ROUTE 21 AND THE WESTERN
APPRIACt1ES TO KPAMH HOA PROVINCE,
DIVISION, AN NVA POISONER CAPTURED IN THE BAN ME THUOT
FIGHTING CLAIMED TO RE, PROM THE 316TM, BUT IT HAS NOT
FIRMLY ESTABLISHED THAT THE DIVISION IS IN DARLAC PROV
IN AOOTTTOM TO HEAVY F,IGMTING IN THE TAY NINH AREA, RINM
TUY AND LONG KHANH PROVINCES HAVE EXPERIENCED INCREASED ENEMY
ACTIVItY~, ON 19 MARCH, AFTER DAYS OP HEAVY FIGHTING, GOVERN.
MENT FORCES WERE ROUTED IN THE, DINH QUAN AREA, EFFECTIVELY
14 LOCKING ROAD ACCESS TO THE HIGHLANDS A40NG ROUTE 120, ON
ON THE 2 1TH, HOAX DUC DISTRICT TDWN, IN SINM THUY WAS OVERRUN,
AND ATTACKS AGAINST YUAN LOC DN ROUTE 1 CAN RE EXPECTED SOON,
IN +3INH LONG PROVINCE, THE BREAKOUT FROM THE GOVERNMENT ENCLAVES
AT AN LOC AND CHAN THANM IS REPORTED TO RE MEETING LITTLE
COMMUNIST OPPOSIT*DP4.
RECALLED
PSNI 8:43662 PAfGE' @p
TGSF11888/14111I DTG32113 SZ MAR 7B
8 P C R E T .*s*e**S COPY
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2009/12/09: LOC-HAK-263-1-97-2
25X1
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2009/12/09: LOC-HAK-263-1-97-2
01 r C R F T ******. T
Z. MR 4, COMMUNI$T FMACE$ I'ONTINUE TO THREATEN CAM THAI AND TH
ROUTE d AREA NEAR THE DINH THUUNG"Kxl?'N PWONa PROVINCIAL
BORDER, RUT NO SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS OR CUNTACTS WITH
GOVERNMENT FORCES HAVE- BEEN REPORTF0,
RECALLF0
P$N$0336R2 PAGE 03 OF 03 TOtSOPOJ14I.11Z QTG1211336Z MAR 75
+~r-~r,~r-* 3 F: C R F Y *******$ COPY
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2009/12/09: LOC-HAK-263-1-97-2