INFORMATION ITEMS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-550-2-59-4
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: October 28, 2010
• Sequence Number: 59
• Publication Date: October 29, 1974
• Content Type: CABLE

No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/10/28 : LOC-HAK-550-2-59-4
o ~q~~a~z aCT 7A
FM THE SITUATION ROgM
TO A'MFMP.ASSY NEW DELHI ~ ~ ~~]" 7 "~`
T n n c c n v s-'r SENSITIVE CONTAINS CODEttlORD EX~LIU`~W~LY EYES ONLY
SECTION ~1 OF 02
Tt~HA K 59 .
DELIVER AT OPENING OF BUSINESS W}i42978
?PLEASE .PASS TO GOMPERT/BREMER FqR THE SECRE`TAR`Y
OCTpBER 29, 1974
MEMORANDUM FOR SECRETARY KISSINGE
DOS, Army, NAVY Reviews
FROM: THE SITt,fATION ROOM Completed
StJBJE'CT: I NFgRMATION ITEMS
SOVIET SHIP ACTIVITY: THE TWO GUIDED, MISSILE FRIGATES THAT.
HAt1F BE'E"~r IAA HAVANA. SINCE LATE SEPTEMBER TMlOVED TO CIENF1,fE~OS
ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF CUBA OVER THE' ~~)EFKEND. THE SHIPS WILL
PR08ABLY SPEND MOST bl~ THEIR TIME IN PORT, ALTHOUGH THERE
MAY $E LIMITED OPERATIONS WITH CUBAN NAVAL tn1NITS IN THE GARIP-
BEAN THE SOVIET HELICOPTER CARRIER LENINGRADR HAS RETURNED
Tq THE ATLANTIC ENROUTE TO THE" BLACK SEA FOLLO~iING SEVERAL
MONTHS I1~ THE INDIAN' OCEAN AND TH'E RED SEA. THE SHIP IS GUR-
RENTLY OFF THE .WEST COAST OF S0I1TH AFRICA, AND IS EXPECTED TO
MAKE A PORT CALL AT DAKAR, SENEGAL EARLY NEXT MONTH.
~'HILIPPINE COUNTERINSURGENCY (?PERATION: A FOUR-BATTALION
COUNTERI!~SURGENCY OF~ERATION IS ,UNDERWAY IN CENTRAL MINDANAO.
THIS MAJOR SEARC}{ AND DESTROY MANEUVER, WHICH BEGAN ON OCTO~?ER
15 FOLLOWING THE DOWNING OF A UH-LH HELICOPTER NEAR PARAI~G, IS
qNE OF THE LARGEST UNDERTAKEN IN THIS AREA. IT INVOLVES ONE
CONSTASULA~7Y A.ND THREE INFANTRY BATTALIONS SUPPORTED DY TACTICAL
AIRCRAFT AND NAVAL, GUNFIRE. REBEL FORCES ARE POSING STIFF R~ .
SISTANCE AND "HEAVY FIREPOWE'R` FROM FORTIFIEb POSITIONS, AND
SO E'AR THE GOVERNMENT HAS SUSTAINED 31 CASUALTIES AND CLAIMS
8? REBELS DEAD.. THE OPERATION FEATURES AN UNUS~JALLY RAPID RE-
SPgNSE TIME BY A 'MAJOR GOVERNMENT FORCE, SUGGESTING A MORE
AGGRESSIVE MILITARY POST[!RE. T3IF AREA IS A LONG-TIME REBEL
STF?ONGHgLD AND Ml)SLIM WILLINGNESS TO RESIST TENDS TO CgNFIR"~
REPORTS THAT IT IS A MAJOR ARMS STORAGE OR INFILTRATION SITE.
THE REBELS ARE LIKELY TO WITHDRAhI IN THE FACE OF SUPERIOf? `
GflVERNME~?T' FIREPO~~ER RATHER THAN St-STAIN HEAVIER LOSSES., NEVER-
THELESS, EVEN LIMITED GOVERN!~ENT SUCCESS t~-OULD TEND TO IMPRgVE.
MORALE' AND DENY REBEL ACCESS TO THIS IMPO~?TANT COASTAL AREA.
ENVY CASl1ALTIES IN MILITARY,RECIgN 1 OF SOUTH VIETNAM: FIGHT-
ING I'~?TE'NSIF'IED IN MR 1 BEGINNING IN~MID-JULY, u~HEN THE.NVA
BEGAN MANOR ATTACKS IN CENTRAL gUANG NAM PROVINCE. BOTH SIDES
REINFORCED THIS AREA, BUT THE CO!~MUNISTS TOOK ADVANTAGE flF ARVtJ
DEPLOYMENTS AND LAUNCHED NFW ASSAULTS IN NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN
MR 1. THE SOUTH, VIETNAMESE HAVE IDENTIFIED 15 NVA INFANTRY
PEG IME'NTS AS WELL AS SUPPO!~TI NG ARMOR, ARTILLE'RY` AND ~E'AR-
SERVICE UNITS INVOLtIED IN THE CURRENT OPERATIaNS. TEN REGULAR
ARVt+! I!~FANTRY REGIMENTS NAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE HEAVY .FIGHTIEtG.
0~' THESE, SIX ARE SAID Ta BE PRESENTLY CONSIDERED MINI!~ALLY
CO~lE3AT EFFECTIVE AND THREE OTHERS QUESTIONAELE DUE TO HEAVY
CASUALTIES. THREE qF THE FgUR RANGER GaOUPS V~ERE AL$O ENGAGE.
THREE- BATTALIONS HAVE ALMOST BEEN I~ESTF~OYED. SEVERAI. REGIQNAL
FORCE UNITS SUFFERED INTENSIVE LOSSES, .AND SEVERE MORALE PROBLE
HAVE DEVELOPED IN OTHERS,.. PARTICULARLY THOSE IN THE SOUTI{. THE
AIRBORNE` -- ~_____ ___~_______ ~_____-- ~.___.., __.~_.~ _.._~.___....
No Ob~ection to Declassification in Part 2010/10/28 : LOC-HAK-550-2-59-4
25X1
ON-FILE NSC RELEASE
INSTRUCTIONS APPLY
 O~R1='' THAN No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/10/28 : LOC-HAK-550-2-59-4 ' N
JULY I8 AND OCTOBER 15.. THE MAJORITY t7r~ 1ti~ GA~~ALt.~~~ n!tH~
MOUNDED, AND HALF OF THESE AND MANY OF TNE.MORE THAN 2,00
MISSING SHOULD E~!ENTUALL:Y .RETURN TO THEIR UNITS. DURING' THIS
PERIOD, OVEF. 5,040 REPLACEMENTS WERE ASSIGNED TO MR 1. ARVN
t~NIT5 CAN BE REBUILT iN TIME, ALTHOUGH REALACING FIEL1}EXPERIENCED
OFFICERS WILL BE A MAJOR PROBLEM. .'THE GOVERNMENT ESTIMATES OVER
7,'~f~'~ NVA-VC HAVE BEEN" KILLED SINCE THE OFFENSIVE BEGAN. t~NEN
WOU~+IDED AND MISSING PERSONNEL ARE CONSIDERED, THE 15 ATTACKING
NV.A-VC REGIMENTS HAEXE UNDbl~ATEDLY SUFFERED HEAVY LOSSES.. TNT'
1:'xACT STATUS OF THE ll~NI7S INVOLVED CAiJNOT BE" DETERMII~E?~. BI1T
SOME ELFME!~TS ARE NO LONGER IDENTIFIA!?L~' ON TNF BATTLEFIELD
BFC,AUSE dF TNEIR FAILURE TO RE,CFIVE REPLACEMENTS. 4-}{ILE T}(F_
SI7F OF THE PRFFIGNTI4~ REPLACF"1FNT POOL IS NOT KNO~~tN, 5,4100
N11A PERSO~tNFL NAVE P..EEN INFILTRATED INTO NORT~{E'~?N MR 1 SINCE
THE ATTACKS BEGAN, THREE TIMES THE' NUMBER DURING THE SAME
I9T3 PFRIbD, AND THE WEAKENED NVA FORCES CAN BE REBUILT..MITN
LITTLE DIFFICULTY. LOSS OF COMBAT-TESTED LEADERS IS ALSO A
PROBLEM FOR THE COMMUNISTS. EOTH SIDES APPARENTLY NEED THE
UPGOMI;'~ RAINY SEASON FbR R~GRQUPING AND THE TRAINING O1+` NEM
PERSONNEL. RVN OFFICERS !HAVE INDICATED SUCH A DESIRE AND
THE INCREASED NVA EMPHASIS ON SAPPER ATTACKS AND L.OC INTER:
DICTIONS I'NDICATFS A DESIRE TO AVOID MAINFORCE CONFRONTATIONS.
GOVERNME'~T AND COMMUNIST FORCES, HOt~EVER, STILL RETAIN THE
CAPABILITY FOR STRONG REACTIONS TD INCURSIONS INTO AREAS GON-
SIDERED VITAL TO TNEIR RESPECTIVE I(JTERE'STS.
ASNINGTON STAR- MEWS: .CROSBY NOYES ~~1RITES THE CHARGE THAT
A LOPSIDED DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS COUL1~ $E A THREAT TO ~10RLD
PEACE"HAS BEEN DISMISSED AS BOILERPLATE POLITICAL RUBBISH
AND MAYBE IT IS. BUT rNERE ALSO IS AN EI,FMENT OF REAL CONCERN
ON THE PART OF PRESIDENT FORD AND YOU THAT A HOSTILE AND
ASSERTIVE' CONGRESS CAN SERIOUSLY HAMPER THE CONDUCT OF AMERI-
.CAN FOREIGN" POLICY IN THE FUTURE. I~~NAT TROUBLES, THE ADMINI-
918 ,
5451. '
n~NNN
r.,.
_. No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/10/28 : LOC-HAK-550-2-59-4
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/10/28 : LOC-HAK-550-2-59-4
~~
0 ? X2243? OCT 74
FM THE SITtJATTON ROOM
Ta AMEMBASSY NFW DELHI
T SENSITIVE CONTAINS CODEWDRD EXCLUSIVELY FYF'S ONLY
DELIVER AT OPENING OF BUSINESS !~H42978
02
STRATION LEADERS A GDQD DEAL MORE IS A GROWING TENDENCY IN
CONGRESS TO CLAIM A KIND OF ONGOING OVE~tSIGHT IN THE DAY-TD-
DAY CONDUCT aF FOREIGN POLICY. !GIVEN LARGE ENOUGH MAJgRITT~S
AND SUFFICIENT DETERMINATION, THE CONGRESS COULD, IN FACT,
~'R[.-STRATE AN EFFECTIVE FOREIGN POLICY.. THE TROUBLE IS THAT .
THE MORE' FORE SAYS DN TFiT5 S!lBJECT IN THE COURSE OF THEF.LECTTON
CAMPAIGN, THE WORSE HIS RELATIONS WITH THE NEXT C4NGRE.SS ARE
LIKELY TO BE.
STAR EDITORIAL ON "HOPE FOR SALT" .SAYS THE MAJOR CHANGE,
IS THAT THE LATEST RUSSIAN IDEAS t?N-THE SUBJECT OF NUCLEAR _
LIMITATIONS ARE NOT AS CDPIPLETELY ABSURD AS THEIR !~ARLIFR
ONES. THIS MAY NOT BE THE CONCEPTUAL BREAKTHROUGH THAT YOU
NAME. BEEN LOOKING FOR IN YOUR TALKS WITH 1'HE. SOVIET LEADERS.
B~_~T, IT IS ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU THINK THAT THERE IS NOW A
"RF~,SONABLF CHANCE' F A SECOND STAGE ARMS. LIMI.TATIQN AG~?FE-
ME'!~jT SOMETIME NEXT YEAR AND A GOOD BASIS FOR THE..' FORTHCOMING
MI~NTSt1MMIT BETWEEN BREZHNEV AND PRESIDENT FORD IW, VLPhIVOSTOK
P]~:XT MONTH. JUST POSSIBLY, THE SOVIET LEP,DERS Nfl?a R~;ALIZII
THAT IF IT COMES TO AN ALL-OUT RACE THEY ARE LIKELY TO LflS~'
IT. IF YOU SUCC~'ED IN CD~NVINCING THE SOVIET LEADERS THAT .THEIR
OWN SALVATION AND THAT OF MANKI'ND' LIES IN THIS l~IRF'CTIQN, TT
WILL RATE AS ONE OF THE GREATEST ACHIEVE"fF"NTS IN AMERICAN
DIPLOMA.TIC.HISTORY. A CARTOON OF BRFZHNFV AND YOIJ ACCflMPP,NIES
THE EDITORIAL. YOU ARE SEATED AR0~1l~1D THE SALT TALKS TABLE.
YO}.! HAVE..' JUST. LIT A CIGAR FOR BREZHNEV. ~ THE S~!OKE FROM. THE
MATCH READS "JACKSON AMFND'~F..NT." A TATTERED BREZHNEV SI1~S
AT .,THE. TAat..E, THE CIGAR HAVING EXPLODED IN HIS FACE.
P~ ~?ClOTI~IG DIPLOMATIC SOURCES IN SANTIAGO,. SAID THAT CHILE' S
RULING JUNTA SOON WILL 'RELEASE. ABOUT 2,0~bPl POLITICAL PRISONERS.
THE SOURCES SAID ABOUT 5~0P1 WILL RE DEPORTED.
~~TER REPORT'S THAT THE PALESTINIAN COMMANDO MOVEMENT TODAY
17E'NIED REPORTS THAT IT HAO AGREED AT AN ARAB SUMMIT IN RABAT TO
THE FORMATION DF A JOINT JORDANIAN-PALESTINIAN DELEG:ATIDN TO :THE
GENEVA PEACE TALKS..
3 92 .
645
NIaNN
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/10/28 : LOC-HAK-550-2-59-4
25X1..