THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00472A001900050007-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 19
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 6, 2014
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: April 23, 1965
• Content Type: MEMO

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23 April 1965
HIGHLIGHTS
Ground fighting appears to have been temporarily
suspended in Quang Tin Province, but new air attacks
have been launched against Viet Cong fortifications
south of Da Nang. Premier Quat has indicated a num-
ber of army reforms he is considering. US and South
Vietnamese aircraft continued to strike at targets
in North Vietnam,
The Liberation
Front has set up a permanent mission in Moscow.
This appears to be the first tangible result of Le
Duan's trip to the USSR and Communist China. The
high-level DRV delegation arrived home on 23 April.
TheCommunists continue to present themselves as
"reasonable" but Liberation Front officials in
Prague declared that the nonaligned nations' appeal
for a peaceful settlement was "unacceptable."
I. The Military Situation in South Vietnam:
New air attacks have been launched against Viet Cong
fortifications south of Da Nang, in Quang Tin Prov-
ince. Ground fighting appears to have been temporarily
suspended (Para. 1). Communist strongholds northeast
and southwest of Saigon have been attacked by USAF
and VNAF aircraft (Para. 2). Two US military person-
nel were killed and one wounded last night in Quang
Tin Province when Viet Cong guerrillas fired on a
USMC/USN underwater demolition team survey party
(Para. 3). The large-scale government heliborne op-
eration in Binh Dinh Piovince is continuing (Para. 4).
II. Political Developments in South Vietnam:
Premier Quat has mentioned several internaf improve-
ments he hopes to make in the ARVN to cope with a
possible renewal of Viet Cong offensive activity
(Para. 1). The archbishop of Hue states that urban
morale has improved as a result of the air strikes
on the North and that Catholic relations with the
Buddhists in hi A area are better; he felt, however,
that a temporary cessation of the air strikes was
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desirable to give Hanoi an opportunity to seek negotia-
tions (Para. 2). 50X1
tribesmen may attack 50X1
the town of Ban Me Thuot on 24 April. _There have been no
recent indications, however, that a new revolt is imminent
(Para. 3).
III, Military Developments in North Vietnam: Some 220
US and South Vietnamese aircraft conducted strikes and armed
reconnaissance missions in North Vietnam on 23 April south
of the 20th parallel. Seven bridges were destroyed, several
ferries sunk or damaged, and a number of vehicles hit (Paras.
1-4). A US Navy air strike against DRV vessels near Vinh
on 22 April damaged five of them (Para. 5). All aircraft
returned safely. I
IV. Other Communist Military Developments: Nothihg
significant to report.
V. Communist Political Developments: The top-level
DRV delegation which has been visiting Moscow and Peiping
arrived homeon 23 April. Hanoi has announced that the
"friendship visits" ended "successfully" (Para. 1). The
first tangible result of the talks in Moscow appears to be
the establishment of a permanent Liberation Front mission
in the Soviet capital (Para. 2).
DRV propaganda stresses the importance of Chi-
nese Communist support, but the wording of a domestic broad-
cast appears designed to reassure the population that Chi-
nese volunteers will arrive only if invited by Hanoi (Paras.
4, 5, and 6). The Chinese continue to spread the idea that
the Communist side is "reasonable" while US "aggression" is
a threat to world peace. Chou En-lai hinted that Peiping
might be interested in negotiations concerning Cambodia "as
a start" toward a settlement (Paras. 7-10). Liberation Front
officials, however, have declared the nonaligned nations' ap-
peal "unacceptable" (Para. 11). Asian Communist propaganda
will make increased use of pictures showing "war damage" in
North Vietnam (Para. 12). An important Italian Communist
Party delegation is leaving Rome on 23 April for visits to
Moscow, Peiping, and Hanoi (Para. 13).
23 April 1965
ii
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VI. Other Major Aspects: The Cambodian foreign
minister has said that Phnom Penh will insist that
anew Geneva conference must address itself solely
to the Cambodian problem. He admits, however, that
such a meeting might be the occasion of informal
discussions concerning Vietnam which could lead to
an enlargement of the terms of reference. Press
reports quote the South Vietnamese foreign minister
as stating that his government had agreed to a con-
ference limited to the Cambodian problem, but would
join in any effort aimed at restoring peace and
preserving freedom.
23 April 1965
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I. THE MILITARY SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. The press reports today that US and Viet-
namese fighter aircraft again bombed and strafed
heavily fortified Communist positions 28 miles
south of Da Nang, near the government outpost of
Viet An. The effect of this strike_ on the Viet
Cong is not yet known. Ground fighting has ap-
parently been temporarily suspended, following yes-
terday's withdrawal of government forces in the
face of heavy enemy resistance.
2. US military authorities reported an es-
timated 30 Viet Cong killed in a USAF strike yes-
terday against a guerrilla stronghold 275 miles
northeast of Saigon. Also yesterday more than
115 houses and a bridge were destroyed in two sep-
arate raids in the Ca Mau Peninsula, 150 miles
southwest of Saigon, according to press accounts
from Saigon.
,3. A USMC/USN underwater demolition team
survey party was fired on by an unknown number of
Viet Cong last night as they attempted to cOme
ashore in landing craft from the USS Cook at the
mouth of the Tra Bang River, 55 miles southeast
of Da Nang, in Quang Tin Province. One marine and
one navy man were killed, and another navy, man
wounded. The marines returned the fire with un-
known results.
4. Updated interim results of the large-
scale government heliborne operation initiated
on 19 April in Binh Dinh Province to locate and
destroy the 50th main force Viet Cong battalion
and one local force Viet Cong company list enemy
casualties thus far as 39 killed and 25 captured.
Friendly losses are placed at 14 killed (ten US),
and 19 wounded (seven US). Nine of the ten US
killed were helicopter crewmen killed during the
initial assault phase. The operation is continuing.
23 April 1965
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5. MACV's military report for 21 April shows
22 Communist-initiated incidents, eight of which
occurred during the repotting period, Viet Cong
saboteurs mined an unescorted freight train in Bien
boa Province, derailing theengine and two freight
cars and injurihg five railroad_employees. Bridges
were sabotaged in Binh Duong and Haulighia provinces.
Small-arms harassing fire was placed,on-government
posts, hamlets, and on district headquarters in Dinh
Tuong, Chuong Thien, and Binh Thy provinces.
6. Government ground operations of battalion
size Or larger declined on 21 April from 23 to 22,
with nine initiated and ten terminated; none had
significant contact with 'the enemy.
7. Operations in company strength or less
conducted on 21 April numbered 2,734, an increase
of 435 from the previous day. Thirty contacts were
made with the Viet..Cong, with guerrilla losses
listed as 32 killed, 30 captured, and 36 weapons.
Government forces sustained casualties of eight
A killed and 31 wounded.
8. VNAF and USAF aircraft flew 106 widely
scattered sorties against enemy targets throughout
South Vietnam on 21 April, Thirty-six of these
were flown by USAF B-57 jet bombers and F-100
Supersabres. Pilot reports listed 99 structures
destroyed and 21 damaged, although the results of
most strikes were obscured by dense jungle foliage
and tree cover. In the III Corps area, aircrew8
of five armed U1I-1B helicopters estimated 13 Viet
Cong killed when they returned ground fire encoun-
teredduringvisual surveillance missions.
23 April 1965
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II. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. In a discussion with Ambassador Taylor
yesterday concerning ARVN's ability to deal with
a possible Viet Cong offensive after the present
relative lull, Premier Quat mentioned several im-
provements he hoped to make. He spoke of the pos-
sibility of raising a force of 30,000 Nung tribesmen,
of his plans to assign officers now serving in
Saigon ministries to combat duty, and of improving
the quality of present commanders. Quat made no
mention of a further introduction of foreign troops.
2. The acting Roman Catholic archbishop of Hue
told the US consul recently that he felt a temporary
cessation of bombing against North Vietnam might be
in order to allow Hanoi an opportunity to seek ne-
gotiations as an alternative of calling for inter-
vention from Communist China. The archbishop com-
mented that the strikes had raised morale among
urban dwellers and intellectuals in South Vietnam,
but said he felt that they had had negligible impact
on rural areas, where local security was the main
concern and could only be improved by ground action
and a "truly revolutionary" government. The arch-
bishop added that relations between Catholics and
Buddhists in Hue were now better than at any time
since last summer.
23 April 1965
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23 APRIL 1965
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III. MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS IN NORTH VIETNAM
1. A USN strike against the twin highway
bridges at Xom Phuong succeeded in destroying both
bridges, ?one with bombs and the other with a Bullpup
air-to-surface missile. Double strikes by navy planes
also destroyed bridges at Tho Son, Xom Gia, and Sam
Dinh. Sampans anchored near the Phu Thach ferry were
strafed with unknown results.
2. USAF aircraft struck two bridges and two
ferries on the same mission. The Phuc Thiem and Ly
Nhan bridges were destroyed. The landings at Phu
Qui highway ferry north were destroyed, and the Phu
Qui highway ferry was damaged. Two trucks were
strafed during post-strike armed reconnaissance by
the strike aircraft; one was destroyed and one prob-
ably destroyed.
3. South Vietnamese aircraft conducting daytime
armed reconnaissance along Route 101 from Xuan Son to
the DMZ damaged the ferry at Xuan Son and a wooden
bridge along the route.
4. USAF B-57s conducted night armed reconnais-
sance along Routes 7, 8, and 12. Targets attacked
included gun emplacements and trucks on Route 7 and
abridge on Route 8. No strike results are available.
5. Further reporting on the USN strike against
six vessels near Vinh on 22 April states that five of
them, including the four patrol-type craft, were
damaged. Three of the patrol craft got under way,
but two were burning.
23 April 1965
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IV. OTHER COMMUNIST MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS
1. Nothing significant to report.
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?
V. COMMUNIST POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. The North Vietnamese party first secretary
and his delegation left Peiping on 22 April, and
apparently stopped overnight in Nanning before ar-
riving in Hanoi on 23 April. The Chinese account
of the departure simply reported the event, mention-
ing the names of those seeing the Vietnamese off.
The Hanoi version stated that the "friendship visit"
to the USSR and China had ended "successfully."
2. The first tangible results of the week-
long DRV-Soviet talks appear to have emerged. Mos-
cow TASS reported that the head of the "permanent
mission" of the NFLSV headed by Dang Quang Minh, a
NFLSV central committee member, arrived in Moscow
today along with other "officials" of the mission.
Reportedly, the mission would enjoy the same quasi-
diplomatic status as the front's six other overseas
missions. This announcement comes only six days
after the joint DRV-Soviet communiqu?ecognized
the Front as the "only legitimate representative"
of the South Vietnamese people. Moscow had agreed
to the establishment of a Front mission in Moscow
late last year.
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4. North Vietnam continues to stress the "whole-
hearted support" of the Chinese people for the "Viet-
namese peoples' just struggle" against the US. This
support, according to an editorial, is "a great encour-
agement." The editorial quoted the 20 April Chinese
Communist National People's Congress resolution support-
ing the recent appeal of the DRV National Assembly. The
editorial asserted that "China's assistance to the Viet-
namese people" is a "great, wholehearted, long-standing,
and comprehensive assistance."
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23 April 1965
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5. The Hanoi paper repeated various Chinese
Communist statements of support such as Teng Hsiao-
ping's 18 April declaration that "in all circumstances
and at all costs, the Chinese Government is resolved
to fulfill its internationalist duty to support the
Vietnamese people's struggle against US imperialism."
6. The editorial repeated the Chinese resolu-
tion's wording that the Chinese people are ready,
"when needed," to send volunteers to help the Viet-
namese "drive out the US aggressors." The North Viet-
namese domestic radiobroadcast version of the Chi-
nese NPC resolution, however, changed the words,
"when needed," to "when asked," probably in an ef-
fort to reassure the home audience that any decision
to send Chinese volunteers into Vietnam would rest
with Hanoi,not with Peiping.
7. The Chinese are continuing their efforts
to spread the idea that the Communist side is tak-
ing a reasonable stand in Vietnam while US "aggres-
sion" threatens world peace. During a recent con-
versation with a diplomat from a neutral Asian nation,
the Chinese counselor of embassy in Paris charged
the US with attempting to increase tension by sen.0-
ing more troops to Vietnam. He asserted that it
appeared the Americans were "willing to go to the
Chinese border according to their present plans."
8. The Chinese diplomat then contrasted alleged
US bellicosity with French efforts to promote neu-
tralization. He said the French have suggested a
tripartite_ government for South Vietnam which would
represent French interests, US interests, and the
interests of the Vietnamese, and claimed that the
Vietnamese people would be "quite willing" to co-
operate with the French. This is the first time
that the Communists have hinted at this type of an
arrangement.
9. The Chinese reiterated, ho ever, that this
was not the time for negotiations and stated cate-
gorically that no approach had been made by the Amer-
icans through diplomatic channels or in Warsaw. He
pointed out that it was especially important for
the neutral nations to stand together in the face of
US "aggression," and commented that the nonaligned
countries had not done enough--although they have
"good intentions."
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10. In private conversations with selected for-
eign officials Premier Chou En-lai has been trying to
give the impression that China is not completely in-
flexible on Vietnam negotiations. Former British For-
eign Secretary Patrick Gordon Walker on 23 April in-
formed the American ambassador in Bangkok that during
his recent visit to Burma he learned that Chou had
told Ne Win that Peiping would be interested in a Cam-
bodian conference "as a start."
During a conversation with the French envoy
in Peiping, Chou is earlier reported to have taken the
same line, suggesting that Cambodia be dealt with in
a conference first, then Laos, and finally Vietnam.
11, The Yugoslav Foreign Ministry informed the
Canadian Embassy in Belgrade on 12 April that the 17-
nonaligned-nation appeal on Vietnam negotiations was
handed over to the Liberation Front representative in
Prague on 5 April by the ambassadors of Yugoslavia,
the UAR, and Ghana. The next day the Front representa-
tive invited the three ambassadors back and returned
the appeal with a letter signed by the acting head of
the Front mission which stated that the appeal was "un-
acceptable" since it would involve abandonment of the
liberation struggle. The letter referred to the 22
March Liberation Front statement as representing the
"irrevocable position" of the Front. The Front rep-
resentative in Peiping had reportedly refused to ac-
cept the appeal when nonaligned diplomats in that
capital had attempted to hand it over. The Front has
not publicly replied to the appeal.
12. Asian Communists apparently hope to make
greater use of TV films in their anti-American propa-
ganda on Vietnam. In late March a four-man Chinese
Communist television team was noted on "urgent as-
signment" in North Vietnam photographing war damage.
In Paris meanwhile, the US Embassy was recently in-
formed by a representative of the French state-owned
TV system that the Paris office has been flooded with
thousands of feet of film from Viet Cong sources. This
film is said to be accompanied by carefully prepared
captions and scripts.
23 April 1965
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13. A five-man Italian Communist Party delega-
tion left on 23 April for Moscow, Peiping, and Hanoi
to discuss ways of supporting North Vietnam, accord-
ing to a press report from Rome. The delegation is
headed by Giancarlo Pajetta, member of the party
secretariat and one of the party's chief foreign af-
fairs exPerts.
23 April 19.05
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VI. OTHER MAJOR ASPECTS
1. Cambodian Foreign Minister Koun Wick told
the British charge in Phnom Penh yesterday that
Cambodia would insist that a Geneva conference
address itself solely to the Cambodian problem.
Koun Wick recognized, however, that a conference on
Cambodia might occasion informal discussions of
Vietnam which could lead, if all parties agreed, to
an expansion of the conference's terms of reference.
He said that Cambodia wanted participation limited
to the 1954 Geneva powers, and indicated that the
absence of the National Liberation Front was no
problem since Cambodia already had "satisfactory
assurances" from the Front. Koun Wick's remarks are
consistent with recent statements by Prince Sihanouk,
who apparently fears that he cannot get Chinese
backing for a Cambodian conference that is recognized
as a prelude to discussions on Vietnam.
2. Press reports quote South Vietnamese Foreign
Minister Do as stating that he had replied to the
Cambodian Government that South Vietnam would agree
to participate in a conference limited to a recogni-
tion and guarantee of Cambodia's neutrality and
territorial integrity. He reportedly added, however,
that South Vietnam would join in any effort aimed at
restoring peace in the area and preserving the in-
dependence and freedom of the countries of Southeast
Asia.
23 April 1965
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/06 : CIA-RDP79T00472A001900050007-0
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/06: CIA-RDP79T00472A001900050007-0