STATISTICS ON ENEMY MANPOWER AND SUPPLIES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-11-5-45-4
• Release Decision: RIFLIM
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: February 12, 2010
• Sequence Number: 45
• Publication Date: February 8, 1971
• Content Type: MEMO

No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/02/12 : LOC-HAK-11-5-45-4~~~
~viEMORANI7UM' ~ ;
THE WHITE HOUSE .,
- WASILEN(3TaN
~.
~'~ ~'RESIDENx HAS. SEEN...
5ECrRET February $, 1971
:MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT
F~.OM: HENRY A. KISSINGE~2. ~ "
SU'BJ'ECT: Statistics on Enexx~y Manpower and Supplies
At,Tab A 'is a summary of the statistics (converted to
pounds) developed by CIA in response to yau.r ca11 to
Mr,: Helms yesterday. -~
At Tab S is the actual CIA report, prepared by Mr. Helms.
T am providing copies of bath enclosures to Mr. Haldeman
ax~.d Mr. Ziegler far use in connection ~r"ith Lam Son 719.
Atitachments
ON-FILE NSC RELEASE
INSTRUCTIONS APPLY
SEC RE T
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/02/12 : LOC-HAK-11-5-45-4
 No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/02/12 : LOG-HAK-11-5-45-4
~:
SUMMARY dF ENEMY MANPOWER AND SUPPLIES
'` ENTERING SOUTH VIETNAM THROUGH THE HO
CHI MINH TRAIL SINCE 1965
Manpower:
-.. At least .630, 0.00 North Vietnamese troops
Foodstuffs
:At'least 200 million pounds
Weapons:
~- In excess of 400, 000 weapons of all types
13.rn.munita.on:
600 xx~.illion rounds. of ammunition
over
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/02/12 :LOG-HAK-11-5-45-4
 No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/02/12 : LOC-HAK-11-5-45-4
. ~.- ~`
,~MEM~RANDUM FOR; Dx?. Heriry A Kissinger
.This is the paper the President asked. for
yesterday ..concerning. the number of men and
amount of supplies which moved dosrm the Ho Chi
Minh trail e .
The figures on supplies yre believe to 'be
',~r~redible estimates". .They are. not as solid
as the ones. on manpower infiltration.
~~~
Richa~ x ~~s
Attachment ..
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/02/12 : LOC-HAK-11-5-45-4
 No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/02/12 : LOC-HAK-11-5-45-4
infiltration of men and'supplies-into south
Vietnam. This elabor~.te logistics system--the sa-called
Ha'~ha; Minh trail--consists of more than, 1,500 miles of
roads artd elaborate trail networks. It i~ manned by
.scams
Aver a decade the Communists have made eaten-
use caf the territory of Scauth Laos as a ma~ar route
40,000-50,000 logistic troops plus supporting secu-
city: and defense forces.
Over the last five years the Communists have used
the Ho Chi Minh trail to infiltrate at least 63b,000
North Vietnamese troops into South Vietnam. At the same
,.,.~.....~.~ .,M.. ,~.~,~._ . .. ,.~_~.~... , ..,,a.,.
tame this .system,. along with an elaborate supply route
bex_ of_ wea~ans shipped tv South ~1'i~e~nam ,over .the Ho Chi
were moved through Laos for Gammunist forces. The num-
munition needed to keep the war going in South Vietnam.
Since 1.965 can. the order of 100,~0Q,0 tons of foodstuffs
through Cambodia, was used to move the weapons and am-
ti.
Minh trail during the last fine years is well in excess
or the equivalent of 640 million rounds
of 400,000.' Some 54,000 tons of arnmunition~were also
? y ~ ~~
r. ~')r
The volume of supplies moving through the Ho Chi
M%nh trail was also supplemented by an elaborate supply...
r
~.
system through Cambodia: which ,--since 1967,. was used to
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/02/12 : LOC-HAK-11-5-45-4
 No Objection
southern South Vietnam..
melt the logistic requirements of?Communist forces in
Since the overthrow of Prince Sihanouk the Ccammu--
nists have become almost completely dependent on the
Ho Chi Minh
Vietnam.
I
to Declassification in Full 2010/02/12 : LOC-HAK-11-5-45-4
trail to move men anal supplies into Sauth
f this supply system can be denied to the'
Communists, or at least effectively disrupted, their
ability to
launch major and widespread offensive cam-
paa.gns in SouthVietnam will be sign~.ficantly curtailed.
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/02/12 : LOC-HAK-11-5-45-4