BOMBING TARGETS IN THE DRV

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-450-8-8-5
• Release Decision: RIFLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: December 23, 2009
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: January 11, 1972
• Content Type: MEMO

No Objection to Declassification in Full 2009/12/23: LOC-HAK-450-8-8-5
TOP SECRET/EYES ONLY
MEMORANDUM FOR:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
MR. K9SZNGER
49
V u J. w71.iJJ_'.~ ,L X1.L'a Z! Y w`7 1 L? iVi
January 11, 1972
Bombing Targets in the DRV
I was struck by our weekly briefing on Vietnam yesterday by the number
of trucks in the DRV just sitting in mass parking lots between Hanoi and
the Chinese border. A couple of these truck parks, located near Thai
Nguyen I believe, have as many as 1, 000 new vehicles. The way they
are exposed suggests that the DRV may consider itself immune to attacks
against such targets north of the 20th parallel.
I am sure this entire subject has been considered previously in consulta-
tions to which I am not privy. I would, however, like to urge that if we
have another series of protective reaction strikes that some of these truck
parks be considered as targets.
-- If we could knock out 1 or 2 thousand trucks with 1 or 2 day air
campaign, it would in effect be equal to roughly our entire truck kill in
the logistics system for a month of the dry season creating replacement
problems just at a time when they are most needed.
-- The psychological impact on DRV planning would be substantial
with revived fears that no part of the DRV is immune to attacks on
military targets which pose a direct threat to the South. Moreover,
such attacks would exploit the lop-sided nature of their air defenses
which are now oriented to the South and might even give them pause about
such orientation.
-- At this stage a 1 or 2 day strike, even though directed at what is
possibly a far more lucrative target, might generate considerably less
publicity here than the last one did.
TOP SECRET/EYES ONLY
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2009/12/23: LOC-HAK-450-8-8-5