SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-547-10-11-1
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: December 18, 2012
• Sequence Number: 11
• Publication Date: June 30, 1972
• Content Type: MEMO

No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/18: LOC-HAK-547-10-11-1
? MEMORANDUM
THE WHITE ROUSE
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TOP SEGfli T'S771~?i d i
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WASHINGTON
o X77
June 30, 1972
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MEMORANDUM FOR: THE PRESIDENT
FROM: HENRY A. KISSINGER
SUBJECT: Situation in Vietnam
ON-FILE NSC RELEASE
INSTRUCTIONS APPLY
NSA, DOS, OSD, &
ARMY review completed
The South Vietnamese counteroffensive into Quang Tri Province is moving
ahead on schedule. Heavy fighting was reported yesterday by South Viet-
namese Marine elements which had been air lifted into enemy held territory
close to Quang Tri City. Some 90 North Vietnamese soldiers were reported
killed in an eleven hour battle with the Marines. The Airborne units operating
west of the Marines report moderate resistance to their advance. The
enemy is losing not only ground and men but tanks, artillery, mortars and
ammunition as well to the advancing ARVN forces.
North Vietnamese units are continuing to put pressure on ARVN 1st Division
defenses west of Hue. Fire Support Base Checkmate was attacked by
infantry units last night. Communications have been lost with the defenders
and the situation there is not clear at this time. Fire Support Bases King,
Birmingham and Bastogne were heavily shelled yesterday also.
Combat activity in Military Regions 2 and 3 was light yesterday. In Military
Region 4,. the ARVN 7th Division kicked off operation Cuu Long 7/5 and has
established contact with the enemy. No results of. the fighting have been
reported thus far.
Most air strikes against major targets in North Vietnam were diverted
because of poor weather.
destroyed shortly after the move was accomplished.
Military Region 1
South Vietnamese forces continued to advance into Quang Tri Province
against moderate resistance. Marine units helilifted into areas seven miles
northeast of Quang Tri City yesterday are reported to be within a half mile
of a link-up with leading ground elements.
Last night, two Airborne battalions were helilifted to positions four and six
miles northwest of Fire Support Base Nancy. Three enemy tanks were
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-- One Marine battalion reported heavy contact with the enemy after
being helilifted into a landing zone east of Quang Tri City. Ninety enemy
were killed in that eleven-hour fight.
-- In one -contact 13 kilometers east of Quang Tri City, .134 enemy were
reported killed while friendly losses were 16 killed. Additionally, two
enemy tanks were destroyed and 11 crew-served weapons were captured
along with four tons of munitions.
-- South Vietnamese offensive plans at this time are to secure Quang
Tri City by July 2 and the Quang Tri combat base to the northeast by July 7.
-- ARVN units in the Fire Support Base King-Birmingham-Bastogne
area were heavily shelled yesterday. Fire Support Base Checkmate was
hit by mortar fire most of the day and then attacked by enemy infantry last
night. Communications have been lost with the defenders and the situation
there is not clear.
-- The NVA 2nd Division may be returning to its former base area in
Quang Ngai Province after operating for nearly two years in southern Laos
and, more recently, in the South Vietnam's central highlands. These
moves, if confirmed, could indicate that the 2nd Division has been retargeted
against the populous coastal lowland following its three-month participation
in the Communist campaign against Kontum City.
Military Region 2
Ground contact activity was at a low level in the region. No significant
activity was reported around Kontum City.
-- There are indications that enemy units badly mauled in attacks on
Kontum. City in late May are continuing to withdraw from the area.
-- ARVN units report some progress in the Route 14 clearing operation.
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CONTAINS CODEWORD
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Military Region 3
Combat activity in Military Region 3 continued to be centered in the An Loc
area and was fairly light. Defenders in the area received over 600 rounds
of incoming fire yesterday.
-- In Phuoc Tuy Province, ARVN forces on search operations engaged
an enemy unit near Dat Do village. With the aid of US and VNAF TacAir
support, 63 enemy soldiers were killed while ARVN losses were two killed
and 23 wounded.
-- East of An Loc, the ARVN 33rd Regiment killed 43 enemy while
sustaining five killed and 43 wounded.
-- The commander of the ARVN 33rd Regiment was killed yesterday
when his command post bunker received a direct bit.
Military Region 4
Activity in the Delta remained at a low level and was characterized by light
shelling attacks and harassing actions.
-- The ARVN 7th Division initiated operation Cuu Long 7/5 this morning
in the northern Delta following B-52 strikes in the area. Na results have
been reported but the 10th and 12th Regiments have established contact with
the enemy.
US Air and Naval Operations
The following sorties were flown on June 30:
MR-1
MR-2
MR-3
MR-4
NVN
Total
TacAir US
214
48
78
20
253
613
TacAir VNAF
52
31
51
25
0
159
ARC LIGHT
81
0
0
0
9
101*
* 11 ARC LIGHT sorties were flown in Cambodia.
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-- USAF strikes against the Phuc Yen and Kep airfields and the Pho
Hop railroad bridge were cancelled due to bad weather in the target areas.
Sixty F-4's flew armed reconnaissance missions in southern North Vietnam.
-- USN aircraft scheduled for strikes against primary targets were
diverted to armed reconnaissance missions and other targets because of
bad weather. Navy pilots report three SAM launchers, one radar van, ?11
buildings, two railroad cars and one waterborne logistic craft destroyed
in central North Vietnam.
-- Yesterday's airstrike on the Hon Gai rail and port facility resulted
in nine buildings destroyed and nine secondary explosions.
-- In naval operations, US ships are supporting the South Vietnamese
offensive operation in northern Military Region 1. Elsewhere along the
coast, US ships are continuing to shell enemy targets. Yesterday, three
waterborne logistic craft were sunk by US destroyers in the area of the
Chinese merchant ship at Hon La Island.
Political/Diplomatic
Canadian Report from Hanoi
We have been shown a recent letter from a Canadian ICC representative
in Hanoi who made the following observations:
-- The East Bloc diplomats in Hanoi (including the Soviets) agreed that
Podgorny's message to the North Vietnamese was "negotiate now before
Nixon is re-elected. "
-- The Poles and Bulgarians believe the Communist ,offensive in the
South is finished and speculated that Hanoi, when it reflects more fully on
Soviet advice, will resume serious bargaining.
-- Vietnamese contacts who were jubilant when Quang Tri fell, are
now "visibly saddened" by the effect of the bombing.
-- One Eastern European estimated that recent air strikes have "put
the DRV economy back five years. "
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to Narn Dinh ~ bomb damage of dikes,
there were more than 30 direct hits along one 500 meter stretch of dike
where no road or anti-aircraft installations were located.
Souvanna Phouma Expects Ceasefire
In a June 26 West German TV interview, Souvanna Phouma said: "We are
optimistic that there will be a ceasefire in Vietnam soon" which would be
followed by a ceasefire in Laos. He stated that your trips to Moscow and
Peking show that the three big powers are seeking peaceful coexistence and
want peace in Indochina.
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'sue: No Objection to Declassification in Part2012/12/18: LOC-HAK-547-10-11-1
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/18: LOC-HAK-547-10-11-1
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Capital Special Zone
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Demilitarized Zons
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Chanh defense line
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/18: LOC-HAK-547-10-11-1