(SANITIZED)ACCOUNTS OF THE BOMBING IMPACT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-29-6-16-6
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: December 20, 2012
• Sequence Number: 16
• Publication Date: January 6, 1973
• Content Type: MEMO

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No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/20: LOC-HAK-29-6-16-6
IP
MEMORANDUM ip
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
CECRET/SENSITIVE

ON-FILE NSC RELEASE
INSTRUCTIONS APPLY
MEMORANDUM FOR:
FROM:
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SUBJECT.;
107
INFORMATION
January 6, 1973
MR. KISSINGER
JOHN HOLDRIDGE
42
Accounts ?fit% e
om mg pact
with several reports
on the impact of the December bombing in the Hanoi and
" Haiphong areas. These reports are summarized below!'
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-- The central areas of Hanoi and Haiphong seemed to have
been largely spared, and damage in central Haiphong is not nearly
as widespread as stories indicate. With the exception of the Bach Mai
suburb, whicl. was heavily struck, probably causing high civilian
casualties, and occasional mistakes (e. g., a bomb falling behind the
Cuban Embassy) bombing in the Hanoi area has been accurately directed
at strategic targets. To a very considerable degree, the raids have
disrupted life and work in Hanoi, and government offices are being
manned only by skeleton staffs.
MORI CO1463165
-- Evacuations have been carried out in-an orderly fashion and
those remaining in Hanoi continue to carry out their individual tasks
and appear to be calm and stoic. (Another report described some
instances of panic among those being evacuated.)
-- As of December 26, the flow of vehicles entering Hanoi had
been reduced by four-fifths. The bombing appears to have been very
effective in decreasing the-North Vietnamese military potential.
-- The French Delegation General in Hanoi estimated on
December 23 that between 900 and 3, 000 had been killed by bombing
in Hanoi. (Hanoi reported on January 4, that 1, 318 civilians had
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No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/20: LOC-HAK-29-6-16-6
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No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/20: LOC-HAK-29-6-16-6
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been killed in the Hanoi areas from December 18 to 29, and this
figure may well be exaggerated.) Immediately after the bombing
began on December 18, authorities urged people to evacuate Hanoi.
By December 22, three out of five shops on one main street were
closed and there were unusually long queues at food outlets in
various parts of the city. By December 29, the population of Hanoi
had decreased considerably.
-- On December 21, it was observed that the Party headquarters
building near the Cuban Embassy had sustained some window blast
damage, and files and papers were being moved out of th.e building
to trucks.
sEcRir .r. /SENSITIVE
9?Et
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/20: LOC-HAK-29-6-16-6