THE SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM NO. 19

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02397539
• Document Creation Date: January 28, 2019

Approved for Release: 2019/01/17 CO2397539
I
'Nair
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Directorate of Intelligence
6 February 1968
INTELLIGENCE MEMORANDUM
The Situation in South Vietnam No. 19
Iiks &fST3-0---P71170T)
1. Major new fighting has broken out near the
US combat base at Khe Sanh in western Quang Tri Prov-
ince.
2. Early on 7 February, North Vietnamese forces
launched a heavy ground attack against the allied
special forces camp at Lang Vel, located some five
and one-half miles southwest of Khe Sanh astride
lateral Route 9. According to initial field reports
from MACV, the attacking force employed seven tanks
In the assault, one of which was knocked out by al-
lied counterfire. No further information is avail-
able on the progress of the battle or allied/enemy
casualties resulting therefrom.
3. Incomplete reports also indicate that Khe
Sanh itself came under an intense 15-minute artillery,
rocket, and mortar attack on the night of 7 February
(Saigon time). The extent of casualties and damage
sustained by the Marine bastion was not reported.
4. The special forces camp at Lang Vet is
garrisoned by approximately 380 South Vietnamese
paramilitary personnel and 14 US Army special forces
advisers. The base is regarded as an. important link
in the overall Khe Sanh area defense posture, since
it guards the southwestern approaches to Khe Sanh
from Laos.
5. There have been recent �reports from US
military sources in South Vietnamthat pilots fly-
ing reconnaissance missions in the vicinity of
TOP
Approved for Release: 2019/01/17 CO2397539
C 3.5(c)
3.5(c)
3.5(c)
EO
13526
3.3(h)(2)
EO
13526
3.5(c)
r�N
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/01/17 CO2397539
3.5(c)
3.5(c)
of Laotian. Route 9 had observed tank-type vehicles
moving eastward along this roadway toward the Quang
Tri Province border. .Tanks were also reportedly
employed in the 24 January attack by Communist
forces against the Laotian encampment at Ban Houei
Sane, an outpost near Route 9 on the Lao side of
the border.
6. There have been reports for several years
that tanks were present in the Lao panhandle, but
there has so far never been a confirmed instance
'of their use in combat. DRV forces are known to
have a complement of Soviet-typo T-34 and T-54
tanks and have held at least two armoured regiments
in their OB for some years.
DRV Flight Activity
8. The IL-28 is a twin-jet, subsonic bomber
which can carry payloads of two to six thousand
.pounds of bombs depending on the mission profile.
A low-level, high speed mission could be carried
out from Phuc Yen on targets in the vicinity of the
DMZ.
- 2 -
TO
Approved for Release: 2019/01/17 CO2397539
3.3(h)(2)
3.3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/01/17 CO2397539
DA.
Other Military Activity
10. No significant changes have been reported
in the situation in the r and If Corps area, or in
the delta, since the 12 P.M. Situation Report. Sharp
fighting is apparently still continuing both in the
Cholon sector. of Saigon and in Hue.
11. Enemy action increased in Tay Ninh Province
on 6 February. A probing attack was launched against
Tay Ninh city. Action iR the Tay Nint, Binh Long
province area is widely anticipated,. since it has
been a relatively slack area so far during the cur-
rent offensive.
Political Developments
12. The police in Saigon have taken Phan Khac
Suu Into protective custody, apparently with his
consent.- Police Director Loan told an American ob-
server that two Viet Cong cadres captured in Saigon
had claimed that the National Liberation Front in-
tended to kidnap Suu to use him as bait in persuad-
ing South Vietnamese liberals to accept North Viet-
namese peace conditions.
13. Loan said that Suu went to police head-
quarters willingly and is free to go whenever he so
desires. Two associates of Suu's claim, however,
that, he accepted police protection somewhat grudgingly
and only after police insistence. Suu is an .out-
spoken oppositionist, but he poses no threat to the
government and his position on negotiations has been
in full accord with the government's.
- 3 -
To.RET
Approved for Release: 2019/01/17 CO2397539