THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03029774
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: April 26, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 30, 2019
• Publication Date: November 24, 1967

SiO
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JopSei
DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
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070
MEMORANDUM
The Situation in Vietnam
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24 November 1967
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JEup-Secr�f
WARN ING
is document contains classified information affecting the national security
the United States Nvithin the meaninv of the esoi&iage laws, US Code
e l8, Sections 793. 794, and 798.
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Information as of 1600
24 November 1967
HIGHLIGHTS
Fighting is continuing over widespread areas
of the central highlands.
I. The Military Situationin South Vietnam:
Ambushes and mortar attacks over a wide area con-
tinue in the central highlands, as the enemy tries
to relieve pressure on the North Vietnamese 1st
Division west of Dak To (Paras. 1-8). US forces
report killing 118 enemy soldiers in two clashes
on 23-24 November, one in Binh Long Province and
the other in central I Corps area (Paras. 9-11).
II. Political Developments in South Vietnam:
The new Democratic Bloc in the lower house has is-
sued a six-point proclamation concerned primarily
with the need for preserving Vietnamese sovereignty
(Paras. 1-2). The Quakers in their yacht Phoenix
are headed for Hong Kong, possibly to reapply for
South Vietnamese visas (Para. 3). The moderate
Tam Chau Buddhist faction may be establishing a
Buddhist political party and setting up a daily
newspaper (Paras. 4-5).
IV. Other Communist Military Developments:
There is nothing of significance to report.
VI. Other.2.12.L!.: The Doumer Bridge appears
to be open to truck traffic again (Paras. 1-3).
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Apun
Demilitarized Zone
USA
OPERATtION
*Da Nang WHEELER/WALLOWA
T HAILAND
Enemy Storage
Area
Rt. 110
Dak
r
A '
Plei Mrong
Special Forces (�� Ptetku
- Camp
Rt. 19
Duc Co
Special Forces i'
Camp
CAMBODIA
AM RANH
SOUTH VIETNAM
24 NOVEMBER
25 50 75 100 Miles
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I. THE MILITARY SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. Enemy ambushes and mortar attacks continue
over a wide area in the central highlands, partly
in an effort to relieve pressure on the North Viet-
namese 1st Division west of Dak To.
2. A US Army truck convoy, supported by heli-
copter gunships, fought through an ambush on Route 19
about two-and-one-half miles east of Pleiku on 24
November. Initial reports state that 32 enemy troops
were killed and seven captured. Four US soldiers
were reported killed and 11 wounded. The resupply
convoy had started out at Qui Nhon on the coast of
Binh Dinh Province.
3. On 22 November another enemy force, believed
to be two squads of the 304th Viet Cong Local Force
Battalion, ambushed a US Army convoy on Highway 14
between Kontum and Dak To. On 11 November this
Viet Cong unit conducted an ambush in this same
general area. Allied losses in these actions were
light, but such tactics have hindered the resupply
of Dak To.
4. In northwest Pleiku Province, some five
miles northeast of the US Special Forces Camp
at Plei Mrong, a US Army battalion command pos
was hit with 12 mortar rounds on 22 November.
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8. In a related development, an allied guerrilla
team probing a known Communist base area 35 miles west
of Dak To in the southeastern corner of Laos reported
finding a "major truck delivery point and storage
facility" on 21 November, Route 96, a major north-
south artery in the Laotian corridor, and Route 110,
which extends westward to Cambodia, both terminate
at this point. The guerrillas claim to have destroyed
tons of rice and salt and 1,000 rounds of recoilless
rifle ammunition cached in the area. This base has
undoubtedly been used by the North Vietnamese as a
staging area for the recent Dak To campaign.
922E,ILL9II_ELIEnELLItalL
9. Sixty-one enemy soldiers were killed during
an 11-hour engagement with US forces on 23 November
in the Que Son Valley area of coastal Quang Tin
Province some 16 miles northwest of Tam Ky. The enemy
force was well entrenched in an extensive bunker com-
plex and, when discovered, poured a heavy volume of
automatic weapons and rifle fire on the advancing US
infantrymen. US reinforcements, supported by close
air support and artillery fire, forced the enemy to
withdraw after dark. Seven US soldiers were killed
and 36 wounded.
24 November 1967
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10. The American forces were part of the ten-
battalion search-and-destroy Operation WHEELER/WALLOWA,
which has accounted for more than 2,235 enemy soldiers
killed since the first phase began on 10 September.
In contrast, cumulative American casualties now stand
at 240 killed and 854 wounded in this long-term sweep
against Communist main force units in the Quang Tin -
Quang Nam Province border area.
Enemy Attack in III Corps
11. Early on 24 November, a field position of a
company of the US 1st Infantry Division was attacked
by an estimated 300-man Communist force in central
Binh Long Province, some nine miles south of An Loc.
The attack included more than 60 rounds of fire from
B-40 grenade launchers and mortars in addition to in-
tense small-arms fire. An early morning sweep of
the surrounding area resulted in the discovery of
57 enemy bodies and 19 weapons. American casualties
totaled four killed and 11 wounded.
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POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. The new Democratic Bloc in the lower house
now calls itself the Democratic Alliance. It has
issued a six-point proclamation concerned largely
with Vietnamese sovereignty. According to a Saigon
Post article of 22 November, the proclamation calls
for social revolution, true national reconciliation,
reform of both the educational system and the diplo-
matic service, the protection of Vietnamese
sovereignty, and economic sovereignty.
2. In detailing each point, the proclamation
criticized what it called "the policy of unilateral
determination of the course of the war and peace
efforts." In addition, as a step toward achieving
economic sovereignty, the proclamation called for
a review of the "entire problem of American aid."
This new voice, added to the recent clamor for
sovereignty and against "American interference,"
seems especially significant. The Democratic Bloc
was generally considered progovernment, if not gov-
ernment sponsored.
Quakers to Hong Kong
3. The Quaker Yacht Phoenix appeared headed for
Hong Kong on 23 November rather than south toward
Vung Tau, as had been indicated earlier. The Quakers
possibly intend to start anew the entire process of
applying for visas in the hope that the misunderstand-
ing which led Saigon to revoke their original visas has
been cleared up.
Possible Moderate Buddhist Political Party
4. An article on 22 November in the Vietnam-
ese-language newspaper Tu Do spoke of possible plans
by the moderate Buddhist faction of Thich Tam Chau
to form a political party. The paper labels it a
"Buddhist democratic party." Although the paper
apparently has nothing more than fragmentary re-
ports and its own speculation, it cites as evidence
"numerous meetings between venerables and pro-Buddhist
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political figures." The new party, Tu Do claims,
will be nationalist-oriented and will�have the
benefit of a wealth of "operating resources." Con-
siderable money--rumored to be some seven million
piasters--will also be available to the Tam Chau
faction for a daily newspaper the faction intends
to publish, according to the article.
5. Tu Do speculates that these developments
may signal the beginning of a "general counteroffen-
sive" by Tam Chau in the moderate-militant dispute.
Although the creation of an officially recognized
political party would give Tam Chau a definite ad-
vantage over his rival, Thich Tri Quang, and would
enhance his legal position, the US Embaesy is doubtful
of Chau's prospects for success. The embassy points
out that Chau does not have a reputation as an effec-
tive organizer and, more importantly, most politically
active Buddhist laymen have remained loyal to Tri
Quang's faction.
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IV. OTHER COMMUNIST MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS
1. There is nothing of significance to re-
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VI
OTHER MAJOR ASPECTS
1. The Paul Doumer Bridge on the main rail-
highway route from China to Hanoi appears open to
truck traffic again after being closed by bombing
on 25 October,
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2. what
appeared to be prefabricated concrete spans resting
on new piers across the two-span gap created last
month. The gap was entirely overland. The con-
crete spans apparently are intended to support rail
as well as truck traffic. A third bridge span dropped
last August in mid-river was repaired by an improvised
method using removable decking, which, though less
substantial than the new method, apparently can sup-
port both trucks and rolling stock.
3. The use of concrete spans for the latest
bomb damage repair work suggests that the North Viet-
namese may use this method for repairing future dam-
age, and thus make quicker restoration of traffic
over this key bridge possible.
24 November 1967
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