Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C00165951 HW CIB FOR 21 DECEMBER,/ 7 ' VIETNAM: &c21�ss AN 61 Lej LIBRARY Mandatory Reviessi Case # NLj llocument # NORTH VIETNAM: HEAVY DAMAGE WAS DONE TO BOTH THE PAUL DOUMER AND THE CANAL DES RAPIDES BRIDGES DOING RAIDS THIS WEEK. 3.3(h)(2) ON IS DECEMBER INDICATES THAT THREE SPANS OF THE DOUMER BRIDGE, TOTALING APPROXIMATELY 840 FEET, WERE DROPPED AND THAT SERIOUS DAMAGE WAS DONE TO ANOTHER 350-FOOT SPAN. THE CANAL DES 3.3(h)(2) RAPIDES BRIDGE ON 16 DECEMBER SHOWS TWO DROPPED SPANS, TOTALING ABOUT 214 FEET, AND A DAMAGED THIRD SPAN. Ri- PLACEMENT.OF THE DROPPED SPANS WILL PROBABLY TAKE SEV- ERAL WEEKS. IN THE MEANTIME, TRAFFIC CROSSING THE RED RIVER AND CANAL DES RAPIDES WILL HAVE TO USE FERRIES ' OR PONTOON BIRDGES. r,f10 Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C00165951 Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C00165951 3.3(h)(2) THE CHINES MAY HAVE BEEN MOVING EQUIPMENT TO BOTH CHINESE AND NORTH VIETNAMESE UNITS. A CHINESE ANTIAIRCRAFT .DIVISION IS BELIEVED LOCATED NEAR THAI NGUYEN. INDICATE THAT CHINESE LOGISTIC, CONSTRUCTION, AND ANTIAIRCRAFT UNITS ARE I N NORTH VIETNAM. DO NOT SUG- GEST THAT ANY ORGANIZED CHINESE GROUND COMBAT FORCES ARE THERE. LAOS: TRUCK TRACFIC IN THE LAOS PANHANDLE DURING THE PST SIX WEEKS IS ABOut THE SAME AS IN TEH CORRESPOND- ING PERIOD LAST YEAR, BUT OTHER INDICATINS POINT TO hos. SIBLE OVER-ALL INCREASE DURING THE WINTER. TRUCKS MOVING SOUTH NEAR THE Mu GIA PASS AND ALONG ROUTES 23 AND 911 AVERAGED 13, 11, AND SIX A DAY, RESPECTIVELY, BETWEEN 1 NOVEMBER AND 14 DECEM- BER. ROUTE 914 IN THE SOUTHERN PANHANDLE,HAD A DAILY AVERAGE OF FOUR, BUT LITTLE OR NO SOUTHWARD-BOUND TRAF- FIC WAS REPORTED ON OTHER ROUTES IN THIS AREA. Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C00165951 t3/1 3.3(h)(2) 3.3(h)(2) 3.3(h)(2) Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C00165951 THE SOUTHERN PANHANDLE, HOWEVER, SHOWS THAT THE COMMUNISTS ARE PRESSING AHEAD WITH ROAD REPAIRS . AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS, SUGGESTING THAT THEY EXPECT TO MOVE MORE SUPPLIES THROUGH THE AREA DURING THIS DRY SEASON THAN THEY DID DURING THE LAST ONE.- DAHOMEY: THE FLEDGLING REGIME FACES A STRIKE BY, LEFTIST LABOR ELEMENTS THAT COULD LEAD TO FURTHER DIS- RUPTIONS. A NDEWLY CREATED "INTERSYNDICAL COMMITTEE," EVI- DENTLY DOMINATED BY LEFTIST UNION LEADERS, HAS CIRCLATED STRIDENT TREACTS CALLING ON THE REGIME TO RESCIND ALL AU- STERITY MEASURES AFFECTING WORKERS OR FACE A NEW STRIKE TODAY. THE TRACTS ALSO CALL FOR AN END OTO FOREIGN "EX- PLOITATION" AND FOR A LESSENING OF FRENCH AND US INFLU- ENCE. THE LABOR ELEMENTS RESPONSIBLE, ENCOURAGED BY THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LAST WEEK'S GENERAL STRIKE, EVIDENTLY' , HOPE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF CURRENT UNREST AND DISCORD WITHIN THE MILITARY. IF THERE IS A NEW STRIKE, THE INEXURIENCED YOUNG OFFICERS WHO DOMINATE THE REGIME MAY ATTEMPT TO SUP- PRESS IT WITH� FORCE. THIS COULD LEAD TO BLOODSHED AND PERHAPS GENERAL CHAOS. ON THE OTHER HAND, IF THEY GIVE IN TO Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C00165951 3;6-0 Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C00165951 LABOR'S� DAMANDS, THE COUNTRY'S ALREADY BLEAK FINANCIAL STATUS WOULD WORSEN. THE FRENCH HAVE NOT YET ADVANCED THE FUNDS PROMISED TO SOGLO LAST MONTH. PARIS MAY NOW BE WILLING, HOWEVER, TO DEAL WITH THE KOUANDETE REGIME NOW THAT SOGLO HAS ESCAPED TO THE FRENCH EMBASSY IN COTONOU. NIGERIA: FEDERAL FORCES HAVE KEPT THE UPPER HAND, BUT AN END TO THECIVIL WAR IS NOT IN SIGHT. FEDERAL TROOPS AT ENUGU AND BONNY HAVE BEATEN OFF A SERIES OF REBEL ATTACKS, BOTH SIDES SUSTAIN* -AIRLY HEAVY LOSSES. GENERAL GOWON, DISTURRBED AT THE LACK OF PROGRESS OVER THE PAST F,EV WEEKS, HAS ORDERED RELUCTANT FIELD COMMANDERS TO STEP UP ACTIVITY. TROOPS IN ENUGU AND ASABA MAY NOW-RENEW OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS, ESPECILLY IF FEDERAL REPORTS OF THECAPTURE OF EMENE .AND NKALAGU.ARE CORRECT.. THE FEDERAL 'AIR FORCE MAY Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C00165951 � Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C00165951 NOW BE ABLE TO USE ENuGHu AIRFIELD, BUT A FEDERAL ADVANCE SOUTH OF THE FORMER BIAFRAN CAPITAL IS STILL LIKELY TO BE SLOW AND COSTLY. FEDERAL MIGS AND L-29S, OPERATING MAINLY. FROM CALABAR, ARE BEING USED IN A TACTICAL SUPPORT ROLE. LAGOS CLAIMS THAT THEY HAVE OPERATED EFFECTIVELY AGANST BIAFRAN REINFORCEMENTS AND RETREATING TROOPS IN THE BONNY AREA. BIAFRA'S FEW VINTAGE BOMBERS HAVE BEEN OUT OF ACTION FOR SOME TIME BECAUSE OF RAIDS ON PORT HARCOuRT AIRFIELD, WHERE THE MIGS RECENTLY HIT A TRANSPORT PLANE THAT HAD JUST LANDED. LAGOS IS ACQUIRING SUBSTANTIAL QUANTITIES OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT. THE uK'S RECENT DECISION TO SUPPLY MOST OF ITS. NEEDS HAS RESULTED IN ORDERS FORPLANES, ARMORED CARS, AND ARTILLERY. GOwON REPORTEDLY HAS APPROVED THE EXPNDITURE OF OVER $26 MILLION TO MEET THESE AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS. BIAFRA, ON TH E KTIOTHER HAND, IS GETTING ONLY , A _TRICKLE, MOSTLY SMALL ARMS AND AMMUNITION. BIAFRA IS LOOKING FOR MERCENARY SUPPORT. SOME FRENCH MRCENARIES, WHO AREABELIEVED TO HAVE SERVED IN THE CONGO OR YEMEN, HAVE ARRIVED IN BIAFRA, AND MORE MAY BE ON THE WAY. Nit" Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C00165951 Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C00165951 ALL EFFORTS TO GET THE TWO SIDES TOGETHER FOR PEACE TALKS HAVE FAILED, AND FUTURE PROSPECTS FOR TALKS ARE 4 � ,;;�,4---. 3.5(c) Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C00165951 Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C00165951 3.3(h)(2) 3.3(h)(2) 3.3(h)(2) Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C00165951 Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C00165951 4 04 3.3(h)(2) 3.3(h)(2) 3.3(h)(2) Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C00165951 Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C00165951 THE COMMUNIST PRESS IN HONG KONG KEEPS AT ITS ANTI-BRITISH PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN. THE MAIN THEMES, HOWEVER, HAVE BEEN LONG-RANGE SOCIAL ANDECONOMIC 'PROBLEMS. BOMB INCIDENTS HAVE NOT BEEN PLAYED UP AND THERE HAS BEEN NO ATTEMPT TO ENCOURAGE ACTS OF VIO- . LENGE. SPORADIC TERRORIST ACTIVITY CONTINUES BUT ATA GREATLY REDUCED RATE. Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C00165951

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NORTH VIET NAM HEAVY DAMAGE DONE TO THE PAUL DOUMER AND THE CANAL DES RAPIDES BRIDGES DURING RAIDS