THE SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM NO. 28

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06786639
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: April 27, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 30, 2019
• Publication Date: February 10, 1968

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Directorate of Intelligence
10 February 1968
INTELLIGENCE MEMORANDUM
The Situation in South Vietnam No. 28
(As of 9:00 A.M. EST)
Khe Sanh and the rest of South Vietnam were
relatively quiet during the night of 9-10 February.
Two sharp battles were reported yesterday just
north of Saigon, however, in which US Army forces
reported killing 278 Communists. American casual-
ties were light. Saigon itself was quiet last
night following the heavy fighting yesterday in the
Cholon district.
There are some tentative signs that another
major North Vietnamese unit is now in the DMZ area
and the Hanoi High Command seems to be taking more
direct control of activities there.
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I Corps
1. The Khe Sanh area was quiet on 9-10 Feb-
ruary with only light sporadic mortar fire reported
from the. enemy. The airstrip was temporarily closed be-
cause of the crash of a C-130 transport which was
hit by enemy fire as it attempted to land.
2. An undetermined-size enemy force using ex-
plosive charges destroyed part of a bridge in the
strategic Hai Van pass in Thua Thien Province late
on 8 February. Route 1 between Da Nang and Hue is
closed to traffic until repairs can be made. An un-
identified Communist regimental-sized force has been
noted in this area and probably will continue to at-
tempt to interdict this vital supply route between
Da Nang and points north. The mountainous terrain
in this small area on the coast lends itself to am-
bushes and several key bridges are prime enemy tar-
gets.
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3. Early morning press reports claim that US
forces in Hue now control the south bank of the Perfume
River and that all installations in the new section
of the city are under allied control. However, South
Vietnamese forces are still battling with Communist
troops entrenched in a section of the citadel across
the river.
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There is no confirmation of re-
ports of enemy reinforcements in the citadel area,
although limited amounts of men and material could
have been infiltrated in to the beseiged enemy.
4. Throughout the entire I Corps area south
of the DMZ, only small unit actions were reported.
Some of these were in reaction to allied patrols
sweeping areas where Communist troops are believed
to be concentrating. All major urban areas except
Hue were quiet on 9-10 February.
5. A new subordinate of the North Vietnamese
High Command has been active on the communications
group which serves major headquarters either in or
associated with South Vietnam. It could be another
division-sized unit, but this cannot be confirmed now.
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6. On 10 February, the North Vietnamese 27th
Independent Battalion referred to a casualty of the
1st Battalion of the 98th Regiment. The 27th Battalion
has been observed planning for an attack on US posi-
tions in the Cam Lo area of north-central Quang Tri
Province, together with possible "reinforcements" from
another unit. This seems to indicate that the 98th
Battalion--a subordinate of the North Vietnamese 316th
Division--is now in the DMZ area. It is possible that
the 316th Division may be the new, unidentified major
entity in the DMZ area which has been in direct contact
with Hanoi.
7. Since 5 February headquarters elements of the
North Vietnamese 320th and 325C divisions have also
been noted in direct communications with Hanoi. This
is the first time the 320th Division has been noted
in this type of communication since its recent move
into the DMZ area of South Vietnam, The 325C Division
has been in direct communication with Hanoi before,
but it had not been observed on that link since 30
January.'
8. In addition, the North Vietnamese 304th Divi-
sion and the headquarters of the 29th, 90th, and the
803rd regiments during the last few days have all been
communicating with a station of the Hanoi High Command
which serves major fronts and headquarters in South
Vietnam.
9. These direct communications with Hanoi by
major North Vietnamese units in the DMZ - Quang Tri
Province area indicate that Hanoi is assuming a more
direct control of the military activity there.
II Corps
10. As of mid-day on 10 February there was no
significant enemy military activity reported in central
South Vietnam. All major urban areas, including the
provincial capitals that were hard hit before, are
now almost completely under allied control.
Saigon and III Corps
11. The situation in Saigon's Cholon district
is fluid, It was quieter there last night than it has
been at any time since the beginning of the Tet
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offensive 12 days ago. Despite the relative calm,
however, there are indications that the area may well
see more heavy fighting.
12. Only two or three relatively minor firing
incidents were reported in Cholon during the night.
South Vietnamese soldiers and police say that they have
now cleared out the Viet Cong force which they had
encircled in the 5th Precinct on Thursday night. The
operation reportedly resulted in 17 Viet Cong captured
and a number of weapons seized, including bazooka-type
rocket launchers and AK-47 automatic rifles.
13. The current estimate of Communist strength
in the Cholon area is approximately 150 men, operating
in squad size units. The South Vietnamese believe
that allied patrols and sweep operations have made it
impossible for the Viet Cong to resupply their forces
in Cholon, thus limiting the threat they pose.
14. In the central part of Saigon, US intel-
ligence sources state that the situation is now re-
latively stable. Only minor terrorist incidents have
occurred during the past day or so and there are some signs
that life is returning to normal. About half of the
stores in the secure districts were doing some business
yesterday, at least five ships were being unloaded at
the Saigon port, and another rice convoy was run into
the city from warehouses in the northern suburbs
15. On the other hand, there is considerable
evidence indicating that the Communists plan further
attacks within and on the outskirts of Saigon. �There
have been numerous reports of Viet Cong units sighted
in the suburbs around the capital. Throughout Gia Dinh,
the province which surrounds Saigon, South Vietnamese
Regional and Popular Forces reportedly are remaining
in defensive positions and are unwillin: to �ress of-
fensive sweeps.
US Army troops engaged what are believed to
be elements of this division in three sharp clashes
yesterday in an area some 10 to 12 miles northwest of
the large Tan Son Nhut, airbase. Nearly 300 Viet Cong
were reported killed in the fighting. American losses
were light.
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16. In other action in the III Corps area, the
Communists launched a heavy three-hour-long mortar
and ground attack On allied military and police facili-
ties in Tan An, the capital of Long An Province.
Nine South Vietnamese policemen and four Americans
were killed. Civilian casualties were estimated to
be in excess of 100 killed and wounded and the enemy
reportedly lost 92 men killed in the attack. One
prisoner is said to be a North Vietnamese Army regular.
In the past, northerners have rarely been sent south
of Saigon.
IV Corps
17. A number of small scale engagements took place
in widespread sections of the IV Corps area yesterday
as allied forces conducted sweeps around major popula-
tion centers and military bases. No heavy fighting
developed, however, and there were no new Viet Cong
attacks.
North Vietnamese Air Activity
18. Several late reports since the publication
of the 10 December Central Intelligence Bulletin have
reflected additional flight activity of North Vietnam's
transports and bomber aircraft.
19. Two, possibly three, IL-28s departed Hanoi's
Gia Lam airfield on the afternoon of 10 February.
The aircraft flew to the Chinese border area where
they circled until US strike aircraft active in the
Phuc Yen area had departed. The bombers later re-
turned to Gia Lam, where they landed.
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