VIET CONG USE OF CAMBODIA

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06786717
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: April 27, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 30, 2019
• Publication Date: March 16, 1968

Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 C06786717
14TRAL INTELLIGENCE AG( Y
Intelligence Information Cable
*ROUTINE
IN
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STATE/INR DIA NMCC/MC SECDEF JCS ARMY NAVY AIR) CIA/NMCC NIC NSA SDO ONE CRS
)F2(0 je94,/ OER ERIS DCS IRS AID USIA
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the =marring of the Espionage Laws, Title 18, U.S.C.
Secs. 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorised person is prohibited by law.
14e-FGRE4GN-aLSSal_
THIS IS AN INFORMATION REPORT. NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE.
alowl
SAAWfurciamods
dempiafteW
SECRET
COUNTRY SOUTH VIETNAM/CAMBODIA
DOI JANUARY - FEBRUARY 196CAid ASOSiAilD
SUBJECT YIET CONG USE OF CAMBODIA
ACQ
SOURCE
CITE
DIST -16 MARCH 1968
SUMMARY.. PRISONERS AND DOCUMENTS CAPTURED SINCE .THE BEGINNING OF THE
.OFFENSIVE ON 29 JANUARY 1968 HAVE PROVIDED FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE .USE OF CAMBODIA
BY THE VIET. CONG. SOME TOLD OF VC RECRUITMENT ACTIVITIES AMONG, ETHNIC VIETNAMESE IN
CAMBODIA. ALLEGEDLY THERE IS A TRAINING SITE.WHICH CAN ACCOMMODATE FIFTY RECRUITS AT
A TIME IN THE BA THU AREA. ABOUT 15 JANUARY 1968 THE AN GIANG PROVINCE COMMITTEE
SECURITY SECTION ESTABLISHED A CAMP .NEAR-AP VINH AN. WHERE. PRISONERS TAKEN DURING THE TEl
.OFFENSIVE WERE TO BE SENT-. .A BORDER CADRE 'CLAIMED IT WAS HIS DUTY TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS
51Rop yc MEN AND. MATERIEL TO CROSS THE BORDER. HE ESTIMATED 2,000 TONS OF CARGO PER 5
4 4
3 MONTH TRANSITED THE BORDER INTO SOUTH VIETNAM. ANOTHER PRISONER CLAIMED THAT 3
2 2
1 CAMBODIAN OFFICIALS COOPERATED IN AGREEMENTS ALLOWING THE VC TO CROSS THE BORDER 1
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FREELY AND FREE OF CHARGE TO CONDUCT VC BUSINESS ON CAMBODIAN SOIL. END OF SUMMARY.
3.5(c)
l.� V I ET CONG USE OF CAMBOD I A AS A SAFEHAVEN FOR INSTALLATIONS, AS A SOURCE AND
TRANSIT ROUTE FOR. FOOD AND SUPPLIES,- AND TO SOME EXTENT AS A SOURCE OF MANPOWER WAS .
SUSPECTED AND TO A LIMITED DEGREE CONFIRMED PRIOR TO THE TEl OFFENSIVE. SINCE THE TET
OFFENS I VE OUR . KNOWLEDGE HAS BEEN AUGMENTED THROUGH I NTERROGAT IONS OF SEVERAL KNOWLEDGE-
ABLE PRISONERS, SOME: VERY LOW LEVEL, WHO KNEW 'NOTHING MORE THAN THAT THEY HAD BEEN
. . - . .
TRAINED IN- _.CAMBODI A� OR HAD INFILTRATED INTO SOUTH VIETNAM FROM CAMBOD IA, AND SOME WHO
HELD RESPONSIBLE- POSITIONS WHICH �GAVE THEM ACCESS TO INFORMATION ABOUT V I ET CONG ( VC ) USE
OF CAMBODIA.
. THE VC APPARENTLY WERE. RECRUITING ETHNIC VIETNAMESE IN CAMBODIA FOR SOME TIME
PRIOR TO 'THE TET OFFENSIVE. � RECRUITMENT UNDOUBTEDLY OCCURRED AT SEVERAL LOCATIONS
THROUGHOUT CAMBODIA BUT WAS CENTERED IN PHNOM PENH AND THE CAMBODIAN PRO V I NCES CLOSE TO
THE SOUTH V IETNAMESEEBORDER . A.CAPTURED VC DOCUMENT DATED 6 JANUARY FROM GROUP 8oc TO
COMPANY .4/GROUP 129. SAID THAT NHA BE (POSSIBLY WHA BE SUBREGION MR ) HAD . RECEIVED 79
TYPE l'Cl! RECRUITS (VIETNAMESE PREVIOUSLY LIVING' IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES). GROUP 129 WAS -
REQUESTED TO PROVIDE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS ON THE RECEPTION OF AN UNSPECIFIED NUMBER
OF -TH I S: TYPE. OF RECRUIT FROM THE NATIONAL FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION OF SOUTH: V I ETNAM.
IN NOVEMBER, 1967 .CONTINGENTS OF SEVEN OR EIGHT ETHNIC VIETNAMESE .WHO HAD BEEN RECRUITED
5 5
4 BY THE VC WERE LEAVING -ON, THE AVERAGE OF. ONCE A WEEK FROM PHNOM PENH. A 34.-YEAR- 4
3� 3
2 OLD VC CADRE CAPTURED IN SAIGON DURING THE TEl OFFENSIVE SAID THAT HE AND OTHERS 2
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3.5(c)
25.:KcKNIOER 1967 HIS UNIT WASIN A FOREST ON: CAMBODIAN TERRITORY WHERE THE STORAGE DEPOTS
OF GROUP 856 (9TH, VC DIVISION) WERE LOCATED. IN: MID-JANUARY HIS UNIT MOVED BACK TO
SOUTH.VIETNAM FRONICAMBODIA TO PARTICIPATE. IN THE TET OFFENSIVE. ANOTHER DIARY KEPT BY
SOMEONE WHO HAD INFILTRATED FROM NORTH VIETNAM. TO SOUTH VIETNAM NOTED THAT ON 18 JANUARY
THE WRITER 'HAD PERFORMED'GWARDIMErrinAS A CAMBODIAN SOLDIER" JUST PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FROM
CAMBODIA TO SERVE IN THE TET OFFENSIVE,
6. EOR SOME TIME GOODS HAVE REPORTEDLY BEEN SHIPPED FROM CAMBODIA TO SOUTH VIETNAM
FORASE.BY THE VC, "Xi- ONE OF THE PRISONERS CAPTURED DURING THE TET OFFENSIVE GIVES A
MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE TRANSACTIONS. ACCORDING TO A BORDER CADRE OF THE VC AN
GTAWPROViNCE COMMITTEE WHOSE DUTIES INCLUDED CONTACTING LOCAL CAMBODIAN OFFICIALS to
ARRANGE FOR VC MEN AND MATERIEL TO TRAVEL ACROSS THE BORDER, GOODS WERE TRANSPORTED FROM
PHNOWOENH AND SIHANOUKVILLE FOR USE. BY THE VC. ACEESTIMATED T.21000: TONS OF CARGO PER
MONTH WERE BROUGHT BY BOAT, SAMPAN, OR TRUCK. INTO SOUTH VIETNAM FOR THE VC. THE PRISONER
SAID, HOWEVER, THAT SINCE MID-1967 ONLY ABOUT SIXTY PERCENT OF THE USUAL AMOUNT OF GOODS
HAS FLOWED ACROSS THE BORDER BECAUSE BORDER CONTROLS BEGAN TO BE MORE EFFECTIVELY
IMPLEMENTED BY SIHANOUK. PRISONERS CAPTURED IN III CORPS REPORTED THAT THEIR UNITS
OBTAINED RICE FROM CAMBODIA. ONE SAID THAT HE WAS SENT TO CAMBODIA THREE OR FOUR TIMES A
MONTH TO HELP TRANSPORT RICE FOR HIS UNIT.
1. :THE COMPLICITNCOF CAMBODIAN.MILITARY OFFICIALS, BORDER GUARDS AND CUSTOMS
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4 PERSONNEL IN VC ACTIVITIES IN CAMBODIA HAS BEEN FREQUENTLY REPORTED BEFORE. ONE OF 4
3 3
2: THE RECENT PRISONERS 2 3.3(h)(2)
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3.5(c)
WALKED FROM CAMBODIA FOR SEVEN NIGHTS BEFORE THE SAIGON BATTLE. HE CLAIMED TO HAVE BEEN
PRESSED INTO SERVICE BY THE VC. ACCORDING TO ANOTHER CAPTURED VC, THE BATTALION WHICH
ATTACKED MOC HOA WAS MADE UP OF ETHNIC VIETNAMESE RECRUITS FROM CAMBODIA.
3. THE VC HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTING TRAINING SITES AND OTHER INSTALLATIONS IN
CAMBODIA AT LEAST SINCE 1960. ACCORDING TO SEVERAL PRISONERS CAPTURED DURING THE TET
OFFENSIVE, THE BA THU AREA OF CAMBODIA SERVED AS A TRAINING SITE FOR THEM. FOR EXAMPLE,
COMPANY 3, VC 6TH BATTALION COMPOSED OF FORTY SOLDIERS, WAS THERE FROM EARLY JANUARY
1968 'UNTIL 28 JANUARY; THE RECRUITS, HOWEVER, ARRIVED AT VARIOUS TIMES DURING THE
LATTER PART OF 1967. THE TRAINING CENTER COULD TRAIN ABOUT FIFTY RECRUITS AT A TIME.
ALLEGEDLY TRAINING INCLUDED COURSES IN THE MAINTENANCE AND FIRING OF AK AND CKC RIFLES,
AND IN INDIVIDUAL COMBAT TECHNIQUES. IN ADDITION, THE RECRUITS STUDIED MILITARY THEORY
DAILY. ACCORDING TO ONE PRISONER, COMPANY 3 WAS THE ONLY UNIT TO LEAVE THE BA THU AREA
FOR SAIGON AT THE END OF JANUARY. NONE OF THE OTHER UNITS AT BA THU WAS IDENTIFIED.
4. ACCORDING TO ONE PRISONER, POLITICAL PRISONERS TAKEN DURING THE TET OFFENSIVE
WERE TO BE SENT TO A NEW CAMP WHICH THE AN GIANG PROVINCE COMMITTEE SECURITY SECTION HAD
ESTABLISHED NEAR AP VINH AN ABOUT 15 JANUARY. THIS PRISONER ALSO SAID THAT SINCE 1960,
VARIOUS PROVINCE AND DISTRICT COMMITTEES HAVE BEEN USING THREE OTHER CAMPS LOCATED ON
CAMBODIAN SOIL FOR MEETINGS, TRAINING SITES, BIVOUAC AREAS, AND COMMO-LIAISON STATIONS.
� ALL OF .THE CAMPS USED SOME SORT OF CAMOUFLAGING TECHNIQUES AND AT LEAST ONE OF THEM HAD
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4 NO PERMANENT BUILDINGS AND MOVED EVERY THREE DAYS WITHIN A ONE KILOMETER RADIUS. 4
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2 5. IN A CAPTURED NORTH VIETNAMESE ARMY (NVA) DIARY, THE WRITER STATED THAT ON 2
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GIANG PROVINCE COMMITTEE HAD RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL COOPERATION FROM CAMBODIAN OFFICIALS
SINCE 1960. AGREEMENTS WERE MADE TO ALLOW THE VC TO CROSS THE BORDER FREELY AND FREE
OF CHARGE TO SET UP CAMPS ON CAMBODIAN SOIL, AND TO COLLECT TAXES FROM VIETNAMESE
MERCHANTS CROSSING THE BORDER. COOPERATION WITH CAMBODIAN OFFICIALS WAS SUCH THAT THE
VC WERE PERMITTED SAFE PASSAGE IF THEY WERE TRAVELING ALONG A !-PREARRANGED COMMO-LIAISON
ROUTE AT A SPECIFIED TIME, OR IF THEY WERE PROPERLY DOCUMENTED. DURING THE LATTER PART
OF 1967 THE ABOVE MENTIONED PRISONER CROSSED FROM CO TO MOUNTAIN IN CHAU DOC PROVINCE,
SOUTH VIETNAM, TO A MEETING AT CAMP B2 ON CAMBODIAN TERRITORY. HE AND HIS TRAVELING
CAMPAN ION CARRIED A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMANDER OF BATTALION 510, WHO
WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR BORDER RELATIONS, IDENTIFYING THE BEARER AS A MEMBER OF BATTALION
510 AND GRANTING PERMISSION FOR HIM TO TRAVEL THROUGH A PARTICULAR AREA AND REQUESTED
THE MILITARY AUTHORITIES IN THE AREA TO GRANT HIM FREE PASSAGE.
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