THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00826A001400010069-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 22
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 29, 2004
• Sequence Number: 69
• Publication Date: November 25, 1966
• Content Type: MEMO

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25X1
MEMORANDUM
DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
The Situation in Vietnam
State Department review completed
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Top Secret
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Information as of 1600
I. The Military Situation in South Vietnam:
Heavy contact has been reported between two CIDG com-
panies and an enemy force near War Zone "C" in Tay
Ninh Province (Para. 1). The largest allied operation
of the war--Operation ATTLEBORO--ended on.25 November
(Para. 2). A five-hour battle on.24 November in coastal
Binh Dinh Province resulted in 30 Communist soldiers
killed (Para. 3). Twenty-three enemy troops were re-
ported killed in a. three-hour engagement between US Ma-
rines and communist troops northwest of Quang Ngai
city (Para.. 4). Latest results of the Viet Cong am-
bush of a convoy near Da Lat on 24 November are re-
ported as nine allied killed and 11 wounded (Paras. 5-6).
The Viet Cong k'i'dnaped- over 100 persons from a New
Life hamlet in the Mekong Delta near where a similar
incident occurred several weeks ago (Para. 7). Weekly
review of South Vietnam battle statistics (Para. 8).
II. Political Developments in South Vietnam: The
issue of military pressures for certain ambassadorial
appointments continues to cause concern (Para. 1).
Constituent Assembly chairman Phan Khac Suu believes
that government leaders are willing to give up their
veto power over the draft constitution and also to
prolong the life of the assembly, but US Embassy offi-
cers are more skeptical (Para. 2).
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VI. Other Major Aspects: There are increasing in-
dications that Cambodia has been taking steps to
limit Viet Cong use of Cambodian territory as a
sanctuary (Paras. 1-7).
South Vietnam Battle Statistics from 1963
Through 13-?19 November 1966
-Weapons and Personnel Losses
-Viet Corn Attacks and Incidents
To August 1.966
-South Vietnamese Desertions
To 2 November 1966
-Chieu Hoi (Open Arms) Returnees
South Vietnamese and Viet Cong Casualties
And Weapons Losses - 1962 to 31 Oct 19bb:
-General Statistical Data
-Composite Annual Totals
-Viet Cong Incidents
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USA
OP1441ON
T AYER II
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I. THE MILITARY SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. Two South Vietnamese Civilian Irregular De-
fense Group (CIDG) companies have been reported in
heavy contact with an enemy force near Communist War
Zone "C" in central Tay Ninh Province. The battle
area is in deep jungle some ten miles northeast of
Tay Ninh city. US artillery and tactical air strikes
have been supporting the irregulars and US troops
are preparing to send reinforcements into the fight.
Only light casualties have been reported thus far in
the action.
US Operations
2. Operation ATTLEBORO in Tay Ninh Province,
which at one time included 17 US and two South Viet-
namese battalions and was the largest allied sweep of
the war, ended on 25 November. Total casualties for
this six-week-long operation are 111 Americans killed
and 416 wounded compared to 1,089 Viet Cong killed
and 44 captured. Enemy losses included large amounts
of foodstuffs, arms and ammunition; many enemy base
camps were also destroyed. A total of 176 B-52
strikes and 1,560 tactical air strikes supported this
operation. (See Section VI for Cambodian reaction to
Operation ATTLEBORO.)
3. Two companies of the US 1st Air Cavalry Divi-
sion participating in Operation THAYER II reported
killing 30 Communist soldiers during a five-hour bat-
tle on 24 November in the rugged coastal area of Binh
Dinh Province approximately 46 miles north-northeast
of Qui Nhon. American casualties in this action were
nine killed and 21 wounded. Two US reconnaissance heli-
copters were shot down by enemy ground fire. A total
of 378 enemy troops have been killed since this four-
battalion search-and-destroy operation began on 24 Oc-
tober.
4. The US Marine battalion conducting Operation
RIO BLANCO in coastal Quang Ngai Province established
contact with an estimated 100 Viet Cong early on 25 No-
vember about 17 miles northwest of Quang Ngai city. In
a three-hour engagement, two Americans were killed and
23 wounded compared to 23 enemy soldiers killed and
five captured.
25 November 1966
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5. The latest report of casualties resulting
from the ambush of a. ten-truck US civilian/mili-
tary convoy six miles southeast of Da Lat in Tuyen
Duc Province on 24 November shows nine killed (one
US military, one US civilian, and seven foreign na-
tional civilians). Eleven others were reported
wounded (six US military, one US civilian, and four
foreign nationals.)
6. The daily convoy, which transports civil-
ian technicians to a communications site under con-
struction near Da Lat, was traveling along Route 11
which is normally free from Viet Cong harassment.
Three vehicles were destroyed and five damaged. A
reaction force dispatched from Da Lat hit a mine
and also received small arms fire, but forced the
enemy to withdraw. The reaction force sustained
no casualties; Viet Cong casualties are not known.
7. A Viet Cone force of unknown size entered
the Din Cu New Life hamlet 24 miles southeast of
Phu Vinh in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Binh
on 24 November. The guerrillas burned 15 houses
and kidnaped 109 civilians. The captives were re-
ported to be refugees from a nearby Viet Cong - con-
trolled area. The village had a total population
of nearly 500. A South Vietnamese Regional Force
company hasbeen dispatched to the village, but there
have been no reports of contact with the enemy. This
village is in the same area where the Viet Cong cap-
tured 107 civilians from another village several
weeks ago.
Weekly Review of South Vietnam Battle Statistics
8. The week of 13-19 November compared with
6-12 November:
I. Viet Cong Incidents
Time At- Regimental Battalion
Period tacks size size
Approv
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Time Company
Period size Harassment Terrorism
6-12 Nov 1 459 36
13-19 Nov 2 358 32
Time Sabo- Propa- Anti- Total
Period tage cfanda Aircraft Incidents
II. Casualties
VC/NVA GVN
Killed 1,525 905 237 248
Wounded ----- --- 556 545
Missing/ 193 149 66 77
Captured
TOTALS 1,718 1,054 859 870
Killed 126 99 21 29
Wounded 810 747 45 73
Missing/ 16 0 0 0
Captured
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III. Weapons Captured
VC/NVA
Individual 315 Not 127 236
Crew-Served 72 Reported 1 10
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II. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. Foreign Minister Tran Van Do has told US
Embassy officials that he had a long talk with Pre-
mier Ky about military pressures on the Foreign
Ministry. Do is uncertain if his arguments against
such pressures were successful since several ambas-
sadorial changes are still scheduled against Do's
wishes. Bui Diem, one of Ky's close advisers, will
probably be assigned as ambassador either to the
United States or to Japan. Dinh Trinh Chinh, another
adviser, is slated to become ambassador to Thailand.
Generals DoCao Tri and Tran Van Minh are slated for
Tunisia and Senegal, respectively. There is also pres-
sure to replace the current ambassador to Laos, but Do
is still objecting, and this appointment is not yet
settled.
2. Constituent Assembly chairman Phan Khac Suu
believes that government leaders are willing to give
up their present strong power to amend the assembly's
version of the constitution, and to agree to prolong
the life of the assembly after the promulgation of
the constitution. Suu and 11 other assembly delegates
met with Premier Ky and Chief of State Thieu to dis-
cuss these issues on 18 November. A formal govern-
ment answer is expected, perhaps next week. US Embassy
officers, however, feel that it is unlikely that the
government will agree to all the changes that the as-
sembly has requested.
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1. There are increasing indications that Phnom
Penh has been taking some steps to limit Viet Cong
use of Cambodian territory for sanctuary during the
course of Operation ATTLEBORO in Tay Ninh Province.
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5. One reflection of the Cambodian attitude,
however, has been provided by a Cambodian soldier
who was captured in Tay Ninh Province, a few miles
from the border, on 19 November. He told US inter-
rogators that he was part of a three-man team sent
across the border to warn the Viet Cong that they
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would be fired on if they attempted to cross into
Cambodia. He said. that this policy has been in
effect since mid-October.
]Be ]also sai triat it was a common
occurrence for small numbers of Viet Cong to take
refuge in Cambodia during allied ground sweeps or
air attacks along the border. He claimed that Cam-
bodian troops engaged the Communists when they were
encountered, but he doubted that more extensive
measures would be taken to control the border since
the Viet Cong re-entered South Vietnam when the dan-
ger was past.
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7. Phnom Penh has issued a strong protest over
an alleged South Vietnamese mortar attack against a
Cambodian border post opposite Kien Tuong-- Kien
Phong provinces on 22 November. Cambodia claims
that it lost five killed and five wounded in the "un-
provoked" attack, and brought an International Con-
trol Commission team to the scene to inspect the
damage. Sihanouk has at various times characterized
these border incidents as "inevitable" by-products
of the South Vietnam war, but, in more belligerent
moments, he has ordered Cambodian reprisals. I
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South Vietnamese and Viet Cong Casualties and
Weapons Losses: 1962 - 31 October 1966
1. General Statistical Data:
Time
P
d
i
Viet
Cong
Inci-
d
Killed
in
Action
Wounded
in
Action
Captured
or Missing
Total
Casualties
Weapons
Losses
er
o
ents
GVN
VC
GVN VC
GVN VC
GVN VC
GVN
VC
1962
1825
299
1294
475
212
116
390
890 1896
-
Jan
1963
927
453
1754
908
318
102
379
1463 2451
457
683
1964
1770
343
1223
913
-
555
240
1811 1463
917
532
1965
2206
904
2203
1938
-
471
565
3313 2768
1700
711
1966
3914
747
2648
1557
-
450
588
2754 3236
935
979
1962
1460
244
1205
300
316
124
353
668 1874
-
-
Feb
1963
788
379
1082
656
303
82
292
1117 1677
253
399
1964
2078
374
1055
916
-
303
289
1593 1344
708
471
1965
1982
880
1564
1840
-
1394
309
4114 1873
2454
620
1966
3100
1015
4727
2095
-
477
508
3587 5235
1076
1219
1962
1961
523
1456
737
551
140
523
1400 2530
-
-
Mar
1963
1282
410
1443
851
368
66
222
1327 2033
467
367
1964
2160
439
1456
1249
-
345
531
2033 1987
814
532
1965
2056
751
2022
1633
-
720
394
3104 2416
1442
698
1966
3670
938
5685
1961
-
466
604
3365 6289
1393
1632
1962
1933
387
1596
532
292
151
415
1070 2303
-
-
Apr
1963
1331
506
1660
878
256
96
388
1440 2304
797
468
1964
2284
594
1671
1584
-
398
245
2576 1916
990
424
1965
1860
591
1909
1650
-
232
529
2473 2438
757
973
1966
3235
573
2818
15.22
-
121
483
2216 3301
594
829
1962
1825
390
1756
5109
352
94
524
993 2632
-
May
1963
1208
435
1895
889
295
94
695
1418 2885
463
564
1964
2143
458
1135
987
-
202
242
1647 1377
723
281
1965
2263
1049
1975
2143
-
873
548
4065 2523
1701
831
1966
3566
661
4239
1454
-
196
652
2311 4891
493
1087
1962
1477
325
1666
6:L3
413
77
441
1015 2520
-
-
Jun
1963
1311
389
1863
772
310
90
437
1251 2609
580
394
1964
2062
494
1005
1145
-
313
230
1952 1235
718
387
1965
2597
1211
2208
1920
-
1260
189
4391 2397
2387
793
1966
3359
860
4815
1800
-
183
752
2843 5567
735
3761
1962
1564
384
1544
686
424
212
542
1282 2510
-
-
Jul
1963
1368
529
1918
1071
372
306
387
1906 2677
663
374
1964
3045
900
1427
1812
-
510
219
3222 1646
1889
447
1965
2520
1160
2980
1591
-
540
580
3425 3560
1375
882
1966
2844
1592
5532
1800
-
196
444
3598 5976
744
1483
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 Approved
Viet Killed
Cong in
Inci- Action
1962 1642 377
Aug 1963 1349 411
1964 2580 721
1965 2498 808
1966 2401 722
1962 1375 419
Sep 1963 1763 672
1964 3091 819
1965 2473 655
1966 2864 566
1962 1357 365
Oct 1963 1422 428
1964 2827 739
1965 3330 961
1966 2923 906
1962 1311 410
Nov 1963 3182 664
1964 1982 574
1965 3638 1034
1962 1346 294
Dec 1963 1921 389
1964 2504 1002
1965 4106 1239
Wounded
in
Action
GVN VC
2271 626 367
1685 804 237
1449 1.612
3624 1.945
5857 1.491
2218 646 365
1982 1.155 234
1187 1.759
3485 1.724
4447 1.554
1967 619 286
1520 989 244
1617 1.583 -
3874 2416
5665 2118
1982 834 368
2333 1.554 373
1747 1.404
5516 2056
2203 618 289
1440 961 191
1813 2053
4076 2262
Captured Total
or Missing Casualties
GVN VC GVN VC
63 669 1066 3307
352 482 1567 2404
478 282 2811 1731
287 606 3040 4230
209 924 2422 6781
59 446 1124 3029
566 347 2393 2563
737 230 3315 1417
266 838 2645 4323
185 839 2305 5286
64 373 1048 2626
398 236 1815 2000
693 576 3015 2193
225 660 3602 4534
216 2438 3240 8103
92 561 1336 2911
665 252 2883 2958
410 570 2388 2317
520 592 3610 6108
78 463 990 2955
320 190 1670 1821
1092 503 4147 2316
926 516 4427 4592
Composite Annual Totals
VC
Time Inci- KIA
Period dents GVN VC
1962 19076 4417 21158
1963 17852 5665 20575
1964 28526 7457 16785
1965 31529 11243 35436
**1966 31876 7848 46426
WIA
GVN VC
7195 4235
11488 3501
17017
2311.8
17190
Captured Total
or Missing Casualties
GVN VC GVN VC
1270 5700 12882 31093
3137 4307 20290 28383
6036 4157 30510 20942
7848 6326 42209 41762
2745 8210 27783 54636
*Monthly data unavailable for 1962 Weapons Losses.
**Through 31 October 1966
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Approved
25
Weapons
Losses
GVN VC
637 428
1106 619
705 1074
654 1298
878 389
1465 525
778 838
426
753 330
1510 482
762 1013
851
1595 , 455
1104 515
1126 2164
724 546
2111 666
1728 1158
Weapons
Losses
GVN VC
5195 4049*
8267 5397
14055 5881
16915 11755
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2. Viet Cong Incidents: 1962 - 31 October 1966 II
A T T A C K S
Time Viet Cong
eriod Incidents
Small-
Scale
Co. Size
Bn. Size
or Larger
Total
Harassment &
Terrorism
Sabotage
Propa-
Banda
Anti-
Aircraft
1962
1825
528
21
0
549
839
180
257
-
Jan
1963
927
242
8
2
252
447
49
179
-
1964
1770
218
2
3
223
1244
129
174
-
1965
2206
57
5
1
63
1489
272
170
212
1966
3914
42
23
5
70
2490
312
299
743
1962
1460
480
20
0
500
613
137
210
-
Feb
1963
788
181
13
1
195
433
69
91
-
1964
2078
211
3
3
217
1389
210
271
-
1965
1982
73
6
3
82
1411
267
91
131
?
1966
3100
50
10
9
6
9
1829
201
172
829
1962
1961
561
27
0
588
660
290
423
-
Mar
1963
1282
333
11
0
344
653
131
154
-
1964
2160
198
n
1
1
/-V3
1632
158
167
1965
2056
80
3
3
86
1476
240
90
164
1966
3670
32
10
10
52
2332
212
154
920
1962
1933
470
27
0
497
1024
220
192
Apr
1963
1331
371
9
3
383
688
105
155
-
1964
2284
211
6
3
220
1738
169
157
-
1965
1860
38
1
4
43
1407
149
96
165
1966
3235
61
7
9
77
2238
252
110
513
1962
1825
490
28
0
528
892
154
251
-
May
1963
1208
344
13
0
357
608
93
150
-
1964
2143
170
3
2
175
418
217
140
193
1965
2263
40
7
11
58
1558
365
115
170
10
1966
3566
37
9
7
53
2552
295
106
560
1962
1477
339
23
0
362
736
157
222
-
Jun
1963
1311
398
11
1
410
652
107
142
-
1964
2062
128
10
2
140
1390
176
162
194
1965
2597
62
1
6
69
1784
469
103
172
1966
3359
47
10
11
68
2382
211
110
588
1962
1564
437
10
1
448
735
158
223
-
Jul
1963
19
4
1368
398
8
1
407
698
80
183
-
6
196
3045
166
12
7
185
2132
286
224
218
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5
2520
42
0
6
48
1706
400
154
212
1966
2844
91
0
0
91
1906
200
86
561
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A T T A C S
Time
Period
Viet Cong
Incidents
Small-
Scale
Bn. Size
Co. Size and Larger
Total
Harassment &
Terrorism
Sabotage
Propa-
ganda
Anti-
Aircraft
1962
1564
437
10
1
448
735
158
223
-
Jul 1963
1368
398
8
1
407
698
80
183
-
1964
3045
166
12
7
185
2132
286
224
218
1965
1966
2520
42
0
6
48
1706
400
154
212
2844
91
0
0
91
1906
200
86
561
1962
1642
368
10
0
378
885
146
233
-
Aug 1963
1349
356
11
1
368
647
113
221
-
1964
2580
107
3
3
113
1775
315
173
204
1965
2498
38
9
5
52
1597
349
200
300
1966
2401
59
10
5
74
1752
113
87
385
1962
1375
382
9
0
391
624
178
182
-
Sep 1963
1763
483
17
3
503
889
164
207
-
1964
3091
110
4
4
118
1938
482
178
375
1965
2473
19
7
5
31
1530
278
185
449
1966
2864
86
6
0
86
1972
90
115
601
1962
1357
406
12
1
419
583
189
166
-
Oct
1963
1422
359
6
0
365
802
105
150
-
1964
2827
75
2
6
83
1790
480
197
277
1965
3330
24
8
12
44
1969
415
198
704
1966
2923
105
16
0
137
1749
103
81
869
1962
1311
411
7
3
421
614
144
132
-
Nov
1963
3182
631
11
3
645
1990
269
278
-
1964
1982
57
2
1
60
1391
247
109
175
1965
3638
26
16
10
52
2234
486
255
611
1962
1346
375
8
1
384
670
107
185
-
Dec
1963
1921
258
3
0
261
1298
111
251
-
1964
2504
81
9
6
96
1719
318
128
243
1965
4106
32
18
7
57
2572
442
317
718
Composite Annual Totals
1962
19076
5247
212
6 5465
8875
2060
2676
No Data
1963
17852
4354
121
15 4490
9805
1396
2161
No Data
1964
28526
1732
60
41 1833
19556
3178
2080
1879
1965
31529
531
81
73 685
20730
4132
1974
4008
25X1
*1966
31876
610
83
74 767
21247
1989
1320
6569
*Through 31 October 1966
25X1
Approved For Release 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T00826A001400010069-5
 Approved Fo*lease 2004/11/03: CIA-RDP79T008001400010069-5
Weapons Losses
Personnel Losses
(Excluding Wounded)
Viet Cong/PAVN
GVN/US/other Free World
0 t I I I I I 1 1 1 1 1
1963
8,103
US Casualties to Date: Killed 5,965 Wounded 34,457
SEP OCT NOV
1966
25
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 Approved Fo*lease 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T008*01400010069-5
Viet Cong Attacks
CTOBER
4000
Viet Cong Incidents
(Excluding Attacks)
OCTOBER
2 991
SEP OCT
1966
I
I
13 -19 NOV
-1
670 TOTAL.
1
226 AA Fire
16 Propaganda
38 Sabotage
32 Terrorism
I I.LJJ
NOV
25
64928 11-66 CIA
Approved For Release 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T00826AO01400010069-5
 Approved FoSlease 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T008001400010069-5
Chieu Hoi Returnees
Military
1, 747 TOTAL
1,037
Yearly Total 5,417 11,124 15,221 through 2 Nov
Military 2,171 8,173
25
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 Approved Foolease 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T008001400010069-5
South Vietnamese Desertions
AUGUST
I
8,108 TOTAL
Regional, &
Popular Forc
s 4,1
07
4,0
01
silT,
1 #v4
1965
1966
1967
Yearly Total
36,441
73,010
113,168
84,213
Regulars
9,666
21,441
47,279
43,401
64930
11-66 CIA
25
Approved For Release 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T00826AO01400010069-5
 25X1
Top provetd
ecre
Forleease 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T00821001400010069-5
Top Secret
Approved For Release 2004/11/03 : CIA-RDP79T00826AO01400010069-5