THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00826A001200010033-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 19, 2004
• Sequence Number: 33
• Publication Date: September 11, 1966
• Content Type: MEMO

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
: N~MLH---/
THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM
Information as of 1600
11 September 1966
ARMY and DOS review(s) completed.
PREPARED FOR THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
FURTHER DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION
CONTAINED HEREIN IS NOT AUTHORIZED
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11 September 1966
The 11 September election for South Vietnam's
constitutional assembly was marked by a large turn-
out of registered voters. Final returns will prob-
ably indicate that somewhat over 70 percent of the
country's voters cast ballots despite widespread
Viet Cong terrorism the day preceding the election
and scattered incidents during the polling period.
I. The Military Situation in South Vietnam:
Weekend military activity in South Vietnam was
light, with the most significant operation being
an enemy mortar attack against US Marine elements
in Operation PRAIRIE in Quang Tri Province (Para.
1). A mortar attack against Phan Thiet airstrip
took place on 11 September (Para. 2). A US bat-
talion engaged in Operation BATON ROUGE reported
three fire-fights with enemy units (Para. 3).
II. Political Developments in South Vietnam:
A large voter turnout characterized today's elec-
tion for a constituent assembly in South Vietnam
(Paras. 1-4). Viet Cong antielection activity
was widespread yesterday, with at least scattered
reports of terrorism continuing in the provinces
today (Paras~ 5-6). The Buddhist election boycott
failed to deter any significant numbers from
voting today (Paras. 7-8). Other aspects are
discussed in Para. 9' . A reorganization of the
Regional and Popular Forces will begin on 15
September (Para. 10).
III. Military Developments in North Vietnam:
Two US aircraft were lost on 10 September (Para. 1).
ported
Further losses to the DRV Navy are re-
(Para. 3).
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1. Military activity in South Vietnam over the
weekend was limited to isolated harassing attacks by
the Viet Cong and only light contact with VC/PAVN
forces in the 33 ground operations currently under
way. The only significant action involving US units
occurred on 10 September as part of Operation PRAIRIE
in Quang Tri Province when enemy forces launched a
mortar attack on US Marine elements 23 miles west of
Quang Tri city. Five marines were killed and 11
wounded. Three USMC battalions have been in the area
attempting to pin down and destroy an enemy force be-
lieved to consist of 5,000 men. Since the operation
began on 3 August, 46 marines and 295 of the enemy
have been killed.
2. A second mortar attack occurred in the early
morning hours of 11 September as Viet Cong units made
a surprise attack on the Phan Thiet airstrip in Binh
Thuan Province. No US personnel were reported killed
but the Communist mortar fire succeeded in damaging
two medical evacuation aircraft and seven 10,000-
gallon fuel bags. Eight rounds landed in the Phan
Thiet market area and injured eight South Vietnamese.
3. In III Corps, a battalion of the US First
Infantry Division engaged in Operation BATON ROUGE
reported three fire-fights with enemy units located
about 20 miles southeast of Saigon. Nine Viet Cong
were killed in the engagement but a US helicopter
was shot down and ten US soldiers were wounded. In
the Mekong delta area, ARVN forces reported numerous
small-unit actions during 10 and 11 September, but
no major engagements are known to have taken place.
11 September 1966
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NORTH Dong Hol
\ VIETNAM Y x
I
SOUTH VIETNAM
CURRENT SITUATION
11 SEPTEMBER
0 25 50 75 I00M.1es
0 252 50 75 100 Kilometers
63746 -
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II. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN SOUTH VIETNAM
to Today's election of a constitutional assembly
was marked by a large turnout of registered voters--
higher than most pre-election estimates, Final vali-
dated returns will probably indicate that somewhat
over 70 percent of the country's registered voters
cast ballots, despite widespread Viet Cong terrorism
yesterday and at least scattered incidents during the
polling period. The boycott called for by the mili-
tant Institute Buddhists proved largely ineffectual.
2. The high voter turnout demonstrates the gov-
ernment's ability to conduct an election in areas under
its control, and provides it with an excellent propa-
ganda opportunity to denigrate the political strength
of the Viet Cong. Failure of their extensive antielec-
tion propaganda campaign and attempts to disrupt the
voting have resulted in a sharp loss of face for the
Vietnamese Communists.
The Voting
3. About 69.3 percent of the registered voters
in Saigon and Gia Dinh Province--where one fourth of
the country's voters live--went to the polls today.
By all accounts received thus far, the election was
well administered in the capital area, with no evidence
of government pressure on the voters or of favoritism
toward specific candidates,
4. Totals from the other provinces, as yet un-
official and incomplete, generally range between 70
and 90 percent of registered voters. Voting in central
Vietnam, which faced antielection threats from both
the Viet Cong and militant Buddhists and other "strug-
gle" force remnants, was high, with the city of Hue
reporting a turnout of nearly 86 percent. Official
nationwide returns will indicate a turnout of more
than 70 percent. Late press reports quoting official
government sources on the nationwide voter turnout
range between 75 and 83 percent.
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Viet Cong Activity
5. The country-wide level of Viet Cong terrorism
and harassment was high from noon yesterday through
this morning, Some 90 incidents were reported during
the period-roughly a fivefold increase over a normal
24-hour period. Six district capitals received harass-
ing_ fire, but there was no sensational terrorist ac-
tion, and no large-scale military activity reported.
There were 12 grenade explosions in Saigon yesterday,
but the capital was generally free from antielection
activity while the polls were open today, Scattered
terrorist activity, including some attempts to keep
voters from the polls by force, were reported in the
provinces,
6. The Viet Cong have not reacted publicly to the
election turnout as yet. Although the Viet Cong will
undoubtedly describe the election results as fraudulent,
it will be extremely difficult for them to avoid loss
of face inside Vietnam as well as abroad. One Libera-
tion radiobroadcast this morning claimed that only 15
percent of the people in Saigon would go to the polls.
There is a possibility of further Viet Cong terrorism
being directed against winning candidates as they be-
come known.
Buddhist Boycott Largely Ineffectual
7. The call for a boycott by militant members of
the Buddhist Institute also failed to keep any signifi-
cant number of voters from casting ballots today. Hun-
ger strikes are being conducted in pagodas in Saigon,
Hue, Da Nang, Nha Trang, and Ban Me Thuot, but are
attracting little public attention. Other than one
attempted march by a group of monks in Saigon this
morning, no serious efforts were made by the Buddhists
to disrupt the voting today. Polling places in strong
Buddhist areas in Saigon were well attended by voters,
including some monks from the Buddhist Institute. Thich
Tam Chau, leader of the moderate Institute Buddhists,
reportedly broadcast an appeal today urging the Buddhist
faithful to vote,,
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8. Yesterday, the Saigon press carried com-
muniques signed by the Buddhist Institute which
among other things called on the people to call off
the "struggle." The Buddhist Institute denied the
validity of the communiques, and the US Embassy be-
lieves that they were a piece of last-minute decep-
tion propaganda by the government. Today's press
carried a conciliatory statement by Premier Ky to
the Institute over differences currently dividing
them. However, Ky made no real concessions.
Other Aspects
9. Winning candidates have not yet been an-
nounced. The government is planning to hold a full-
dress press conference in Saigon tomorrow to announce
at least some of the election results_ r- I
I in aigon, there was no evidence
any in o Catholic boycott today, which might
have resulted from either Father Hoang Quynh's Front
For All Religions or from implied threats from Father
Tran Du, leader of the Catholic Citizens Bloc. Press
accounts dealing with the election have been uniformly
favorable thus far.
Other Developments
10. US military authorities in Saigon have been
informed by the Vietnamese Joint General Staff that a
reorganization of the Regional and Popular Forces will
begin on 15 September. The changes basically involve
the integration of the Regional and Popular Force head-
quarters into the corresponding regular force headquar-
ters at the General Staff, corps, division, sector, and
subsector levels.
11 September 1966
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1. Two US planes were lost on 10 September as
air strikes against North Vietnamese petroleum fa-
cilities and lines of communication continued at
near-record levels. A US Air Force F4C was shot
down by a surface-to-air missile after participat-
ing in the attack against the Dap Cau highway and
railroad bridge 18 miles northeast of Hanoi. Both
crew members are presumed lost. Earlier on the
same day an air force AlE was brought down by
ground fire while attacking PAVN-forces near the
northern border of the DMZ. The pilot bailed out
but is believed to have been captured.
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North Vietnamese PT Boats Attacked
3. The DRV Navy suffered further losses this
weekend to its already diminished force of 25-30
patrol and motor torpedo boats. Two US A4E air-
craft discovered three camouflaged PT boats moored
near an island 44 miles east of Haiphong on 10
September. The boats opened fire on the Navy
planes as they made their initial pass. Two US Navy
A-6 aircraft then joined in the attack which re-
suited in the probab7,e sinking of one boat and
damage to a second. On 11 September US Navy pilots
discovered three additional boats 27 miles east of
Haiphong and severely damaged two of them.
11 September 1966
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