THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00826A002200330001-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 4, 2004
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: June 28, 1967
• Content Type: MEMO

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DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
MEMORANDUM
The Situation in Vietnam
T-opSlret
4
28 June 1957
ARMY review(s) completed.
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Information as of 1600
28 June 1967
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HIGHLIGHTS
US Marines and ARVN units in the Khe Sanh area
of northwestern Quang Tri Province are continuin
to encounter heavy enemy resistance.
I. The Military Situation in South Vietnam:
Probable elements of the 325th NVA Division are
maintaining heavy pressure against US/ARVN Opera-
tion CRnCKFTT i n (luanrr Tri Urnvi me (Dares ~ 1
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E e-
men s o~t~ie ie ong Lig t In antry Division
may again be preparing for major operations in
southeastern III Corps (Paras. 5-9). Two major
Communist commands--the B-3 Western Highlands Front
and Headquarters, Military Region 5--apparently are
coordinating offensive operations in II Corps
(Paras. 10-13). The Weekly Review of South Vietnam
Battle Statistics (Para. 14). (Note: The graphical
annex on battle statistics will be published on 29
June.)
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VI. Other Major Aspects: A Viet Cong arsenal
has been reported on Cambodian territory opposite
South Vietnam's Kien Tupnq Province (Para. 1).
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1. Elements probably of the NVA 325th Division
are continuing to maintain heavy pressure against
US Marine and supporting ARVN units conducting Op-
eration CROCKETT in the Khe Sanh area of northwestern
Quang Tri Province. Thus far in two days of sporatl=
ically heavy fighting spanning 26 and 27 June, al-
lied forces have sustained casualties of 21 killed
(19 US) and 155 wounded (152 US), compared with
known enemy losses~of 28 killed.
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Ap
Possible :Offensive Activity b Viet Cong 5th Division
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that elements of the Viet.Cong 5th Lig t In antry
Division may again be prepara.ng for the initiation
of major operations against allied forces in south-
eastern III Corps.
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7. This intensified enemy reconnaissance
activity is similar to that noted just prior to
19 June, when battalion-size elements of the 274th
Regiment attacked the command post of the US 11th
ACR in Phuoc Tuy~Frovince. The 274th lost 56 killed
in that action, in contrast to US casualties of
eight killed and 31 wounded. The US armored unit,
along with two battalions of the US 9th Infantry
Division and one ARVN battalion, was participating
in Operation AKRON at the time of the attack.
8. AKRON was initiated on 8 June in the Bien
Hoa - Long Khanh - Phuoc Tuy province triborder area
with the objective o~ clearing elements of the Viet
Cong 5th Division and local guerrilla farces from an
important Communist base area in southwestern III
Corps. To date, 94 Viet Cong have been killed
against allied losses of 15 killed and 78 wounded.
As the operation continues its encroachment upon
sensitive enemy redoubts in the area, Communist main
and local force resistance can be expected to harden.
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9. Late MACV reports indicate that an ARVN
ranger battalion, reinforced by elements of the US
11th ACR, was heavily engaged by an enemy force of
undetermined strength during the night of 27-28
June some 40 miles northeast of Saigon in Lonq Khanh
Province. According to preliminary casualty reports,
five ARVN soldiers were killed and 28 wounded (one
US); enemy losses were not reported.
Coordination of Enemy Operations in II Corps
sugges at two mayor
-- - Western Highlands Front
and Headquarters, Military Region 5 (MR 5)--are
coordinating offensive operations in II Carps.
11. A notebook captured on 3 May near the Plei
Me Special Forces camp in western Pleiku Province
stated that "B-3 will coordinate its actions with
all battlefields of the region," probably meaning
the highland and coastal delta battlefields of MR 5.
During May and June, elements of the B-3 Front have
sharply increased their activity in both Pleiku and
Kontum provinces, while elements of the NVA 5th
Division have done likewise in the coastal regions
of II Corps, particularly in Phu Yen Province. On
16 June, enemy forces in Phu Yen launched early
morning attacks in the "'uy Hoa ~- Donn ~'re Special
Forces camp area, while those in Kontum Province
simultaneously attacked Tan Canh and Kontum city
with mortar and rocket fire--possibly indicating
that the actions in both provinces were coordinated.
12. Documents captured on 22 June near Dak To
Special Farces camp indicate that during May and June
MR 5 was to provide logistical support to elements
of the NVA 24th T~~egiment operating in Kontum.
Province. In addition to its probable logistical
dependence upon MR 5, the 24th--which is accepted
in the MACV order of battle as an independent NVA
regiment based in Kontum--is believed to be opera-
tionally controlled by the B-3 Front. The recent
upsurge of activity by the 24th Regiment in the Dak.
To area has been interpreted as an effort by the
B-3 Front to force a major diversion of allied troop
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strength from the Front's principal strategic area
of operations in adjacent western Pleiku Province.
13.
provided the first firm
evi ence a e 1~3~E row and MR 5 planned coor-
dinated operations in II Corps, in conjunction with
operations by the Northern Front/DMZ Front in north-
ern I Corps, as part of this year's "summer campaign"
in the northern half of South Vietnam. The B-3
Front's reported mission during the "summer campaign"--
to disperse, tie down, and destroy US forces in the
highlands in an effort to prevent allied reinforcement
of the coastal delta area of II:C:orps~-is a reliable
indication that Hanoi's primary concern in MR 5 is
control of the rice-rich, populous, coastal regions.
Weekly Review of South Vietnam Battle Statistics
14. The-week of 18-24 June compared with the week
of 11-17 June:
I. Viet Cong Incidents
11-17 June
Attacks 49
Battalion or Larger ............. 1
Small Unit ................... .48
Harassment 385
Terrorism 37
Sabotage 13
Propaganda 11
Antiaircraft 257
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VC/NVA
GVN
11-17 June
18-24 June
11-17 June
8-24 June
Killed
1,$52
1,905
213
119
Wounded
Missing/
Captured
-----
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-----
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556
14
330
39
TOTALS
1,852
US
1,905
783
FREE WO
488
RLD
11-17 June
18-24 June
11-17 June
18-24 June
Killed
143
273
22
15
Wounded
953
1,258
53
25
Missing/
Captured
---
-----
--
TOTALS
1,096
1,531
75
40
III. Weapons Captured
VC/NVA
GVN
11-1
7 Ju
ne 18-24 June
11-17 June
18-24 June
Individual
416
Not
115
105
Crew-Served
44
Reported
3
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1. A Viet Cong arsenal employing 200 workers
is situated in Cambodian territor o osite South
Vietnam's Kien Tuong Province,
new ui ing construction and numerous defensive
positions in the same area.
the facility is under the direction o two C inese
Communists, and includes grenade, mine, weapons re-
pair, and casting units. The arsenal is in an area
of Cambodia's Svay Rieng Province, believed to be
a support area of the Viet Cong's Dong Thap 2 Regi-
ment.
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