THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00826A001000010050-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 18, 2006
• Sequence Number: 50
• Publication Date: July 22, 1966
• Content Type: IM

lease 2007/0'3/1~~h~(~R~'f9T008~01000010050-9
~~~ ~S:~TU~~-~'~1~~N
_ ,
PRfPAR~p f THE :N1~~'iONAL; SEC~RiTYCOUNCit
~'~URTH~R ~#~~EMIi~~1T~O~t ~>` INf'ORNL?~TiON ~,
_e-- CC~:t~k~ri+1~I~? ~I~IfitE11~F',1,~,~11~T, Al:)THtO~tIZE~~ , . 4>
Approved For Release 2QA~,(p~,(1~~J1~~~,~9T00826A001000010050-9
 25X1 gpproved For Release 2007/03/13 :CIA-RDP79T00826A001000010050-9
Approved For Release 2007/03/13 :CIA-RDP79T00826A001000010050-9
 Approv
Recently captured North Vietnamese soldiers claim
that in addition to elements of the North Vietnamese
324th Division in northern Huang Tri Province of
South Vietnam, there are also two other North Viet-
namese divisions available for assignment to this
area. One is in Laos and one is in reserve in NTili-
tary Region IV of the DRV.
22 July 1966
I. The b~ilitary Situation in South Vietnam:
Operation JOHN PAUL JONES by US airborne and ROK
Marine task force elements began yesterday in coastal
Phu Yen Province (Para. 1). Operations CEDAR RAPIDS
and FILLMORE have ended (Paras. 2-3). Reports of
PAVN/VC plans in the northern part of South Vietnam
(Paras. 4-6). Recent intelligence reports indicate
the Viet Cong may be planning increased attacks on
airfields in South Vietnam (Para. 7).
II. Political Develo ments in South Vietnam:
25X1 the primary purpose
of Father C?uynh in sponsoring an opposition group
to the present government is to maintain the pos-
sibility of future Catholic-Buddhist cooperation,
and that Qu nh lans no direct anti overnment action
(Para. 1).
T e eputy c ief of the Bud-
dhist chaplains claims that the government is re-
stricting contacts between Tri Huang and other monks
(Para. 3).
III. N?ilitary Developments in North Vietnam:
There is nothing of significance to report.
IV. Other Communist b^ilitary Developments:
There is nothing of significance to report.
Appro
 Appr
V. Communist Political Developments: Accord-
ing to two recent reports, Hanoi does not intend
to execute US pilots (Para. 1). The Chinese chief
of state, speaking on Vietnam, reiterated China's
support for the DRV but made no commitment to sne--
cific action. (Para. 2).
22 July 1966
Approved For Release 2007/03/13: CIA-RDP79T00826A00100001005~-9
 Approved For~ease 2007/03/13 :CIA-RDP79T0082~01000010050-9
u' _se~a~e~e
T H AI LAN D
~~
Si~ kvill
Q, n
C~I~eo Reo,
~Da L8t`
SOUTH VIETNAM
CURRENT SITUATION
Approved For F~elease 2007/03/13 :CIA-RDP79T00826A001000010050-9
 Approve
I. THE MILITARY SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. Three battalions of the US 101st Airborne
Division and the 2nd Korean Marine Brigade yester-
day began a major new ground operation--JOHN PAUL
JONES--in coastal Phu Yen Province. The operation
calls for the joint allied task force to seize and
hold vital terrain in the ~iYung Ro pass and bay area,
and to provide security for engineer work being
conducted along lines of communications between the
bay and the provincial capital of Tuy Hoa.
2. Operation CEDAR RAPIDS, a joint US - South
Vietnamese search-and-destroy operation along Route
lA in Binh Duong Province, ended today. Cumulative
casualties include three Americans killed and nine
wounded; two enemy were reported killed and two sus-
pects detained.
3. Operation FILLMORE, a joint US-Korean rice-
harvest security operation in coastal Phu Yen Prov-
ince that began on 24 March, ended yesterday :; 'Friendly
casualties totaled 30 killed (ten US) and 144 wounded
(94 US). A total of 73 Viet Cong were killed and
475 suspects detained.
PAVN/VC Plans
4. A recently captured. North Vietnamese soldier,
who states he was a member of the intelligence com-
pany of the 90th Regiment of the 324 "B" Division,
has provided additional information on VC/PAVN plans
in Quang Tri Province in northernmost South Vietnam.
He said that two battalions of the 812th Regiment,
324th Division, had the mission of attracting two
ARVN battalions into the Cua area of Qazang Tri Prov-
ince., Other forces would attack reinforcements mov-
ing from Hue to Qttang Tri. He also reported that an-
other division was in Laos near Tchepone and would
attack along Route 9, while a third division would
be in reserve in Military Region IV in the DRV. MACV
22 July 1966
pproved For Release 2007/03/13: CIA-RDP79T00826A00100001005
 Approve
comments that this information corresponds with that
provided by a second'.li'euteriant from the 812th Regiment.
The lieutenant reported that the 304 "B"'Division had
replaced the 324 "B" at its garrison at Ha Tinh in
the DRV and was ready to reinforce PAVN forces in
South Vietnam.
7. According to MACV, recent intelligence re-
ports indicate that the Viet Cong may be planning
an increase in the number of attacks against US and
South Vietnamese airfields. The Viet Cong have been
relatively successful during the past few months in
attacking ,airfields, and the Communists may well in-
tend to step up this activity.
22 July 1966
Approv
 Appro~ed For Release 2007/03/13: CIA-RDP79T00826A001000010
II. POLITICAL DEVELOPN'ENTS IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1.
a er oang _,uyn e ou spo en Cat o is
leader of the group .known as the 'Front of All Re--
ligions," views his public opposition to the K -
Thieu overnment as a political necessity.
C?uynh's principal, aim is o wor
or u ure uni~y etween Buddhists and Catholics.
~uynh is said to believe that his purposes can be
served by keeping his views before the public, but
does not intend to tike positive action which could
lead to retaliation.
3. Thich Ho Giac, Tam Giac's deputy chief of
the Chaplains Corps, reportedly informed a US Em-
bassy officer that access to Tri ~?uang at the Duy
Tan clinic as of 19 July was difficult because of
government restrictions on visits by monks. Tri
Huang was apparently prevented from. attending a
meeting of the Buddhist Institute, presumably held
at a pagoda in Gaigon. The northern extremist
cleric was, however, permitted to attend Father
C?uynh's reception for various leaders of religious
factions on 21 July.
22 July 1966
Appr~
 Appro
III. MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS IN NORTH VIETNAM
1. There is nothing of significance to report.
22 July 1966
Approv 50-9
 Appr~ved For Release 2007/03/13: CIA-RDP79T00826A0010000100~0-9 25X1
1. There is nothing of significance to report.
22 July 1966
Approved For Release 2007/03/13: CIA-RDP79T00826A0010000100?0-9
 Appro
V. COMMUNIST POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
US Pilots in North Vietnam
25X1
prominen i era ion ron o icia at
the US pilots in North Vietnam would "not be placed
before firing squads." He also said that the
North Vietnamese would attempt to get the pilots
to sign statements sympathetic to the Vietnamese
'Communist position, and that they would be held in
areas where the US was apt to bomb. This informa-
tion cannot be confirmed although one other DRV
official is reported to have said recently that the
pilots will not be executed. The information on
Hanoi's intention to place the prisoners in areas
where US air strikes were expected in the hopes
of averting such strikes is still very much in the
rumor category.
Chinese on Support For Vietnam
2. A statement by Liu Shao-chi at a Peking
mass rally on 22 July appears to be still another
Chinese effort at demonstrating support for Hanoi
without committing Peking to any specific course-
of action. Liu asserted that the Chinese "have
made every preparation to take such actions at
any time and in any place as the Chinese and Viet-
namese peoples deem necessary for dealing joint
blows at the US." The reference to "joint blows"
conveys the impression of direct Chinese involve-
ment in the war but does not go as far as Pe-
king's pledges in the spring and summer of 1965
to send "volunteers" to Vietnam "if needed."
22 July 1966
Approv