THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00826A001300010043-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 17, 2006
• Sequence Number: 43
• Publication Date: October 10, 1966
• Content Type: MEMO

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM
State Department review
completed
NSA review completed
Information as of 1600
10 October 1966
PREPARED FOR THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
FURTHER DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION
CONTAINED HEREIN IS NOT AUTHORIZED
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App
The Viet Cong have sustained unusually heavy
casualties in the fighting in northeastern Binh
Dinh Province. In the last four weeks allied forces
in this area have killed neatly 1,700 Communists.
I. The Military Situation in South Vietnam:
Ten allied battalions have begun a route-clearing
operation along Route 13 north of Saigon (Para. 1).
Four US operations conducted in III Corps have
ended with only minor results reported (Para. 3).
Communist losses in Binh Dinh Province have been
extremely high since 8 September; allied forces
now report nearly 1,700 Communists killed (Paras.
4-6).
II. Political Developments in South Vietnam:
US Embassy analysis of the constituent assembly as
a political forum for the evolution of future politi-
cal parties (Paras. 1-3).
III. Military Develoments in North Vietnam:
There is nothing of significance to report.
IV. Other Communist Military Developments:
There is nothing of significance to report.
V. Communist Political Developments: There
is nothing of significance to report.
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I. THE MILITARY SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. Five battalions of the US 1st Infantry Di-
vision and five South Vietnamese Army battalions
began a road-clearing operation north of Saigon on
8 October. This operation, named TULSA, will be con-
ducted along Route 13 in Binh Duong Province. No
contact with enemy units has been reported.
2. Operation HICKORY, a reconnaissance and
search-and-destroy operation employing one squadron
of the US 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment began on 6
October in Bien Hoa Province about 25 miles east of
Saigon. A company-size Viet Cong force is believed
to be operating in the area.
3. Four operations conducted by US forces in
the III Corps area have ended without significant
results. Operations NORWALK, DECATUR, SIOUX CITY,
and BATON ROUGE resulted in 70 Communist soldiers
killed. Twenty Americans were reported killed and
100 wounded.
Communist Losses in Binh Dinh Province
4. Allied forces, conducting several coor-
dinated operations in the central, coastal province
of Binh Dinh, have killed nearly 1,700 Communists
since 8 September. Enemy forces in the area include
elements of the 610th NVA/Viet Cong Division and lo-
cal Viet Cong military and paramilitary forces.
5. The 7th and 8th Battalions of the 12th NVA
Regiment, a subordinate of the 610th Division, have
been severely reduced in strength. These two bat-
talions have been engaged by allied forces partici-
pating in Operation IRVING, which began on 1 October.
The 7th Battalion, estimated to number 450 men prior
to the successful allied operations, now is esti-
mated to total 250 men. The 8th Battalion, originally
numbering 480 men, is now estimated at approximately
200. -Nearly 700 of the 2,400-man 12th Regiment are
reported either killed or captured in the recent ac-
tion.
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6. Although the 610th Division has currently
lost its capability to conduct multiregimental op-
erations, it retains a capability to attack allied
units in northeastern Binh Dinh Province in up to
reinforced regimental strength.
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II. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. According to a US Embassy analysis, the new
constituent assembly provides Vietnamese politicians
with a stable political forum which should encourage
the evolution of new and permanent political parties
and alliances. The alliances formed in this assembly
could have an important influence on any future
legislative assembly and presidential elections.
The embassy indicates that the most prominent group-
ing of deputies in the present assembly is based on
regional alignments--the traditional identity of
the Vietnamese with the region (north, central, or
south Vietnam) in which they were born or raised.
The 44 southerners in the assembly, for example,
have the potential for becoming an influential group,
although at the present time they are not organized
or united.
2. The second major influential force in the
assembly is religious affiliation. The Catholics
are well represented with approximately 35 seats.
According to the embassy analysis, an alliance be-
tween the Catholics and the southerners could emerge
as the most powerful. Several politicians are re-
ported to have considered an alliance of all the
religions into a political entity.
3. Government intentions toward the formation
of a political party have not been specifically out-
lined, although there is some evidence of a govern-
ment bloc of deputies in the assembly, composed of
military personnel, civil servants, and some deputies
of montagnard and Khmer ethnic origin. The embassy
feels that if a government bloc does form more co-
hesively, it may become the nucleus of a national
party in collaboration with the military leaders in
the government.
4. There have been no reports since 8 October
on the status of the possible crisis in Premier
Ky's cabinet.
10 October 1966
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