THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00826A001500010042-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 29, 2005
• Sequence Number: 42
• Publication Date: December 22, 1966
• Content Type: MEMO

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DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
MEMORANDUM
The Situation in Vietnam
State Department review completed
NSA review completed
Top Secret
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Information as of 1600
22 December 1966
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HIGHLIGHTS
The Constituent Assembly has nearly completed
its outline of the basic principles of the consti-
tution with its approval on 22 December of an in-
dependent judiciary equal in rank with the legisla-
tive and executive branches of government.
I. The Military Situation in South'Vietnam:
Two US Marine command posts in Thua Thien Province
were attacked early on 22 December and one American
was killed and three wounded (Para. 1). Nine Viet
Cong were killed by US forces participating in Op-
eration THAYER II in coastal Binh Dinh Province on
22 December (Para. 2). A district town and two
South Vietnamese outposts were attacked in the
delta province of Kien Hoa on 22 December and three
South Vietnamese were killed and ten wounded (Para.
3).
II. Political Developments in South Vietnam:
The Constituent Assembly is nearing the end of its
work on the basic principles of the government
which it will embody in the constitution (Para. 1).
The Directorate, however, is not entirely pleased
with all of the assembly's work to date (Para. 2).
IV. Other Communist Military Developments:
There is nothing of significance to report.
V. Communist Political Developments: Hanoi's
propaganda continues to condemn US peace efforts
(Paras. 1-2).
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I. THE MILITARY SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. Early on 22 December two US Marine command
posts about 12 miles northwest of Hue in northern
Thua Thien Province were hit by Communist mortar fire
The command posts are part of US Operation CHINOOK,
a one-battalion search-and-destroy operation which be-
gan on 19 December. The Communist attack covered an
effort,by an estimated 300 enemy troops to recover
bodies of members of their forces killed in an earlier
engagement. US aircraft, mortar, and artillery sup-
ported the marines. Preliminary reports of casualties
list one American killed and three wounded. One Com-
munist soldier was killed.
2. Elements of the US 1st Air Cavalry Division
taking part in the four-battalion search-and-destroy
Operation THAYER II engaged an estimated platoon-size
enemy force in Binh Dinh Province on 22 December.
Nine enemy soldiers were killed in the encounter which
took place about 28 miles north of Qui Nhon. Another
engagement about 40 miles north of Qui Nhon resulted
in five Communists killed and seven captured. There
were no American casualties reported in either engage-
ment.
3. In the Mekong Delta, the Viet Cong simultane-
ously attacked a district town and two South Vietnamese
outposts in Kien Hoa Province early on 22 December.
Three South Vietnamese were killed and ten wounded in
the attacks. Enemy losses are unknown.
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II. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN SOUTH VIETNAM
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1. With the approval on 22 December of an inde-
pendent judiciary equal in rank with the legislative
and executive branches of government, the Constituent
Assembly has nearly completed its outline of the basic
principles of the constitution. The US Embassy re-
ported that there was widespread approval of the need
for a. bicameral legislature during the meeting on.
21 December, but that attempts to define the method
of electing members to the upper house provoked di-
verse suggestions. This issue was left to be decided
later.
2.
the Directorate is not completely satisfied with e
assembly?s plan for the executive branch of the fu-
ture government. Some Directorate members reportedly
feel that the legislature has been granted too much
power as a result of the provision enabling it to
remnvre the prime minister and the cabinet.
3. Meanwhile, in the aftermath of the assassina-
tion of Tran Van Van, a spokesman for a three-man assembly
committee investigating the killing told the assembly
that the committee had received little cooperation
from the national police. The spokesman added that
police director General Loan had personally insulted
him as well. According to the embassy, the other
two members of the committee would like to disband
it, since interest in the identity of the assassin
is now waning on the part of other assemblymen.
22 December 1966
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L, There is nothing of significance to report.
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1. North Vietnam's official radio quoted the party
daily on 21 December as roundly condemning "the sinis
ter designs" of the US "imperialists" in talking of their
good will for peace "while frantically boosting their
war of aggression." As evidence of this escalation,
the commentary pointed to the 13-14 December raids al-
legedly on civilian targets in the Hanoi area, claim-
ing that such actions have made US talk about peace
negotiations all the more "perfidious." Moreover, US
offers of "peace negotiations," according to the arti-
cle, meant further intensification of the war and the
article called upon the people to "devote all their
strength and energy to defeating the US aggressors."
2. A similar note of bellicosity was also present
in Defense Minister Vo Nguyen Giap's annual address on
the anniversary of the Vietnamese Peoples Army (VPA),
22 December. After reviewing the "glorious successes"
of the VPA, Giap asserted that the Vietnamese people
were determined to "fight resolutely until complete
victory." "Whatever the sacrifices and hardships may
be, no matter how many more troops the US aggressors
may bring in, and to whatever, extent they may escalate
the war," our people are sure to defeat them, Giap de-
clared.
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