THE SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM NO.13 (AS OF 8:30 A.M. EST)

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02150027
• Document Creation Date: January 28, 2019

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SC No. 07431/68
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Directorate of Intelligence
4 February 1968
INTELLIGENCE MEMORANDUM
4.. � ) 111 x�-)
The #.51 .-Co, ' 'Ca th\?2,..�7'
No 33
Summary
There were vo nmjor-nevralt60C, by Commu-
nist forces during the night of 3-4 February.
Allied forces continue to clear Ung _in enemy
�laments from the city of Hue.
arens'in_tho'IlS.C.g.P41A17da.are'now in frjendl.Y_h""
but sporadicmortar and sniper fire is still
ported in several of the provincial capitals.
Ycem rod dur.ing 'the- night. in The sa17:04.
area, although a few scattered skirmishes- awith-S-Mall-
enemy remnants took place within the city. Enemy
netivityin the Delta provinces was characterized by
a'series of small unit assaults against district
towns, outposts, and night defensive positions.
� Despite the present relative calm, there are
continuing ..1-13...at3,ons-:tbat_tl'.o'CoMM.dniit'ts-aro-p1arn
11w'offenslYesA PartiPnl-ar17-ift the Da Nang flru
north and-W-6st of Saigon in South-Vietnam's-III Cos
Tho tronds previously reported on the initial
reaction of the populace to the attacks, continue
to be evident. The assaults apparently produced
fear and surprise over the VC presence and strength,
and revulsion at the gross enemy .violation of the
sacred Tet holiday In about even proportions. Evident
also is a strong undercurrent of belief that, if the
government does not move speedily and with vigor to
normalize the situation in the cities, and roster�
its presence and authority in the countryside, it
will Tose heavily in terms of popular confidence.
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- 1. No significant Communist offensive activi-
ties were reported during the night of 3-/1 February;
howeveri several small-scale mortar attacks and
ground probes took place.
2. Hue: Al: mid-morning on 4-February, spoadic
Cov.tact between allied and enemy forces continued
within the walled citadel area of the city just no:4th
of the Perfume River. South.Viatnameso have complete
control now of- the citadel airstrip and, together
with US inits, are continuing to swoop sections of
tne.cak..y outside the citadel, The enemy is still
holed up in scattered city buildings on the south
bank of the river.
3, Interrogation of a prisoner taken in the �
Hue fighting reveals tat at least Some of the at-
tacking foreo was composed of Viet Cong or rogroupoes.
The captive claimed that the Euecity' munici 1. unit
and. the 800th Viet Cong Battalion of the North Viet-
namese 6th Regiment- were tasked with attacking the
MACV compound for three days and if resistance proved
heavy, to continuo the attack for an additional four
days. He also claimed that if these forces wore
reinforced, the fighting could continue for 15 days.
4. Other elements of the North Vietnamese Oth
Regiment probably yore also given target areas within -
the city to attack. The enemy's stubborn resistance
within the city may stem from their intention to
fO1 low the battle plan or in anticipation of addi-
tional enemy forces coming to their aid. There have
been reports of large groups oS enemy troops�probably
r6inforeing elements�en the outskirts of town, but
allied blocking maneuvers have effectively kept them
from joining up with the enemy within the city
5. Quang Tin Province: A South Vietnamese field
inanition aad a ncnii refugee area some 10 :ilo. north 01:
'fm iy woro attacked yesterday. The enemy penetrated
the refugee camp and destroyed 71 buildings with
gronados and explosive charges. Twenty-five civilians
and one soldier were killed and another 19 civilialls
' wounded during the action.
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6. No further details are available on the
largo-scale action reported earlier etween US
Yarine and enemy units several milos south of Da
Nan; however, an additional subordinate of the.
North '..7ietnameso 2nd Division has joined the build-
up Of Communist units in the coastal flatlands bo-
twoon Uoi AR and Da.Nang.
a,terminal serving the HeadquarterS
or the North Vietnamece 21st Regiment some nine milos
west of ED.' An; placing it in close proximity to
all major olements of thoNVA 2nd Division and to
the North Vietnamese 31st and 36$ B Regimontswhich
are in the same general area. The 21st Regiment
'normally operates to the south inQuang T7in Prov-
ince.-
�
This massing of enemy main force elements
, in this. important area along the coast, together with
the reported positioning of a regimental-sizo enemy
force near the strategic Hni Van pass just north of
Da Nang, suggest a Communist effort may be under-
way to cut off Da Nang. This could lead to, or he
� connected with, further attacks, ineluding.rochet
and artillery, on the key US airbase as well as the
city itself.
Corps
8. There has been little significant enemy
.activity in central South Vietnam thus far on 4 Feb-
ruary. The situation in the coastal city of Phnn
Thief, capital of Binh Thuan Province, hasimproved
and all major population centers are now under friendly
control.
D. Phan Thfot: On the morning of 4 February
sporadic firing i7g continuing around the outskirts
01 town following the successful allied drive to
ropel throe Communists-battalions which attacked.
during the night. A prisoner stated that one of the
enemy units involved in the fightin--the 840th
Viet Cong naUnlion--is withdrawing to a. secret base
camp .northeast of the city. Early on 4 February a
company-sized Viet Cong force attached a mal) village
just north of Phan Thief', possfbly as a diversionary
tactic to cover the retreat of the other units.
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10. � Ban Mc_Thuot: The city remains quiet, how-
ever,.repots on the build-up of Worth Viet-
namese troops�numbering as many as 21000�near the
city. The 3rd Battalion of the North Vietnamese 33rd
aegiment has been
relocating
land provincial capital.
,11, Yontum; Light.cnomy mortar and small arms
fire was s=f76oir,in in at several points in the
city at noon on 4 February. Sporadic sniping has also
s=tinued during both nighttime and daytime hours.
A probing attempt against the airfield vas made during
the night, but was swiftly beaten back.
12. Dalat: Only sporadic sniper Tire has been
:reported in. Dalat as South Vietnamese reinforcements
continue to move into the city.
�
arid IIi. Corp
just south of thiS high-
13. � No major fighting occurred in Saigon during
the night or early on Sunday. Elserhere there wore
several assaults on the US base faci?litics and district
towns during the night.
Id. Saigon: Several sharp clashes took place
between bands o:C Viet Cong and South Vietnamese police
d.Raagers. In at least two instances, government
fors had platoon size enemy forces surrounded in
Saigon huildings and were preparing to attack and
clear them cut. In one case a group o!i. terrorists
15?ere reported as having taen refuge in a school
house. Thoy are armed with automatic weapons and
grenade launchers and had a machine gun on the reoT
of the school.
� 15. Build-up: Captured documents and an enemy
defector indicate that the pith Viet Cong Division--
which normally operates in northwest III Corps zOong
� the Cambedlan border�may be moving closer to Saigon,
� 16. One document�a notebook captured several
days ago about 30 miles northwest of Saigon�outlines
a "new mission" or the 0th Division. According to
the notes, higher headquarters recently ordered the
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:)ta to undertake a "long march" which would he the
greatest march in the history of the war against
the Americans. The notebook indicates that at least
elements of the division were to leave Camhodtan
territory on 21 January, move through Tay Ninh Prov-
ince, and arrive in Cu Chi District northwest of
Saigon OR 30 January. The division was to onorato
in an area where the terrain features were extremoly
'complicated, an area novor experienced in. 1.ho pnst,
During the march every effort would be 'made to maintain
march schedule, security, and noise discipline.
� � , .17. Other docUments.eapturod in the same 'arca
identify the 9th Division's 271st Regiment and prob-
ably oloents of tho 272nd Pe;r T (1(1111
the 9th Divisionts
third regiment, the 273rd, wus deployed :just to the
novth 0:f ...the capital in southern Binh Duong Province
and �Tnu�DUCDistrict, Gia Dinh Province. Tho lattor
district headquarters is located only Sive miles
northwest of Saigon.
18, A South Vietnamese Marino base in Thu Duo
district camo under a sharp, but unsuccessful, enomy
sttack on 3 February, possibly by a battalion of the
273rd Viet Cong Regiment. During the past fow days
all of the VS bases located in an area around Saigon
from uorthwest to northcast--Cu Chi, Ben Cat, Lai
Kho, and Men floa--have been shelled repeatedly, in
.many cases with heavy 122-mm.-roc1ets which are hold
only by main force units. The 271Ith and 275th
neginonts of the 5th Viet Cong Division were identi-
ia the attacks on Bien Moa, northeast of Saigon.
Now there is fairly good evidence that the 9t4
Division is applying pressure from the northwest.
The c;oncral Communist strategy 111:74y have boon for
thcise ;Cors to follow-up and roinforce the initial
attnchu. in the Saigon area which are believed to
have boon conducted by Viet 'Cong local forces and
special squads.� 1?ai1ing this the fth and 5th Divi
sions may hope to spread out US forces and tie thom
down on the. outskirts of the capital.
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Other III Corps:
_ _ .
20. In other action in the III Corps area, a
'US baso camp and .district town in Binh Long Province
came under attack last night. There was no roper 1.
of casualties, but the US base was hit by heavy 322-m.
.rockel fire. There has as yet been no attan on An
Loo, tho capital of Binh Long, but reports today indi-
cate that the Viet Cong have taken over control of
most of the hamlets in the province and can move at
will. They have also sot up roadblocks on the. routes
loading into An Loc. A Fn-wewhat similar condition
exists in Tay Ninh Province where Revolut.ionary Develop-
ment Teams have had to withdraw from their hamlets
to their respective district towns.
� 21. An attack was reported last night on Tam
Uyon district town in J3i.en aoa Province. An unknown
=3..i.ze Viet Cong 2orco breached the ton's proteotive
wire barrier, overran several sections of the town
and at last report was advancing on the district
headquarters, There was no word on casualties. US
Army sweeps in Eau Nghia and Binh Duong Provinces
reported sporadic contact with enemy troops yester-
day afternoon.
22, XUall Loc, the capital of Long Khanh Prov-
ince northeast of Saigon, was quiet at last report
yesterday evening but the town was tense. Some -
'Viot Cong aro still believed to be in the town and
allied authorities anticipated further attacks on
their compounds during the night.
� 23. The intention of the enemy to continue his
pressure on urban areas is continuing to be borne
out, by prisoner interrogations and now, by captured
documents. One such document captured at the Tan
Son Nhut Airbase perimeter states that in order to
' be victorious, the VC must expand attacking Forces
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and gnerl.illa war to the cities, and increase at-
taehl; on lines of communications so as to isolate
the urban areas,
IV Co.'
2. All.of tho major provincial cpIt.ii in
the delta are in friendly hands, although on the
periphery of several cities, sporadic contact with
Cong forces is still reported. During the night
of 3-1 February, the Communists launched small unit
attacks on 'district towns, outposts, and allied field
.positions.
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25. Sa Dec: Early this morning, an undetermined
size Viet p-onTrorce attnekod Sa Dec city and a nearby
district town. Tho MACV compound was penotraLed
fore the attackers were driven back after a two-hollr
Light. This attack followed ono late on 3 February
which was directed against the Chiou Hoi center and
the provincial headquarters building. AV last-report,
elements of the enemy force were still in the city.
26 'Cao Linh: This capital city of Hien Phong
Province was atUTCkod today by an estimated two Viet
Cont; companies. The enemy withdrew after one hour
of fighting; no casualties were reported.
: 27. Other Delta Actions: In Dinh Tuong Prov-
inc, five-TITTE-Vrietnamoso outposts wore
struck with rocoilless rifle barrages late on
February. In Phong Dinh Province, the Thuan Nhon
District town and the 51.11h Thuy airfield were hit
.by Viet Cong mortarmen. Twelve aircraft wore damaged
.at Binh Thuy. In Vinh Long Province., the provincial
capital of Vinh Long, its airfield, and a nearby district
town wore all attacked with harassing mortar and small
arms Tiro. nen Tie and the nearby district town of
No Cay, in Kien Hea were hit by light mortar attacks
during the night. Other scattered district towns
wore also lightly mortared on 2-4 February as the
Viet Cong continued to maintain pressure OA populated
ar(?as throughout the delta provinces.
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