Report on the Situation in Vietnam, 7 November 1967
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C03029760 “’‘ """ T cret 8-5 ()<= /%%% r. ‘ ' QED2 as; xe ;§¢’- @»’5? 1! 5 o@'“TR“1& Q 'fQ1\l2-10‘<7 7?I */»V\\\ $0 , t Qifw °‘ " It MEMORANDUM DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE The Sitiitttioii in Vietnam T ecret 1 1 9 35(0) 7 November 1967 Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C03029760 Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C03029§£ 2 » ~ ~ ' £7; *1 *:?%’z\ R/N‘ IN (1 the national ibis clucrumeni; cunizunrs classified infdnnxation affecting security » -3% the United Status within the meaning of the espionage laws, US Code %'iijle 18. Sections 793, 794, and 798.i ML s.5(¢) r V m _-4, '!§ ‘T45-E- -uzé m \ iéw 2 1‘ W at JX Q Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C03029760 Z Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C03029760 3.5(C) ‘§_, .l_\Jl 5)dD\_J.l_\l_'1.l. __ \ \_,__ 2 s.5(¢) \ \ Information as of 1600 7 November 1967 s.5(¢) HIGHLIGHTS Food shipments to North Vietnam from China and the USSR continue to rise, reaching a total of over 370,000 tons so far this year (cf. 55,000 tons last year). Sharp clashes between Allied and Communist forces were reported in scattered areas of South Vietnam. I. The Military Situation in South Vietnam: Heavy fighting was reported near Dak To in the central highlands and in several other widely scat- tered areas on 6-7 November (Paras. 1-4). The South Koreans reported killing 113 enemy soldiers (Paras. 5-6). An update of the 5 November fighting near Song Be discloses that the South Vietnamese lost nearly 100 killed (Paras. 7-9). Additional fight- ing was reported at Loc Ninh and in an area south of Da Nang (Paras. 10-l2). II. Political Developments in South Vietnam: The Communists persist in terror tactics against the Chinese community and have sent threatening letters to Chinese newsmen in Cholon (Para 1). A Liberation Front official claims that the Front will not transfer itself into a formal government as long as the war continues (Paras. 2-3). III. Nilitary Developments in North Vietnam: Unusually heavy MIG activity was reported/xiii over North Vietnam on 6 and 7 November, 3.3(h)(2) ‘ IV. Qther Communist Military Developments: There is nothing of significance to report. V. Communist Political Developments: Com- munist propaganda still claims that recent mili- tary actions at Loc Ninh were in retaliation for i 3_5<c> \ / \ 3 - 5(c T@8'E@RET\ > \ Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C03029760 Apmnvedf0rRemase:26fi§5§§§Yi§ii@760 3-5(C 1‘, 1.x/iZ|er.L'J\_»|1\1_-,1 ) s.5(¢ ‘ US attacks on Hanoi (Paras. 1-2). Le Duan has written a major article in honor of the 50th an- niversary of the Bolshevik Revolution (Paras. 3-7). 3.3(h)(2) 7 November 1967 ii 3.5 /\ \ \ O0 s.5( ) Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C03029760 pépproved for Release: 2019/03/29 C03029760 9 I'M \ n . ,1 M.» x *1 , \ \ uomu X R‘ Vl€'1€NAM _ _._/L.____4 “H. 6 , / l 7 I Demrhtarrzed Zone ‘4 .' ~, / imwe 2 / -~_@-/*1 " “ .3?’ xi r » .. " ‘Q; K,‘ 0. 5 i _ ‘ ’ ‘ Hue. Krfi. ‘; X \ I V ."“’i-.a :=-=|'\'~ ' 1:. ., . O r ~; YI z § _ {S ?’ iii::§\a~-Rlang . :3 ‘,/\/g av ~ ‘7¥‘i?’"’#?5* 4 A N T H A 1 L D 1.-N ,6 . i ' e_ , 1' I; 1 V v _ K \ ‘ ;~ Ql.1,ANk> . -, 8 Z, Q ’ g ‘u ; J 1 rv/i;A@ - \ z»; 1 ., , _, M ,‘_\\/___/, 9, . 1 _, 1’ _/\ _/'1 _,.\ ~ -aw‘ l 5/~ ~»e»~9’ 0 0 9 mu D%NI-F'—'§\.' // _ \1 _ ‘ 1 ‘ I /"' \ r’ J / /Y); " I K u L__ I i L 4% \ 2’ ~\»,.r/ ‘*5 { M _ - \ P an K '\ 1, \\V_ J “wag? EON ~ _, ""\_.<i 2)‘ ,,! : M ., .L , t ‘fi\___ /I) PHU I I .T0r|le\\ l\"\ YEN l\ _ >2.» E C A M B 0 1) 1 E ¢ .1 1 \ _ tn/‘mp " 6 ’ I’ §Q/ ~:F~_Q» <3 _,./ /. é Hoa \ ‘~ * ;"\ Y ' I ¢ ' ‘ "“- ~_ ,-‘ _ . “ WI A . ‘\_ THYEEIN J‘(\ ‘ . | 2 ’¢_~q~ gt”? ‘K Da La!‘ RANH ; ‘ h V »» 1‘ 2 ~ ; an fi .4 " ~, 1 \_ (\- \\ e 1-w nm ‘ h 933 §% \./ '\-5 a 0 9 ** ' —"'§‘7§"i“§ . H ,,, \_ \ W < ,-<4; ,, /If 1, “ “"‘ ’ ‘ \ I 2 ~ /f’ * _ >3‘) ~ E’-INH - ~~ :* ] 9 ~_!* » I-‘:=-5' 2 w j“'rHl,:r.N/’"‘~[f V ‘ _‘<;l< ‘~//" = .‘\¢- ,»'r~.‘_ . , , ~, "‘-_, A ' ~‘ ' ~_ > -'.~ ~ . J’ A_ ‘ TUE. /\ 2 ° ' P 9‘ /' --/V‘ / ;.\ 1 / > )-k‘ fi® I/.._ ~ sm ‘_"“ ‘:3 },./I‘\\_.'4-/ ‘~ <3 ~_./ \ .‘ ~ 2 \ “ ;.;. Q: <1 "W,--" F * Vungfi/uv "new Q‘ 0 egg " wt ’ “ wwsea 1» I ' ‘ A y U \ A J \- ,, 1 _ i__ ___ ’ fi ‘ _ i ' V V__ 7 __ 3‘ '1 j*1.' > _\ "3 ,1‘ \f\ >' ;i_I ‘N Q if \ ‘ ' U \-I Q \‘ . 2 um \ 3 1 \ I: flagzsfmfi 53¢/.;:‘inlH “Ht! Irma \ um ‘ ‘~ '" “s ~ ‘\- 1 X 2 )\4 .§. , , , , ‘~€\ \1:y. /V1 \ Q . , 6'. ( is GULF 01* / +- \_>~./4' [I \ ‘v ‘J _ . VJ‘ /—.g - ___ V SIAM 1 » _H /' . J,‘ P__,_,_._,-\__ SOUTH VIETNAM !/ I CC¥RP‘§ '7 - N NOVEMBER W //' f 2 § :41 s.5(¢ ‘,_/V_d_,/ 50 75 100 M|le5 ‘ ". ‘ O 25 50 75 I . Kwlomelere 51>‘ vim x : _ ¢ | ‘I1- 6579 I 0 Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C03029760 Approved for Release: zfi 9/03/29 C03029760 3.5(C ) l\/].}J1'_‘1\_Jl.\l_'A.l. I \___J \ 3.5 (c \ I. THE MILITARY SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM l. Heavy fighting was reported near Dak To in the central highlands and in several other widely scattered areas on 6-7 November. 2. A battalion of the US l73rd Airborne Brigade, operating with the US 4th Infantry Division in Kontum Province,killed 18 North Vietnamese soldiers in clashes southwest of Dak To. US losses were 16 killed and 29 wounded. 3. The major fighting began in midafternoon when a US company patrolling in the vicinity of a recent B-52 strike came under heavy small-arms fire from an enemy force in well-fortified positions. The positions were overrun after another US company, air strikes, and artillery were called in. During the night the two companies‘ defensive perimeter was hit by a ground probe and several mortarfrounds. 4. Two other companies of the US l73rd reported brief but violent clashes in the same general area, ten to l2 miles southwest of Dak To. US 4th Infan- try Division troops have also fought North Vietnamese regulars in this area recently. 5. In Khanh Hoa Province along the central coast South Korean troops reported killing 113 enemy soldiers in another cordon operation around two villages near Ninh Hoa, capital of the district of the same name. Twenty—two ROK troops have been killed so far. 7 November 1967 I-I s.5( O0 \ 3-5 \/ /\ Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C03029760 / Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C03029760 3_5(C) i_, ig;P’onAJnJL1\ _ 3 .<>5 c I 6. The enemy troops, an estimated two companies of the North Vietnamese 18B Regiment, were believed to have been on a rice collection mission when they were trapped by the South Koreans. The cordon—and—search operation is a favorite tac- tic of the South Koreans who have made it increasingly dif~ ficult for the enemy to operate in the heavily populated coastal districts of Khanh Hoa Province. Nonetheless, the enemy has persistently attempted to maintain a presence in this region, taking high casualties in the process. 7. South Vietnamese suffered badly in the fighting on 5 November three miles south of Song Be. Ninety—six South Vietnamese were killed and 33 wounded. Three US advisers were wounded, and 25 ARVN soldiers are listed as missing. The enemy's losses are reported as 23 killed. S. Reporting on the engagement is sketchy. It appears, however, that the South Vietnamese 31st Ranger Battalion ran into trouble while en route to reinforce another South Vietm namese unit which had engaged an enemy battalion. 9. Both the North Vietnamese 88th and the Viet Cong 275th regiments are believed to be in the area. The 88th, formerly a subordinate of the North Vietnamese lst Division in the central highlands, moved down to Phuoc Long Province late in the summer. It opened the current enemy offensive in III Corps with a heavy ground assault against an outpost near Song Be on 27 October. The 275th, a regiment of the Viet Cong 5th Light Infantry Division in southeastern III Corps, has been noted moving cross—country to the Phuoc Long area since early October. l0. Meanwhile, 25 miles west of Song Be at Loc Ninh,l8 US infantrymen were wounded in a brief enemy mortar barrage. The fire was returned but enemy casualties were not determined. ll. In other action, US Marines in Operation ESSEX, some 25 miles southwest of Da Nang, ran into stiff resistance on 6 November from an enemy force in a village fortified with bunkers, trenches, spider holes, and barbed—wire barriers. Two Marine companies attacked with air and artillery support, 7 November 1967 I—2 3.5(c) \ \ TOP RET s.5(¢) Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C03029760 Approved for Release: 2019/03/29 C03029760 3.5(C) 1 \J l.l_J\.) 1.\1_u .1 ,7 ‘_ ii ‘ s.5(¢) \ forcing the enemy to fall back from one defense line to another, taking their dead and wounded with them.