II CORPS SITUATION REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING 10 JUNE 1968

Created: 6/12/1968

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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Intelligence Information Cable

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SUGARY. CAPTUREDC PROPAGANDA INDICATED THROUGHOUT II CORPS THAT THERE IS AN IMPEND ING ATTACK ON THE AREA'S URBAN CENTERS. DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD, HOWEVER, THE CHARACTERISTIC ENEMY BEHAVIOR WITH RESPECT TO MILITARY ACTIVITY WAS THE AVOIDANCE OF MAJOR ENGAGEMENTS. INTERDICTION OF HIGHWAYS WAS NOTABLE IN THE

AND STEPS PRELIMINARY TO THE FORMATION OF

REVOLUTIONARY OR LIBERATION COMMITTEES -ERE REPORTED IN BXNH THUAM, PHU BON, AND PLEIKU. FOOD COLLECTION, TAXATION,

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INTELLIGENCE GATHERINGWERE OF SUFFICIENT SCALE IN VARIOUS OF THE PROVINCES TO HAVE BEEN SPECIFICALLY NOTED. THERE WAS LITTLE EVIDENCE OF INTEREST SHOWN IN THE ALLIANCE OF NATIONAL, DEMOCRATIC AND PEACE FORCES. THE REACTION OF II CORPS GVN OFFICIALS TO THE PARIS PEACE TALKS APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN EITHER APATHETIC, BASED ON THE BELIEF THAT THEY WILL COME TO NOTHING, OR FEAR, BASED ON THE FEELING THE AMERICANS WILL HAKE MAJOR CONCESSIONS IN ORDER TO GET OUT OF VIETNAM. END OF SUMMARY.

DOCUMENTS,AMD

PROPAGANDA INDICATED THROUGHOUT II CORPS DURING THEPERIOD THAT THERE IS AN IMPENDING ATTACK ON THE AREA'S URBAN CENTERS. DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD, HOWEVER, THE CHARACTERISTIC ENEMY BEHAVIOR WITH RESPECT TO MILITARY

ACTIVITY WAS THE AVOIDANCE OF MAJOR ENGAGEMENTS.

A. BINH DlNH: THERE WERE THE USUAL REPORTS OF ENEMY

STREUGTH AND MOVEMENT THROUGH THE COUNTRYSIDE OF BINH DIHH

BUT HO MAJOR CONTACT. THIS, TOGETHER WITH THE LESSENING OF

ACTIVITY IN OTHER FIELDS OF VC ENDEAVOR IN BINH DINH, SEEMED

TO LEND CREDIBILITY TO AN ARMY OF VIETNAM ^VH) MILITARY

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REPORT THAT THE ENEMY HAD RECEIVED ORDERS TO RETREAT TO SAFE BASES IN ORDER TO AVOID CONTACT WITH FRIENDLY UNITS. ACCORDINGOLICE INFORMANT REPORT, SUICIDE SQUADS HAVE BEEN FORMED IN EACH VILLAGE WHICH ARE TO COORDINATE WITH VC/ NORTH VIETNAM ARMY (NVA) UNITS TO ATTACK THE DISTRICT TOWNS IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THIS REPORT SUPPORTS THE CONTENTION THAT THE VC ARE PLANNING TO ATTACK SOMETIME DURING THE SUMMER. OPULAR BELIEF WAS THAT VC/NVA FORCES HAVETEMPORARILY IN ORDER TO REGROUP AND REORGANIZE THEIR FORCES FOR JUST SUCH AN ATTACX.

8. TUYEN DUC. RUMORS WERE THAT THE VC HAVE RECEIVED

'SUBSTANTIAL REINFORCEMENTS FROM NINH THUANARGE BATTLE IS EXPECTED. THE VC ACCORDING TO THE RUMOR, INTEND

TO INFILTRATE DALAT, OCCUPY THE HIGH GROUND AND TALL BUILDINGS AND ENGAGE IN STREET FIGHTING AS IN SAIGON. THERE WAS SOME EVIDENCE,F SOMEWHAT HEAVY INFILTRATION IN THE HAMLETS IN THE SOUTHERN AND NORTHEASTERN PART OF THE CITY.

C. BINH THUAN. MAIN VC PRESSURE CONTINUED TO BE AGAINST OUTLYING VILLAGES AND HAMLETS WHICH WERE SHORT OF SECURITY,

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WITH OCCASIONAL SHALL GROUND ANBJrTcSTAR ATTACKS AGAINST THE MAJOR POPULATION AREAS. THE ATTACKS ON RURAL CENTERS SEEMED DESIGNED TO DRAW AS MANY TROOPS AS POSSIBLE OUT OF THE PHAN THIET AREA. THE RECENT ACTIVITY IN THE SONG MAO AREA DID JUST THAT, WITH THE RECENT MOVE OF THE ARVN AAlH REGIMENT TO THAT LOCATION. VC PROPAGANDA EXPOUNDING THEIR LATEST ATTACKS ON SAIGON AND OTHER MAJOR CENTERS IN AN EFFORT TO RAISE THEIR PRESTIGE AND BRING HOME TO THE POPULATION THAT THE VC HAVE THE STRENGTH TO ATTACK PHAN THIET AND THE DISTRICT CAPITALS HAS PROMPTED THE PEOPLE IN PHAN THIET TO PURCHASE SANDBAGS IN ORDER TO BUILD BUNXERS INIVELY BUSINESS HAS SPRUNG UP IN THE MARKETING OF FILLED SANDBAGS UITH THE GOING PRICE PER BAG ABOUT7 ACCORDING TO THE OFFICIAL EXCHANGE RATE OF.

D. KHANHC PROPAGANDA CONTINUED TO ATTEMPT TO IMPLANT THE IDEA OF THE INEVITABILITYC VICTORY, AND PRISONER INTERROGATIONS, CAPTURED DOCUMENTS, AND AGENT REPORTS WERE UNANIMOUS IN PRADICTING ANOTHER BIG VC OFFENSIVE, PROBABLY ON THE CITIES. APTURED DOCUMENT OUTLINED IN

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LAN FOR ATTACKING NHAIGGER (THAN DURING TET) ATTACKING FORCE. SEVERAL PRISONERS HAVE SPOKEN OF PREPARATIONSEW ATTACK, BUT THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS OF WHEN.

E. NlNH THUAN. THE ENEMY'S ANNOUNCED INTENTION AS REPORTED BY INFORMANTS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE LAST REPORTING PERIOD WAS TO LIBERATE MILITARILY THE REVOLUTIONARY DEVELOPMENT HAMLET OF TH TAN, FIVE KILOMETERS SOUTH OF PHAN RANG, AND THIS THEY ATTEMPTED TO DO DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD. THE HAMLET WAS PARTIALLY DESTROYED AND THE RD PROGRAMEVERE SETBACK. THE INTENTION TO ATTACK PHAN RANG STILL STOOD.

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F. THAT THE ENEMY'S

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! INTENTIONS WERE TO CONDUCT SAPPER ATTACKS AGAINST GVN AND I ALLIED MILITARY INSTALLATIONS IN KONTUH CITY WHICH WOULD BE

FOLLOWEDE6IMENTAL-SIZE GROUND ATTACK AGAINST THE ! CITY. DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD THE ENENY CONTINUED TO

AVOID MAJOR CONTACT BUT CONTINUED TO EXERT PRESSURE ON THE I COUNTRYSIDE WITH ATTACKS ON OUTPOSTS, FIRE BASES,AND GVM-; DEFENDED HAMLETS.

PLEIKU. ECENT CAPTURED DOCUMENT FROM THE CUR-

RENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE OF VC GIA LAI PROVINCE COMMITTEE STATED THAT THE SECOND AND THIRD PHASES OF THE GENERAL OFFENSIVE WILL ENCOMPASS VIOLENT MILITARY OPERATIONSWITH UPRISINGS OF THE POPULACE. THE MAIN OBJECTIVES WOULD BE CITIES AND THEIR OUTSKIRTS. PHU YEN. |

TENDED

ENERAL OFFENSIVE WAS IN THE

2. THE ECONOMIC SITUATION IN THE CORPS AREA APPEARED TO BE GENERALLY NORMAL EXCEPT IN PHU BON, WHERE THE VC INTERDICTION OF HIGHWAYAS SPECIFICALLY REPORTED TO

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HAVEISE IN THE PRICE OF RICE AND OTHER EVERY-

DAY COMMODITIES, AND IN QUANG DUCf WHERE VC ROADION CONTINUED TO BE SO WIDESPREAD THAT THE BljYjff OF THE PROVINCE'S SUPPLIES HAD TO BE AIR-LIFTED, ROAD INTERDICTION APPEARED TOAJOR PROBLEM IN THE CORPS* OTHER INLAND PROVINCES, SPECIFICALLY IN THE CASE OF HIGHWAYN KOHTUN

, AND PLEIKU, HIGHWAYN PLEIKU, AND HIGHWAYN TUYEN DUC. THE MAJOR ROADS IN THE COASTAL PROVINCES, BY COMPARISON, [y:

; WERE GENERALLY CLEAR. REVERSING THIS PATTERN, HOWEVER,

OTED INCREASE IN THE MINING OF ROADS IN COASTAL

PHU YEN, WHILE HIGHWAYHROUGH TUYEB DUC AND LAM DONG

WAS REPORTED AS RELATIVELY SECURE.

3. VC INFRASTRUCTURE ACTIVITY GENERALLY CONTINUED

UNABATED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD. ACTIVITIES ON THE PART OF THE COMMUNISTS WERE SIGNIFICANT

ENOUGH TO HAVE BEEN SPECIFICALLY NOTED IN EIGHT OF THE CORPS'

TWELVELL EXCEPT LAM DONG, PHU BON, TUEYN DUC,

, AND QUANG DUC). NEXT IN REPORTING FREQUENCY WERE VC RECRUIT-

. MENT AND IMPRESSMENT ACTIVITIES, SAID TO HAVE BEEN IMPORTANT

IN BINH THUAN, BINH DINH, DARLAC, KONTUM, AND PLEIKU.

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TAXATION WAS NOTABLE IN BINH THUAN, BINH DINH, PHU YEN, AND QUANG DUC, WHILE AN EMPHASIS ON INTELLIGENCE-GATHERING ACTIVITIES WAS REPORTED IN KHANH HOA, BINH DINH, AND QUANG DUC.

4. GVN OFFICIALS AND THE PUBLIC ALIKE IN II CORPS CONTINUED TO SHqw LITTLE INTEREST IN THE ALLIANCE OF NATIONAL, DEMOCRATIC, AND PEACE FORCES. AN UNEVALUATED REPORT,

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SERVICE IN BINh DINH PROVINCE, REVEALED THE FOLLOWING OB- id JECTIVES OF THE ALLIANCE: "THE PRESENT VC POLICY IS TO CLEAR THE SOUTH VIETNAM BATTLEFIELD, ELIMINATE MILITARY REGION (MR)BTAIN SOVEREIGNTY FOR THE PEOPLE SO THAT THEPEACE ALLIANCE FRONT CAN TAKE CONTROL OFND PARTICIPATE IN THE FUTURE COALITION GOVERNMENT." THE ONLY TANGIBLE EVIDENCE THAT SUCH AN ALLIANCE EXISTS IN PHU YENROPAGANDA LEAFLET FOUND ON THE BODYEAD VC IN TUY AN DISTRICT ADDRESSED TO. SOUTH KOREANMD MEN* AND SIGNED BY "THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR DEMOCRACY AND PEACE."

5. DURING THE PASTCAPTURED DOCUMENT REVEALED THAT THE ENEMY III' OigBj

PHUC/NVA PROPAGANDA TEAM WASAN INDOCTRINATION COURSEHUAN HANON THE SUBJECT OF "THE PEOPLES" COMMITTEE FOROF VILLAGES AND HAMLETS. IT WAS STATED ATTHAT VILLAGE COMMITTEES WOULDOMMITTEES WOULDOND THAT BOTH WOULD TO UNITE THE PEOPLE "FOR ALL TYPES OF MISSIONS."

BINH THUAN THE VC THUAN PHONG DISTRICTSENT CADRES TO KOA VINH AND TUY HOA VILLAGES,DISTRICT, WHERE THEY CONDUCTED POLITICAL STUDYA CAPTIVE AUDIENCE AND DISCUSSED AN ELECTORAL PLAN

AND THE SELECTION OF CANDIDATES FOR THE FORMATION OF REVOLUTIONARY COMMITTEES.

RECENTLY CAPTURED DOCUMENT OF THE VC GIAAFFAIRS COMMITTEE STATED THATASSES"TO SETPEOPLE'S" REVOLUTIONARY COMMITTEE""REVOLUTIONARY COUNCIL" IN THE NAME OF THE NATIONAL FRONT

FOR THE LIBERATION OF SOUTH VIETNAM'S "WESTERN HIGHLANDS AUTONOMOUS MOVEMENT" IN WHICH VC CADRES MUST HOLD ALL KEY POSTS. THIS STRUCTURE WAS TO BE SET UP WITHIN THREE DAYS AFTER THE VC SEIZED POWERENERAL OFFENSIVE AND UPRISING.

6. OFFICIAL REACTION IN II CORPS TO THE PARIS PEACE TALKS RANGED FROM APATHY TOWAS LITTLEEXPRESSED ON THE SUBJECT. OFFICIALS IN DARLAC AND BINH

DINH WERE NOTED AS BEING UN INTERESTED IN THE SUBJECT BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF ANYTHING CONCRETE COMING OUT OF THE TALKS SO

FAR. INFLUENTIAL CITIZENS OF PLEIKU EXPRESSED THE FEAR THAT. MIGHT AGREE TO CEDE THE GVN'S NORTHERN PROVINCES TO THE NORTH VIETNAMESE IN ORDER TOETTLEMENT, WHEREAS OFFICIALS IN KONTUM WERE AFRAID THAT THE AMERICANS WOULD AGREEOALITION GOVERNMENT FOR THIS SAME REASON. JUNIOR OFFICERS IN QUANG DUC APPARENTLY RELATED THEIR FEELING THAT AMERICAN MILITARY ADVISORS DID NOT WANT TO REMAIN IN VIETNAMEAR THAT THE TALKSESS THAN DESIRA'QCtj CIRCUMSTANCES.

Original document.

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