talks between the two sides. The statementRV Foreign Minis, spokesman onpril defends the suggested sites of Phnora Penh an Warsaw and says cryptically, without naming them, thatumber sites" suggested by the United States "are not convenient forV." The foreign ministry spokesman and other propagandists cost that the. attitude on the venue for contacts isent with past declarations by tho President and other officials readiness to go anywhere, any time, to talk with the DRV.
The Liberation Radio, which had broadcastpril DRV Coven statement, haa not acknowledged the exchanges between Hanoi and Washington regarding plans for contacts between the two sides.
Peking has still not mentioned the DRV Government statement or Hanoi'i initiative on contacts;EOPLE'S DAILY Commentator article onh eitea President Johnson's rejection of Phnom Penhite for "contacts between the two parties" as further proof. hypocrisy regarding peace talks.
Moscow scores the United States for rejecting Phnom Penh and Warsaw as sites for contacts with the DRV and accuses it of procrastination on talks while continuing to bomb large portions of the DRV. Unlike Hanoi, Soviet media mention some other specific possible sites, but do not acknowledge that the United States haa proposed five different venues.
Hanoi Juxtaposes charges. procrastination on contacts with conplalnts that the air strikes against the DRV fromh toh parallel have been intensified and that air "intrusions" are taking place throughout the country. But Hanoi stops short of suggesting that this would affect DRV "readiness" to establishwith the United States. Alleged air-defense victories continue to be reported routinely, and VHA onh claims the downinglane over Haiphong, which, it notes, is "far north ofh parallel." The item puts the total of downed planes, an increase of nine in the past week.
Hanoi onpril announces the visit,opril, of an East German party-government delegation headed by SED Secretary and Politburo member Kurt Hager. According to Hanoi, the delegation was received by Le Duan and Truong Chinh, and it metRV delegation
CCNFICeNTIAL
which Included Pham Van Dong, Nguyen Duy Trinh, Le Thanh Hghi, and Xuan Thuy.
*
Onh, VNA announces that the Rational Assembly Standing Committee has appointed Xuan Thuy as "minister of the DRVnd Iran Quang Buy aa chairman of the cultural and educational board of the premier's office. Thuy, who was foreign minister3arty Central Committee member and head of the foreign relations department of the CC. Huy is an alternate Party Central Committee member and deputy chief of the CC's central department of propaganda and training.
Hanoi reports on current military action in South Vietnam continue to highlight engagements in Quang Tri and in the Third Corps. pril Liberation Radio commentary hailing the establishment of "revolutionary" or people's administrations claims that the people's administration will rule over South Vietnam" and lead the resistance atrujule to victory.
Moscow continues to stress Soviet aid to Vietnam,3 April PRAVDA editorial praises the CPSU plenum's assertion of determination to continue aid to Vietnam and the WFTU General Council's special Moscow meeting on solidarity with Vietnam. Comment, including reports of protest meetingstatement by the Soviet maritime union,to score the Chinese for obstructing Soviet aid by their detentionoviet tanker carrying fuel to Vietnam.
. Contacts
first dicussion of the Issueite for preliminary
. contacts followingpril release of Foreign Minister Trinh'8 interview with cbs' Collingwood comes2 April RHAN dar commentary, summarized by VHA and broadcast by Hanoi radio in the domestic service. RHAN DAR says that the United States is finding unjustified pretexts" for refusing to agree to Phnom Penh as the site for the preliminary. contacts. The commentary recalls that in bis interview Trinh had expressed readiness for contact "in Phnom Penh or another place to be mutually agreedut this reference to "mutual agreement" is not repeated in subsequent propaganda.
Tne first available reference in Hanoi propaganda to its alternate suggestion of Warsawite comesHAH DAR Commentator article carried by VHA early on the morning ofh. It says that after refusing to meet in Phnom Penh, the United States has rejected the Idea of Warsaw and that onh Presidential Press Secretary Christian said that the United States wanted contacts to be madeeutral country.
Some eight hours after VNA's release of the BEAM DAM article, Hanoi radio broadcast the DRV Foreign Ministry spokesman's statement which gives Hanoi's version of the chronology of developments since the DRV Government statement on the 3d. The spokesman says that following the United States'pril rejection of Phnomthe pretext that it had technical difficulties since it has no diplomaticpril suggested Warsaw. And he adds that on. authorities, without answering regarding Warsaw, "demanded" that the site beeutral country where both sides have diplomatic missions and adequate communications. The spokesman acknowledges that onh the United States had suggested other venues but he does not name them: He says only that "theyumber of sites that are not convenient for the DRV side."
The foreign ministry spokesman says that. rejection of Hanoi's proposals for the site of the contacts runs counter to past statements by the President and. officials expressing willingness to go anywhere to talk. And surrounding propaganda seeks to document this by citing specific remarks, including the President's statement in hisarch speech that the United States is ready to send its representative to "any forum, at any time, to discuss the means of bringing this war to an end." The President's? speech in San Antonio is cited frequently along with several other statements by him and by Secretary Busk.
In revealing that Hanoi on the Uth had suggested Warsawite, the foreign ministry spokesman avoids saying how or where this "suggestion" was made and doeB not refer to any private HAN DAN article onh, summarized by VNA and broadcast in Hanoi radio's domestic service, implies that private exchanges ore not going on. NHAN DAN says that while the United States rejects the sites for contacts proposed by the DRV, "the spokesman for. President claimed that contacts between the DRV and the United States on the question of the site ore continuing. This is yet another trick of the United States to delay contacts and appease public protest." DHV media in the past have displayed sensitivity to reports on private communications with the United States and have on occasion flatly denied such reports. But those denials were not madeackground like the current onepecific public Hanoi initiative for preliminary contacts leading to possible formal talks.
President Johnson's complaint, in his remarks upon arrival in Hawaii, that the DRV had not responded to. suggestions of sites is promptly labeledistortion of the truth." anoi radio commentary, broadcast ln the domestic service onth, counters with the argument that the foreign ministry spokesman onh
"officially rejected tho sites suggested by the United States as not convenient to the DRV aide." But consistent with Hanoi's avoidance of mentioning any venues other than Phnom Penh or Warsaw, the commentary ignores the President's statement that he had proposed Geneva, Rangoon, Hew Delhi, Vientiane, Djakarta, or "any other suitable place." The broadcast interprets the President's statement that Hanoi has not madeerious reply" in the two weeks since. limitation of air strikes against the Horthdemand for reciprocity." It routinely says that the United States has no right to demand reciprocity and repeats that what is neededomplete and unconditional cessation of "acts of war" against the DRV and an end to the "aggression" against Vietnam.
A NHAN DAI! commentary, reported by VHA onh, rehashes other comment in saying. delaying of preliminary contacts is at variance with its professed willingness to go anywhere. Inthe President's trip to Honolulu, NBAS DAN quotes him as saying that. limited bombing has been in force for two weeksprogress toward peace contacts." The paper says nothing about his complaint over the absenceanoi response; however, it quotes State Department spokesman McCloskey as saying onh that the United States hopes for an official message of response free Hanoi on other sites, and that it Is trying toutually acceptable site.
This latest NHAN DAN commentary echoes other propaganda in saying that world public opinion is demanding that the United States quickly agree to Warsaw. The commentary. objections to Warsaw since lt iseutral country, but does not defend itite. Other comment, however, repeatedly notes tho size of. diplomatic mission there and says there would be no difficulty with communications. On at least two occasions, Hanoi brings up the fact that the United States has been using Warsaw as the site for contacts with the CPR. VNA on the Itatb in rounding up press opinion aa published ln NHAN DAN quotes AFP to this effect. And thepril NHAN DAN commentary, as broadcast in the domestic service, quotes the Japanese MATSICHI as saying that it Is difficult to understand why the United States refused Warsaw, where it has held talks with the CPR for years.
H)SCOW Before DRV media had mentioned Warsawite for contacts,
onASS dispatch from its Hanoi correspondents sold that "it is believed in Hanoi official circles" that Washington's rejection of Warsawite for preliminary contacts was unjustifiod for four reasons: The United States had expressed its willingness to moot any place, at any time; it said It was willing to establish contact with the DRV as soon as possible; Warsaw.taff of correspondents and communications; and Warsaw has been the site for overeara of. contacts. Earlier, onh,
TASS' Hanoi correspondents had cited "reliable sources" as saying that the DRV had suggested Warsawite for contacts after the United States rejected Phnom Penh.
Moscow commentators, like Hanoi, charge the United States with procrastinating and trying to delay talks while continuing to bomb southern portions of the DRV and preparing for further escalation in the South. Yuriy Zhukov,RAVDA article carried by the domestic service onpril, says. propaganda depicted President Johnson'sarch announcementombing limitation and readiness to discuss ways of ending the warreat concession. And he adds that "many international observers" think that the United States expected the DRV to ignore the announcement and. "aggression" then could be intensified. Zhukov notes that while Washington delays the solution of the question regarding the venue for contacts it is intensifying its military operations in South Vietnam. He says that the United States is hoping to secure through force "an advantageousor the solution of the Vietnam question, and is testing whether it can "extract some kind of concession from the Vietnamese."
Moscow onh,omestic service review of the weekly HEW TIMES, notes that military writer Lt. Col. A. Leontyev recalls that the Soviet Governmentpril officially endorsed thtpril statement, observing that itractical way toward ending the war. And Leontyev adds that "it Is obvious that the tine has comeolitical settlement in Vietnam." (In discussing the war in the South, Leontyev says the allies' casualties are growing. But at the same time ho says that "of course, ln any war both sides suffer losses. The South Vietnam liberation forces, which areruel and powerful enemy, suffer many looses." Such an acknowledgment is rare, but not unprecedented in Soviet propaganda; Leontyev, for example, broached the issue in commentaries last January and in
TASS'pril report of the President's Honolulu trip cites his as saying oo arrival that the United States is ready to meet any challenge in the field of battle, and interprets this. intention to continue escalation. Comment,idely broadcast commentary by Shakov onh, asserts that thewill discuss further escalation at Honolulu, and, as Shakhov says, the meeting thus confirms the impression that "Washington has never really wanted to negotiate on Vietnaa."
Moscow's only available mention of the President's comments on Hanoi's negative attitude regarding contacts cooesrief broadcast to the United Kingdom onh which cites his as "alleging" that "Hanoi was to blame for the delay in choosing the site for preliminary
contacts." The broadcast accuses tha State Department of making anothe move to "torpedo" contacts, now adding the condition that the site must allow for "participation in the talks of America's allies." The report further says that after rejecting Phnom Penh and Warsaw as sites, "Washington now intends toeutral partner with further negotiations."
Some Moscowa Moscow radio broadcast in Mandarin onpril and one In Rumanian onh, as wellandarin broadcast over Radio Peace and Progress on thethe Chinese for ignoring thepril statement declaring readiness for. contacts. Referring topril commentary deprecating the bombing limitation, Moscow asserts that by foiling to mention the DRV's statement the Mao clique shows that it is actually "opposed to this important political proposal of the DRVhe commentators also score RCNA for accusing the USSR of colluding with the United States against Vietnam, and recall that the USSR has given the Vietnamese "the largest share of aid." The commentators recall that Peking had also opposed DRV Foreign Minister Trinh's statement late last year on willingness to talk if the United States unconditionally halted the bombing. Moscow has periodically charged Peking with opposing talks and striving to "prolong" the was.
EAST EUROPE Onpril Warsaw's PAP releases an "outhorixed" statement announcing the readiness of the Polish Government to "create all necessary and appropriate conditions" toDRV meeting in Warsaw. This is Warsaw's first official comment on .the developments of the past two weeks; it had not officially endorsedpril DRV Government statement although East Berlin, Bucharest, Sofia, and Prague had done so. In later routine comment Warsaw reports that the United States rejected Warsawite for contacts.
Onpril East Berlin's ADR reports that Deputy Foreign Minister Kicsewetter received the DRV acting charge d'affaires who handed him thepril DRV Foreign Ministry spokesman's statement at which time Kicsewetter. "delaying maneuvers." On the some day Sofia's BTAommentary by its editor scoring the United States for rejecting Hanoi's suggested meeting places. Other East European media denounce. moves in routine comment.
CPR failure to acknowledgepril DRV
Government statement appears the more blatant in view of thepril PEOPLE'S DAILY Commentator article whichthe issue of. contacts. Commentator notes that the President has "rejected" Phnom Penh as the site of contacts, without indicating who proposed the site. He says that this incident alone
Is "enough to reveal that the 'peace talks' of. imperialist chieftainig fraud." The article does not mention Warsaw, although it appears four days after reports that Hanoi had suggested the Polish capital as an alternate site.
Criticism of the President's announcementimitation of the sir strikes against the DRV follows the line ofpril HCJIAfirst and only other comment on the President'sarch speech. Commentator says that in only two weeks the President's "murderous intentions arend the article cites the callup of reservists and the intensified bombing of the DRV. The USSR is typically charged with colluding with the imperialists and the article concludes with Peking's standard line that the United States must be thoroughly defeated on the Vietnam
Air Strikes Against the DRV
The DRV Foreign Ministry spokesman's statement onh and other propaganda on potential. contacts complain of the intensity of air strikes since the President'sarch announcement of limitation of the bombing. The spokesman says that aircraft and warships have intensified their bombing and strafing of DRV territory betweenhh parallels and that Secretary of Defense Clifford "brazenly declared. reconnaissance will continue north ofh parallel." The l6 April SHAH DAN article on the venue for contacts says that attacks from Thanh Hoa to Vinh Linh have been stepned up. And it claims that onh and ll*th many reconnaissance missions were flown near Hanoi. VHA reports of air activity list areas north oft parallel where "air intrusions" allegedly have taken place, but these items do not mention reconnaissance. And VHA in claiminglane was downed over Haiphong onh does not Identify the type.
A NHAN DAN editorial onh halls the "brilliant" air-defense victories onh. It soys that five planes were downed over Nghe An, Quang Binh, and Ha Tinh provinces, making it one of the biggest victoriesingle day this year. The editorial claims. attacks from Thanh Hoa Province to the Vinh Linhut asserts thet all attacks have been foiled. It gives credit to the antiaircraft forces, the missile force, the regional army, and the militia force. -Like other comment It links the. delaying tactics on establishing contacts with the DRV with its intensification of air strikes in the North and escalation in the South.
Propaganda generally does not claim that there have been air strikes aboveh parallel. But VNA onh soys that the People's
Air Force "bloated down" one of. aircraftopulated areailometers southwest of Ninh Binh Province capital betweenht parallel." Ignoring the Defense Department denial, thepril SHAH DAK Commentator article repeats the earlier charge thatpril. aircraft attacked Lai Chaund VHA inserts '1 editor's note explaining that "thio is nearly 5O0 kilometers west-north-west of Hanoi." pril DRV Foreign Ministry spokesman's statement included Lai Chauist of alleged targets without saying anything about its location. pril 3HAN DAS Commentator article noted the target In Lai Chau Province "close to the Vietnam-China border.")
Military De^ldppents in the South
Hanoi media still concentrate attention on battles connected with the two major allied operations ln the First and Third Corps: Operation Pegasus around Khe Sanh, which ended onpril, and Operation Completebegan on 8its predecessor Operation Quyct Thang (determined to win). AccordingHA summary onOI HHAH DAK commentary that day claims that these operations were launched to conceal allied defeats,retense of initiative, and cope with the Insurgents' "mounting military and politicalhe commentary says that the allies, having been pushed into the towns, are now unable to defend them snd ore "trying to esse the pressure by caking desperate sorties into the countryside." The commentary says that the insurgents with various forms of attacks are "taking full advantage of the propitious moment with tbe enemy at last trickling out from their strongholds and dispersing in the field."
April QUAN DOI HHAH DAN commentary on Ceneral Abrams' appointment as commander in Vietnam callsast choice of the Administration who can "only worsen the situation." It says that the replacement of Westmoreland by Abrams "marks the bankruptcy of tbe search-and-destroy and pacification strategy" and, quoting REUTERS as saying that the United States was shifting to the eleor-ond-hold tactics advocated by Abrams, it claims thisstep back strategically speaking." The article also disparages the policy of shifting more of the fighting to the ARVN troopa. Like earlier Hanoi radio comment onh and Liberation Radio comment onh, QUAH DOI NHAN DAN asserts that Abrams will fail and it adds that he willcapegoat in the "final stage" of the war.
pril QUAN DOI HHAH DAN commentary claims that the
PLAF struck allied forces on highwayausing them to "bog down" in their "attempt to lift the siege of Khe Sanh" and that "staggering blows" have been dealt "both to those under siege and to thet states that the latter "had five battalions and eight companies completely wiped out or heavily decimated before
the linkup could be made." ommentary in the amy paper on theday claims that, "far from relieving Khehe air cavalry and ARVN paratroopers in Operation Pegasus "have thrown this base intoconfusion ond danger" and have "thus fallen into the PLAFt says that although the allies reached Khe Sanh, thoy "did not succeed In rescuing it because they could not revive the exhausted and. Marines there."
"The PLAF coaaandongratulatory message to units on the Khe Sanh front, broadcast by Liberation Radio onh, which claimB that in the first three months of this year the insurgents in northern Quang Tri killed, wounded, or captured0 allied troops, mostly Americans, and downed orlanes.
VHA onh claims that, in the weekpril, thellied casualties, mostly GIs, shot down or damagedandarge quantity of military equipment. VHAlHh claims that the PLAF onhh repeatedlycavalry and South Vietnamese paratroopers respectively in KheLang Vei, causing many losses. VHA onh alleges thatpril the PLAF on the Khe Sanh front "kicked theutVei and continued besieging "TaKhe Sanhtheir noose around this position and encircling and attackingencampments in the Khe Sanh area." The item says thatperiod. and ARVN troops were wiped out, twoand many weapons seized, and claims that this bringsof allied troops killed or wounded in this area toopril.
Onh, according to this same VNA report, the PLAF shelled Ta Con,. encampment at Lang Vei, and hills in the Khe Sanh-Lang Vei area. An attack on, five kilometers southeast of Lang Vei, is alleged to haveoll of. air cavalrymen. Shellings on the liith of Ta Con,ndnd the eastern part of Pa Ka allegedly caused overasualties and caused the allies to pull out of Lang Vei and many surrounding spots. VHA onh claias that aApril surprise attack by the PLAF onompletely wiped. company of over Iho men.
The only action mentioned onh is the shelling of the Ta Con position. VHA onh, reporting action taking place that day, claims that PLAF gunners. company which tried to push toward, wiping outIs, and that the PLAF intercepted the rest of. force, causingasualties, and attacked. company aiming for the same bill, causingasualties. At, northeast of Lang Vei, the VNA report claims that the PLAF fired on. companies moving toward the hill and "knocked down"
ovorIs. VNA soya that onh the PLAFotalasualties. troopa in the Khe Sanh area.
SAIGONDOI HHAS DAN in itspril commentary
THE THIRDthe tvo operations around the Saigon
area. Operation Quyet Thang and its successor Complete Victory, as "merely loose combinations or small, separate police raidsotaling of troops of all kinds who happen to be present ln the theatre." It says that the allied forces are "operating without definite direction of attack and practically without coordination" and claims that the guerrillas frustrated Quyet Thong at the outset and that Operation Complete Victory will be defeated more ignoslniously.
A Liberation Radio commentary ontb claims -that in Operation Quyet Thangroops, mostly Americans, were annihilated and moreanks and armored cars and aboutircraft destroyed. In disparaging Operation Complete Victory, the commentary claims that the units taking part in the. operation are those that were "seriously defeated" during the general, offensive and in Quyet Thang. It asks how the allies, who were unable to control tbe five provinces around Saigon ln Quyet Thang, can hope to drive the Viet Cong froa tberovinces "ao they have loudly boasted." Tho commentary concludes by asserting that the armed forcea and people are determined to turn Complete Victory into "complete defeat."
Actions connected with these operations which hove been, reported by VNA are all located in. Toy Rinh Province. VNA onh reports that against Operation Complete Victory onpril, the PLAFurprise attack on the encampment. battalion l6 kilometers north of Dau Tleng district town, wiping out0 GIs. The VNA item alsoLAF assaultosition ofh Divisionilometers northwest of Saigon on the lbth.
DANommentary onpril carried by VHA
that day lists several alleged "crises" of the allies and claims that "annihilation is the fate that awaits the killers." The commentary asserts thot these actions point to the fact that. aggressors have been driven to the wall" end they are "taking vengeance on old people, women, and children." Saying tbat these acta "cannot pass withhe paper concludes by recalling attacks by the
PLAF on the allien in areas where the "crimes" reportedly occurred.
There are several VHA items describing specific "crimes" allegedly committed by the allies, including one onh which claims that
U.S. and Korean troopseople In four districts of Quang
Haa and Quang Ngai provinces aince February.
-
AM
An Giang comnitteo of the HFLSV issued a
tlEUsummarized by VHA onpril, which
ordered the PLAF in the area to cease military attacks during the Khmer new year, fromopril. It says that the Khmer ARVH troops and personnel of tho Saigon government will be allowed to return home provided they "do not go by groups and do not carry weapons or means of espionage." PLAF troops are urged to help the Khmers but also to heighten their vigilance and punish any olliod attempts to disturb the festival. Onarch the western Ham Bo HFLSV committeeommunique allowing new year's visits by Khmer troops and government personnel but did notease fire. VHA publiciied this communiquearch and Liberation Radio broadcast it onpril.
VfiSTERN,third special communiques of the PLAF commands
NAM BO CCTWJIOUES of western and central Ham Bo were broadcast by
Liberation Radio onndarch but ore only now available. Bit communiques update the "victories" since the beginning of the Tet offensive onanuary and cover the period up toarch; the second special communique from each of these areas was broadcastarch. (The third special communique of the southern Trung Bo PLAF command, datedarch, was also broadcast by Liberation Radio onarch, but poor reception precluded processing. The last communique for southern Trung Bo was broadcast onarch.)
The western Hamnnihilation or capture" of moro0 allied troops,iU0 Americans, and the "disintegration" of more0 ARVH troops, policemen, and GVN personnel. The communique sayslanes wereilitary vehicles smashed, andankers and fuel transports sunk or burned. The casualties, according to the commentary, put out of actionercent of tho ARVN force in the area.
The central Nam Bo command communique, datedarch, claims that insurgents killed, wounded, or captured more0 allied troops,Is. It saysilitary vehicleslanes were destroyed andhips sunk. Like the western riac Bo communique, it claims the liberation of large areas. Hailing attacks cn communication lines, it asserts that Insurgents destroyedllied roads.
rbLincAL Developments
claims for the leadership role of tho
or "people's" administration in
South Vietnam are madepril Liberation Radio commentary. It asserts that the administration is being builttrong and stable administration which will lead the general
TRENDS
8
offensive and uprising quickly to complete victory" and that "the people's administration will become the oingle organization which will rule over South Vietnam and will lead the. national salvation resistance of the South Vietnamese people to final victory." At the same time, the commentary spooks of the NFLSV as boing the leader of the South Vietnamese people.
The commentary repeats the claim of the fourth PLAF special communique last monthillion people ln moreillages and hamlet! hove been liberated and says that "the people's administration has been and is being established throughout the liberated areas, the rural areas, in many towns and areas close to large cities, and Ine as along the strategic cososuni cations lines of the enemy.'1 iberation Radio broadcast In Mandarin onpril echoespril commentary and further claims the establishment of "peasants'committees." It says "revolutionary political power" has been set up "in many streets of Saigon, Hue, and many other provincial cities."
THLAl6 April Liberation Radio broadcasts the third
que of the Thua Thien-Hue Revolutionary
Committee which, it reports, was adoptedpril meeting, presided over by Le Van Hao, to review the situation during the past month and to setumber of new tasks. (The second communique of tho committee wos broadcast by Liberation Radioarch.) The communique claims that, due to the massive allied troop buildup, the area holds on important position ln the southern battlefield. Routinely claiming success in the spring offensive, tbe communique sets forth tasks for the people to take advantage of the "favorable situation." Stating that theadministrotion at all echelons has been further strengthened and has become increasinglyt calls on theseto carry out tasks including opposition to conscription, preparation forrural convention"asis for all relations in the village and to assureew village life, and several economic tasks such as studying the land problem,ood harvest, andudget.
Radio onprilommentary
on "vigilance" and the "safeguarding of secrets"
attributed to "Tanpseudonym which con be translated as "attack." Ton Cong says that since the spring offensive the allies hove tried to reestablish their control machinery in "recently liberated" areas by using "remaining troops for relief operations"
Id on attempt to drive out the insurgent armed forces and hy "every cunning trick and every form of espionage to collect information for their bombing and shelling and their rangers." He Insists that allied efforts have failed because of "our netvork to safeguard secrets and guard against evil acts" throughout the liberated areas. The commentary stresses the role of the people in security efforts and cites alleged instances of the people's cooperation in discovering and capturing allied "agents."
CONFIDENTIAL
Original document.
Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic: