No.
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY Directorate of Intelligence
2 September
INTELLIGENCE MEMORANDUM
I
Vietnam Election* Situation ReportUMMARY
The CIA Station in Saigon adviaei that the VC have apparentlyesson from last year's fiasco when they advertised that they would emafth the Constltutunl Assembly elections and actually did very litlU. This time they are promising less and doing more. Tho number of significant incidents of Communist violence Js now at least litre* or four times normal and well above last year'spre-election level-. Significant enemy-initiated activity has increased during the week throughout South Vietnam. While none of this recent activity has had the impact of the oarlior shelling of Can Tho, the assuall on Quang Ngal, or the attach on Thang Blnh, District headquarters, recent terrorist actions do show the enemy's tapiblliiy to hit the people. To date, however, we have seen no evldenco that tlile terrorism is likely toignificant reduction in voter turn-out.
1. Saigon: The Combined Security Committeeeport that VC radro operating tn tho Saigon area will shellcity on the night of 9nplembrr. An artillery attack will start0 hourseptember Washington time] against sensitive Installations In the Capital, especially polling booths. In support of the attack VC special mltslon cadres will eel off explosionsumerous polling pieces in ordnr to prevent election participation.
I. In the pastours, there have been twolve terrorist incidents in the Saigon area, resultingCS dead, S wounded, Bight of thoto Incidents, including four involving US personnel, took place during the nighteptember, ah US personnel killed and one of tho US wounded were In Cholon area, which US personnel had been warned to avoid.
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orps, all major population centers oxcepi Quang*ttacked during ihe past wank. Thornharp Increase in attacksalong Ilia coast of It Corps; propaganda, terrorism, and sabot&gn wore
evtdum in HI Corps, and indiscriminate mining of roads and sholling of civilians wit the rule in IV Corps. In the pe-riodhroughugust, there weren.idemt compared to the weekly average7etter indicator of the intensity Is the level of activity as measured by the increase in assaults, titlarks by fire, kidnapping, and mining,
Corps: In tho past ZAorps reported the kidnapping otchief, ubrhie'fe, andivilians near Hoi An for the thirdin the area. Also in tho Hoi Anesettlement campresulting In one killed, one wounded, and the destruction ofouses.
I" IIolling place wasd burnod at Song Cau with three wounded. Near Tuyase camp was attacked and an artillery portion waa mortared. The Dien Khanh District headquarters, Khanhinc*> ttacked by an unknown number of enemy with hand thrown charge* killing two civilians and Thn Du Long District Hqs. and MACV Teaminh Thuan, received smsll arms and mortar fire killing one civilian and wounding 9.
&* j,errorism and sabotage in the pait day included detonationlko bomb in Ben Cat, Blnh Duong Province, woundingivilians and two ARVN. In Hau Hghia, Blnh Long, and Bien Hoa Provinces, highwaysndere interdicted by mining of bridges and culverts.
7' Mivilian busine in Dinh Tuong withofivilians killed andounded. Also in Dinh Tuoug two bridgesdestroyed along highway *. In Vinh Long, Tra An District town was mortared withivilians wounded.
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