THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM - INFORMATION AS OF 0600

Created: 3/23/1965

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY

THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

Information as05

PREPARED FOR THE NATIONAL SECURITYDISSEMINATION OFHEREIN IS NOT AUTHORIZED

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY Office of Current Intelligence5

INTKLMGEXCE MEMORANDUM

The Situation In Vietnam as0 EST

The South Vietnamese Air Strikos ofarch

RVNAF Skyraider aircraft struck theradar site just north of the Demilitarizedocal VietnamST) on Eleven US aircraft flew in support of theaircraft roturned safely,

the strike, an armed reconnaissance mission was conducted alongs far north as Dong Hoi. Some hostile ground fire was received enroute, but apparently no lucrative military targets-of-opportunity were encountored.

Tho strike aircraft were again tracked by North Vietnamese radar, but no Communist air reaction has boon reported.

Preliminary analysis of photography Indicates that thearch US strike against the Vinh Son radar site destroyod at least two buildings andhird. Approximatelyomb crators are visible in the targot area. However, the radar antenna and its revetted reinforced concrete support building appear undamaged.

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Military Developments

There have been no unusual North Vietnamese, Chinese Conmunlst, or Soviet military soves noted he pastours.

The North Koreans have publicly announced their intention to send arms to tho "fighting Vietnamese people.peech9 March "support Vietnam" rally in Pyongyang, Vico Premier Kim Kwang-hyop promised that North Korea will provide tho Vietnamese with "all types of material aid, Including arms."

There Is noelivery of Soviet militar Possibly reflecting an off of Soviet aidfficials are claiming tha ovorflight rights. Bulgar matsing now mainta tlonally hoboing up Soviet reported, "Agitprop" offlc been instructed tof Soviet aid arises in pa

nformation concerning the

y assistance to North Vietnam.

ort to explain away the failuro

o materialize, East European

t Communist China has refused

ian and Yugoslav dlplo-

hat the Chinese are inten-

ald deliveries. As earlier ials In East Germany have also lmllar line when the question rty discussions.

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indications

'of five MIG-type jei from Nanning to Phuc Yen onarch have been be erroneous. The flight was actually that ofransport which arrived at Phuc Yen on

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TASS announced this morning that tho Soviet permanent representatlvo at the UN hasotter calling for renewed discussion of the concept of aggression. The letter states that the lacklear-cut definition of aggression by the UN plays particularly into the hands of the US, which "whllo bombing theand population of the DRV, ls trying to Justify those actions with references 'to international low,"

In private talks with Western officials, Soviet sources continue to reflect Moscow's policy dilemmas as the tactics for reasserting Soviet leadership ln theworld seen increasingly to conflict with those needed to maintain the somewhat improved atmosphere in US-USSR rolatlons.

to one recently available report, the

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"serious concern" that Washington continued to disregard the USSR's "clear warnings" about the possibleof US Vietnam policy. Ho repeated once more Moscow's warnings concerning the effocts of the air strikes on Soviet-US relations, and asserted that "no high-level US-USSR meetings could be envisioned under present He described Soviet aid to North Vietnam asnd attempted to convey the impression that Poiping and Moscow were entirely agreed on the need for support for North Vietnam.

the sphere of Sino-Soviet relations,flatly rejected Moscow's pleaessation In an authoritative commentary today inand Red Flag, the Chinese blasted theof Communist parties held recently in Moscowthat the Soviets capitulate on all majordispute. Peiping claimed that Moscow's doclsionthe meeting had made it necessary for the"criticize openly, and thorougly expose" thoof the new Soviet leaders. This direct attackclear that neither Kosygin's visit to Peiping norbetween US and Communist forces inbrought the quarreling powers any closer together.

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The Situation in South Vletnaa.

13. No major Communist-initiated actions havo been reported during the pastours. Viot Cong military activity continues moderately light with only scattered harassing actions.

The press reports that yesterday's massive South Vietnamese army helicopter assault against an estimated concentrationiet Cong aboutiles from Da Nang resultod in the capture of only one guorrilla. The others apparently pulled out of tho position two to three days earlier while tho operation was still in the planning stage.

An official Government of Vietnam (GVN) socurity service reports that, in retaliation for tho joint US-GVN air strikes on North Vietnam, the Viet Cong Saigon-Cholon-Gia Dinh Special Zone (SCGDSZ) Committeo recently ordered its sabotage agents to increase assassinations ofand sabotage of US installations. This campaign was to begin onarch, "anti-Americannd last untilarch. Vietnamese army officers and security force personnel were also designated as targets of the campaign, and the Viet Cong wore also reportedly planning thoof Buddhists and Catholics in order to create dissension and toholy war."

South Vietnamese Government forces yesterday killediot Cong, capturedincludingnd seizednomy enemy weaponsarge-scale search and destroy operation in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Hoa, aboutiles south of Saigon. Tho ground operation was supported byelicopters whose pilotsan additionaliet Cong KIA by air strikes. The operation in continuing.

Premlor Quat feels that the political situation is satisfactory, except for discontentew diehard Dieraists and Catholic extremists.

Quat, who plans to visit various troublespotsorps today, told Ambassador Taylor yesterday that

he felt peace movements were under control for the moment, that ho had no renl problemH with civilian groups, and that relations with the military are satisfactory. He

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EOlISIIlttDHIWSYrs ISI

pointod to twopsychologicalof the airstrlkos against North Vietnam and difficulties In raising additional manpower in the South. Quat Implied that he had reservations about the desirability of introducing additional foreign troops,

Buddhist leaders continue towith the Quat government. They stateweek's Buddhist conference agreed to avoidinvolvement unless their organization is uddhist spokesman reportedly has also informed

a delegation of generals that the Buddhists will support tho recent appointment of catholic General Huynh Van Cao as chief of the Joint General Staff, oven though the top thrco military officers in the country are now all Catholics.

military commander General Dongthat Air Vice Marshal Ky railroadedown proposals at thearch meeting of tbeCouncil which made Cao's and other command Despite Catholic control of the three topDong claims that the meeting reflected moves by

Ky, in league with Genoral Thiorps and The Buddhists, to place his own followers and Buddhist sympathizers in key military posts.

Catholic dissatisfaction lstho recent remarksnce moderate Catholicwho reportedly statedroperdefeating the Viet Cong had been half accomplishedouster of General Khanh and would bo fully metthe replacement of Quatatholic government.

Original document.

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