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Title:
Communist military posture and capabilities vis-a-vis Southeast Asia
Date of Creation:
December 31, 1964
Date of Declassification:
July 2, 1996
Type of Document:
Intelligence memorandum
Level of Classification:
TOP SECRET
Status of Copy:
SANITIZED
Pagination, Illustration:
11 p., 1 map
Abstract:
In recent weeks we have noted a number of Communist troop movements in Laos, both into the Plaine des Jarres area and farther south in the area adjacent to the Seventeenth Parallel. These deployments have put the enemy in a considerably better position to launch an offensive either out of the Plaine or toward the Mekong. Coupled with the continuing development of Hanoi's infiltration apparatus, they also could supply a significant increment to the already substantial--and as yet not fully committed--Viet Cong strength in the northern provinces of South Vietnam. With the continuing long-range buildup of a logistic base in the Kunming and Canton military districts which began in 1960, and the short-range buildup of air strength in these districts and in North Vietnam which was triggered by the Tonkin Gulf episodes last summer, the Communists are increasingly able both to defend against any US air attacks on North Vietnam and to retaliate by raising the level of ground action in Laos and South Vietnam. Although there have been no major Chinese ground force deployments, Chinese and North Vietnamese forces now in the area are already strong enough for this purpose. They could be massively reinforced within a few weeks from the Chinese interior.
Indexing Terms:
COMMUNIST CHINESE MILITARY ACTIVITIES
NORTH VIETNAMESE FORCES IN LAOS
NORTH VIETNAMESE FORCES IN NORTHERN SOUTH VIETNAM
NORTH VIETNAMESE AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM
KUNMING MILITARY REGION
CANTON MILITARY REGION
PHUC YEN AIRFIELD
MIG-19 JET FIGHTERS
MIG-21 JET FIGHTERS
COMMUNIST CHINESE SOUTH SEA FLEET
NORTH VIETNAMESE INFILTRATION INTO SOUTH VIETNAM
PLAINE DES JARRES
NORTH VIETNAMESE FORCES IN LAOS
NORTH VIETNAMESE FORCES IN NORTHERN SOUTH VIETNAM
NORTH VIETNAMESE AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM
KUNMING MILITARY REGION
CANTON MILITARY REGION
PHUC YEN AIRFIELD
MIG-19 JET FIGHTERS
MIG-21 JET FIGHTERS
COMMUNIST CHINESE SOUTH SEA FLEET
NORTH VIETNAMESE INFILTRATION INTO SOUTH VIETNAM
PLAINE DES JARRES
Declassified Documents Reference System Location:
1997-1829
Link to Full Text: