Declassified CIA documents on the Vietnam War - University Library

Document abstracts from U.S. Declassified Documents Online are included with permission from the Gale Group. U.S. Declassified Documents Online requires a subscription to access. Current USask library patrons can use their NSID and password to access the collection through our subscription. The USask Library cannot provide access to full-text documents for anyone outside our institution. Check with your local library to see if they subscribe.

Full-text documents may be available online from Texas Tech University's Virtual Vietnam Archive.

Learn more about the project: Lam, Vinh-The, and Darryl Friesen. "A Web-based Database of CIA Declassified Documents on the Vietnam War." Online 28, no. 4 (2004): 31-35.

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Title:

Communist military posture and capabilities vis-a-vis Souhtheast Asia

Date of Creation:

December 31, 1964

Date of Declassification:

August 24, 1976

Type of Document:

Intelligence memorandum

Level of Classification:

NOT GIVEN

Status of Copy:

SANITIZED

Pagination, Illustration:

8 p., 1 map

Abstract:

In recent weeks there have been a number of Communist troop movements in Laos, both into the Plaines des Jarres area and farther south in the area adjacent to the 17th parallel. These developments 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 build-up of a logistic base in the Kunming and Canton military districts which began in 1960, and the short-range build-up of air strength in these districts and in North Vietnam which was triggered by the Gulf of Tonkin episodes last summer, the Communists are increasingly able to defend against any US air attack 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.

Declassified Documents Reference System Location:

1982-002369

Link to Full Text:

http://www.vietnam.ttu.edu/virtualarchive/items.php?item=0410111005