US Ambassador Graham Martin retransmitted the following cablegram that he had received from Richard Peters, US Consul General in Bien Hoa.

P 010428Z APR 75
FM AMEMBASSY SAIGON
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4445
INFO USDEL JEC PARIS PRIORITY
COMUSSAG NKP THAILAND PRIORITY
CINCPAC HONOLULU PRIORITY
COMIPAC HONOLULU PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SAIGON 3876

LIMDIS
E.O. 11652: GDS
TAGS: MOPS VS

SUBJ: MR 3 HQ DESCRIBES NEAR-TERM THREAT IN THE REGION

FOLLOWING SENT ACTION IMMEDIATE SAIGON FROM BIEN HOA MARCH 31 BEING REPEATED FOR YOUR INFO.

QUOTE
LOONFIDENTIAL BIEN HOA 242
LIMDIS
E.O. 11652: GDS
TAGS: MOPS, VS

SUBJ: MR3 HQ DESCRIBES NEAR-TERM THREATS IN THE REGION

1. THE RANGE OF POSSIBLE AREAS OF NVA/VC OFFENSIVE ACTION DURING THE COMING WEEK WAS DESCRIBED BY THE BRIEFER DURING THE REGULAR WEEKLY MR3 BRIEFING AT 0830 HOURS MAR 31 AS SET FORTH BELOW.

A. THE 9TH NVA DIV COULD CONTINUE ITS ATTACKS AGAINST ROUTE 26 IN TAY NINH PROVINCE, OR IT MAY HAVE MOVED BACK ACROSS THE SAIGON RIVER INTO ITS USUAL AO IN WESTERN BINH DUONG PROVINCE TO ATTACK THE 5TH ARVN DIV IN MR3'S CENTER.

B. THE 101ST NVA DIV "WILL PROBABLY" ATTACK ROUTE 1/22 IN THE GO DAU HA AREA IN AN ATTEMPT TO CUT THE ROAD.

C. WITH THE 271ST INDEPENDENT NVA REGT SERVING AS A BLOCKING FORCE ON THE NORTHERN SIDE OF TAY NINH CITY, THE 205TH NVA REGT COULD ATTACK TOWARD TAY NINH CITY FROM THE WEST AND SOUTH.

D. THE 5TH NVA DIV (E-6 REGT) WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP POSITIONS WEST OF THE VAM CO DONG RIVER IN WESTERN HAU NGHIA PROVINCE AND IN THE NEXT PHASE WILL ATTEMPT TO CROSS THE RIVER TO THE EAST SIDE. THE BRIEFER WENT ON TO SAY THAT THE 174TH AND 275TH REGTS OF THE 5TH NVA DIV ARE NOW DEPLOYED IN MR4'S KIEN TUONG PROVINCE BUT THAT BOTH OF THESE REGTS COULD WELL BE TURNED EASTWARD TO STRIKE TOWARD SAIGON THROUGH THU THUA DISTRICT OF LONG AN PROVINCE PROBABLY TRYING TO CUT MR4 ON THE WAY.

E. THE 273RD REGT WOULD CONTINUE TO ATTACK CHON THANH IN SOUTHERN BINH LONG PROVINCE AND COULD BE REINFORCED.

F. IN LONG KHANH PROVINCE THE MAIN BODY OF THE 141ST AND 209TH NVA REGTS, WHICH ATTACKED THE DINH QUAN AREA 10 DAYS AGO HAVE MOVED NORTHEASTWARD INTO LAM DONG PROVINCE.

G. THE 274TH REGT APPEARED TO BE OPERATING ALONG ROUTE 1 EASTWARD INTO BINH TUY PROVINCE.

H. THE 33RD NVA REGT SHOWS SIGNS OF HAVING MOVED INTO NORTHERN PHUOC TUY PROVINCE FROM WHERE IT COULD BE EXPECTED TO ATTACK SOUTHWARD TOWARD THE PROVINCIAL CAPITAL WITH ONE ELEMENT AND ATTEMPT TO CUT ROUTE 15 WITH OTHER ELEMENTS.

I. SAPPERS IN FIVE AREAS HAD MOVED CLOSER TOWARD SAIGON AND MIGHT BECOME MORE ACTIVE DURING THE WEEK--THE 117TH REGT ON THE SOUTHWEST, THE 115TH IN PHU HOA AND HOC MON NORTHWEST OF SAIGON, THE 119TH ALONG THE BINH DUONG/BIEN HOA BORDER, THE 116TH NORTHEAST OF SAIGON AND THE D-10 EAST AND SOUTHEAST OF SAIGON.

SIGNED PETERS

UNQOUTE

CONFIDENTIAL

MARTIN 05 JUL 2006

This document was declassified and released by the US Department of State on July 05, 2006.

Nguyen Van Tin
21 September 2008

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