-
derivative filename/jpeg
-
363-04704 to 363-04711.pdf
-
Digital Object Identifier
-
363-04704 to 363-04711
-
Title
-
Article about the conflict around the Demilitarized Zone
-
Description
-
Original title: "dmz", Keever's title: "Amidst pains over Talks, Frontline War along DMZ Escalates." Article draft about the increase of fighting along the North-South Vietnamese DMZ in contravention to US hopes at the ongoing Paris Peace Talks. Written for the Christian Science Monitor
-
AI Usage Disclosure
-
Draft transcripts were automatically generated via Google Document AI and are currently under review. Please report significant errors to Archives & Special Collections at archives@unl.edu.
-
Transcript
-
--------------------
- Page 1
--------------------
zczc sag
yy nnm
dmz 1 (normass/deepe)
DONG HA, SOUTH VIETNAM, JUNE 9-The war along the demilitarized zone
appears to be escalating dramatically--if not wildly.
Senior American commanders blame the North Vietnamese for the current round
of escalation--and they are, in turn, using nearly all available means to hold
the line against any potential Communist gains.
to Be A Flat REJE
The military trends along the DMZ appear contradictory to American
pleas at the Paris peace talks for the North Vietnamese to de-escalate the
scale of their military activities in the South, especially along the
Sy-mile long line at the 17th parallel that technically separates North and
South Vietnam.
--more reuter
--------------------
- Page 2
--------------------
ZCZC sag
yy nnm
dmz 2 (normass/deepe)
Senior American military commanders are not in agreement here whether
the future battlefield actions will determine the bargaining points at Paris-
or whether the peace talks will even further influence the battlefield situation.
Senior ground commanders believe the Communist escalation around the DMZ is
designed to influence the peace talks.
But senior commanders running the air war
over North Vietnam are "apprehensive" that American negofi negotiators in Paris
may agree to stop the bombing abommmm over reduced bombing all the bombing
over North Vietnam, which they believe would jeopardize American ground troops
just south of the DMZ.
--more reuter
--------------------
- Page 3
--------------------
zCZC sag
yy nnm
dmz 3 (normass/deepe)
One new, specific x fear voicedb by these air-warriors:
that Hanoi will
publicly offer at Paris to release captured American fliers if Washington agrees to
stopping the bombing "and other acts of war" above the DMZ. Although some of their
personal friends wer are believed held in North Vietnamese prison camps,
none of
the Navy and Air Force pilots I talks with approved of stopping the air war over
North Vietnam on those terms. But, they are worried it would be a difficult
proposal for the American government to justify rejecting to the American public
and international world a opinion.
--more reuter
--------------------
- Page 4
--------------------
zczc sag
yy nnm
dmz 4 (normass/deepe)
"The situation along the DMZ is pretty much of a conventional war battle-theatre,
"There is a frontline, but it is not as fluid
one high-placed source explained.
as the frontlines in o Europe or the Pacific during World War II. It is more
MAKE
like World War I, in which both sides use classical conventional use of
maneuver elements and ase artillery. But, the enemy North Vietnamese frontline
is not fixed. It is a question of the Allies keeping them as fixed as possible.
When the NVA move, the Allies fix them and destroy them; then they wid withdraw
and the Allies re-fix them. The whole process starts again."
--more reuter
--------------------
- Page 5
--------------------
ZCZC sag
yy nnm
dmz 5 (normass/deepe)
American field commanders bring up these specific points regarding the
Communist escalation:
1.
Amskommun
Increasingly sophisticated weaponry and logistical systems.
More than ever before, American aircraft flying north or south of the DMZ are
in jeopardy. More than ten surface-to-air missile sites, of which only one is
known to be manned, are positioned along the just north of the DMZ in the
eastern sector. These sites are simply the ground preparations for the placement
of SAM's and associated equipment--the missiles, launchers and radar equipment
by American pilots
are moved around between these sites. One SAM has been seen to explode of
Dong Ha, the headquarters of the Third Marine Division
BEN HR
miles south of the
14
It had been fired at a Marine aircraft flying a reconnass reconnaissance
At least one SMA SAM has been officially
mills mission north of the DMZ.
announced as fired at a B-52 mil mission nor along the DMZ.
American pilots
flying transports into Marine post positions south of the DMZ are becoming
worried about the 100 mm.
radar-controlled anti-aircraft weapons the Communists
are known to have poised on their side of the DIZ. DMZ. Special flight patterns
have been worked out so that American aircraft are not "locked in caught and
On the ground, American commanders are
"locked in" by the Communist radar.
voice amazement at the fine equipment of the individual North Vietnamese soldier,
his plus the increased luxury of his supporting weapons. These commanders believe
the NVA is attempting to supplement his high- highly-mobile rocket artillery
with standard field artillery pieces.
--------------------
- Page 6
--------------------
zczc sag
yy nnm
dmz (normass/deepe)
American field commanders bring up these specific points regarding the
infiltration.
1.
On ground
North Vietnamese troops are pouring into
trons.
South Vietnam-easily replacing their increasingly high rate of battlefield losses.
"We know the infiltration is increasing," one high-placed source explained, "but
we don't know where it stops-if it stops along the DMZ, or in the central
highlands or where. We suspect they are spreading their troops around as they
try to maintain military pressure in all areas...in order to back their hand
in Paris. But The DMZ is the cloes e piece of real estate closest to North
Vien tam Vietnam, which makes it easier to reinforce, resupply and move in
heavy artillery."
The relative balance of Allied-Communist main-unit forces
along the DMZ is considered to remain essentially the same as during February,
during the Tet offensive, but both sides reinforced heavily just prior to that,
informed sources report. No specific statistics regarding the level
increased level of infiltration were available here.
--more reuter
--------------------
- Page 7
--------------------
zC2c sag
yy nnm
dmz (normass/deepe)
ON
3.
ground tactics, the
North Vietnamese units
Soldiers HND
near the DMZ have begun waging setpiece battles with American/Marines-and
counterattacking in broad daylight. The most extreme, example of this
and lasted five days
was the battle of Dai Do, which began on April 29/12
of the DMZ
and just
miles south
miles northwest of Dong Ha the U. 5. Marine
headquarters for their Third Divisions
"There were several things out of
character in that extremely sharp action," one Marine general explained. "The
North Vietnamese const consistently counterattacked-he counterattacked
three times (twice in one day and once another day).
The enemy showed
tremendous determination and this becomes appara apparent in several other
engagements also. The North NVA is counterattacking to an extent it
t #
✓ has never done before."
-more reuter
--------------------
- Page 8
--------------------
z CzC sag
yy nnm
dmz 8 (normass/deepe)
SA
(Hank: Thanks for your cable. Will airmail postmortem as soon as possible.
Regards Bev).
-
Date
-
1968, Jun. 9
-
Subject
-
Vietnam Demilitarized Zone (Vietnam); Geneva Conference (1954); Vietnam War, 1961-1975; Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Peace; Vietnam--Foreign relations--United States
-
Location
-
Đông Hà, South Vietnam
-
Coordinates
-
16.8089; 107.0894
-
Size
-
20 x 26 cm
-
Container
-
B10, F38
-
Format
-
dispatches
-
Collection Number
-
MS 363
-
Collection Title
-
Beverly Deepe Keever, Journalism Papers
-
Creator
-
Keever, Beverly Deepe
-
Copyright Information
-
These images are for educational use only. To inquire about usage or publication, please contact Archives & Special Collections.
-
Publisher
-
Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries
-
Language
-
English
