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TOP SECRET/SENSITIVE/EYES ONLY -2-
General Outlines of Plan for Attack on Base Area 352/353
The immediate military objective of the plan would be to
destroy a main enemy headquarters area (COSVN) and troop and
logistics facilities.
--
The area contains the headquarters, as well as a large
complex of troop logistics facilities, ammunition storage areas,
hospitals, POW camps and Command and Control Headquarters for
one division and six regiments. It is a primary staging area for enemy
units operating in South Vietnam. The estimated enemy strength is
approximately 4, 000 men, with a reserve of up to 8, 000 others who
could be sent to the area in the event of attack. Intelligence indicates
that enemy forces have been directed to defend this base area in the
event of attack.
--
General Wheeler will be prepared to brief the broad out-
lines of the plans which would involve elements of the U.S. 1st Cavalry
Division and a brigade of the ARVN Airborne Division, together with
elements of the U.S. 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. Total forces
would consist of approximately 16, 000 U.S. and 2, 000 to 3, 000 ARVN.
It is estimated that the operation will require three to four weeks to
complete and can be executed within 72 hours of receipt of orders to
do so.
Timing. It would appear important to execute this operation
in coordination with the ARVN operation in the Parrots Beak. Assuming
the ARVN operation kicks off as scheduled on the morning of the 28th,
we can anticipate that knowledge of the operation will surface within
two days or as early as Wednesday or Thursday Washington time. In
order to obtain maximum psychological impact on the enemy and
minimize the period of domestic turbulence, it would appear desirable
to kick off the combined U.S. ARVN operation as early as Wednesday
or Thursday of this week. Furthermore, the rainy season normally
commences in this part of Southeast Asia by approximately mid-May.
Therefore, if you decide to approve this operation, a decision should
be made to do so not later than Monday afternoon Washington time.
This would enable us to get maximum benefit of the one-two punch,
reduce the heat through conducting both operations simultaneously and
achieve the maximum span of favorable weather.
TOP SECRET/SENSITIVE/EYES ONLY
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"ocrText": "TOP SECRET/SENSITIVE/EYES ONLY -2-\nGeneral Outlines of Plan for Attack on Base Area 352/353\nThe immediate military objective of the plan would be to\ndestroy a main enemy headquarters area (COSVN) and troop and\nlogistics facilities.\n--\nThe area contains the headquarters, as well as a large\ncomplex of troop logistics facilities, ammunition storage areas,\nhospitals, POW camps and Command and Control Headquarters for\none division and six regiments. It is a primary staging area for enemy\nunits operating in South Vietnam. The estimated enemy strength is\napproximately 4, 000 men, with a reserve of up to 8, 000 others who\ncould be sent to the area in the event of attack. Intelligence indicates\nthat enemy forces have been directed to defend this base area in the\nevent of attack.\n--\nGeneral Wheeler will be prepared to brief the broad out-\nlines of the plans which would involve elements of the U.S. 1st Cavalry\nDivision and a brigade of the ARVN Airborne Division, together with\nelements of the U.S. 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. Total forces\nwould consist of approximately 16, 000 U.S. and 2, 000 to 3, 000 ARVN.\nIt is estimated that the operation will require three to four weeks to\ncomplete and can be executed within 72 hours of receipt of orders to\ndo so.\nTiming. It would appear important to execute this operation\nin coordination with the ARVN operation in the Parrots Beak. Assuming\nthe ARVN operation kicks off as scheduled on the morning of the 28th,\nwe can anticipate that knowledge of the operation will surface within\ntwo days or as early as Wednesday or Thursday Washington time. In\norder to obtain maximum psychological impact on the enemy and\nminimize the period of domestic turbulence, it would appear desirable\nto kick off the combined U.S. ARVN operation as early as Wednesday\nor Thursday of this week. Furthermore, the rainy season normally\ncommences in this part of Southeast Asia by approximately mid-May.\nTherefore, if you decide to approve this operation, a decision should\nbe made to do so not later than Monday afternoon Washington time.\nThis would enable us to get maximum benefit of the one-two punch,\nreduce the heat through conducting both operations simultaneously and\nachieve the maximum span of favorable weather.\nTOP SECRET/SENSITIVE/EYES ONLY"
}