Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume VII, Vietnam, July 1970–January 1972

288. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon¹

Washington, January 10, 1972.

SUBJECT

• Results of our Recent Bombing of North Vietnam

CIA has acquired from a sensitive source who has access to the French delegation in Hanoi, information relating to our recent bombing raids against North Vietnamese targets.²

According to the French Delegate General in Hanoi, the North Vietnamese asked the French in Hanoi to officially protest the U.S. air strikes but when the French said that they would have to see the alleged places where U.S. air strikes had occurred, the North Vietnamese dropped the subject.

The source learned that the air strikes on December 27 completely destroyed the electricity plant near Vinh. He also heard that there were some casualties in a hospital in Vinh as the result of the total destruction of an ammunition dump which was located next to the hospital.

A school in Vinh was also hit, according to the source, but there were North Vietnamese troops at that school.

The source also reported that several U.S. pilots were killed by ground fire after they bailed out and were floating to the ground. CIA notes that the source did not state how he had learned this information.

The source stated it is his belief that these raids were more effective than past raids.

CIA is attempting to obtain additional information on this subject from the source.

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 158, Vietnam Country Files, Vietnam, Jan–Feb 72. Secret; Sensitive. Sent for information. A stamped notation on the memorandum reads, “The President has seen.”
2. Reference is to Operation Proud Deep Alpha; see footnote 3, Document 278. In a telephone conversation on December 27, Haig informed Nixon that Laird had received 21 questions on the strikes at a press conference that morning and “really blistered them on the DMZ, rocket attacks and failure to negotiate.” Nixon responded, “Our whole purpose is not to escalate this,” and added later in the conversation: “The White House should stay out of it. It is a routine protective reaction strike. Don’t let Ron [Ziegler] escalate on it. I want him to sit on it all week long. The Secretary spoke to it and I have nothing to add. That is all I want him to say.” (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 998, Haig Chronological Files, Haig Telcons 1971 (1 of 2))