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in the northern portion of the Bolovens plateau, in the
 vicinity of Saravane. North Vietnamese operations had
 gradually reduced the government's defensive perimeter
 around Saravane, with a number of villages falling into Communist
 hands.
 the enemy intended to occupy Saravane before moving on
 to hit more important government military base camps at Lao
 Ngam and Ban Thateng.

The overall enemy motivation in placing military pressure
 on the Saravane area is probably to deter the friendly
 forces in the area from staging any operations from the
 Bolovens area into the Ho Chi Minh trail area. Extensive Communist
 resupply operations have routinely taken place along
 the Se Kong River some 25 miles east of Saravane. The Communists
 could also wish to clear government forces from the
 vicinity of Route 23 which provides a north-south route in the
 Lao panhandle.

The Communists may also hope to occupy Saravane as an anchor
 for reestablishing their position in the Se Done valley, a
 rich rice producing area over which the Lao government had only
 last year extended its control. In addition, the enemy may
 hope to inflict a sharp psychological blow on Vientiane, by

TOP SECRET
 1.5(c)
 3.4(b)(1)
 Conf.
 1.5(c)
 3.4(b)(1)
 Conf.
 TOP SECRET
 1.5(c)
 3.4(b)(1)
 Conf.
 COPY LBJ LIBRARY