70. Memorandum From the Director for Intelligence, The Joint Staff (Breitweiser) to the President’s Military Aide (Clifton)0
Washington,
May 1,
1961.
SUBJECT
- Comparative Forces in Laos
- 1.
- The following strength figures are supplied in accord with your request of this date to the Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense.
- 2.
- Communist over-all military strength in Laos, to include the Pathet Lao, Kong Le forces, and North Vietnamese support and advisory personnel, is estimated to total 16,500 men. Approximately 4,000 of these are under the control of the Lao Army defector Kong Le, 1,200 to 1,500 are North Vietnamese support and advisory personnel, and the remainder are operating under the direct control of the Lao Communist party. All are responsive to a general headquarters located at Xieng Khouang in the Plaine des Jarres.
- 3.
- In addition to the numbers quoted in the paragraph above, we have numerous reports from Lao Army sources of the current employment of North Vietnamese units in Laos, for protection of lines of communication, logistic support, and for operation in the Tchepone area of East Central Laos. While we believe these units, estimated to include 2,625 North Vietnamese personnel, are there, we do not have sufficient information to warrant their acceptance at this time.
- 4.
- The Boun Oum government military forces total 58,287, divided into a 38,487-man regular force, a 13,800-man volunteer (auto-defense) force, and a 6,000-man Meo force which is organized for guerrilla type operation behind Communist lines. [2–1/2 lines of source text not declassified] There are approximately 350 U.S. personnel in Laos assigned for duty with the Chief, MAAG, Laos.