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This is a declassified Central Intelligence Agency memorandum on Soviet and Chinese military actions, dated May third, nineteen sixty‑seven. The record is notable because it details the agency’s assessment of how the Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China might respond to the conflict in Vietnam and what actions could be taken against United States forces. The memorandum was released to the public through The Black Vault, an online archive of declassified U.S. government documents. The file is available at the Black Vault URL https://archive.org/download/us-china-intel-CI01806/CI01806djvu.txt. The document was declassified by the Central Intelligence Agency under its standard declassification authority. MEMORANDUM FOR: DIRECTOR, BUREAU OF INTELLIGENCE SUBJECT: Soviet and Chinese Military Actions The memorandum opens with an assessment of possible Soviet actions. It notes that Soviet military actions could be directed against the United States in the Vietnamese war. The text states that “one might expect actions similar to those of United States military power with which the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong are prepared to cope and which are causing them the most trouble.” It further explains that actions elsewhere would likely be diversions intended to strain the manpower and material needs of United States forces. The document then evaluates the present level of cooperation, observing that the Communist forces in North Vietnam are “particularly concerned to find ways to counter our carrier‑based aircraft, land‑based aircraft, bomb‑bearing aircraft, and our inshore anti‑shipping patrols and mining.” It adds that in South Vietnam and Laos the Communists are “hurt most by our ground mobility and fire power, airborne mobility and fixed power, and our practically unrestricted use of sea and air routes for logistic purposes.” Regarding future Soviet behavior, the memorandum says the Communists may be apprehensive that the United States will widen the list of targets under attack in North Vietnam, take steps such as mining or blockade to curtail access by sea and coastal shipping, substantially increase forces in South Vietnam, or invade North Vietnam. It notes that Soviet actions would be limited to the provision of specialized manpower and materiel for specific tasks, and that any decision to undertake a specific action would depend on Soviet estimates of the risk of becoming directly involved in war with the United States. The text concludes that it is “unlikely that the Soviet Union would go to war with the United States over Vietnam.” The memorandum then turns to Chinese actions. It observes that China, unlike the Soviet Union, is geographically adjacent to Southeast Asia and therefore capable of bringing significant ground and air forces to bear in Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. It states that Chinese actions would be influenced by the same considerations of risk as Soviet actions. The current estimate is that China would intervene in…

Why was this case declassified?

This material entered the public record through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. The originating source document is linked on this page so the citation chain is auditable.

Central Intelligence Agency Memorandum On Soviet And Chinese Military Actions

◆ BLUF — The short version

This is a declassified Central Intelligence Agency memorandum on Soviet and Chinese military actions, dated May third, nineteen sixty‑seven. The record is notable because it details the agency’s assessment of how the Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China might respond to the conflict in Vietnam and what actions could be taken against United States forces.

Date: AUG 16 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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What was Central Intelligence Agency Memorandum On Soviet And Chinese Military Actions about?: This is a declassified Central Intelligence Agency memorandum on Soviet and Chinese military actions, dated May third, nineteen sixty‑seven. The record is notable because it details the agency’s assessment of how the Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China might respond to the conflict in Vietnam and what actions could be taken against United States forces.
Why was this case declassified?: This material entered the public record through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. Storyflo narrates it directly from the public release.

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