https://declassified.library.utoronto.ca/files/original/b2a91a2aff8514cf55b3c51e37acf63b.pdf 245280f7162804d4e3fdcdea20b9e942 PDF Text Text Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur faeces a {'information -PM SECRET—CANADIAN EYES ONL ~U1JIBS~ 213-2000-1 JIBS' '26h-2000-18 JIBS 1052-2000-11 Ottawa, Ontario, July 31,.1963.. - J . J . McCardle j Esq..y Head, Defence Liaison (2) Division, "Department-of External Affairs, ; East Block, "' -Ottawa}.©ntario# : - *: • ''•'•' Canadian I n t e l l i g e n c e Collection i n 7 •-' • .' ' '." • North Vietnam 7' : ' : ' . ' . • -.;'• /... •.. •'.. , .'•'; . • 7 ' ••• ./ &g -•• • ' ' • • • • •. *••.-.. . / Be? „. _,_.. . ':,,!• ' .1-refer t o Mr. Gordon Cox's l e t t e r of [k fjgjgp • ' • o ^ ^ f e r f i n g 7-tc• Canadian c o l l e c t i o n of i n t e l l i g e n c e i n North y2. About 195$, J..I.B. began c o l l e c t i n g ..any\|Mor^tfQryift , - could, of ah^ economic and transport n a t u r e . , on KorthN^foajM'^The . .•• information i s of-course collected oii our behalf. by t h e various ; Canadian-mergers of the I.C.C.SV who a r e t r a v e l l i n g and working i n 1 ; North Vietnam as members o f the Inspection Teams. The programme has .since heen approved by the I n t e l l i g e n c e . P o l i c y Committee.. 3 . .. .' . In 19 5'8, we standardized our c o l l e c t i o n procedures, and ' • s i n c e then have followed much the same/pattern of a c t i v i t y * To outline •; t h i s in brief\' } the. &S.0.(2){S.D.) - . d e s i g n a t e i s f u l l y briefed by J . I . B . on the aism.of t h e operation - i n s o f a r as J*I.B* i s concerned, prior- to h i s leaving; Canada for.Indo China* J . I . B . sends him annually. a l i s t of outstanding'and up-to-date questions, t o be used by him as a.guide ; I n b r i e f itig h i s "team of fibers p r i o r t o . these l a t t e r going i n t o North •"-; Vietnam. This J . I . B . questlpnhaire i s compiled .from questions submitted. to us by our B r i t i s h , American aruiAustralian colleagues (as well as any .' questions we. ourselves, may have) and covers, only t h e normal J . I . B , f i e l d s of interest*;; •' ','..•'7' ••.', ... -\ '.-' : .-. ; :..*. ., ' ' • ' . ' • •• \ •.••.. ykt.:'• " I t i s thoroughly explained t o the G.S.O. (2) t h a t the inspection tasks of the teams i n North Vietnam take, precedence.over any . i n t e l l i g e n c e - c o l l e c t i o n a t a l l times, and-that i n t e l l i g e n c e c o l l e c t i o n represents observations a team o f f i c e r would, i n any case make i n carrying out t h e i r tasks on i n s p e c t i o n . < :.. '•'•,. •"- ... $»•',-. •:. Officers proceeding to'North Vietham are briefedI and ; tasked > ,-by the G,S.0«(2){S.D,)» This tasking i s basedion the annual J . I , B . . : guide/questionnaire* •' The observers are not allowed t o take n o t e s , e i t h e r during t h e i r briefin g or when on tour* When they r e t u r n to Saigon the ;G.S.G.(2)(S.D*).debriefs.them, the answers forming the b a s i r o f : t h e . •. reports which the C.S.0.(2)(S.D.) sends t o . Ottawa* .'•"••" '.'.:'.'". ' . : * .6, •'•;:On r e c e i p t of these, reports i n J . I . B . , ' t h i s Bureau r e p u b l i s h e s , i n i t s monthly summary,of "Items of Economic andTopographical Information ;from Canadian Sources", a l l raw information'in t h e J . I . B . f i e l d of i n t e r e s t * Copies of . t h i s summary, a r e sent to our B r i t i s h , American and \ Australian colleagues for t h e i r u s e , : .?-.,-'','"' ,; . ;.: ; 7# : V A .copy of. t h i s Summary i s also sent t o our Senior Military ; . Advisor i n Indo China. This .practice was i n s t i t u t e d some years ago a t . . t h e request of the the n S.MiA. and has.been continued. When questioned about the present; day requirement for t h i s copy i n -Indo China, .*-»#./ 2 v "00105 5 �i .. j •"•'.. "••:,'''''. ":••.'; .... r C Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en Vertu.de la Loi siirfacces a {'information . ',-.-. * *••'• -AY • ' '.•>'•':' "* "• *- • ... . .-• -. ;'. .. .: • :'-"•' A Y SECRET - CANADIAN EYES-ONLY JW . ^<M i WW*WW*P*>»J*aa f I'll •Hmil<WM.WfHwi>i|*jiPiW mi |M| || ••.ilU.f •*"'••. :-•••'.' -: •*"-.. •"> : *.;«> A*. -";.';-,,•-;_, •. ,.'.;••"• -.-":'_. > " /,.' 7. . Major A, Kemsley, the most recently returned G.S.0.(2)(S.D.) stated ' that it wa$ still of use, and that it helped considerably from the point of view of morale. Officers in the field felt that a genuine use is .'.'-' being made of their collection efforts* , :: "'-.-,.. '•"". ., 8 # Ue have talked t o a number of. officers, both Army and Air,, who have recently .returned from Indo. China where they servedas members of inspection teams.. SQthout exception, every-officer reported that the / intelligence collection effort they "were asked to. carry out was a most ''"• : ireful one from their individual points of view. They all felt that they 'Were doing-something of value, that this work stimulated and kept 'their "interests, and that'it is a tremehdouis^iactor; morale*wise# 9# -; As you know, we in Canada do not have sufficient staff to carry out detailed research on indoChina*This area, however, is of c\ 7 • major importance to the Americans and Australians! ~ These'latter .agencies, and^to a somewhat lesser extent the British, do research work in great V. detail'oti indo China, the finished reports being passed to Canada* Both theAustralians and the Americans have continually been pressing us to. ensure that the. flow of information which they receive on this area • from Canadian sources is kept up. Major Kemsley,: talking, to the U.S. and/ British Intelligence-representatives in Indo-China was told-that the. Canadian collection effort supplied them with '" • information on North Vietnam. - -.'•;'.,' 10*" .' We have recently obteinsd CIA internal assessment :6f the 'v Canadian Reporting on North Vietnam.; Because of the channels through which we were able to procure a copy of this assessment, we would ask that it be treated as ;CANA0IAN EYES ONLY. This assessment, reproduced below, and dated 16-May «63,'represents the views of ORE, OCI, OSI and the industrial Register of OCR* .•. ,-•-.•••• • ];;••• 'A - ' Y- A 7.•; "SUBJECT*- Review of Canadian Reporting on North Vietnam* ^ '" '' " 1 # Reporting from the Canadian Delegation with the ICG/Vietnam '••., has provided most valuable information, for economic, military, • political and scientific intelligence research in support of ' : current, estimative and basic intelligence problems. It furnishes. 1 analysts with a continuing flow of high-grad© first-hand accounts of current activities in North Vistnam, uhayailahle from any , other Source. The continuity of reporting through the years has aided in comparisons in the progress of retrogression of many aspects of the North Vietnam scene. The reporting has provided • valuable new information, "as well as confirmation intelligence, '••• f ', •..••• * , - \.± . -+ y , - - . - '..<„... *. • —' " "• , .. " •'•."»" ''2. This reporting has been the principal source for estimating , ;' rail capacity., volume of rail traffic, and railroad rolling stock ; .; inventory.! rand for reporting; roaii conditions, new road construction, t'.-\ and motor Vehicle inventories. if possible, more comprehensive1 reporting on secondary roads, tracks, and rails,, accompanied byV" photographs, would-be especially; welcome. sReporting on the volume -t-of military and civil air activity,has also been .valuable. Detailed ^information on the type and amount of.seaborne cargo included in port reporting has been most useful in estimating .port V. • capacity.;.' '.'.-' ' . :..\.y7.y'' ..,••'' •"'• .'. •".'•.*. "3, Extensive use has been madeof reporting on teiecoramuuications * •- ' services in North Vietnam relied to a major extent on ;Canadian reporting* ' W U* British and French diplomatic-representatives in Hanoi seem /..; reluctant to jeopardise by. perceptive reporting the few,privileges ''•'..••' vfchey enjoy, and seldom do \ they report on areas outside of Hanoi and Haiphong.;. The Canadian delegation has limited contact with North : Vietnamese of official stature, but its periodic analysis of the ; .': ; v ; ; "•'•.:-•'. ' . '" ' • / a 00105 ,••••••• ***/3 .6 �i-' . '*' ' Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a /'information * ..'."•• •••""••' •'".'''"• "A ''-:.".'-.;. ^Y'YY A ' ' •. 7::.: •:' . Y A-Y *''. ''••'!. . '77: \ . . •*-.. ' • • ' . ' •=•"•' •-. -'-: . . ••• .' SECRET - CANADIAN EYES ONLY ;.. A -.3 -••••/';; ;::'.-.'\ ':. -.;' y ''•-.. :. .V situation and reporting of local rumors concerning leading North; '• .*. •:'* Vietnamese personalities or of pendingpolitical moves- has been '. :% '•."•... :..s . : much appreciated* Its detailed reporting of; areas outside Hanoi . .. . and Haiphong provides the only reliable "eye witness" reporting "7.;'•' available* ..The Canadians have, recognized that the Thai-Nguyen area '•••' ' has. .been Closed to them for some time* andLwe hope| they will continue • to try to gain access to this important military and economic center* '•; 4 a% Canadian reporting has been extremely;useful in providing " >', sketch maps and town plans, whichliave been.the principal source ,'•..'-'••''••• , .;: for checking the locatioh and status of various. installations*^ ••••'. ! !l 6*; Information reported by the Canadian delegation ia sometime^ . ....:'.'.'•'•.' . duplicated in North Vietnamese press and radio, but the inter- . pretationof the Vietnamese reports by the Canadian based on past knowledge of the situation and first-hand experience is very valuable* . C m a A a n reporting alfeo has Supplemented: general Vietnamese press reports of economic activity. At the Hanoi Engineering Plant, for .example, Canadian reporting has been very valuable in providing e ; , labour force.estimate, information on the presence of Russian . technicians, and a. judgement of equipment and quality of output* It has ^alsd been very useful in providing commodity prices in • ••)/. various sections ofthe country,•information; about rationing, and specific plant production'data*•'.'• ' ; "7* In sum, reporting;by the Canadian delegation is a major :• information input to intelligence research on North Vietnam, and its -,• loss would create a serious gap'in the intelligence, support of ' ' , - .'•"•; ; •'•"" : national policy"* 11* Both the British and Australian agencies have reported that they ' find the raw material which we .supply them through. the Summary is 'invaluable* ••', -' :'. .-. '•: ^ . •'".""-. 12* As this collection.effort represents one of the few unique opportunities Canada has to collect material of considerable value to bur '.•-••••. allies, I feel that it deserves every support, both in Ottawa and in the . field* V :. Y •:]••'-Ay 7v- - " ' ".' v 13* Up to date, we have usually been able to arrange to brief senior . .military personnel prior to proceeding-to Indo China, on the object and aims of the intelligence collection programme in Indo China. As a rule, this briefing has resulted in a much better.understanding of the.problem,.and firm support of the programme in th& rfieid. Do you think that it might be an advantage to brief officers from your Department,; particularly those who will occupy senior positions, prior to their proceeding abroad? This would at least give theme better understanding of,the programme and possibly. ; improve, our reporting* 1. Bowen, Director, '-.'•.7 '.. ••_..' Joint .intelligence Bureau*, 00105 7 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Indochina (CDVN) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CDVN00011 Title A name given to the resource Canadian Intelligence Collection in Vietnam Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 31-Jul-63 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Library and Archives Canada, RG24, vol. 31275, file 213-2000-1, part 4. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Government of Canada Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Canadian Crown Subject The topic of the resource Intelligence Activtiies in Vietnam Description An account of the resource Canadian Foreign Intelligence History Project Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Canada Declassified Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource en