FYI: CIA releases new Vietnam documents

[MontanaKid]

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The CIA released a compendium of 170 formerly classified documents on Vietnam that the cover a period from 1948 through 1975, tracing developments in the country through the Vietnam War.

"This is the largest such release of documents on Vietnam and represents an extraordinary historical record, covering the entire period from the post-World War II breakup of colonial empires to the Communist takeover of Saigon in 1975," said David Gordon, chairman of the National Intelligence Council.

Gordon said some of the documents had been previously released but many have been only recently declassified.

The compendium is entitled "Estimative Products on Vietnam: 1948-1975."

The CIA has released similar compendia on other Cold War topics, such as intelligence estimates on the former Soviet Union and on China during the rule of Mao Tse-tung.