This collection of declassified estimative products is the first such release by the Central Intelligence Agency of documents exclusively on the Vietnam war. The National Intelligence Council (NIC) commissioned Lloyd Gardner, the renowned American scholar on the Vietnam war, to prepare an introductory essay providing historical context for the documents.

This is the second such collection of declassified documents published by the National Intelligence Council. In October 2004 the Council published, Tracking the Dragon: National Intelligence Estimates on China During the Era of Mao, 1948-1976.

The National Intelligence Council is a center of strategic thinking within the United States Government, providing coordinated analyses of foreign policy issues for the President and senior policymakers. Its work ranges from brief analyses of current issues to over-the-horizon Estimates of broader trends. Although most of its work is for internal government use, the NIC also produces unclassified reports and collaborates with a wide range of independent scholars, experts, and organizations around the world.

Visit the National Intelligence Council (NIC) Web Site's Vietnam Collection Page.