THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 8 DECEMBER 1965

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1961-1969
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005968037
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: September 16, 2015
• Document Release Date: September 16, 2015
• Publication Date: December 8, 1965

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24: CIA-RDP79T00936A004100350001-3
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
THE PRESIDENT'S
DAILY BRIEF
8 DECEMBER 1965
"TS-EGPZZ_
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DAILY BRIEF
8 DECEMBER 1965
1. Rhodesia
2. Mozambique
Most African countries are having
second thoughts about breaking with
Britain if the Smith government is not
brought down next week. Whitehall in
turn is not particularly alarmed.
Only Tanzania has committed itself
publicly to a break. Ghana may follow
suit, but most other African states see
the move as either harmful to themselves
or ineffective, or both.
Talks between Britain and Zambia
on the question of round troo s are
still going on.
The Portuguese position in this
southeast African territory continues
to erode.
Brazilian, French, and German mili-
tary attaches, who visited Mozambique
late last month, have told US officials
that African nationalist rebels in the
northern part of the country are gradu-
ally developing an impressive guerrilla
warfare capability.
The rebels are supported by vari-
ous African states from bases in Tan-
ganyika. However, these attaches con-
firm that the Portuguese blame the US
for their troubles in Mozambique. The
US consul in Lourenco Marques says that
for the past few months US official per-
sonnel have been under tighter surveil-
lance by Portuguese security organs.
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3. Soviet Union
4. Guatemala
The chances of a,coup are increas-
ing as the internal security situation
in Guatemala continues to deteriorate.
So far, the Peralta government has
been unable to cope with a recent wave
of Communist-inspired kidnappings which
has terrorized the business community.
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5. Indonesia
6. Communist China
The army continues to go its own
way in defiance of Sukarno's line. On
Monday, for instance, only hours after
the President demanded that political
moves be left up to him, the Djakarta
military commander banned the Communist
Party in the capital.
The embassy, after studying Sukarno's
(latest speech, concludes that the most
lasting impression coming from it is of
an old man rapidly losing touch with a
complex political situation which he had
manipulated with such skill for so long.
Peking's trade with the Free World
will probably hit a record level of
about $2.5 billion this year, some 25
percent above 1964.
The increase with Japan is particu-
larly striking. The total for 1965 is
expected to reach $450 million, up 45
percent over last year. This would mean
that Japan has replaced the Soviet Union
as China's leading trading partner. Ja-
pan's trade with China is still only a
small fraction of tOtalbJapatieee.trilde.5,
however.
Peking now conducts less than one
third of its trade with other Communist
countries. This proportion may well
drop further next year because of China's
need for large grain and fertilizer im-
ports from outside the bloc and because
of the regime's preference for Western
technology.
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7. Laos
8. South Vietnam
For the first time, the Communists
have been observed sending fuel tank
trucks down a road in the Laos panhandle.
A roadwatch team saw twelve such trucks
moving south on 8 December. Each had a
capacity of some 1,000 gallons.
Prior to this all petroleum ship-
ments seen in the panhandle were car-
ried in drums, a less efficient method.
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The trucks seen on 8 December could
be carrying fuel to depots along the road,
or they themselves may serve as refueling
units. In either case, their appearance
is another indication that the Communists
intend to increase truck traffic through
the panhandle into South Vietnam.
Evidence of this can also be seen
at the truckheads in North Vietnam. In-
tercepted messages confirm that petro-
leum products delivered during the past
two months to southern North Vietnam are
far in excess of local needs.
The forthcoming Buddhist conference
in South Vietnam may become the soundin
board for a new ?eace aseal.
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9. Eastern Europe
' 10. Turkey
Relations among the East European
Communist states are becoming more and
more openly based on simple considera-
tions of national interest.
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