THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 23 AUGUST 1966

• Document Type: FOIA
• Keywords: DIF-DUP
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1961-1969
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005968486
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: September 16, 2015
• Document Release Date: September 16, 2015
• Publication Date: August 23, 1966

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
THE PRESIDENT'S
DAILY BRIEF
23 AUGUST 1966
23
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DAILY BRIEF
23 AUGUST 1966
1. West Germany
2. North Vietnam
We doubt that Hanoi has sanctioned
the recent Polish soundings on negotia-
tions. A brief examination of this is
at Annex.
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3. South Vietnam
4. Communist China
With just over two weeks to go be-
fore the elections, the unofficial poll-
sters are at work. One Saigon lawyer,
an ex-minister of education, estimates
the Buddhist boycott will be quite effec-
tive in central Vietnam with only 30 or
40 percent of the electorate voting. He
expects 50 percent in the southern prov-
inces and about 60 percent turnout in
Saigon. The embassy comments that if
50 percent of South Vietnam's five mil-
lion registered voters go to the polls
on 11 September it will be a significant
achievement.
Mao and company may be preparing to
broaden the party purge. Today Peking's
leading daily changed its tune somewhat
by claiming that there is a "faction in
power" which is resisting the party's
leadership and "taking the road of capi-
talism." Until now the line has been
that only a "small handful" of people
have been in opposition.
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ANNEX
Communist Diplomatic Activity on Vietnam
We doubt that Hanoi has given its blessing to
recent Polish soundings on negotiations.
Twice within the past week Polish officials
have urged us to stop bombing North Vietnam and
accept--"in principle"--Hanoi's oft-repeated four
points. Such signs of faith by us, the Poles hint
broadly, could produce a more cooperative North
Vietnamese position.
There is little doubt that the North Vietnamese
would like to see the bombing end. However, there
has been no sign of give in any public or private
statements coming from Hanoi. Only yesterday, the
North Vietnamese reiterated their uncompromising po-
sition in a foreign ministry statement condemning an
Asian peace initiative proposed by the Thais.
We believe the latest Polish proposals repre-
sent a unilateral effort to promote some US conces-
sions which Warsaw hopes might bring Hanoi and Wash-
ington closer to the negotiating table.
The current Polish effort is quite similar to
that undertaken by the Rumanians last May--in fact,
the price tag is identical. Both the Poles and the
Rumanians seem convinced that the first move must
come from Washington.
As for the Soviets, there has been no sign from
that quarter of any change in position nor of any
effort to prod the North Vietnamese along.
We believe it is likely that the recent Yalta
meeting between top Soviet leaders and a very senior
North Vietnamese delegation concerned itself with
Soviet military and economic aid to North Vietnam--
and not with bringing the war to a conference table.
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