THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 1 FEBRUARY 1968

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1961-1969
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005974255
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: September 16, 2015
• Document Release Date: September 16, 2015
• Publication Date: February 1, 1968

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The President's Daily Brief
--TorS-rt-re.4-- 1 February 1968
23
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DAILY BRIEF
1
FEBRUARY
1968
1.
South Vietnam
Most
(as of
5:30 AM
area
were
EST)
gon
now
time,
moving
2. Korea
enemy forces in the Saigon
routed by about noon, Sai-
today. Allied forces are
against the remaining
pockets of resistance.
In the northern half of South
Vietnam, Communist forces remain en-
trenched in the highland cities of
Kontum and Ban Me Thuot. At Hue, an
enemy force believed to be of regi-
mental size is still in control of
part of the city.
The Liberation Front and Hanoi
radios last night announced the es-
tablishment of a "Revolutionary
Administration" in South Vietnam.
The "Administration" is supposed to
be the new authority in Saigon and
other areas where the Viet Cong have
influence over the population. Its
main purpose, according to the broad-
casts, is to serve as a strong voice
in demanding the withdrawal of US
forces.
There has been no word yet out
of Moscow in reaction to the collision
yesterday of a US destroyer and a
Soviet freighter in the Sea of Japan.
The Russian ship is apparently return-
ing to Vladivostok instead of proceed-
ing on to Odessa.
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3, Cuba
4. Mali-Cuba
5. Soviet Union -
India
Havana and Mexico City have com-
pleted arrangements for monthly flights
to bring US citizens from Cuba. The
flights will begin next Wednesday.
There are still some 900 US citizens
and about 2,000 alien relatives who
want to get out.
Cuba has agreed to send some 400
technicians to Mali over an extended
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first contingent is expected to arrive
next month; some of these will probably
be used to train Mali's civilian mili-
tia. This raises the possibility that
Castro intends to establish a beach-
head in another radical African state--
similar to his efforts in the Congo
(Brazzaville).
Only 25 Cuban technicians--all non-
military types--are now in Mali.
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6, Panama
7. Nigeria
Partisans of presidential candi-
dates Samudio and Arias are preparing
for a clash at a campaign rally in
western Panama on Saturday. Samudio's
backers are said to be planning a de-
liberate provocation. The national
guard chief says order will be main-
tained, but the local commander--who
opposes Arias--is in a position to let
the situation slip out of hand.
The recently renewed federal of-
fensive is making some headway, but an
end to the fighting is not in sight.
On the political front in Lagos, the
ruling Supreme Military Council has
moved to cut back the growing influence
of the civilian members of the regime
This only suggests that the council in-
tends to maintain military rule well
into the postwar period.
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Top Secret
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Top Secret
FOR THE PRESIDENT'S EYES ONLY
Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
Top Secreloxi
18
1 February 1968
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Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
for the President's Eyes Only
1 February 1968
1..NOTES ON THE SITUATION
Hanoi Firm on Trinh Formula: After returning
last?week from a trip to Hanoi, the North Vietnam-
ese ambassador in Laos told his Soviet
colleagues that the recent Trinh statement was
North Vietnam's "ultimate word" on negotiations and
that it was up to the US to respond. He also por-
trayed the San Antonio formula as a "US maneuver"
to impose conditions for a bombing halt. In con-
versations with Ambassador Sullivan, the Soviet
ambassador showed special interest in Mr. Clifford's
interpretation of the "no advantage" idea and asked
for an exact text. Sullivan sent him two copies
and suggested one be passed to his North Vietnamese
colleague.
Comftunists Comment on Events in South: Com-
munis propagan a is giving eavy p ay o the up-
surge in military activity in the South and stress-
ing that by this show of strength the Communists
have demonstrated that the US cannot accomplish its
objectives. The clear implication is that the US
must resort to a political compromise. Vietnamese
Communist propaganda beamed to the South emphasizes
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the size and scope of the offensive as if to under-
score Communist capabilities to stand up to US mili-
tary power.
Hanoi has made no attempt to portray the cur-
rent offensive as a conclusive or final stage in
the struggle, but instead is treating it as further
proof that Communist forces hold the initiative and
are able to launch large-scale, coordinated attacks.
This, it says, demonstrates once again that the US
is in a "losing situation." A broadcast on 31 Janu-
ary said the upsurge in Communist military activity
is .a continuation of successes achieved during the
past month. It claimed that recent Communist vic-
tories had caused the US to cancel the allied cease-
fire, and the Communists have "repaid the enemy in
kind" by launching widespread attacks on 30 January.
Hanoi's replay of a Viet Cong news agency re-
port on 31 January took the same line in claiming
that Communist forces had successfully attacked "all
over the battlefield" and reduced the allies to con-
fusion and clumsy responses. The Viet Cong radio
singled out the attacks in Saigon as especially sig-
nificant in showing Communist abilities to strike
the heart of the enemy camp.
There has been no Chinese Communist commentary
on the situation as yet. Soviet broadcasts, how-
ever, are carrying both Western and Vietnamese Com-
munist accounts of the action and stressing the US
predicament. A commentary in Pravda on 31 January
says the Communists have launched a "new major of-
fensive" which disproves "US propaganda" that Viet
Cong forces are "depleted." It charges that US
optimism is designed solely to mislead people be-
fore the presidential elections. It also asserts
that the offensive is a reply to continued US at-
tempts to seek a military solution to the conflict,
and that these events show again that the US is
"bogging down deeper" in a war "without prospects."
* * *
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II, NORTH VIETNAMESE REFLECTIONS OF US POLITICAL
ATTITUDES ON THE WAR
Nothing of significance to report.
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Top Secret
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