THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 21 DECEMBER 1970

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005977861
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: December 21, 1970

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The President's Daily Brief
21 December 1970
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
21 December 1970
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The change in the Polish leadership is discussed on
Page 1.
A new COSVN directive summarizes plans for the Com-
munists' 1970-71 winter-spring campaign. (Page 3) -
The South Vietnamese Army has a contingency plan to
intervene if Lon Nol s government appears in serious
jeopardy. (Page 4)
Moscow and Peking concluded their annual river navi-
gation talks on Saturday. (Page 5)
Allende plans to take a step today toward completing
the _process of nationalizing the copper companies.
(Page 6)
Pankow's latest harassment of autobahn traffic will
probably end today, but it is likely to ocCur'peri-
odically between now and West Berlin elections in
March. (Page 7)
In Brazil, the government is softening its "no-
negotiation" approach on the kidnaping. (Page 7)
'The Soviet vessels that left Havana' Friday. are now
southwest of Cienfuegos. (Page 7)
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Wladyslaw Gomulka
Edward Gierek
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POLAND
These remarks suggest that both, the Soviets
and Gierek believed concessions were neces-
sary and that Gomulka may have been eased'
out after trying to hold the line.
Gierek, as party leader in Silesia the
last 13 years, is probably not well known
personally to some of the Soviet leaders
but he is thought to have a good reputation
in Moscow and the Soviets most likely wel-
come his appointment. He is a moderate,
pragmatic 'leader who compiled a solid
record of achievement in Silesia, winning
considerable popularity in the process.
In any case, Moscow will be pleased by the
choice of some of the other new leaders,
including the defense minister, who are
strongly pro-Soviet. Gierek leads a
politburo that seems to embrace all shades
of party opinion, but the pressing current
need for unity is likely to hold any tend-
ency toward factionalism in check for the
moment.
In hiS:speechHypsterday, Gierek did not rescind
the consumer price increases which touched off the
disturbances last week but he promised early assist-
ance for ? families with the lowest earnings and, a.
large number of children. He undertook' to re-
examine the 1971 economic plan and the new five-year
plan as well. While blaming "badly thought out
conceptions in economic policy" for current_troubles,
he warned that resources for improving-the consumer's
lot were sharply limited,
(continued)
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There are no indications of how the Polish
population has reacted to the speech or to
the changes in party leadership. Port
workers in Szczechin, the last center of
disorders, are apparently back to work,
and shipyard employees have agreed to re-
turn today. Yesterday, even before the
political changes, the country was gen-
erally quiet.
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A
directive issued by the Central Office for South
Vietnam (COSVN) in mid-October summarizing plans for
the 1970-71 winter-spring campaign, For South Viet-
nam it reiterates orders that have been in effect
for over two years: to strengthen the party's polit-
ical and ,paramilitary apparatus, to step up guerrilla
warfare, and to destroy the allied pacification ef-
fort. The directive orders Communist military units
to-avoid costly, large-scale engagements but to keep
up smaller attacks.- No prospectis offered of achiev-
ing significant results any time-soon
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INDOCHINA
The directive almost ignores Cambodia even
though COSVN is responsible for most military oper-
ations there.
?the Viet Cong are not aiming for a
umph in Cambodia either. South Vietnam,
will be liberated first, apparently beca
Cambodian Communists would be too weak to govern:
their country if Vietnamese andCambodian Communist
troops conquered it. The directive nevertheless
states that half the main force units in the COSVN-
area are to be used in Cambodia.
The directive confirms other indications that
the Communists expect further allied actions against
their supply lines from North Vietnam It predicts
that during the current dry season the US and the
South Vietnamese will launch an offensive in the
Laos - Cambodia - South Vietnam- triborder area that
will be larger than the allied operations. last
spring. Breaking up this offensive is one of the-
priority tasks enumerated.
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SOUTH VIETNAM- CAMBODIA
The South Vietnamese Army,
has developed a contingency plan to
intervene in Cambodia if the government there is
threatened seriously by Communist troops or if the
Cambodians--under heavy pressure--begin moving to-
ward some kind of accommodation with the Communists.
Saigon does not think the Cambodian
situation is on the verge of serious deterioration,
but it wants to prepare for the worst. Saigon is
said, to believe that the viability of Lon Nolla
governmentrests-onoutside.support mainly,US,.and'
it is uncertain how much aid will be forthcoming
and for how long.
President Thieu, by all accounts, is still
wary of becoming overcommitted'ilyCamb6dia:
and wants the Cambodians' to maintain the
burden of fighting there. The delays-and'
soul-searching in:Saigon before troops
were sent across-the.Mekong to help defend
Kompong-Cham-city bears:this'out Saigon
nevertheless appears to have decided that
the Communists-must-be stopped in Cambo-
dia, and is preparing to back' up this de-
cision with considerable force if neces-
sary.
In Cambodia, government,forces'continued over
the weekend to consolidate 'defensive positions.on-
Route 7. They were harassed by scattered enemy
attacks, but on Saturday'a 22-truck convoy carrying
supplies from Phnom Penh to Kompong'Cham city reached
Prey Totung without' incident'.
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USSR-CHINA
Moscow announced Saturday that the annual Sino-
Soviet river navigation talks had ended. The only
agreement reported was to meet again next year.
Statements by Soviet diplomats
indicate that the normally
technical talks were prolonged by injec-
tion of the territorial dispute, partic-
ularly the question of ownership of certain
islands. This year's session took five
months, in contrast to only several weeks
last year when the talks resumed after a
year's hiatus.
It is possible that some technical agree-
ment was reached as a part of recent
mutual efforts to prevent more fundamental
differences from interfering in normal
state-to-state relations. In the Peking
political talks, however, Moscow and Pe-
king have failed to make any progress
toward resolving the border dispute.
These talks apparently have been in re-
cess since 5 December when the two top
Soviet diplomats returned home.
5
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CHILE
In a public rally this evening, Allende plans
to sign a proposal that will be sent to Congress
for amending the constitution to permit completion
of the process of nationalizing the copper companies.
Initial notification of further nationalization was
presented to Anaconda's Chilean subsidiaries Friday.
The US Embassy has noted that the amendment is vague
and confusing, particularly with respect to compen-
sation.
According to Senator Volodia Teitelboim, a top
Communist Party leader, Allende will use the same
occasion to announce plans to nationalize steel,
nitrate, and the mining industry in general, as
well as banks, insurance companies, and foreign
commerce. At least some of the nationalization
will be retroactive to 3 November, the day. of
Allende's inauguration.
Teitelboim also predicts that Chile will es-
tablish relations with Communist China, East Germany,
North Vietnam, and North Korea before the end of
the year.
Early this month Santiago announced that
discussions were under way in Paris on
opening relations with Communist China.
Dealings with the other states mentioned
have centered on commercial ties, but
negotiations on diplomatic links as well
are known to be proceeding,with East
Germany and North Korea, and arrangements
could well be surfaced in the next 10
days.
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SOVIETS CONTINUE PORT VISITS IN CUBA
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NOTES
Berlin: East German harassment of West German
autobahn traffic--apparently being done with Soviet
backing--is likely to end when the Social Democratic
Party meeting in the city concludes today. Harass-
ment may occur periodically, however, between now
and the West Berlin elections in March as Pankow re-
acts to the increasing number of West German poli-
ticians and groups that will visit the city to cam-
paign. Bonn fears the increased political activity
may help the East Germans undermine the Berlin talks,
but West German leaders continue to be reluctant to
intervene with the political parties to have them
curtail their activities.
Brazil: The government has decided--in prin-
cipal--to exchange prisoners for Swiss Ambassador
Bucher, following the kidnapers' decision to drop
all demands except the release of 70 prisoners.
the softening of the government's "no-negotiation"
approach was brought about largely by pressure from
the Foreign and Justice ministers, the two civilian
cabinet members involved in the case.
USSR-Cuba: The four Soviet vessels that left
Havana, Friday--aguided missile frigate, an F-class
diesel. attack submarine, a submarine tender, and a
naval oiler--are currently operating southwest-of
Cienfuegos. The force appears to be continuing the
round of port. visits that Radio Havana announced
earlier this month would occur between 7 and.23 De-
cember. Soviet naval units, some of which have.been
in Cuban waters since. September, have also visited
Marieli Antilla, and Casilda. Recent U-2 photography
showed that the Soviet rescue tug and two nuclear
submarine support barges were still in Cienfuegos,
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Top Secret
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