THE PRESIDENT'S INTELLIGENCE CHECKLIST 22 NOVEMBER 1961

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1961-1969
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005992048
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: September 16, 2015
• Document Release Date: September 16, 2015
• Publication Date: November 22, 1961

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THE PRESIDENT'S
INTELLIGENCE CHECKLIST
NOV. 1961
TOP
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1. Berlin
2. Vietnam
a) The Communists have now placed
steel beams in a zig-zag pattern
across the autobahn from West Germany
between the Soviet and US checkpoints
before it enters West Berlin. As so
far constructed this barrier only
slows down traffic. We do not know
its purpose, but it may be a prelude to
new harassments.
b) During the new construction on
the Berlin Wall over the weekend,
East Germans tried anew series of
harassments of US patrols in East
Berlin--going so far as to rip
radio antenna off several vehicles.
They may be attempting to get a
rise out of the members of the
patrol as another means of dramatizing
East German control in East Berlin.
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a) Hanoi has recently published in
book form a compilation of writings
by North Vietnam's military chief,
General Giap, who led Ho Chili Minh's
forces against the French, According
to the standards set forth by Giap,
the transition from guerrilla warfare
into mobile warfare is marked by the
appearance of battalion-sized units--
now the case with the Viet Cong.
b) South Vietnamese casualty figures
(killed, wounded and captured) have ,
Increased markedly over the past two
months and casualties for 1961 may
double those of 1960 (6700). The
US Embassy fears a serious drop in
military morale if the trend continues.
For The President Only?Top Secret
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3. West New Guinea
4, Venezuela
5. USSR-Iran
General Nasution, Indonesian Minister
of National Security, has asked that
the US not support the Dutch UN
resolution on West New Guinea lest
the US position "and that of its
friends in Indonesia" be endangered.
He sees no solution emerging from
this UN session and wants the US
to continue to be able to talk with
both sides. He feels he can stave off
a military solution as long as there
is real hope for a political solution.
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Ambassador Stewart believes Betancourt
would be "terribly disappointed" if
President Kennedy does not visit
Venezuela. Betancourt is confident
he is now in a position to prevent
trouble from the leftists. He believes
he has convinced President Lleras of_ 50X1
Columbia that a visit there by President
Kennedy would be "impractical."
There have been new Soviet-Iranian
exchanges in Moscow over foreign bases
in Iran. The Iranians have renewed
their offer of a guarantee against
missile bases; the Soviets have re-
peated their demand for one covering
all foreign bases, but do not appear
to be pressing hard now.
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6. ,Dominican Republic
7. -Laos
Ciudad Trujillo yesterday was a Sea
of joyous confusion. BalagUer appears
to be gaining control over the Military,
and his main problemS no* are to cope
with increasing Castro/Communist
agitation and organizational activities
and to prevent Some newly returned
opposition leaders from inciting the
crowds to irresponsible action. 50X1
a) As of yesterday the Boun Oum govern-
ment was still boggling at the size
of the security guard Souvanna and
Souphannouvong wish to bring to Vientiane
for the meeting of 'thethree princes
still scheduled for November 24'-27.
b) The Chinese Communist Presence
in iniong Saly province in northwest
Laos is growing. Technicians have
been arriving--principally for work,
on a road from Yunnan, a consul is
now there, and Chinese light transports
have recently been making daily flights
into the area. 50X1
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NOTES
A. Cairo, through its official news agency, yesterday la basted
President Kennedy in the strongest terms we have seen since
last April. His Seattle speech is characterized as "full
scale war on neutralism" and in this he "is no different
from Khrushchev." His "deeds" include the recent Syrian
revolt and "the attempt to isolate India from the neutral
and nonaligned front."
B. We have reason to believe East Germany's Ulbricht flew to
Moscow on Monday. We don't know why, but Moscow may wish
to make changes in the East German party leadership or
new initi tives on the Berlin and German issues may be
brewing.
Co
Preparations for a new Soviet space shot appear to be
stepping up. There is one tentative indication it will be
manned. No date has been forecast, but it may be fairly soon.
E. The Soviet civil airline apparently no longer runs through
service to Peiping.
F. Ambassador
government
Off aid as
nounce ny
Kennan sees more signs that the Yugoslav
Is preparing to charge the US with having cut
form of political pressure and to re-
intention of accepting further aid.
For The President Only?Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/05/04: CIA-RDP79T00936A000400080001-4
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G. President Kekkonen has expressed his thanks for President
Kennedy's "thoughtfulness and for the inconspicuous way in
which his message was delivered." He described Secretary
Rusk's press statement as "most helpful."
H. The Albanians are putting out more feelers about expanding
trade with the West. They seem to be interested in bu in
US wheat and in selling chrome and nickel to the US. 50X1
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THE DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
For The President Only?Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/05/04: CIA-RDP79T00936A000400080001-4