THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 8 APRIL 1972
Document Type:
Collection:
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST):
0005993236
Release Decision:
RIPPUB
Original Classification:
T
Document Page Count:
13
Document Creation Date:
August 14, 2016
Document Release Date:
August 24, 2016
Sequence Number:
Case Number:
Publication Date:
April 8, 1972
File:
Attachment | Size |
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DOC_0005993236.pdf | 404.65 KB |
Body:
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The President's Daily Brief
8 April 1972
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
8 April 1972
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
Communist military activity has increased sharply
in the southern provinces, but continues at a re-
duced level in the north. (Page 1)
Moscow is expected to make a statement today on the
Vietnam fighting. (Page 2)
On Page 3, we discuss the motives behind the USSR's
avid courting of Iraq.
Satellite photography shows that Peking continues
to make substantial progress in the construction of
new jet airfields and underground facilities for
aircraft storage and maintenance. (Page 5)
Panama has again shifted its tactics on canal treaty
negotiations. (Page 6)
The Argentine Government is troubled by extensive
rioting stemming from economic problems. (Page 7)
Lao Prime Minister Souvanna is seeking additional
air'support'in the Long Tieng.area. (Page 8)
Contrary to earlier indications, Chilean,President
Allende did not make a major issue of the ITT affair
in his 6 April speech. (Page 8)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
SOUTH VIETNAM
Communist military activity has increased
sharply in the southern provinces, but continues
at a reduced level in the north. In the delta, the
Communists yesterday launched a widespread series
of ground probes and shelling attacks on government
positions in five provinces. These actions were
coupled with sapper attacks on several key highway
bridges. Communist forces are reported to have
overrun Kien Thien district town in Chuong Thien
Province, and several outposts farther north in the
Vinh Long - Sa Dec area have come under heavy at-
tack. Regimental-size Communist forces are reported
moving northwest of My Tho and into Chau Doc Prov-
ince from Cambodia.
The enemy is also maintaining heavy pressure
on South Vietnamese positions in Military Region 3.
In Binh Long Province, Communist forces captured
the district town of Loc Ninh, and have conducted
heavy shelling attacks against An Loc, the provin-
cial capital. They are also hitting the major South
Vietnamese artillery base near Quan Loi. Enemy sap-
pers are said to have knocked out several bridges
along Route 13, the key road link between An Loc
and Saigon, and have cut ?Route I just west of Sai-
gon. Communications intelligence and clandestine
reports suggest that the Communists are preparing
for further heavy attacks in Binh Long, as well as
in Tay Ninh Province, where elements of the enemy's
7th Division may be headed.
In the north, communications intelligence sug-
gests that Hue may soon be the target of a combined
rocket-infantry assault. A prisoner claims the
Communists are constructing access routes to enable
armor, artillery, and infantry units to move on the
city. An intercepted message of 7 April disclosed
plans to overrun a key fire support base west of
the city.
Some Communist antiaircraft artillery and sur-
face-to-air missile units in the areas immediately
north and south of the DMZ are relocating to new
positions to reduce their vulnerability to air at-
tack.?
The North Vietnamese apparently are supplement-
ing their forces in southern North Vietnam. There
are signs in enemy communications that elements of
the 325th Division--the only regular division re-
maining in North Vietnam--are moving from the Hanoi
area to the southern panhandle.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
USSR - NORTH VIETNAM
Moscow still has not commented authoritatively
on recent developments in Vietnam. The Soviets are
reporting routinely on the fighting in the South,
but the bulk of their propaganda is directed against
US bombing raids over the North. The Soviets quote
extensively from third party condemnations of recent
US actions, but do not directly link the increased
bombing raids to the North Vietnamese offensive.
According to a Radio Moscow commentator, Moscow will
make a TASS statement today in support of the one
issued by the North Vietnamese Foreign Ministry on
6 April attacking the US bombing. The Soviets re-
leased a formal government statement endorsing North
Vietnamese condemnations of the bombings last Decem-
ber.
Yesterday Pravda front-paged a 65th birthday
message to Nortii?VTJEnamese party boss Le Duan in
which the Soviet leaders reiterated their support
for the Vietnamese Communists in general terms. This
is in keeping with usual Soviet practice. Le Duan
received similar treatment on his 60th birthday when
he was only number two man in the North Vietnamese
hierarchy. Also yesterday, Premier Kosygin, in Iraq,
expressed warm solidarity with the North Vietnamese
people but did not specifically mention the current
offensive.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
USSR-IRAQ
Soviet-Iraqi relations, which have blown hot
and cold over the years, are now warming up consid-
erably. There have been several high level visits
recently, and a number of important military and
economic agreements have been reached. Defense Min-
ister Grechko visited Baghdad in December and Pre-
mier Kosygin is there now. The major agreements
thus far include a Soviet promise of over $200 mil-
lion in military aid and the provision of extensive
money, equipment, and expertise to help Iraq develop
an oil producing capacity independent of the west-
ern oil companies. The next step may be the sign-
ing-of a treaty of friendship, which Kosygin could
announce during his current visit.
We believe the Soviets are moving quickly
to take advantage of strongman Saddam
Tikriti's eagerness to end Baghdad's iso-
lation within the Arab world. Moscow
sees an opportunity to establish a mili-
tary and political position in the Middle
East independent of the demands of the
Arab-Israeli conflict and the Soviet pres-
ence in Egypt. This would also serve to
remind President Sadat that Moscow has
other allies in the area besides Egypt.
In addition, Moscow most likely believes
that a stronger position in Baghdad would
facilitate Soviet efforts to prevent Iraqi-
Iranian hostilities, which could sour its
relations with Tehran and damage Moscow's
Long-term interests in the Persian Gulf.
The Soviets would view a friendship treaty
with Iraq much as they see their treaty
with Egypt--that is, as a way of increas-
ing Moscow's influence with the Arabs and
of preventing uncontrollable military con-
frontations. Belated to this is an effort
to foster Iraqi internal stability. The
Soviets are pressing the rebellious Kurds
to enter a "national front" with the ruling
Baath party.
(continued)
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Although Egypt remains central to Soviet
policy in the Middle East, these recent
activities show that Moscow is intent on
strengthening its position in other "pro-
gressive" Arab states. This could involve
treaty relations not onZ with Iraq but
ossibZ with S ria.
ft
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China
,
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
CHINA
Satellite photography shows that Peking con-
tinues to make substantial progress in the construc-
tion of new jet airfields and underground facilities
for aircraft storage and maintenance. More than
100 jet airfields have been newly constructed or ex-
tensively renovated throughout the country since
1964. China will soon have nearly 200 airfields
suitable for combat operations, about one fourth of
them able to support operations by TU-16 jet medium
bombers.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
PANAMA
? General Torrijos informed Ambassador Sayre-on
Thursday that Panama would not bring up the canal
issue at next week's OAS General Assembly session.
Moreover, after consulting with a personal emissary
he sent to Washington in late March to review treaty
prospects, Torrijos has finally agreed to translate
his negotiating objectives into specific treaty
language so that the US and Panamanian drafts can
be compared and negotiated point by point./
In the past Torrijos has only sporadically
focused on the negotiations in any depth.
He has, however, apparently become dis-
enchanted with the advice of his own nego-
tiators, and may now wish to participate
personally in the drafting process.
We anticipate that the Panamanians will
avoid polemics while writing their version
of the treaty. If the US gives the draft
a poor reception, however, Torrijos may
quickly resume public saber-rattling and
propaganda attacks on the US, especially
if domestic difficulties increase.
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ARGENTINA
The Lanusse government has been unable to con-
trol extensive violence in the normally peaceful
provincial city of Mendoza. Last Tuesday a mass
demonstration over rising utility rates turned into
a riot. Since then large gangs of youths have con-
tinued to rampage through the city's outskirts and
an almost total general strike paralyzed the city
yesterday, despite the arrest of the leaders of the
regional labor confederation. Some 2,000 army troops
and police are patrolling the streets, and precaution-
ary measures have been taken in other cities. Peron-
ist political and labor leaders have accused the gov-
ernment of provoking the violence.
Similar violence contributed to the down-
fall of President Lanusse's two predeces-
sors. Even if the current trouble is con-
fined to Mendoza, the show of popular dis-
content will place Lanusse under heavy
pressure to correct the underlying economic
causes. In any event labor's movement
into more direct opposition is likely se-
riously to impede Lanusse's effort to re-
turn Argentina to elected government next
year.
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NOTES
Laos: Prime Minister Souvanna called in Ambas-
sador Godley yesterday to request additional air sup-
port in the Long Tieng area. ? He said he had just
talked with yang Pao, who was "extremely discouraged"
because of the diversion of US air support to South
Vietnam. The Thai commander at Long Tieng, General
Dhep, also has charged US personnel with letting
him down and jeopardizing the Thai irregular program.
The Thai commanders hope to have Marshal Thanom and
Souvanna appeal directly to President Nixon, via Dr.
Kissinger, for more air support'.
Chile: Contrary to earlier indications, Presi-
dent Allende did not make a major issue of the ITT
affair in his speech on 6 April.
Allende decided that the ITT
documents published last week in Chile are already
serving his purposes. He apparently believes that
the publicity of the ITT affair helps to deflect
unrest in the armed forces and to strengthen Chile's
position in debt renegotiations. Allende is said
to believe that ITT's complicity in efforts to-pre-
vent his assumption of power is well-documented,
but that official US involvement has not been proved.
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