CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
15887304
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
U
Document Page Count: 
17
Document Creation Date: 
March 9, 2023
Document Release Date: 
March 31, 2021
Sequence Number: 
Case Number: 
F-2018-00781
Publication Date: 
February 8, 1968
File: 
Body: 
Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 �Tap-Secre (b)(3) DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE Central Intelligence Bulletin �ToirSecret- c 8 February 1968 (b)(3) Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 Top Secret Controlled Discern The CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN is produced by the Director of Central Intelligence to meet his responsibilities for providing current intelligence bearing on issues of national security to the President, the National Security Council, and other senior government officials. It is produced in consultation with the Departments of State and Defense. When, because of the time factor, adequate consultation with the depart- ment of primary concern is not feasible, items or portions thereof are pro- duced by CIA and marked with an asterisk. Interpretations of intelligence information in this publication represent immediate and preliminary views which are subject to modification in the light of further information and more complete analysis. Certain intelligence items in this publication may be designated specifically for no further dissemination. Other intelligence items may be disseminated further, but only on a need-to-know basis. WARNING This document contains classified information affecting the national security of the United States within the meaning of the espionage laws, US Code Title 18, Sections 793, 794, and 798. THIS DOCUMENT MUST BE KEPT IN COMMUNICATIONS INTELLIGENCE CHANNELS AT ALL TIMES It is to be seen only by US personnel especially indoctrinated and authorized to receive COMMUNICATIONS INTELLIGENCE information; its secu- rity must be maintained in accordance with COMMUNICATIONS INTEL- LICENCE REGULATIONS. No action is to be taken on any COMMUNICATIONS INTELLIGENCE which may be contained herein, regardless of the advantages to be gained, unless such action is first approved by the Director of Central Intelligence. GROTJP 1 RIO:IA/DM FROM AUTOMATIC "ZEMI�10T111� Top Secret Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 TUF NECKhl (b)(3) SC No. 00034/68 8 February 1968 Central Intelligence Bulletin CONTENTS Vietnam: Situation report. (Page 1) Korea: South Koreans moderate opposition to US handling of Pueblo case. (Page 3) Communist China: Widespread factional clashes continue despite efforts to stabilize provincial governments. (Page 5) West Germany - Poland: Bonn is seeking to main- tain the momentum of its Eastern policy through overtures to Warsaw. (Page 7) Belgium: Consultations on a new government are likely to be difficult and lengthy. (Page 8) Denmark: Copenhagen wants to be reassured that the US accepts Denmark's policy on nuclear weapons. (Page 9) USSR: Lunar probe (Page 10) Nigeria: Peace proposals (Page 10) TOP SECRET Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 NR Record Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 'WY SECRET (b)(3) *Vietnam: South Vietnam: The allied combat base at Khe Sanh and its peripheral defensive positions were struck again this morning with a heavy barrage of enemy artillery, rocket, and mortar fire. The three-hour bombardment, accompanied by a small ground probe of a nearby hill, resulted in little damage and only light American casualties. Now that the Communists have forced the abandonment of the Lang Vei Special Forces Camp, they will prob- ably concentrate on the allied strongpoints surrounding the Khe Sanh base with continued shellings throughout the area. No major new attacks have occurred elsewhere in South Vietnam, but enemy pressure nevertheless remains serious in several urban areas--notably in Hue, Da La, and Saigon. Fierce street fighting in Hue con- tinues against stubborn Communist resistance. A large number of enemy believed remaining in the one- time mountain resort city of Da Lat poses a serious potential threat to the security of that provincial capital. In Saigon last night three South Vietnamese police stations came under Viet Cong fire in the predominantly Chinese ChoIon section. The Communists have con- structed barricades out of furniture and abandoned auto- mobiles in some parts of Cholon, and sharp fighting is expected before they are rooted out. Heavy fighting erupted on the northern and southern outskirts of the city yesterday when allied forces contacted battalion- size Communist units. It was announced today that two US Army infantry battalions are to conduct a sweep across the southern half of Saigon. (Map) North Vietnam: Continuing unprecedented air activity by North Vietnamese bombers and transport aircraft strongly suggests the Communists may soon employ their limited air power in some way to support their current offensive in South Vietnam. (continued) 8 Feb 68 1 TOP SECRET Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 (b)(3) I 104 !\,.. \ 106 108 - ... I N A f�-�'*--- %\ Nan-ning . .. : .� : / , i .. t � t .. CHINA \ 3 IL ,_ � : Lao Cai "NI: '47...' ._ %,\,... \._-....... '..Z� 22- \ � Yen Baic c,) �II . .....� . . Nguyen At ( \. .\� ,c9,,,,,...., :f\ 41::: .c, ' 5. - r 'N �-k. _ . _. _ _ , - _ Ph q 1 en '�-� ------ (6 '0 ( ,s Gia I* ) . � \ � ..%.1 � Of . ... I � '1 h ) , -,,,s a HANOI lc,- -, 1 Nil _ '".� D . .., t." LAOS Samneu � 1. Af---. �., ..-1, 20 I ,------------ ) ) ',.. -.... g. ., . .... GULF ii, .. . . . . , . . . � r, "c- N... \ 18 - VIENTIAN \--.. / / .\ . . r THAILAND L � - ,,,, k DEMARCATION LINE NORTH VIETNAM Tchepione$ So �Kite �-�? n SOUTH ,1;tote \-1 k'N VIETNAMNs. SECRET SAVIN \ LAOS 0 25 . 90 7,5 Miles ,k ---C .eters ;3-- ... I( )o/'-))o/'-)1/4 0 , 25 50 75 Kilom 10.i y-,..- 106 Z,:TL.1%,::=X..7::O:= ( � 69541 2-68 CIA 8 Feb 68 CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Map TOP SECRET Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 002055072 (b)(3) Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 I kJ]. LI _11,V) 1\-11, (b)(3) In addition to the three 1L-28 twin-jet bombers which were recently deployed to Phuc Yen airfield near Hanoi, further analysis of intercepted communi- cations reveals that three additional IL-28s were flown from Yunnan! to Nan- ning in southwestern China at about the same time. Targets in northern South Vietnam such as the Khe Sanh strongpoint, the city of Hue, or the huge Da Nang base appear to be the most likely objectives of 1L-28 operations. It is con- ceivable, however, that they could be used in diver- sionary attacks against targets in Laos or US naval forces in the Gulf of Tonkin. In a possibly related development, seven AN-2 transports flew from the Hanoi area late yesterday to a point at least 50 miles south of Vinh. There is unconfirmed evidence that these piston-engine trans- ports flew farther south and attempted to land--pos- sibly at an "inactive" airstrip at Tchepone, Laos, some 35 miles west of Khe Sanh. Voice communica- tions suggest that the AN-2s ran into bad weather, however, and were forced to cancel their mission in this region with at least five of the aircraft noted returning to the Hanoi area. It is not yet clear whether the AN-2s were involved in a transport or an attack mission. (SECRET SAWN NO FOREIGN DISSEM) (Map) 8 Feb 68 2 TOP SECRET Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 (b)(3) Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 (b)(3) *Korea � Feeling is still running high in South Korea, but the Pak government and public information media seem to have modified their opposition to the US handling of the Pueblo case. Seoul's foreign minister told the National Assembly yesterday the government still demands the US place equal emphasis on the recent North Korean attempt to kill President Pak and on the Pueblo incident. He con- ceded that discussion of the crewmen's release might be given priority "from a humanitarian point of view." The government moderation is reflected in Seoul newspapers which have dropped complaints of exclu- sion from the Panmunjom talks and stress on unilateral action against the North. They now admit the US is sensitive to South Korea's problems and will clearly honor American commitments to defend the South. The South Koreans may feel that the lack of prog- ress at Panmunjom reduces the possibility the US might make compromises which would undercut them. Minor student demonstrations have continued, however. About 100 seminary students forced their way past US Army guards at Freedom Bridge near Panmunjom before being turned back. In addition, some 300 high school students demonstrated near a US air base about 30 miles south of Seoul, and two small groups of youths with placards denouncing the Panmunjom talks appeared in front of the US Embassy. A group of six Soviet destroyers steamed into the Sea of Japan on 5 February. Some of them may re- lieve ships already there. The Soviets waited until the Korean crisis subsided somewhat and some US naval forces moved out of the Sea of Japan before sub- stantially increasing their naval strength in the area. Thirteen Soviet ships, including two missile cruisers and three missile-equipped destroyers, two tankers, 8 Feb 68 3 TOP SECRET (b)(3) Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 TOP SECRET (b)(3) and two intelligence collectors, are now in the Sea of Japan. Soviet naval aircraft continue air reconnais- sance of the US task force. (TOP SECRET TRINE) 8 Feb 68 4 TYYP QL`01:VP'T Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 (b)(3) Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 69532 2-68 CODEWORD MATERIAL ON REVERSE OF PAGE 8 Feb 68 C ENTRA TrzTv.i-Purel,Pwr:1 . nrrra.prriN map Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 (b)(3) 101' bitt...4(r, Communist China: Despite efforts to stabilize provincial governments, widespread factional dis- order continues. Peking has announced that a revolutionary com- mittee was set up in Hupeh Province on 5 February. This is the 14th revolutionary government to be established in the Cultural RevolutiOn and the second during the past week. The new provincial leaders are Wuhan military region officials who were brought in to govern this area following the kidnaping incident last July, and a rehabilitated former provincial party first secretary. The establishment of revolutionary governments in China's 29 provinces and major municipalities ap- parently is behind schedule. Last fall Mao demanded that "revolutionization" of provinces be completed by the Chinese New Years--31 January--presumably in preparation for a party congress being planned for mid-1968. In January, however, a Chinese foreign affairs official told a leftist Japanese delegation that it was now considered impossible to make "realistic" preparations for a national congress this year. Meanwhile, factional clashes are continuing in many areas. According to intercepted messages, a heavily armed Red Guard group in the Kun-ming area, supposedly suppressed by the army on 28 January, was reported on 4 February to be "burying corpses" and planning to "annihilate" troops in the area. In Shen-yang, where a Red Guard newspaper in early January reported factions split between sup- porters and attackers of the military region com- mander, messages on 3 and 5 February reported that armed groups were roaming the city and "firing" on troops. A Red Guard message from Lhasa-- scene of violent Red Guard fighting for more than a year--on 3 February denounced the senior military officer in 8 Feb 68 5 TOP SECRET Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 (b)(3) Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 klE (b)(3 Tibet for allowing the "large scale armed struggle" to expand. On 5 February a radio operator said the sound of artillery could be heard daily. (TOP SE- CRET TRINE ISHTAR NO FOREIGN DISSEM) (Map) 8 Feb 68 6 TOP SECRET Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 (b)(3) Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072- TOP SECRET (b)(3) West Germany - Poland: Bonn is seeking to open a dialogue with Warsaw concerning the Oder-Neisse line. Chancellor Kiesinger intends to ask President de Gaulle during their talks on 15-16 February to inform the Poles that West Germany is prepared to discuss the border issue. Foreign Minister Brandt intends to ask Sweden to transmit the same message to Warsaw, and other diplomatic channels may be used. The initiative toward Poland is designed to main- tain the momentum of West Germany's Eastern policy fol- lowing the re- establishment of diplomatic relations with Yugoslavia on 31 January. According to a West German Foreign Ministry of- ficial, Bonn might be prepared to make a declaration committing itself on the border question at a future peace conference, if this would clearly lead to a re- sumption of diplomatic relations. Sentiment has been growing in West Germany for acceptance of the Oder- Neisse line, but Bonn's official position is that German boundaries must be determined at a peace conference officially terminating World War IL West German officials see little chance of a break- through with Warsaw at present but view this probe as the first move in a campaign to soften the hard Polish line toward West Germany. They also reason that the probe will make it more difficult for the Poles to assert that Bonn is intransigent on the border issue. For their part, the Poles may be willing to hold private exploratory talks. Immediate results should not be expected. (SECRET NO FOREIGN DISSEM/ BACKGROUND USE ONLY) 8 Feb 68 7 TOP SECRET Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 (b)(3) Approved for Release: 2021/031/26 CO2055072 .1 �..1 (b)(3) Belgium: A cabinet crisis has arisen after the government of Prime Minister Vanden Boeynants collapsed yesterday. King Baudouin is consulting with political leaders on forming a new government. In view of the tension between the French and Dutch-speaking communities, these consultations are likely to be difficult and lengthy. If the King cannot obtain agreement among the major parties on a successor, elections will be necessary. The major parties, however, are under pressure to come up with some sort of a compromise since elections would probably benefit only the small, mili- tant parties. Foreign policy is not an issue, and Belgium's membership in NATO is not in question. (CONFI- DENTIAL) 8 Feb 68 8 TOP SECRET Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 002055072 (b)(3) Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 TOP SECRET (b)(3) Denmark: The new Danish Government wants to be assured that the US accepts Denmark's policy of banning nuclear weapons in Greenland. Foreign Minister Hartling informed Ambassador White on 7 February that Denmark does not anticipate renegotiation of the 1951 Greenland base treaty. He sees something less formal, such as an exchange of notes, in which the US would accept Denmark's policy of not allowing nuclear weapons to be stationed on its territory and banning overflights of aircraft carrying such weapons. Hartling indicated that this formula would sat- isfy what he and the government see as the insistent public demand for positive assurances that Denmark will rigidly stick to its stand against nuclear weapons. (CONFIDENTIAL NO FOREIGN DISSEM) 8 Feb 68 9 TOP SECRET Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 (b)(3) Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 TOY SEUKET (b)(3) NOTES USSR: A lunar probe launched from Tyuratam yesterday failed early in flight. It was the first Soviet attempt to orbit the moon or to land on its surface since December 1966. The 13-month hiatus probably has been used to improve existing instru- mentation or to develop equipment needed for new experiments. The two Soviet payloads that were successfully landed on the moon returned valuable pictures and scientific data, but the three that orbited provided only marginally useful photography of the lunar surface. (TOP SECRET TRINE) Nigeria: The secretary general of the London- based Commonwealth Secretariat is going to Lagos on .9 February to present his latest proposals for halting Nigeria's civil war. Although his proposals provide for the maintenance of a united Nigeria, federal leaders will probably react negatively, especially since their military campaign is going well. Biaf ran leader Ojukwu recently has appeared more flexible regarding Biaf ran sovereignty and al- ready may have approved the Secretariat's initiative. (SECRET NO FOREIGN DISSEM/BACKGROUND USE ONLY/CONTROLLED DISSEM) 8 Feb 68 10 TOP SECRET Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072 Top Secret Top Secret Approved for Release: 2021/03/26 CO2055072