GLOOM OVER LAOS HIT IN NIXON FACT SHEET

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP73B00296R000300100001-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 18, 2001
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: January 1, 1971
• Content Type: NSPR

/ "11 pA~GE
THE EVEIlo~or Release 2001/08/28 : CIAZa'I 100UD1=7
;1 nn V r LOOS
Hit
t
axon Tact Sheet
L1Vti .a ?
. w...-- -- hanced by the
$y THOMAS U. ROSS
(and) has been en
"fact sheet" circulating
In
at the top of the government, the
Nixon Administration is exhort-
the official family not to
s ctbinb to gloom over the Laos
operdtion.
TY1e fact. sheet concedes that
the ps}~dhological atmosphere
here, now is similar to that pre-
vailing after the `Communist lu-
(Laos) disruptions."
it maintains that the invasion
"clearly compounded" the sup
ply problems encountered by
Hanoi as a result of the Cambo-,
than incursion and adds: "We
believe that the shortfall in their.
supply efforts will prevent theme
ffensives
from mounting major o
in this dry season and wildel
any they might have planned
over the next dry season."
it warns, however, that the
North Vietnamese and the Viet
Long might pretend they are
playing from strength" and "in
the days immediately ahead
mount a sharp flurry of attacks
nor New Year offensive in 1968
when man high=ranking John- '
snipped ntstration officials were,
griped by a sense of despair
-ove the war:'
benef it cautions: "We must
benefit from that lesson and not
t ourselves be misled by Sur-
l
e
face appearances or by exagger-l---.
elsewhere if they
and
ated stories." i Vietnam
ff be was can get such attacks off the
i
though inc Tet o ens
round."
po lady assuriied to beta stun_ >5 Toe fact sheet suggeststhat
so ar tied publicly at the VaL `ua 6..,.
at ,the Communists had increase American causPlties,
t 'me that staggering Nonetheless, it insists, the
a parallel vein, ulc the ability to mount susta111Gu
sh et on Laos` contends: "The major.offensives and the over-all
operation has achieved its pri- record of Communist activity
fihry objective of carrying the over the next few months can be
t to the enemy's sanctuaries this conten-
algid disrupting his principal lines expected to support
communications and should doThe The sheet concludes that
se addi- ,
m
t
f
i
na
oug
I V
uy the South VLe
-tilaM
nal time in which to stren th g the u, the
efi their-armed forces while per- very since 1968.
nutting continuing withdrawal of most iateWe.cnm
U.S. combat forces."
President Nixon is expected to
t t e. this position publicly in his
dress"to the nation on televi-
on Wednesday night. In hisl
First withdrawal announcement
since last April, Nixon reported-
L
V will step up the pullout rate
from 12,500 to at least 15,000 a
month. Enough to remove vir-
tually all U.S. troops from Viet-
hain 'by the 1972 presidential4
eects projection The current Mayp lei
lug p jFton
284,000.
The fact sheet contends than
"the foundation for Vietnamiza-`I
Approved For Release 2001/08/28 : CIA-RDP73B00296R000300100001-7