CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP79T00975A021700070001-3
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
T
Document Page Count: 
9
Document Creation Date: 
December 15, 2016
Document Release Date: 
March 3, 2004
Sequence Number: 
1
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
April 22, 1972
Content Type: 
REPORT
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PDF icon CIA-RDP79T00975A021700070001-3.pdf385.1 KB
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Approved For Release 2004/05/05: CIA-RDP79T00975A02170S" 25X1 DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE Central Intelligence Bulletin Secret N2 42 22 April 1972 State Department review completed Approved For Release 2004/05/05 : CIA-RDP79T00975A021700070001-3 25X1 Approved For Release 2004/05/05 : CIA-RDP79T00975AO21700070001-3 Approved For Release 2004/05/05 : CIA-RDP79T00975AO21700070001-3 Approved For Release 2004/9RDP79T00975A021700070001-3 No. 0097/72 22 April 1972 Central Intelligence Bulletin SOUTH VIETNAM: Heavy fighting continues on three major fronts. (Page 1) CHILE: University election will provide a test of strength between Allende government and its oppo- nents. (Page 2) CZECHOSLOVAKIA: Moscow may have intervened to ease rivalry at top level of Czechoslovak party. (Page 3) FRANCE: Referendum on EC expansion (Page 4) LEBANON: Parliamentary elections (Page 4) SECRET Approved For Release 2004/05/05 : CIA-RDP79T00975A021700070001-3 Approved For Release 2004/0 0LQ f DP79T00975AO21700070001-3 NORTH VIETNA\ 7Z7'~1 THAILAND FS Delta Abandoned CAMBQP A HlNH D tNH f("iui Nhon PHU - r~ MR 2 BON PHU YEN KHAN1, NOA Gulf of Thailand Kvf:N CHAD -',~Hn KG' OQC 4MG pHONH IANG f31 PJH GHU6NC AN XUYEN ONV SECRET 6t~ Loc BEEN HOA V G~ep buc Q U... TM ?Qang Ngai UANA ouc A A QN PH U+JGr /~- `AN TU /-MR 3 A N H THUG N_( South l 25X1 Approved For Release 2004/05/05: CIA-RDP79T00975A02170-0-07DZZT-3 Approved For Release 2004/R4,RDP79T00975A021700070001-3 C SOUTH VIETNAM: There was heavy fighting on all three major battlefronts yesterday. Although South Vietnamese forces are counterattacking in some areas, much of the latest action is Communist-initiated. An Loc is still under siege, and the heavy en- emy spellings have become increasingly accurate. Allied air support has been severely hampered by poor weather and has not yet silenced Communist ar- tillery positions. South Vietnamese resupply ef- forts have also been largely unsuccessful, and evac- uation of wounded South Vietnamese troops remains a serious problem. F_ I dicates that as of 18 April the Communists remained determined to capture An Loc. While admitting poor coordination between their infantry and armored units, a senior officer of. the Communist 9th Divi- sion expressed confidence that they could take the town. The Communists currently control approxi- mately 20 percent of An Loc. In the northern portion of the country, the situation at the district town of Hiep Duc in Quang Tin Province remains critical, with the town's de- fenders now withdrawn from the outer defensive perimeter into the headquarters compound. The nearby provincial capital of Quang Ngai was shelled early yesterday, and the Communists are attempting to isolate the city by knocking out bridges along Route 1 south of town and by disrupting traffic to the north. In MR-2, a tank-led enemy attack forced the South Vietnamese to abandon a fire support base on Rocket Ridge in Kontum Province. There has been considerable movement of Communist units in the vicinity of Kontum city, southeast of the ridge, and an attack on the city remains a distinct pos- sibility. Enemy shelling attacks were reported in other sectors of MR-2, chiefly in northern Binh Dinh Province. Communist mortar attacks and ground probes con- tinue throughout the delta provinces. 22 Apr 72 Central Intelligence Bulletin SECRET Approved For Release 2004/05/05 : CIA-RDP79T00975A021700070001-3 25X1 25X1 Approved For Release 2004/0118tpDP79T00975A021700070001-3 CHILE: The elections next week at the Univer- sity of Chile are an important test of strength be- tween the Allende government and its opposition. Edgardo Boeninger, who is up for re-election as rector, is supported by the Christian Democrats, the National Party, and other opposition groups. Felipe Herrera, former head of the Inter-American Development Bank, was personally chosen by President Allende as the candidate of the parties of his Pop- ular Unity government. Making it a four-way race are two spoilers on the far left, one of them Al- lende's nephew, Andres Pascal, who is running for the Castroite Movement of the Revolutionary Left. Both Boeninger and Herrera have support outside the groups they represent and both are considered competent by their colleagues. While the campaign is ostensibly being fought over university reorgan- ization, the real issue is whether the new adminis- tration will resist greater government control of the university. At the moment, Boeninger, the anti- government candidate who would take the more inde- pendent line, may have a slight edge. The result will be considered by many Chileans as an indicator of Allende's political strength. I Central Intelligence Bulletin 2 SECRET 25X1 Approved For Release 2004/05/05: CIA-RDP79TO0975A0 - 22 Apr 72 Approved For Release 2004/RIDP79T00975A021700070001-3 CZECHOSLOVAKIA: Moscow may have intervened to ease the reported rivalry between party chief Gustav Husak and Vasil Bilak, considered to be the number two man in the party and chief rival to Husak. Bilak, in a routine speech to a trade union meeting this week, suddenly denied that differences exist between himself and Husak and stated that he personally holds Husak in esteem. espi e i a s disclaimer, his remarks convey the impression that significant differences do exist. His statement that "false flattery and unprincipled evasion of problems... always lead to serious conse- quences" is an obvious reference to the "cult of personality" and serves notice that Husak's author- ity may be under challenge. The US Embassy in Prague reports that there have been "rumors" since late February that Husak secretly journeyed to Moscow at that time to com- plain to Brezhnev about the activities of his most powerful presidium colleague, although there is no evidence that he was in Moscow at that time. Husak was not seen in Czechoslovakia between 23 February, when he attended a party plenum, and 1 March. He missed the important celebration marking the Com- munist coup of 1948. On 22 March Bilak himself was invited to Mos- cow for a talk with Brezhnev, who may have suggested that he find some public forum in which to demon- strate his support of Husak. Husak's performance since taking over in 1969 apparently has satisfied Moscow, and the Soviets may have taken action to assure his continued hold on the party leadership. I 22 Apr 72 Central Intelligence Bulletin 3 SECRET Approved For Release 2004/05/05 : CIA-RDP79T00975A021700070001-3 25X1 Approved For Release 2004/0&/ RI -IDP79T00975A021700070001-3 NOTES FRANCE: Although assured of victory in Sunday's referendum on Common Market expansion, the govern- ment has campaigned briskly to limit the number of abstentions. The latest opinion poll, which shows 35 percent planning to abstain, reflects the apathy of a public that feels the enlargement issue is al- ready settled. If abstentions are kept at about that level and if--as the poll suggests--74 percent of those who go to the polls vote yes, President Pompidou can interpret the vote as a strong mandate for his European policy. He has already divided the opposition on the left, and a clear victory will undercut his orthodox G llist critics on the right. LEBANON: Voters in two provinces, the South and Biqa'- , -go to the polls tomorrow in the second of three rounds of parliamentary elections. Elections in the north and Beirut last week went smoothly and produced few surprises, except for the election of one Nasirist candidate in Beirut. Pre-election ac- tivities in Biqa Province, on the other hand, have already resulted in three deaths, and the area has been designated a military zone. The presence of fedayeen in both provinces increases the ossibil- ity of incidents during the elections. 22 Apr 72 Central Intelligence Bulletin SECRET 25X1 Approved For Release 2004/05/05 : CIA-RDP79T00975A021700070001-3 Approved For Release 2004/05/05 : CIA-RDP79T00975AO21700070001-3 Secret Secret Approved For Release 2004/05/05 : CIA-RDP79T00975AO21700070001-3