THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 24 FEBRUARY 1971

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005992497
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: February 24, 1971

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The President's Daily Brief
24 February 1971
48
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
24 February 1931
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The military, situation in northern Laos is presented
on Page 1.
The South Vietnamese operation in Laos met sharp re-
sistance at several places yesterday. (Page 3)
Laotian political circles are showing increased nerv-
ousness. (Page 5)
A growth of terrorism in Turkey has sparked fresh re-
ports of imminent military intervention. (Page 6)
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- \ l
I Sac
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1
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Goyernavnt,---/ ?< -.
peratioWfaltering--\_,
Captured JI ? /?./
by Communist i 'r
A yi4Na Khang
\
Piltucum - ...\ ".. :11-:-\:'
/
hou Sane
hong Ridge
uang Prabang
!Bouam L'onge
Sala Pho
Khou
figuring !SOU
o oy ambushed
_
NORTH i
VIETNAM
?
Communist s?
attacks foiled
THAILAND
?
THAILAND
STAltrle
7 ?
101,1111.111,9
ClGoretnment-lield location
?Communist-held location
20
' 551033 2-71 CIA
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
LAOS
Yesterday Communist units overran Phu Cum, some
30 miles northeast of Muong Soui and one of the last
two government positions north of the Plaine des
Jarres.
The. government's remaining post, Bouam
Long, is, strongly defended.and does not
appear to be the center of any major-Com-
munist force concentration at this time,
although it has been the object of in-
creasingly frequent Communist probing at-
tacks. The only large North Vietnamese
unit in the Bouam Long vicinity, the 766th
Independent Regiment, has not usually
been used in heavy combat.
Communist main force units are still inching
closer to the Long Tieng complex and are maintaining
the pressure on the base and its outposts. On 21
February,- local security forces intercepted and
dispersed ten North Vietnamese sappers in the Long
Tieng valley, only-a few hundred yards from the
ramp used by T-28 aircraft. The Communists have
also been trying to reach positions in the hills
overlooking Long Tieng to get a clear shot at the
base facilities, which are partially protected by
rock outcroppings on the valley floor. Yesterday
morning, however, government irregulars recaptured
a position six miles to the northeast, one of the
four outposts that the North Vietnamese had Over-
run last weekend.
The Communists apparently are paying a
heavy price or their efforts against
ona Tiena,
casua ties have been heavy, and medicine
and ammunition have been used up.
(continued)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
1
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LONG TIENG AIR BASE
1-28 flight line
Rock outcroppings near logistic facilities
551027 2-71 CIA
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To the west of the Plaine, Route 13 between
Luang Prabang and Vientiane is again open, but un-
der a night curfew. Early this week the Communists
ambushed a small, truck convoy on Route 13 near Sala.
Phou Khoun, killing'two civilians. The government
has moved some 525 reinforcements into the Luang
Prabang area, but its operation to secure defensive.
positions northeast of the royal capital appears to
be faltering. An irregular battalion attempting to
reoccupy the northern end of the Phou Sane Thong
ridge was driven from its positions yesterday and
scattered by an enemy mortar attack and ground as-
sault.. The southern.end of the ridge, taken last
Sunday, is still in government hands..
2
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VIETNAM LAOS
South Vietnamese. forces met sharp enemy re7-
sistence at several places in Laos yesterday, but
there have-been no new large-scale attacks. North
Vietnamese tanks were sighted again northeast-of
TChepone, and there were reports that the enemy in-
that area has been using 130-mm. artillery--the
weapon used extensively during the seige of Khe
Sanh in 1968. This artillery has a range of 29,200
yards.
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NORTH VIETNAM
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
LAOS
Laotian political circles are showing increased
nervousness in the face of current military develop-
ments.
A group of national assemblymen has informally pro-
posed that the King make a goodwill trip to Hanoi
and Peking to persuade the Communists to bring about
an end to the fighting and to begin ne otiations.
Communist diplomatic missions are also showing some
signs of concern. The Chinese charge d'affaires,
whose tour is at an end, has postponed his long-
planned return to Peking. No official explanation
for this abrupt change has been made, but Chinese
Embassy officials are said to be concerned about
the viability of the Souvanna government and the
possibility of a military take-over in Vientiane.
The North Vietnamese mission has been receiving
requests for evacuation to Hanoi from some local
Vietnamese who fear government reprisals for Commu-
nist military actions. On 22 February the Soviet
Embassy notified its invited guests that today's
traditional Army Day reception was being canceled.
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TURKEY
A growth of terrorism?which has taken on the
character of an urban guerrilla movement--has
sparked fresh rumors of imminent military interven-
tion. Actions by terrorists in recent days have
led to the death of one high school student and in?
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juries to police and students. Homes, offices, and
police stations have suffered bomb damage and sev-
eral vehicles have been burned. Clashes between
students and police have also resulted in the
closing of many urban schools and universities.
The militant-left?which is primarily respon-
sible for the violence"-now appears to be better
armed and to be using more.sophisticated explosives
than previously.
Prime Minister Demirel, whose Justice
Party government has been seriously weak-
ened by intraparty conflict, faces a
dilemma in dealing with the terrorism.
The employment of harsher police measures
to control student radicals could bring
charges of the kind of repression that
helped bring down the Menderes government
in 1960. On the other hand, declaration
of martial law 'would reflect an inability
to maintain law and order short of mili-
tary intervention. Once having invited
the military to step in, he might find it
difficult to return them to the barracks.
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