THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 6 MAY 1965

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1961-1969
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005967663
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: September 16, 2015
• Document Release Date: September 16, 2015
• Publication Date: May 6, 1965

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
THE PRESIDENT'S
DAILY BRIEF
6 MAY 1965
-TC,1;)-&EGRE--T-
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Situation as of 6 PM EDT, 5 MAY 19651
[ JREBEL I NF I LTRATED
PRI Nd REBEL AREA
:40j,114047/44,
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DAILY BRIEF
6 MAY-1965
Dominican Republic
LATE ITEM
(Ihformation as of 5:00 p.m. EDT
Several firing incidents in Santo
Domingo during the day have resulted in
US losses.. In one of these, rebels
fired on a jeepload of newly arrived
marines who lost their way along the
line of communications and ended up in
the rebel zone. Precautions are being
taken to prevent further such straying.
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rebel soldiers are filtering out of
Santo Domingo, apparently heading for
the northern part of the Country. Some
of these-want only to get out of the
fighting, but others are hiding their
-arms and dropping out of sight with
the intent of re-emerging at some fu-
ture time.
In the hinterland, the situation
is still relatively quiet and generally
under control. There have been scattered
manifestations of pro-rebel and pro-Bosch
sentiment. Food shortages remain a prob-
lem.
Rebel-"president" Colonel Caamano
continues with an aura of organizational,
diplomatic, and propaganda activity to
present himself as head of the consti-
tutional government.
There hasj)een_little progress,
meanwhile, in broadening the antirebel
junta into a government acceptable to
non-Communist factions.
The first tangible evidence of Latin
American support for-a multinational
.force for the Dominican Republic-appeared
yesterday in the form of two Venezuelan
destroyers off San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Other Latin-American countries-are mak-
ing plans.
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DAILY BRIEF
6 MAY 1965
1. Vietnam
2. South Vietnam
A statement on the latest Soviet
thinking on Vietnam will probably be
made in Brezhnev's VE Day speech in
Moscow on Saturday.
current railroad restrictions in China--
reported in yesterday's Brief--include
freight as well as passenger service.
The possibility of Chinese troop move-
ments cannot be ruled out, but there is
no other evidence that redeployments
are underway. The rail restrictions
appear to be more in line with the pri-
ority shipment of military equipment,
possibly Soviet, to North Vietnam.
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The Armed Forces Council, the body
which created the Quat government in Feb-
ruary, dissolved itself yesterday by unani-
mous vote. The Council has provided the
power underpinning for Quat but at the
same time it has always been a potential
rival locus of authority.
Quat's success in persuading the
Council to take-this step may prove to
be a political breakthrough in consoli-
dating his strength. The next few weeks,
however, could be very ticklish and test
Quat to the fullest. A consideration of
the factors involved is at Annex.
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3: Venezuela
. India
5. USSR
6. Israel
Moscow may seize upon Shastri's visit
next week as a timely opportunity to offer
major new economic aid to India. Ambas-
sador Bowles reports that the present po-
litical climate in India would turn even
a small Soviet gesture into a significant
propaganda coup.
West German - Israeli diplomatic re-
lations will probably be formally estab-
lished within the next few days. Loud
cries will be heard from various Arab
states, and the severance of various
Arab - West German relations may follow.
Bonn has been working hard to soften the
blow and hopes relations will be re-es-
tablished eventually. With the possible
exception of Syria, none of the Arab
countries are likely to recognize East
Germany.
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7. Bolivia
Barrientos' efforts to whip up popu-
lar support for his presidential candi-
dacy may create serious public disorders.
His peasant supporters, their fervor
heightened by cash payments, have block-
aded 'roads around La Paz and Cochabamba
and in one town have forced police and
other public offices to close.
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ANNEX
Prospects for South Vietnamese Prime Minister Quat
Certain factors have somewhat improved the en-
vironment in which Quat has been shaping his govern-
ment:
- During April the Viet Cong maintained
an essentially defensive posture; most major
military contact was the result of govern-
ment-initiated operations.
- Stepped-up measures against North
Vietnam and the Viet Cong have led to a
fragile but general improvement in morale
in the government.
- Business confidence and business ac-
tivity have increased.
- The refugee problem in the northern
provinces has not increased as seriously
as was expected.
Quat has moved steadily to energize his bureau-
cracy and stimulate the counterinsurgency effort,
consolidate his personal position, and improve his
public image. He seems to have a broader consensus
behind him than was enjoyed by past Vietnamese gov-
ernments.
Certain developments during the past few weeks
have again confirmed, however, that the political
situation remains basically fragile. Quat's current
efforts to reshuffle the military leadership, partly
by removing Catholic officers, have exacerbated Ca-
tholic fears of political isolation and of a Bud-
dhist-controlled government. The Buddhist leader-
ship is still suspicious of the Catholics, and is
actively critical of official corruption.
Buddhist sup-
port for the Quat government has declined due to a
"widespread feeling" that Quat has been overly con-
cerned about pleasing everyone.
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Thus far, Quat has demonstrated discrimination
and realism in selecting attainable objectives while
avoiding issues that could either disrupt progress
or destroy the still precarious - internal power bal-
ance. However, in moving at this time to curb the
military leaders, Quat may be overestimating his pre-
sent strength or possibly overstretching the limits
of his political flexibility and adroitness.
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