THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 24 FEBRUARY 1966

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1961-1969
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005968171
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: September 16, 2015
• Document Release Date: September 16, 2015
• Publication Date: February 24, 1966

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
THE PRESIDENT'S
DAILY BRIEF
24 FEBRUARY 1966
1 /
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DAILY BRIEF
24 FEBRUARY 1966
1. Ghana
2. Indonesia
There now seems to be no signifi-
cant resistance to military elements who
moved this morning to overthrow Presi-
dent Nkrumah. The public in Accra ap-
pears jubilant, and there are no reports
of adverse public reaction elsewhere in
the country. The insurgents have re-
portedly killed the army chief of staff
and are detaining the navy and air force
chiefs as well as all Nkrumah's civilian
officials and party activists they can
lay hands on.
A National Liberation Council, com-
posed exclusively of military and police
personnel, will direct the new regime.
It is headed by General Ankrah--dismissed
by Nkrumah last summer--but will probably
be dominated by police commissioner Harl-
ley and the two colonels who led the
coup. Senior civil servants--reportedly
anti-Communist--are to 'conduct the day-
to-day business of government.
The student demonstrations today
were probably the army's last chance to
move against Sukarno. The military leaders
again failed to take the plunge.
The student disturbances around the
palace did not prevent investiture of
Sukarno's new leftist-oriented cabinet,
although most of the ministers had to
come by helicopter. This humiliating
start for the new cabinet did not daunt
Sukarno, who will now probably want to
take up where he left off. Extensive ar-
rests of his opponents, restoration of
friendly relations with Peking, stepped-
up military activity against Malaysia,
and attempts to blame all his troubles
on the US are to be expected.
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3. South Vietnam
4. Philippines
5. Communist China
There are an increasing number of
reports that the Viet Cong are preparing
for stepped-up political agitation in
the urban areas of South Vietnam--par-
ticularly in and around Saigon. This
information follows almost immediately
the publication of an authoritative
statement on this subject by the National
Liberation Front. The article was noted
in the Brief on Monday.
One of these late reports says that
the Viet Cong will soon instigate mass
demonstrations in Saigon to demand higher
wages and an end to conscription. An-
other indicates that the enemy has plans
to aggravate inflationary pressures by
clamping down on the movement of goods
to Saigon from the provinces. A third
states that the Viet Cong are making
preparations to infiltrate their followers
at forthcoming Buddhist rallies in Da
Nang to turn them into anti-American
demonstrations.
In the capital area, this type of
political and economic pressure is to
be accompanied by intensified ambushes
and attacks on the outskirts of the city.
Support for sending a Philippine
contingent to Vietnam is increasing.
Diverse and influential groups repre-
senting veterans, labor, and students
are publicly supporting the administra-
tion's bill, which the House is expected
to bring up for public hearings on Mon-
day.
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6. Cuba
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Al Qamishli
Al Hasakah
? Aleppo
MEDITERRANEAN
SEA '
Latakia
Tartus
Ar Raqqah
Baniyas ? amah
Horns
?An Nabk
*DAMASCUS
BANON
BEIRUT
aifa
SRAEL
Dayr az Zawr
?Tudmur
?Al Qunaytirah
?Dara *As Suwayda
JORDAN
*AMMAN
?Jerusa em
STATUTE MILES
SAUDI ARABIA
34774
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7. Dominican Republic
8. Syria
9. Soviet Union
10. Uganda
Defense chief Perez y Perez and
other leading military officials are
urging the service chiefs to obey Garcia
Godoy's order to step down. The army
chief appears ready to comply,, but air
force chief de los Santos is being "most
difficult?" and last night the presi,
dent cancelled a broadcast in which he
had hoped to announce a solution to the
civilian-military impasse,:
The coup leaders appear to be con,
solidating their control throughout the
country, although some opposition may
be continuing in Aleppo, Key military
units on the Israeli border not far from
Damascus originally opposed to the coup,
have made no move.
The 24-hour curfew in Damascus was
eased this morning, and an "eerie quiet"
continues. There has been no public an-
nouncement of the composition of the new
government. (Map) 50X1
Cosmos:110,
/ The high orbit will carry
it through a radiation zonel and radia-
tion study is probably a primary aim of
the flight4,
Opposition to Premier Obote's take-
over appears to be coalescing around
Brigadier Opoloto, a moderate and the
legal commander of the army, Fighting
between forces loyal to him and those
supporting Obote could break out at
any moment.
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TOP SECRET
TOP SECRET
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