THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 31 MARCH 1966

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1961-1969
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005968233
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: September 16, 2015
• Document Release Date: September 16, 2015
• Publication Date: March 31, 1966

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
THE PRESIDENT'S
DAILY BRIEF
31 MARCH 1966
70-15-S-EG-R-EZ_
23
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DAILY BRIEF
31 MARCH 1966
South Vietnam
LATE ITEM
The Viet Cong set off a heavy ex-
Plosion at a large US officers' billet
in Saigon this afternoon, Washington
time. American officials say that a
"great number" were injured; at least
twenty-five people are known to be
hospitalized. The billet is about eight
stories high. The .first four floors
were completely destroyed.
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DAILY BRIEF
31 MARCH 1966
1. South Vietnam,
The Buddhists demonstrated as ex-
pected in Saigon today, but failed to
draw the huge crowds they hoped to get.
In Hue, the "struggle forces" have called
for a strike to begin tomorrow; a major
demonstration in Da Nang is rumored for
Saturday.
The military directorate met again
yesterday to discuss ways of coping with
the situation.
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.2. Soviet Union The lunar probe launched this morn-
ing appears designed to orbit the moon.
Luna 10 seems to be on course and operat-
ing satisfactorily. It should reach the
vicinity of the moon on Sunday.
Two earlier Soviet probes photo-
graphed portions of the hidden side of
the moon. A satellite in a lunar or-
bit, however, could systematically pho-
tograph the entire lunar surface.
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3. India
There is growing nervousness among
the Indians over what looks to them like
ominous Pakistani military moves near
the borders. This uneasiness is heightened
by the recent display of Chinese military
hardware in Pakistan and by the enthusi-
astic welcome given Liu Shao-chi there.
An American missionary who has worked
for several years among the rebellious
tribesmen in eastern India informed the
American Consulate General in East Paki-
stan this week that his contacts report
seeing Mizo rebels receiving weapons
from the Pakistanis. If Pakistani as-
sistance to the rebels becomes known in
India, it would surely lead to a further
serious erosion of the spirit of Tash-
kent.
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4. Pakistan The bland, communiqu?ssued in
Pakistan just before Liu Shao-chi's de-
parture for China today seems to reflect
an insistence by Ayub_that it not be of-
fensive to the US. Although the joint
statement affirmed Sino-Pakistani friend-
,ship, it included no attacks on US poli-
cies and made no reference to Vietnam.
Peking, though probably disappointed,
can take comfort in the warm public re-
ception given Liu in Pakistan.
5. Indonesia
6. Rumania
Ambassador Green reports that the
price of rice in the Djakarta area has
more than doubled in the past five weeks
and is now twenty times what it was a
year ago. It is also evident that rice
is in very short supply. Information
is sketchy on conditions outside the
capital, but in central Java the Catholic
Relief Service reports an increase in
disease stemming from malnutrition.
Bucharest remains dissatisfied with
the Warsaw Pact and may be trying to draw
a parallel between its own position and
the current French stand on NATO.
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7. Dominican Republic The extremist 14th of June Political
Group has been agitating in recent days
for legalization as a political party
before the 1 June elections. There is
some indication that Garcia Gddoy is
considering a move to facilitate legali-
zation. Though Bosch has remained quiet
on this issue, presidential contenders
Balaguer and Bonnelly have gone on record
in favor of legalizing the group.
8. Ecuador
Some observers doubt that the group
really wants to be a legal party. In its
?present status it can play the martyr's
role, impugning the elections without
risking a poor showing in popular votes.
The new government appears to be
taking effective control and extremist-
led agitation is simmering down. Indi-
cations are that the military and police
remain effective and that their morale
is good.
Their hesitancy yesterday to act in
the face of extremist provocations evi-
dentlyiresulted from uncertainty over
the ultimate source of authority in
Quito. This should now be resolved.
Interim president Yerovi is expected
to announce his cabinet momentarily. It
probably will be composed largely of
people who have not been prominent in
politics before. Yerovi says he will re-
main in power only until he can hold free
elections and halt the economic decline.
In the two southern provinces where
extremists took over gove'rnment buildings
yesterday, angry citizens later drove
them out.
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