THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 21 SEPTEMBER 1967

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1961-1969
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005974024
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: September 16, 2015
• Document Release Date: September 16, 2015
• Publication Date: September 21, 1967

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24: CIA-RDP79T00936A005400310001-3
The President's Daily Brief
21 September 1967
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DAILY BRIEF
21 SEPTEMBER 1967
1. Communist China
2. Laos
3. Greece
4.. Nigeria
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Souvanna Phouma has expressed new
reservations about the anti-infiltra-
tion barrier across the Demilitarized
Zone. In a recent conversation with
Ambassador Sullivan, Souvanna said he
was "troubled" by the fact that the US
had publicly announced that such a sys-
tem would be installed, and was particu-
larly disturbed by press speculation
that the manned portion of the barrier
would extend,into Laos.
Biafra has been shaken by a series
of military reverses in recent days.
There are no signs of imminent collapse,
however, and fighting will probably go
on for some time.
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5. Panama
6. South Arabia
The government coalition is split
down the middle over President Robles'
selection of David Samudio as its presi-
dential candidate in next May's elec-
tion. The confusions and divisions now
boiling up in the feeble eight-party
coalition could still be overcome, but
this would require important conces-
sions that no one now seems prepared to
make.
All of this is doing no good to
the draft Canal treaties. Few politi-
cians are prepared now to stick out
their necks on the issue. The rabble-
rousing newspapers owned by nephews of
Arnulfo Arias are calling for a return
to "the spirit of January 1964."
Britain has advanced South Arabia's
independence date to sometime in Novem-
ber
The territory still lacks any gov-
ernment to give independence to, but
the two rival nationalist groups do
seem somewhat closer to agreement.
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Top Secret
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SPECIAL DAILY REPORT ON NORTH VIETNAM
FOR THE PRES! DENT'S EYES ONLY
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JU" I
Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
for the President's Eyes Only
21 September1967
North Vietnamese Conditions Last Month:
--The material situation in North Vietnam is
very precarious. Except for basic foodstuffs and
war materials, there is nothing.
--Morale in the rural areas is very high, but
much lower in large cities such as Hanoi and Vinh.
--In Hanoi, many civilians, particularly older
segments of the population, would like to see an
end to the war. They have had enough of living on
a perpetual war footing and of continually receiving
orders and instructions.
--The young people in general are fanaticized,
probably because they, have never known anything but
war. The bombings have had no effect on the morale
of the youth.
--Politically, the North Vietnamese are persuad-
ing themselves that as long as political and social
troubles persist in South Vietnam they cannot lose.
--As long as action against North Vietnam is re-
stricted to bombing, no change in the situation can
be expected. Only an invasion and occupation of part
of their territory can decide the North Vietnamese to
change their attitude.
.--Air raids on North Vietnam do not appear always
o be very accurate(
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Giap Analyzes the War: North Vietnamese Defense
Minister Giap has published another in his series of
analyses of the war. So far, only a portion of the
first installment is available in Washington.
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The general tone of the article exudes confi-
dence. He claims that the military situation has
never been better, that his military forces are "in-
vincible," and foreign aid "increasingly effective."
Although there is nothing unusual or startling in
this first part, it should be noted that Giap fre-
quently keeps the heart of his analysis--such as cur-
rent and future Communist strategy and predictions
of future US actions--until the conclusion of his
article.
* * *
The Rice Crop: The regime has turned out city
dwellers in unusually, large numbers this year to
assist in transplanting the important tenth month
rice crop. Some 120,000, for instance, have been
sent to one province alone, according to the party
journal.
It is too early to assess the prospects, but
transplanting was delayed by a long drought which
ended only in mid-August. A bumper harvest will be
needed if North Vietnam is to overcome its depend-
ence on food imports. The last three rice harvests
were below average.
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