THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 5 JANUARY 1968

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1961-1969
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005974208
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: September 16, 2015
• Document Release Date: September 16, 2015
• Publication Date: January 5, 1968

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The President's Daily Brief
Top Secret 5 January 1968
23
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DAILY BRIEF
5 JANUARY 1968
1. South Vietnam
2. Common Market
3. Cyprus
Buddhists of both factions are trying
jointly to form a political party that
would operate behind prominent Bud-
dhist politicians. While both moder-
ate and radical Buddhists are interested
in this approach, it is questionable
that they could resolve their own dif-
ferences long enough to make an effec-
tive team effort.
The Germans, reluctant at the
prospect of being forced into a con-
frontation with De Gaulle, are develop-
ing a "new approach" in an apparent ef-
fort to get the British to back down
from their "all or nothing" position.
Bonn's idea, still vague, envisions a
"first stage" where Britain would par-
ticipate in the commercial and agricul-
tural aspects of the Community treaties,
but not in Community institutions.
The Germans, while alleging that
London's "unbending" stance will get
it nowhere, can offer no real hope
that France would buy even this compro-
mise formula. As for London, it has
previously pointed out the emptiness of
such a scheme, and will probably do so
again.
Five more Greek ships arrived on
Wednesday to pick up Greek "illegals."
This may help to mute growing Turkish
complaints about the slow pace of the .
withdrawals, but will not settle the
troublesome question of how many
"il-
legals" were on the island in the first
place.
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4. Communist China
5. Communist China
6. Thailand
7. Congo
A series of meetings between Pe-
king officials and provincial mili-
tary leaders is taking place, probably
on what to do about continuing wide-
spread violence. There is little at
the moment to suggest what, if any,
cure will be found. Peking's official
New Year's Day editorial did not indi-
cate that any marked changes in the
Cultural Revolution are imminent.
Ambassador Unger believes that ad-
ditional Thai troops will not be ready
for deployment to Vietnam by late April,
as agreed at Canberra. He sees no
signs that the troops can arrive in
Vietnam before July, or June at the ear-
liest.
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Mobutu is sending a delegation to 50X1
Rwanda today to work out the "modali-
ties" of returning the white mercenaries
to the Congo. 50X1
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Top Secret
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Top Secret
FOR THE PRESIDENT'S EYES ONLY
Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
Top Secret
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5 January 1968
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Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
for the President's Eyes Only
5 January 1968
I, NOTES ON THE SITUATION
Hanoi Moves with Care: North Vietnamese propa-
ganda has not followed up on Foreign Minister Trinh's
remarks that North Vietnam will talk to the US if
the bombing and other acts of war against the North
are stopped. Hanoi doubtless is pleased by the
world-wide attention the statement is receiving and
the implication that this initiative puts the "ball
in the US court." Nonetheless, the North Vietnamese
seem bent on sticking precisely to the Trinh formu-
lation and on not having it distorted or embellished
by others.
Hanoi's insistence on precision is underscored
by an announcement from the North Vietnamese mission
in Paris on 4 January. This announcement sought to
clarify a Western correspondent's account of an in-
terview with a spokesman for the mission the day be-
fore. The correspondent reported that the spokesman
had "confirmed more clearly than ever that Hanoi is
willing to open peace talks at once" if the bombing
is stopped. In response to a question about whether
the negotiations would be fruitful, the spokesman,
according to the correspondent, remarked "we are
ready, the next step is up to President Johnson."
In its clarification yesterday, the North Vietnam-
ese mission in Paris stated that a spokesman had
confirmed the Trinh statement and it quoted the
relevant sentences. It tersely added, however,
that the rest of the correspondent's story "is pure
invention."
Similar precautions about sticking to Trinh's
formulation are evident in Soviet handling of the
subject. Moscow reported the crucial portions of
the Trinh speech without comment in its domestic
and international broadcasts on 2 January. A story
from a Soviet correspondent in Hanoi on 3 January
uses the same language
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Ho Calls for "Thrift, Production, and Combat":
According to a 31 December Hanoi broadcast, Ho paid
tribute and pointed out "shortcomings" in government
work during the past year to a year-end Council of
Ministers' meeting. The work of the people's armed
forces and communication and transportation forces
came in for praise. Ho, however, criticized the
management of labor and financial resources. The
usual exhortations were made by Ho concerning per-
formance in agriculture and animal husbandry. New
efforts were called for during 1968 "to satisfac-
torily fulfill the state plan." To start the New
Year out right, Ho described the situation during
Tet as one of "thrift, production, and combat."
* * *
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Rail Repairs: Bombed rail lines are usually
repaired in a few hours, reports one of the
refugees
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He said civilians of both sexes and
all ages are mustered from villages near the damage
and work the clock around until they get the job
done. The villagers are not paid and must provide
their own food. Most of the work is hand labor.
he has seen as many as 10,000
people conscripted for work gangs.
II. NORTH VIETNAMESE REFLECTIONS OF US POLITICAL
,ATTITUDES ON THE WAR
There As nothing of significance to report.
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