THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 11 MAY 1968

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1961-1969
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005976142
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: September 16, 2015
• Document Release Date: September 16, 2015
• Publication Date: May 11, 1968

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The President's Daily Brief
-71-57-Sthczet_ 11 May 1968
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THE PRESIDENT'S
DAILY BRIEF
11 MAY 1968
1. Czechoslovakia
2. South Vietnam
Soviet military movements are con-
tinuing in southern East Germany, but
no large-scale troop activity has been
confirmed. In Poland,
Russian army elements in unde-
termined numbers have been deployed
from the western border of the Soviet
Union to the area south of Krakow, not
far from the Czech frontier. The So-
viets in their news media have still
made no mention of activity along the
border.
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3. Soviet Union
4. Laos Souvanna is trying to re-establish
himself as a neutralist.
5. Cambodia
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In addition, Souvanna has responded
favorably to Tito's invitation to attend
a nonaligned nations conference. He has
also made a small gesture toward Hanoi.
According to preliminary accounts, Sou-
vanna's National Day speech today had a
moderate tone and, in sharp contrast to
last year's, did not mention North Viet-
namese aggression in Laos.
These steps almost certainly reflect
the uneasiness in Vientiane over the Paris
talks.
The army has launched a major cam-
paign against rebellious tribesmen in the
northeast. The new offensive is the gov-
ernment's largest effort so far to crush
the growing insurgency.
The rebellion stems primarily from
Phnom Penh's effort to stop widespread
smuggling of food to the Vietnamese Com-
munists and to open tribal lands for de-
velopment. Tribal resistance has been
strong, and army elements have overreacted
by burning villages and staging executions.
The insurgents are apparently sup-
ported and perhaps directed by Vietnamese
Communists.
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6. Communist China
7. Nigeria
8. Cuba
The Cultural Revolution is evi-
dently interfering again with China's
military research and development pro-
gram. The latest evidence is in the
form of giant poster attacks in Peking
aimed at the chief of China's advanced
weapons projects.. This man--a vice
premier and member of the powerful Mil-
itary Affairs Committee--is one of Chou
En-lai's closest political allies. He
is the fourth of Chou's subordinates to
come under attack in the last six weeks
In speeches last winter, Chou de-
plored the damage caused by factional
fighting to the military weapons pro-
grams--especially in missiles. We now
see that Chou's attempts to insulate
these programs from the political fight
have failed.
Federal and Biafran representa-
tives meeting in London since the begin-
ning of the week have made little or no
progress toward setting up substantive
negotiations.
Drought has hit Cuban agriculture
for the second year in a row. Sugar
cane production is down at least ten
percent and food and livestock produc-
tion is also suffering. Meat, rice,
and dairy products are in shortest sup-
ply; even bread--which is normally
available in adequate quantities--is
beginning to appear on the shortage
list.
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Top Secret
FOR THE PRES'IDENT'S EYES ONLY
.) Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
.) North Vietnamese Reflections of U S
Political Attitudes
Top Secret
? 16
11 May 1968
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Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
for the President's Eyes Only
11 May 1968
I. NOTES ON THE SITUATION
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* * *
Soviets Want Contacts: The Soviets are trying
to put out more lines to get information on the Paris
talks. Wednesday a Soviet diplomat called at the US
Embassy, Paris, to suggest informal contacts between
Soviet and US representatives in the French capital.
The Russian was clearly fishing for information
about the talks, although he charged his proposition
off to the need for better relations. He asked about
possible expansion of the talks, the role to be played
by the French, and plans for press coverage.
Moscow got caught short when Hanoi agreed to
talks and, as the Soviets' Asian ally seems less than
fully communicative, the Russians hope to buy some in-
surance. They probably are making similar approaches
to the French.
* * *
Hanoi Praises Logistics System: The North Viet-
namese are giving extensive publicity to the achieve-
ments of their logistics network, doubtless in part
to inspire those involved in moving record amounts of
men and supplies toward South Vietnam.
In an 8 May domestic broadcast in Vietnamese,
Hanoi reported on a recent meeting of logistics per-
sonnel held to praise the 1966-67 achievements. The
report claimed that communications and transportation
workers have defeated both American bombs and natural
calamities to insure the uninterrupted flow of ma-
terals such as ammunition and medical supplies to
troops--especially "those en route to conduct mili-
tary operations."
Predictably, the broadcast did not come right out
and say that a great portion of the transport effort
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is in support of Communist forces in South Vietnam.
It did, however, single out Front representative
Nguyen Van Tien as being present at the congress,
along with General Giap.
* * *
Life in Hanoi: There is a greater sense of calm
among the people of Hanoi since the end
bombings The
cost of living, however, remains high with the rice
still rationed and adulterated with flour.
to the US
* * *
* * *
II. NORTH VIETNAMESE REFLECTIONS OF US POLITICAL
ATTITUDES ON THE WAR
Meeting in Hanoi Praises American Protesters:
Hanoi has publicized a 5 May meeting sponsored by the
Fatherland Front--North Vietnam's catch-all mass
organization--called to support the "American spring
struggle" against the war. According to a 6 May
Hanoi Vietnamese domestic broadcast, the meeting was
addressed by the minister of culture and other offi-
cials involved in the international peace movement.
All roundly condemned US involvement in Vietnam
while praising the variety of antiwar activities that
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have occurred in American universities and cities
over the past several months. The meeting also was
attended by Americans Susan Sontag, Robert Greenblatt,
and Andrew Kopkind. Greenblatt was quoted welcoming
the support and friendship of the North Vietnamese
people and praising the resistance of the Vietnamese
Communists to allied efforts in Vietnam. The meeting
closed unanimously adopting a letter to be sent to
Americans "praising their struggle against the war"
and thanking them for supporting Hanoi's position.
* * *
Front Also Supports US Antiwar Movement: The
Liberation Front has joined in the praise of current
unrest in US universities. The Front claims the dis-
turbances manifest the dual struggle of American
students against the war in Vietnam and racist segre-
gation. In an 8 May Vietnamese language broadcast,
the Front listed the demonstrations that have occurred
at Columbia, the University of Chicago, and other in-
stitutions and noted that many of the protests were
being led by Negroes and other minority groups.
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Top Secret
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