THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 17 DECEMBER 1968

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1961-1969
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005976517
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: September 16, 2015
• Document Release Date: September 16, 2015
• Publication Date: December 17, 1968

41 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600240001-8
The President's Daily Brief
TorSimat? 17 December 1968
23
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600240001-8
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600240001-8
50X1
THE :PRESIDENT'S
.DAILY BRIEF
.17 DECEMBER.1968
1. South Vietnam
50X1
Saigon officials are beginning to
think that the "Chieu Hot" (Open Arms)
program for encouraging Viet Cong troops
to come over to the government side is
leading to increasing Communist infil-
tration of the military and civil serv-
ice.
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600240001-8
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600240001-8
50X1
2. Japan
3. France
Communists, socialists, and other
assorted leftists will charge up their
political batteries again Wednesday,
when another US nuclear submarine calls
at the port of Sasebo. Police estimate
that some 2,000 to 3,000 student activ-
ists will protest the three-day visit
of the USS Plunger, but are confident
that they can protect US property and
personnel, even though violence is
probably unavoidable.
A similar call last May by the nu-
clear submarine Swordfish led to false
charges of radiation contamination of
Sasebo harbor. Aware that these
charges received a strong response from
the Japanese public last time, the op-
position is likely to replay them dur-
ing the current session of the Diet.
De Gaulle's lieutenants are hint-
ing that Franco-US relations could be
improved if cooperation in nuclear de-
'fense could be established, The latest
probe came from Defense Minister Mess-
mer, who suggested to Ambassador
Shriver that France would like to get
the same access to US nuclear technolo-
gy that the United Kingdom has had for
some time, De Gaulle also wants the
prestige that goes with a special nu-
clear relationship with the US, but so
far there has not been a scintilla of
evidence that he is willing to make any
basic concessions to get it,
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600240001-8
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600240001-8
Southern Laos: Ban Thateng Threat Continues
ng Hoi.
0 25 5,0 Miles
025 50 75 Kilometers
Communist-controlled territory
Contested territory
0 Government-held town
GULF
OF
TONKIN
,er?-: \Demilitarized Zone
Quong Tri
VIETNAM
Dak To
Kontum
CAMBODIA
Stung Tren9
93211 12-68 CIA
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600240001-8
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600240001-8
. Laos
The North Vietnamese attack
against Ban Thateng is almost cer-
tainly in reaction to an intensified
program of interdiction against the
infiltration corridor in Laos, part
of which has been mounted by govern-
ment forces from the Thateng area.
The vigor of the attack, how-
ever, raises the possibility that it
is part of a wider campaign to take
the entire Bolovens Plateau.
The situation in Thateng has
already raised fears that the pro-
vincial capitals of Saravane and
Attopeu will be next. King Savang
is de-
termined that the Bolovens Plateau
must be held, and has authorized the
bombing of Ban Thateng in an effort
to dislodge the enemy.
Two more battalions of North
Vietnamese troops are reported to
have entered Ban Thateng during the
night. They have reinforced the
battalion which yesterday success-
fully beat off a government counter-
attack. As of this morning, heavy
fighting was under way.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600240001-8
50X1
50X1
50X1
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600240001-8
OW\ I
. United Kingdom - Even though General Gowon not un
Nigeria expectedly rejected London's peace
proposals last week, Prime Minister
Wilson found himself strengthened in
dealing with the opposition. He easily
?beat back an attempt in parliament to
force a change in policy toward Nigeria.
Wilson recognizes that this is probably
just a breather, however, and is con-
sidering additional moves toward peace
in Nigeria jointly with France, and
perhaps the Ivory Coast.
6. Mexico
Politically inspired bombings and
vandalism have intermittently punctuated
the uneasy quiet which has prevailed
since last Frida s anti?overnment dem-
onstration. 50X1
50X1
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600240001-8
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600240001-,8
Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600240001-8
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600240001-8
' Top Secret
FOR THE PRESIDENT'S EYES ONLY
1.) Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
2.) North Vietnamese Reflections of U S
Political Attitudes
Top Secret
16
50X1
17 December 1968
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600240001-8
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600240001-8
50X1
Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
for the President's Eyes Only
17 December 1968
I. NOTES ON THE SITUATION
Propaganda: Hanoi continues to attempt to gain
propaganda advantage from the deadlock over proced-.
ural arrangements in Paris. In a communiqu?ssued
over the weekend, the North Vietnamese charged that
the US and Saigon are responsible for delays in
Opening new talks. The statement claimed that the
Hanoi delegation, with the concurrence of the Front's
'team; has proposed "numerous judicious ideas" but
all have been rejected by the US. The communiqu?e-
ported that Hanoi proposed on Friday that the four
delegations arrange themselves as they wish around
a circular table.
Meanwhile, the new chief of the Front's delega-
tion, Tran Buu Kiem, and his party arrived in Paris'
on 16 December after a one-day stopover in Moscow.
He stepped right into line with North Vietnamese
propaganda by claiming the Front wanted the confer-
ence to start "as soon as possible despite the pro-
crastination of the United States and the Saigon ad-
ministration."
Nothing More on US Pilot Release: We have no
additional information regarding the alleged Radio
Hanoi broadcasts on 14 December concerning the
Christmas release of some US pilots.
* * *
II. NORTH VIETNAMESE REFLECTIONS OF US POLITICAL
ATTITUDES ON THE WAR
There is nothing of significance to report.
50X1
50X1.
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600240001-8
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600240001-8
Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600240001-8