THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 22 SEPTEMBER 1969

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005976999
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: September 22, 1969

Declassified in Part-Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007500190001-4
The President's Daily Brief
22 September 1969
19
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COMMUNIST CHINA
There have been several rumors and much speculation over
the past week that Mao Tse-tung is either severely ill or
dead. The most recent report, and the one offering the most
detail, comes from Time magazine's Moscow correspondent, who
got it from an unnamed but "very authoritative" Soviet offi-
cial. According to this version, Mao had a stroke on 2 Sep-
tember and is now in a critical state, kept alive only by a
massive medical effort. A triumvirate of Lin Piao, Chou En-
lai and Ch'en Po-ta is running things.
Coming--as most of them do--from Moscow, the rumors
could be part of the Soviet Union's war of nerves with China.
We note also that on many past occasions, Mao has confounded
the rumormongers by suddenly reappearing after long absences
in apparent good health.
Several other circumstances lend credence to the current
story:
--Mao has been out of public sight since 19 May, about
18 weeks.
--The Mao cult seems to have been toned down recently.
Mao badges have become less evident, and the slogan "long
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LAOS:
'
???
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life to Mao," formerly heard before every news broadcast, had
disappeared by the end of August.
--Both Mao and Lin were absent from Vietnamese Embassy
funeral observances for Ho in Peking (Brezhnev attended the
Moscow occasion).
--The brevity of Chou's visit to Hanoi on 4 September
could be explained, at least in part, by his need to return
quickly to an ailing Mao.
The real test of the current rumors will come soon. The
regime's 20th anniversary will be celebrated on 1 October,
and Mao has never missed an anniversary observance.
LAOS
Vang.Pao's forces are running into increasing enemy re-
sistance as they attempt to push north of the Plaine des
Jarres. Several small but sharp Communist counterattacks
have kept government troops off. balance' in the northwest por-
tion of the Plaine and near the junction of Routes 7 and 71.
The government hOpes to hold the junction area as long as pos-.
sible to forestall enemy reinforcements from North Vietnam.
Time is on the Communists' side, however.
Heavy rains,
which have hampered their ability to supply front-line troops,
will start to taper off in the next few weeks.
Better weather
will also permit the Communists to bring in fresh troops from
North Vietnam if they choose to do so. Government troops, on
the offensive for over a month, are increasingly weary.
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SOUTH KOREA
President Pak's maneuvers to legalize a third term for
himself are creating an increasing hullabaloo throughout the
country. He may find less support than he originally ex-
pected when his constitutional amendment is submitted to a
national referendum--probably late in October.
Students are braving rough handling by the police and
stiffer penalties to demonstrate against the third term.
High school students have assumed the lead, now that the uni-
versities are closed, and because they are younger they evoke
greater public sympathy if injured by police.
ISLAMIC SUMMIT
Muslim leaders are meeting in Rabat today to discuss the
protection of their holy places in Israeli-occupied territory.
The most notable absentee is Egypt's Nasir, who is home nurs-
ing his influenza and, perhaps, his chagrin over King Hassan's
refusal to postpone the meeting.
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Presummit statements by the participants indicate that
the discussions will be loosely organized and open-ended.
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_ _
Top Secret
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