THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 20 OCTOBER 1969

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005977047
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: October 20, 1969

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007600170001-5
The President's Daily Brief
20 October 1969
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THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
20 October 1969
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
President Thieu's cabinet discusses the Vietnamization
program. Also, Thieu reportedly favors forming a new
party. (Page 1)
Japanese police are braced for "International Antiwar
Day." (Page 5)
Anti-American sentiment is sweeping Bolivia in the
wake of the nationalization of Gulf Oil. (Page 6)
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VIETNAM
Widespread uneasiness about Vietnamization
in lower echelons of the South Vietnamese
Government clearly is shared by some of
the men at the top. Thieu seems to be
fairly confident about US intentions con-
cerning Vietnam, but he is apprehensive
about the effects of domestic American
sentiment against the war. Instead of
simply wringing his hands, however, he
seems to be trying hard to come to grips
with the realities of Vietnamization and
to implement programs of his own which
could help it to succeed.
Minister of State Phan Quang Dan is hinting that
President Thieu has blessed his idea of forming a-
"government party." Dan recently told the ps Embassy
that he believes the only way to generate popular
support for the government is to forma political
party from the bottom up.
(continued)
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The party would extend to government function-
aries at the hamlet level. Dan observed that Thieu
had had "bitter experiences" in his efforts to
broaden the government's base by working through
the leadership of existing political parties. Dan
charged that South Vietnam's politicians are "con-
stitutionally incapable of acting in concert."
Although it is not clear where Dan's pro-
posal fits into Thieu's political planning,
there is evidence that the President has
for some time been thinking along similar
lines. He has brought back into the gov-
ernment some former members of the Diem
Government's elite Can Lao Party(
Thieu also seems to be
giving short shrift to the politicians in
the progovernment National Social Democratic
Front.
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USSR
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USSR - MIDDLE EAST
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JAPAN
Japanese police are bracing themselves for a
massive turnout of demonstrators on "International
Antiwar Day" tomorrow. The demonstrations will be
focused, as in the past, against the US-Japan se-
curity treaty. A countrywide total of more than
300,000 is expected, the largest since the antitreaty
rallies of 1960, with about 80,000 in Tokyo.
Although the majority will be nonviolent mem-
bers of the traditional left, there will also be
sizable numbers of student and labor extremists,
against whom the police will have to concentrate
most of their resources. Security authorities ex-
pect these radicals to mount hit-and-run attacks on
rail stations, government offices, and the US Em-
bassy.
As,a warmup for Tuesday's demonstrations, rad-
ical students staged a series of raids in Tokyo over
the weekend. One group. threw molotov cocktails onto
the grounds of Sato's residence; another temporarily
occupied one floor of the headquarters of the prime
minister's party.
The radical left views its nonviolent dem-
onstrations earlier this month as an ex-
periment that failed because significant
numbers of uncommitted Japanese did not
rally to the antitreaty cause. It appar-
ently hopes that this time, by returning
to violent tactics carried out by widely
dispersed groups, it can stretch the ca-
pabilities of the police to the fullest.
The outcome of tomorrow's trial of strength
will have an important bearing on the scope
of leftist protests when Sato leaves for
Washington in November.
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BOLIVIA
Bolivians generally are overjoyed at their
government's decision to nationalize Gulf--so much
so that editorialists and political leaders are
calling for the nationalization of other US-owned
industries. A.wave-of anti,-American sentiment has
swept the, country, accentuated by some attacks on
official US installations.. Army,guards have been
provided to prevent further damage.
The government is already seeking aid to oper-
ate the Gulf facilities. Diplomatic relations were
established with Romania within hours of the expro-
priation, and we have reports that agreements for
technical aid were signed almost immediately.
Ovando is the kind of leader who finds out
where the parade is going and then gets in
front of it. In spite of his previously
expressed reluctance to nationalize, Gulfs
he ?could not resist pressure from the mil-
itant leftists in the government. Now that
Ovando has taken his first step, the left-
ists, under the leadership of anti-American
Minister of Mines Quiroga, can push him
along faster and farther than he wants to
to. Quiroga wants to be president, and
the leftists have .a scheme to take
over altogether if Ovando resists being
their front man.
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NOTE
Guatemala:
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Top Secret
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