THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 27 FEBRUARY 1970

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005977321
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: February 27, 1970

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The President's Daily Brief
27 February 1970
47
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THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
27 February 1970
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The North Vietnamese continue to take soundings on
allied intentions at the Paris peace talks. (Page 1)
Enemy plans to launch a new phase of the "winter-
spring" campaign in South Vietnam are discussed on
Page 2.
The military situation in Laos,
and plans for 4 world-
wide anti-US day are noted on Page 6.
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VIETNAM
Le Duc Tho's remarks at a Paris tea party, as
provided the US delegation by Chicago newsman Milton
Freudenheim, suggest that Tho is starting to play
his hand by lobbying through the press for a high-
level replacement for Ambassador Lodge. According
to Freudenheim, Tho said that he and Xuan Thuy "may
have to go home" if Lodge is not replaced, but that
if Washington sends a replacement and otherwise
shoWs that it is "serious," then he and Thuy would
return to the conferende table.
Tho's comments seem designed to reinforce
Soviet Counselor Oberemko's assertion on
the 17th to deputy chief of mission Robert
Blake that Tho was staying on in Paris in
hopes that "sincere" talks could be started,
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We also note the Saigon delegation's
claims that the other side has indirectly
approached it regarding allied intentions
in Paris. These claims, if they prove
out, indicate that the Communist probing
effort in Paris is fairly broad and com-
prehensive. Taken together, all the feel-
ers strengthen our belief that Tho has more
in mind than just getting a replacement
for Lodge. They offer no solid clues of
how much he ultimately hopes to accomplish
or how he plans to move, however.
Cyrus Eaton, meanwhile, was to have met with
Tho last night. We have not heard yet what tran-
spired.
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SOUTH VIETNAM
A new phase of the Communists' "winter-spring"
campaign seems imminent. Documents and intercepts
show that in III Corps a period of greater activity
is to begin soon and run through 7 March. In the
northern provinces, too, Communist units have ra-
dioed instructions for their subordinates to get
set for action. In the case of Quang Nam Province,
the "accelerated phase of activity" is to commence
on the night of 1-2 March and is to be followed by
a "continuous and uniform attack for five to seven
days."
The increase in enemy shellings in the
Mekong Delta on the night of 25-26 Febru-
ary may actually have marked the beginning
of the new phase. Field commanders are al-
lowed some leeway in adjusting their time-
tables to local circumstances.
The Communists probably feel themselves
under considerable pressure to make some
show of strength at a time when South
Vietnamese optimism is growing. We would
expect them, however, generally to re-
strict themselves to shellings, limited
ground actions, and urban terrorism.
In recent months, the Communists have had
difficulty in bringing off "high points"
of this kind.
2
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USSR
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PANAMA
4
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NORTH VIETNAM - LAOS
5
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Government Preparing for New Communist Activity
Na
Khangel_
ei
Longl
(-
/
Muong --
Government forces Sciui
, digging in --7--,....._ __ 7 ,
)
?I--N...??? ? 417 s'"" r-'.. Muon
, /..\,---, _I Phanh
Tgala \ JARR
Thou ?
Khoun ,
\ ? Concentration ,\of'NV
Governmer?t pulls back ' radio terminals ,
to defeniive-positions---1 ?7?
\ ---_----- ----\
\--- Phou Khe e
ha Tam
Sam Khang
Thong teung_
an Ban
kiegirairstrikes disrupting
/Communist supply lines
Khouang
Government
reinforcements
Long,/
Tie ng
Xieng
houangville
. 20 Miles
10 2b Kilometers )
o Government-held location
? Communist-held location
97753 2-70 CIA
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NOTES
Laos: General yang Pao has strengthened goy-7?
ernment defenses south and west of the Plaine des
Jarres in anticipation of a Communist thrust toward
his headquarters at Long Tieng. Enemy troop dispo-
sition appears to be unchanged except for one NOrth
Vietnamese force of undetermined size that recently
moved to the western edge of the Plaine near Muong
Phanh airfield. The enemy's ability to move sup-,
plies over Route 7 to the Plaine will be a crucial
factor in the timing of the next Communist move. A
North Vietnamese support unit complained in a recent
intercepted message that heavy air strikes and in-
fluenza were greatly hampering the transfer of sup-
plies to the Plaine area.
Israel-Lebanon:
Arab States: The World Peace Council and sev-
eral other international organizations are trying
to organize an international day of protest on 2
March against "American support of the Israeli ag-
gressors."
6
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Top Secret
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