THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 26 MARCH 1970

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005977368
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: March 26, 1970

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,
The President's Daily Brief
26 March 1970
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
26 March 1970
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
Hanoi has come out strongly in support of Sihanouk's
call for an uprising against the new government in
Phnom Penh. (Page 1)
In Laos, the government has sent significant numbers
of reinforcements to Long Tieng in expectation of a
major enemy assault./
(Page 2)
Numerous documents captured recently in South Viet-
nam emphasize directives to Communist forces there
to concentrate on guerrilla warfare and political
subversion, rather than on large combat actions.
(Page 3)
In Lebanon,
there have been serious incidents between the feda-
yeen and elements of the security forces and the
civilian population. (Page 4)
West German emissary Egon Bahr has briefed the Allied
ambassadors in Bonn on his second round of talks in
Moscow; meanwhile, Chancellor Brandt faces growing
opposition to his Eastern policy. (Page 5)
In the Dominican Republic, negotiations for the re-
lease of the US air attache, Lt. Col. Crowley, have
temporarily broken down. (Page 6)
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NORTH VIETNAM - CAMBODIA
A North Vietnamese Government communique yes-
terday declared "total support" for Sihanouk's call
of 23 March for an uprising against the new govern-
ment in Phnom Penh. In addition, both Hanoi and the
South Vietnamese Communists apparently are proceed-
ing with plans to withdraw most, if not all, of their
diplomatic personnel from Phnom Penh.
These moves leave little doubt that Hanoi
is relying on intimidation--by bluster if
possible but by force if necessary--as the
best way to handle the Cambodians. By
their actions, the Communists have tight-
ened the screws in the face of demands
from Phnom Penh for a continuation of talks
on Vietnamese-Cambodian issues.
Available evidence indicates that the Com-
munists still hope to avoid a resort to
force. They almost certainly are willing,
however, to take military action, while
concealing their activities under the guise
of a "liberation movement," if they believe
their vital interests in Cambodia are en-
dangered.
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Laos: Current Situation
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CAMBODIA
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
LAOS
The Long Tieng defense force has been strength-
ened significantly in anticipation of a major as-
sault. Continued reinforcement has raised to 3,400
the number of troops in the immediate area. Commu-
nications intelligence indicates that North Vietnam-
ese units near the airstrip, having failed in their
initial attempts to break through the defenses, are
now working on improving the accuracy of their 122-
mm. rockets.
The only significant ground action in the area
yesterday occurred some six miles north of the base
where a 300-man North Vietnamese force attacked a
newly occupied government position. Government
troops suffered relatively heavy casualties in the
engagement, but the North Vietnamese were pushed
back.
In the central portion of the panhandle, mean-
while, Communist forces have not yet attempted to
take advantage of the government's weakened forces
near Muong Phalane. Two government battalions, which
had been successful in keeping enemy forces in this
area off balance, were recently airlifted to Long
Tieng.
Farther south, in the Bolovens Plateau, Commu-
nist forces have been unusually inactive so far this
dry season, possibly because of problems with their
allies. A recently intercepted enemy message dis-
closed that North Vietnamese forces had withdrawn
from their positions near Saravane because of fric-
tion with Pathet Lao units.
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SOUTH VIETNAM
A pattern has been emerging in enemy documents
captured in the past several weeks which leads us
to conclude that Communist forces in many areas of
South Vietnam have been directed to concentrate on
guerrilla warfare and political subversion, rather
than on large combat actions. Numerous captured
documents indicate that the aim is to avoid heavy
losses, ease supply problems, build up'weakened
local forces, and provide greater protection for
the Communist political apparatus.
We noted the beginnings of this change in
tactics in Late 1969, when the enemy gave
up coordinated but brief countrywide as-
saults and started to emphasize Lesser
campaigns.
The captured documents support other in-
dications that the enemy plans to main-
tain such tactics for some time to come.
In a strategic sense, the plan is designed
to strengthen Communist capabilities for
protracted military opeTations, and to
keep Communist forces in South Vietnam in
a condition which would permit them to
take advantage of any favorable opportun-
ities for large-scale actions.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
MIDDLE EAST
There were serious incidents yesterday between
Palestinian commandos and Lebanese civilians and
troops. The first clash involved residents of a
Christian village five miles southeast of Beirut and
fedayeen from a refugee camp. The Lebanese Army moved
tanks into the area to stop the fighting. Another
clash occurred at a refugee camp north of Beirut,
where commandos seized the son of Pierre al-Jummayyil,
leader of the far-right Christian Phalanges Party.
Fighting broke out between fedayeen and Phalangists,
and the latter are said to have mobilized their para-
military forces.
The Lebanese cabinet met in emergency ses-
sion to discuss ways to prevent a repeti-
tion of the violence that occurred last
fall between the fedayeen and Lebanese se-
curity forces. A spread of belligerency
could Lead to a crisis between Lebanese
Muslims, most of whom support the fedayeen
strongly, and Lebanese Christians, who want
the fedayeen restrained in order to prevent
Israeli retaliation.
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WEST GERMANY - USSR
Egon, Bahr, the West German special emissary to
Moscow, has confirmed in a briefing of the three Al-
lied ambassadors in Bonn that he made no significant
progress on issues which divide the two sides during
his second round of talks with Soviet Foreign Minis-
ter Gromyko. The West German charge d'affaires in
Moscow agreed, but in his briefing also told Ambas-
sador Beam that both sides had recognized the possi-
bility of rapprochement in the future on certain
points.
Bahr said no documents had been exchanged with
the Soviets concerning negotiations on renouncing
the use of force, and neither side considered itself
under any pressure. No date has been set for a re-
sumption of the talks, but the West Germans want it
to be prior to the Brandt-Stoph meeting in Kassel
set for 21 May.
Bahr also commented on the opening today of the
quadripartite talks on Berlin, saying he was most in-
terested in aiming for agreements guaranteeing the
viability of West Berlin and free access to the city,
unhampered by the East Germans.
Bahr's comment about feeling no pressure
seems somewhat disingenuous. Rainer Barzel,
a leader of the opposition in Bonn, has in-
dicated that his party, the Christian Dem-
ocrats, will strongly oppose the continua-
tion of these talks. In a conversation
with Ambassador Rush in Bonn, Barzel pre-
dicted that if the government continued on
its present course, his party would bring
it down with charges of appeasement.
Barzel appealed for the Allies to draw the
line on Chancellor Brandt's Eastern policy.
He probably hopes that the US will express
reservations during Brandt's forthcoming
visit to Washington. Although he has ad-
vocated negotiation with the East in the
past, he now professes fear that the gov-
ernment, in its desire for an agreement,
will capitulate totally to the Soviet view-
point.
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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Negotiations for the release of Lt. Col. Crow-
ley temporarily broke down last night. An agreement
in substance for an exchange, achieved through the
intermediary efforts of a three-member commission
headed by the Santo Domingo archbishop, dissolved
when the parties could not settle on details for the
trade. The exact timing of the US air attache's re-
lease 'appears to be the stumbling block, with the
government insisting on a near-simultaneous exchange
and the terrorists demanding that. the prisoners de-
part before the attache is freed.
The 20 political prisoners held by the govern-
ment were scheduled to be flown to Mexico last night,
but the plane departed without them. The kidnapers
repeated their public warning that the government
must bear the responsibility for its actions. The
archbishop expects negotiations to resume today.
Despite the turmoil arising from the kid-
naping, President Balaguer went ahead with
his announcement that he will seek a sec-
ond term in the elections of 16 May. In
an attempt to head off opposition alle-
gations that he will not provide free elec-
tions, Balaguer declared that he will hand
over the presidency to the Supreme Court
president during his campaign. Balaguer's
long-awaited declaration is expected to
generate protests. The military, however,
as a result of the President's uncompro-
mising refusal to bow to the original de-
mands of the kidnapers and release the
prisoners in the country, is probably more
strongly united than ever behind Balaguer.
Security forces can be expected to deal ag-
gressively with any disturbances.
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