THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 3 APRIL 1970

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005977383
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: April 3, 1970

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The President's Daily Brief
3 April 1970
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
3 April 1970
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
Enemy forces in South Vietnam are likely to begin
another round of coordinated attacks within the next
few days. (Page 1)
The situation in Cambodia is discussed on Page 2.
Lao Government forces in the Long Tieng area have
made limited gains; the Communists meanwhile are try-
ing to improve their supply situation southwest of
the Plaine des Jarres and are threatening another
government base to the north. (Page 4)
Israel's attack yesterday in the Golan Heights area
probably was meant as a warning to Syria not to in-
crease activity on its front in order to ease pres-
sure on Egypt. (Page 5)
Chou En-lai is to visit North Korea soon. (Page 6)
In the Dominican Republic, President Balaguer's re-
fusal this week to resign from office may trigger
new disorders. (Page 7)
President Mendez has declared a state of emergency
in Guatemala. (Page 8)
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SOUTH VIETNAM
The Communists appear ready to launch
rdinated attacks within the next few days.
further
Many enemy units throughout
the country remain in a high state of readiness.
Forthcoming attacks probably will be simi-
lar to those of the past two days: many
shellings and some heavy infantry and sap-
per actions against US and South Vietnamese
field positions. Enemy forces still do not
appear to be in position for major attacks
on population centers.
Communist shellings have dropped off con-
siderably since the first night of the cur-
rent phase. Allied casualty lists are still
growing, however, as additional details be-
come available on the recent actions.
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CAMBODIA
The new government in Phnom Penh remains
in control and is working hard--with some
success--to broaden its power base. Lon
Nol and Sink Matak are obviously worried
that too close an identification with
Washington or Saigon will make this task
more difficult, and will prevent resump-
tion of negotiations with the Vietnamese
Communists.
The Communists appear to be undecided about
how far to push the new government. They
have used their assets to create trouble
in the countryside, and there is much more
they can do, even without actually using
Viet Cong and North Vietnamese troops. At
a minimum, they can be expected to bargain
hard for the position they previously en-
joyed with regard to supplies and border
sanctuaries. Meanwhile Sihanouk continues
to issue propaganda statements from Peking,
but aside from Hanoi's endorsement, he has
had little success in gaining support.
No major fighting has been reported on the bor-
der in recent days, and Communist units seem unsure
of their future course of action. Intercepted mes-
sages indicate that at least some Communist units
are under instructions to fire on Cambodian forces
only in self-defense. It is clear from other enemy
messages that in some areas of the border the enemy
is convinced Cambodian forces are acting in concert
with South Vietnamese and US forces, and these Com-
munist elements have been more aggressive.
South Vietnamese cross-border operations, such
as one that moved into Svay Rieng Province on 1
April, are undoubtedly contributing to the Commu-
nists' concern.
(continued)
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In Peking, Sihanouk's spokesman stated on 2
April that the "government Of national union" will
be formed when certain "young leading figures" of
the resistance movement arrive in the Chinese cap-
ital. The odds are fairly good that these will be
some of the same leading Cambodian leftists who were
once members of Sihanouk's government.
The government in Phnom Penh, meanwhile, is also
trying to enlist support from leftist elements. There
also are rumors that the monarchy will be abolished,
a move that would find favor among intellectuals and
the youth, but might alienate the more conservative
peasantry. The government has also released a large
number of "political prisoners," at least some of
whom were jailed by Sihanouk for Communist sympathies.
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AREA OF
MAIN MAP
Vientiane
LAOS: Current Situation
LAOS
Bouam
Longs
NVA closing in /
on government base
71
Ban Ban
NVA tanks Muong PLA/NE Non ?Re
moving westward S-2-41.,y .,...\ A
.... _ _
?INN...----?4/ 7 s southward e-Xien Khouang
Phou Sam,
ala Vieng Luang 0 JAR R S
Phou Houei
Khoun ? Ki Nin Xieng
.." Khouangville
?NVA strengthening C"-.. ?
Ban Natb logisties posture \
? ThaTam .
\
10 B I e u n g Khang
S am,.. eKho '-?1
Thongv ????
1 ,
\ \\
\ Government forces 4
'. moving against ridgelin 1
Lone)
r . Tieng (
lV1re government
reintorcements due
ang Vieng
Ban
Son
61
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20M iles
'10 2'0 Kilometers ,
0 Government-held location
? Communist-held location
98101 4-70 CIA
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LAOS
During the past few days, government guerrillas
have pushed onto an important ridgeline seven miles
north of Long Tieng and have held their ground against
enemy counterattacks. The new government position
overlooks a key enemy staging area that has served
as a springboard for attacks against the Long Tieng
defense perimeter.
Intercepted communications, meanwhile, disclose
recent efforts by the North Vietnamese 316th Division
to improve logistic support of forces operating south-
west of the Plaine des Jarres. A supply depot is be-
ing moved to the southern edge of the Plaine, and en-
gineers have been ordered to improve roads in this
area. These developments suggest the Communists may
be preparing for a long and costly campaign against
Long Tieng.
Elements of the North Vietnamese 312th Division--
which has seen little action thus far in the current
offensive--are moving long-range artillery and armor
into position for an assault against Bouam Long, the
most important government base north of the Plaine.
Rugged terrain and heavy airstrikes, however, thus
far have prevented the enemy from closing in on the
base in strength. The further commitment of signif-
icant enemy resources at this time points up the Com-
munists' sensitivity to guerrilla operations against
their supply lines.
EnemyPerations may also be under way to the
west.\ \tanks moving
westward along Route 7 near the government's base at
Phou Vieng, some 15 miles from the Sala Phou Khoun
road junction. ) that enemy units of
company size are deploying southward from the Muong
Soui area.
On the political front, Prime Minister Souvanna
continues to touch base with important civilian and
military leaders on the government's response to the
Communist peace proposal of 6 March. At a recent
cabinet meeting, there was unanimous support for
Souvanna's intention to take a tough line with the
Communists regarding a bombing halt in Laos. Souv-
anna will present a draft of his response to Souph-
anouvong for cabinet approval in the next few days.
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ISRAEL-SYRIA
Yesterday's seven-hour Israeli military action
in the Golan Heights was confined to artillery and
air attacks and did not take Israeli ground forces
across the border. A Jerusalem broadcast while the
attack was in progress clearly suggested that the
Israelis--who are concerned primarily with develop-
ments on the Egyptian front--want to nip in the bud
any plans Damascus may have to "ease the burden on
Egypt" by warming up the Syrian front. The broad-
cast hinted that such Syrian plans would risk severe
Israeli reprisal, noting pointedly that Israeli
forces, in their actions yesterday, "did not use all
the possibilities at their disposal."
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Israel probably now has about 6,000 troops
and some 100 tanks on the Golan Heights.
With these forces they could make a com-
bined ground-air attack into Syria.
Tel Aviv claims to have knocked down three Sy-
rian MIG-21s yesterday--bringing the total Syrian
aircraft losses since the 1967 war to 20; it admits
the loss of one aircraft, an F-4 Phantom.(
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COMMUNIST CHINA - NORTH KOREA
Chou En-lai's imminent visit to Pyongyang shows
how much Chinese relations with North Korea have
'warmed over the past six months. The visit, sched-
uled for early this month, was announced on 1 April,
several days after Peking's new ambassador was re-
ceived in Pyongyang. Aside from his brief trip to
Hanoi last September on the, occasion of Ho Chi Minh's
death, this marks Chou's first trip outside China
since mid-1966.
Discussion topics are almost certain to in-
clude Japan's expanding role in Asia, the
latest developments in Indochina, and the
possibility of additional economic assist-
ance. The two leaders probably will avoid
Sino-Soviet affairs. Pyongyang's steadfast
neutrality in the Sino-Soviet dispute was
the primary reason relations have been
chilly; the North Koreans were treated to
a dose of Red Guard diplomacy in 1967.
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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
President Balaguer's refusal this week to re-
sign from office may trigger new disorders. Seven
opposition parties have agreed to abstain from the
elections on 16 May unless Balaguer steps down.
Since Balaguer is a candidate, the opposition con-
tends that his resignation is necessary to ensure
fair elections. The President, whose term expires
in August, had earlier offered to quit temporarily
for the month preceding elections/
/He has vowed to stand for
election with or without opposition participation.
Faced with the President's hard-nosed re-
sponse, it is doubtful that the opposition's
fragile coalition will remain united, and
some parties probably will cave in and
participate in the elections. The presi-
dential announcement, however, will fur-
ther strengthen the belief of some fac-
tions that violence is their only effec-
tive political weapon.
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NOTE
Guatemala: In the face of a deteriorating se-
curity situation, President Mendez last night de-
clared a state of emergency. The government has
been highly embarrassed by the number of terrorist
incidents in the country and presumably now hopes
to deal more forcefully with the security problem.
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/ Mean-
while, the government has refused the demands of
the kidnapers of West German Ambassador von Spreti
for the release of 15 imprisoned subversives.
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Top Secret
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