THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 1 MAY 1970

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005977432
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: May 1, 1970

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The President's Daily Brief
1 May 1970
26
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
1 May 1970
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The Cambodian situation is discussed on Page 1.
(Page 3)
In southern Laos, the Communists remain in control
of Attopeu town. The government is planning counter-
actions. (Page 4)
The Malaysian Government is bracing for possible
disturbances as the anniversary of last year's com-
munal riots approaches. (Page 5)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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CAMBODIA: Current Situation
THAILAND
Sam rang'
ttambang
Pu'Psat
?,K hem ara k
Phoumiriville
Siem Reap
Korn p n
Chhnang.
141
`Phnom Thbeng
eanchey
VC attack
expected-
it
Reportedly rKratie
held by VC
LAOS
\ 4
Possible? Bo Kheo
VC targets
Lomphat
IE
II
,, KOMPO GI
1
*irvar
A- M AL
, )
,
C hhlo ng
H A M
PR EY/VEN-G
* ? ...hrto_rn /
--.- . '.Pe-iiii 'Prey
, Fighting Veng
...---- goes onf /
Angtassom AKE?
/
Ta keo-t
?
\
\
\
tKA M POT ?
KaMpot
Sihan ',.;. Konipongbukvilte;,__, /
' . '..W.----W ?
Government A.
Fighting continues/
i. _ .
: VC attack ? sending ? '
reinforcements ' V
? I
,
GULF
OF
SIAM
60
MILES
Mim ot
Svay
RIENC
?
oul
? i
Senmonorom),
? Captured
by- VC
S 0 LI T ?H
\?Baigon
VC attack
Patrol) ?12
V 1 E N A M
SOUTH
CHINA SEA
?10
98386 5-70 CIA
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CAMBODIA
According to a fragmentary Cambodian Army mes-
sage, Communist forces are now holding the Mekong
River town of Chhlong, which has been contested for
the past week. The loss of Chhlong and Communist
interdiction of roads from Phnom Penh to the north-
east provinces have spurred concern in the provincial
capital of Kratie, where government forces are ex-
pecting an attack in the near future. Military and
popular morale in the adjacent province of Kompong
Cham also appears to have deteriorated following
the Communists' capture of Mimot.
Phnom Penh has also disclosed that the Commu-
nists recently attacked several army outposts and
patrols in Mondolkiri Province. r
In the south, fighting continues around Kampot;
the Communists also attacked a government battalion
at Kompong Trach, to the east of Kampot, on 29 April.
Three additional government battalions are being
sent from Phnom Penh to the Kampot area to reinforce
government defenses. The military situation at
Angtassom in Takeo Province remains obscure. Press
reports indicate that the Viet Cong have pinned down
several paratroop battalions occupying the center
of the town,
1
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501
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
On the international front, there has been some
slippage in the date for the planned Asian conference
on Cambodia. Although there has been no official an-
nouncement, Indonesian Foreign Minister Malik has
told the press that the meeting will be postponed to
mid-May from the originally announced 11 May. Yes-
terday the Indian Government made public its decision
not to attend the conference.
2
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
SOUTH VIETNAM
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Communist Military Activity
NORTH
VIETNAM
,
Mu Gia
Pass
uang Khe
137
Ban Karai
Pass
Dong Hal
25
5,0 Miles
Demilitarized Zone
T i
oven no
Bang P'eng
'Do Nang
THAILAND
Communist
rocket attack
akse 23
Bolovens
Phou
Harassed by Louar
Communists?
Plateau
VIETNAM
194)
Communists
holding town
Kontum
983905-70 CIA
CAMBODIA
Stung Tren
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
LAOS
The Attopeu garrison commander, who abandoned
the town in the early hours of 30 April, apparently
has escaped with some 490 of the provincial capital's
original 600-man defense force. General Phasouk,
commander of the southern military region, has or-
dered air strikes against munitions dumps inside the
town, which may result in additional civilian casu-
alties. A government relief column is trying to re-
take a fire base overlooking Attopeu. Meanwhile, a
neutralist army position some ten miles west of At-
topeu was being harassed by the Communists on 30
April, according to an intercept. The Communists
also made a rocket attack last night against the
town of Pakse, on the Mekong River; the targets ap-
parently were the regional military headquarters
and a nearby airstrip, but there was no damage.
The identity and number of the enemy
forces that attacked Attopeu are still
not known. It is likely that both North
Vietnamese and Pathet Lao units were in-
volved, but in less than the regimental-
size force claimed
General Phasouk believes that substantial
new enemy forces moved into the Bolovens
area in recent weeks, but communications
intelligence shows the addition of only
one small North Vietnamese detachment.
Phasouk is also claiming to his military
colleagues that the attack on Attopeu was
the first step in a new Communist offen-
sive in southern Laos designed to secure
the Se Kong River, Route 16, and sanctu-
aries in support of future enemy opera-
tions against Cambodia and South Vietnam.
The Communists may want to use the Se
Kong River more than they have in the
past, but it would be more vulnerable to
harassment than the already established
supply channels toward Cambodia and South
Vietnam via Routes 96 and 110.
Phasouk has used the Attopeu attack to
urge the return of southern forces sent to
bolster the Meo units in the north, where
there has been an extended lull in the
fighting. General Ouan, the Lao Armed
Forces chief, supports this request and
will recommend it to the prime minister,
4
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NOTE
Malaysia: As the 13 May anniversary of last
year's postelection communal riots approaches, the
government is casting a nervous eye on the Chinese
and Malay communities. Premier Tunku Abdul Rahman
and other officials, while trying hard to damp down
inflammatory rumors of impending violence, are also
drawing up contingency security measures. The or-
ganizational ability demonstrated by the Chinese-
dominated Malayan Communist Party last month, when
booby traps and pamphlets appeared throughout West
Malaysia to mark the party's 40th anniversary, is
adding to the government's apprehension.
5
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Top Secret
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