THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 1 SEPTEMBER 1970

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005977657
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: September 1, 1970

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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A008700010001-0
The President's Daily Brief
1 September 1970
26
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
1 September 1970
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
In South Vietnam the Communists continue their shell-
ing; new infiltrators prepare to come down the trails
from the north; and President Thieu can expect con-
tinued strong opposition from the Senate elected on
Sunday. (Page 1)
Opposing forces in Cambodia continue to oscillate.
(Page 3)
Malaysian Prime Minister Rahman is turning the reins
over to his deputy, but little change is expected in
the mode of government. (Page 4)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
VIETNAM
On 31 August the number of Communist shellings
increased over the total recorded the previous -day.
In previous flurries this year, the number of inci-
dents usually declined on the second day. Thus far,
most attacks have been directed against the outposts
of the government's territorial security forces,
which defend the villages and transportation arteries
in the countryside.
A number of Communist units known to be
preparing for combat have not yet been em-
ployed. We therefore expect that the Com-
munists will continue more active than
usual for the next few days.
?A message sent by a major infiltration station
at Vinh on 28 August states that infiltration groups
will "start to go down from September 6th through
the end of the month." The message adds that the
groups will depart at a rate of one per day.
If each of these groups is a battalion
size--500 to 600 troops--the total Com-
munist manpower commitment for September
would run between 12,000 and 14,000 per-
sonnel. In the past, most infiltration
has come down in battalion strength, al-
though smaller groups also move through"
the system. A movement of this size so
early in the year is unusual; infiltra-
tion usually does not pick up until the
dry season begins.
According to nearly complete unofficial returns
from Sunday's elections, the 30 Senate seats will go
to the progovernment list headed by incumbent Sena-
tor Cao, the An Quang Buddhist-backed ticket led by
Vu Van Mau, and the slate headed by independent
Upper House Chairman Huyen.
(continued)
1
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
The apparent victory of the Mau list will
ensure the continuation of strong opposi-
tion in the Senate, although members of
the list are among the more moderate ele-
ments in the An Quang faction. The ticket
appears to have run even better than antic-
ipated. Its strong showing may strengthen
moderates within the An Quang leadership
and encourage the Buddhists to be more
politically active within the system rather
than to promote antigovernment agitation
in the streets.
Prospects for the government's legislative
program in the new Senate may depend on
how the Huyen slate lines up. The ticket
appears generally sympathetic toward the
government, but it contains independent-
minded men who will probably not vote con-
sistently with either progovernment or op-
position blocs.
2
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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CAMBODIA: Current Situation
THAILAND
.
th
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Communist attack!oN
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et overnm\e
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.6 ?Nt i.?.) 1\,..._:;?,..\.,."9 ......... f ?
(Sihanoville) %? ,
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OF
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SOUTH
*Saigon
VIETNAM
THAILAND
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o Princ.pal city (10,000 or over)
?1*Population over 125 per sq. mi.
Communist-controlled area
MILES
SOUTH
. CHINA SEA
?12
?10?
998629-70 CIA
50X1
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
CAMBODIA
A mortar attack yesterday on the army training
center at Kambol, eight miles from Phnom Penh, was
one of the closest yet to the capital itself. Far-
ther south, three battalions of government reinforce-
ments failed to retake the town of Srang on 31 Au-
gust, but on 1 September they were returning for
another try.
In Kompong Chhnang Province, a Communist force
? of tinknown size launched another hit-and-run attack
on the infantry training center at Romeas on 30 Au-
? gust. Government forces now are engaged in a sweep
operation near Romeas.
The first Indonesian shipment of 2,500 AK-47
rifles with 75,009 rounds of ammunition should be
ready for delivery to Phnom Penh some time this
week, according to Indonesian General Sumitro
50X1
that the remaining 12,500 AK-47s and their ammuni-
tion should be ready for shipment by the end of Oc-
tober.
3
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
MALAYSIA
Prime Minister Rahman has announced he is step-
ping down on 21 September and that his successor
will be his deputy, .Abdul Razak. The Tunku also
stated that Parliament will reconvene next February.
He said, however, that the National Operations Coun-
cil, the Malay-dominated organization that has run
the country since the Malay-Chinese riots of May
1969, will continue to function "to deal with the
dangers of Communist activity."
The Tunku's announcements reflect the Ma-
lay leaders ' view that a return to open
political activity, proscribed since last
year's race riots, is now manageable. At
the same time, the leadership clearly in-
tends to retain close supervision of na-
tional affairs through the Operations Coun-
cil. Malay extremists indeed would be un-
likely to accept any lessening of Malay
domination of the government.
Razak, long accustomed to being number
two, will probably tend to rely on advice
from the Tunku, who will not be averse to
giving it.
4
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VI.
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Top Secret
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