THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 11 FEBRUARY 1971

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005992473
• 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 11, 1971

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The President's Daily Brief
11 February 1971
48
Top Secret
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
11 February. 19.71.
PRINCIPALDEVELOPMENT$-
The impact of Lon N l's illness is discussed on
Page 1.
The situation in Laos is described on Page 2.
In southern Laos, the Communists are fighting rear
guard actions but they may be preparing to offer
stiffer resistance. (Page 4)
The Chinese appear to be preparing for: launch opera-
tions at the_Shuang-.cheng-tzU missile,test_center
(Page 5)
A Soviet naval force has begun another round of port
visits in Cuba. (Page 5)
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,
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CAMBODIA
The prospects for Lon Nol 's full or partial recovery
from his stro'ke may not be known for several weeks,
Lon NoZ 's younger brother, Lon Non, has told the
press that convalescence would last about a month
and that Deputy Prime Minister Sink Matak will as-
sume NoZ's office for the time being.
Matak is an able administrator and served as acting
prime minister in the early months of the Lon NoZ
government. Since last March he has been responsible
for managing the regime's domestic business, with
Lon Nol concentrating almost exclusively on military
matters. Matak may be in for some tough going polit-
ically, however. Increasing criticism has been
leveled at him recently by students, intellectuals,
and others among the government's key supporters for
his failure to stem inflation., and corruption.
He also cannot hope to enjoy the degree of support
from the military establishment built up by Lon NoZ
over the years.
As long as Matak retains Lon NoZ 's support, however,
he should be able to preserve the political unity
that has been one of the government's most important
assets. Moreover, as demonstrated when he Zed the
move' to oust Sihanouk, Matak is a skilled political
infighter who has the strong will necessary to keep
independent-minded Cambodian officials in line.
The acting prime minister may well choose to turn
over much of the responsibility for the conduct of
the war to Lon Nol's two trusted subordinates, Gen-
eraZ Srey Saman, Chief of Staff of the Ministry of
National Defense, and General Sak Sutsakan, Army.
Chief of Staff. It clearly will not be possible for
Matak to give the exhausting personal attention to
military affairs that Lon NoZ has. Although this
may, result' in some temporary dislocation and confu-
sion, it may also help to foster greater military
efficiency in the long' run.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
LAOS
The North Vietnamese have ousted irregular
forces from Khang Kho on the eastern approaches to
the Sam Thong - Long Tieng complex. The irregulars
?are retreating to the south; the full extent of
their casualties is not yet known. Enemy action has
also prevented the irregulars from recapturing posi-
tions northeast of Long Tieng lost on 7 February.
At Ban Na, continued heavy Communist shelling has
hampered aerial resupply and efforts to evacuate
wounded.
Irregulars have repelled an attack by about 100
North Vietnamese two miles southwest of Sam Thong
and a similar attack about six miles southeast of
Long Tieng. About 200 irregular reinforcements are
being airlifted into the latter area.
Northeast of Luang Prabang, meanwhile, govern-
ment irregulars-have been driven from their recently
reoccupied high ground positions, including one only
seven miles from the royal capital's airfield. The
North Vietnamese also routed a government, operation
to retake positions in the Mok Haw area 30 miles
northeast of Luang Prabang.
The Laotian National Security Council adopted
a resolution on 9 February recommending that Sou-
vanna declare a state of emergency and ?order general
mobilization in all areas except the Vientiane mil-
itary region. The council rejected the contention
of Interior Minister Pheng Phongsavan, who chaired
the meeting, that it was already too late for fur-
ther military moves and that the government's best
hope lay in immediate negotiations with the Commu-
nists. The cabinet is scheduled to consider the
resolution today.
(continued)
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
LAOS SOUTH VIETNAM
For now, the Communists seem in no hurry to contest
the South Vietnamese advance into eastern Laos. En-
emy units are fighting rear guard actions but then
pulling back to sectors where terrain and prepared
fighting positions might give them more advantage.
One such strongpoint appears to be developing a few
miles north of Tchepone, where North Vietnamese anti-
aircraft units have been digging in for several days.
Roughly a division of North Vietnamese regulars, con-
centrated in rugged terrain between the border and
Tchepone, may offer stiffer resistance, however.
These troops have not seriously contested allied
operations so far, but as South Vietnamese Zead ele-
ments move past to the west they could threaten South
Vietnamese lines of communication. This North Viet-
namese force was brought to division strength only
'in the last few days with the arrival of a regiment
that had been positioned in southernmost 'North Viet-
nam.
some Communist forces in South Vietnam are being told
that allied operations in Laos are opening opportu-
nities for accelerated military operations in South
Vietnam. Around Da Nang, where more enemy units than
usual seem to be preparing for combat, some fairly
ambitious ,local attacks could be in the offing.
There are also signs of increased enemy activity in
Pleiku Province aimed at keeping the allies from
moving into Communist bases in adjacent regions of
Cambodia.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
NOTES
Communist China: Satellite photography of the
Shuang-cheng-tzu missile test center's Complex B, a
large complex evidently designed for space or ICBM
launches, indicates the Chinese are preparing for
launch operations. This photography of late January
showed two trailers and signboards of the type seen
at the center before China's first space launch in
April 1970. A launch could occur from this site in
the near future but the general appearance of the
facility and the low level of activity in January
do not suggest an imminent launch.
USSR-Cuba: The Soviet naval force noted ear-
lier northeast of Bermuda (see The President's Daily
Brief of 2 February) split into two groups norti7757?
Puerto Rico Tuesday and has begun a round of port
visits in Cuba. A Kresta-class guided-missile
cruiser and a tanker entered Havana yesterday. A
submarine tender and an N-class nuclear-powered
torpedo attack submarine are south of Haiti and ap-
pear to be headed for Cienfuegos. They could enter
this port by early. Friday. The rescue tug and the
two nuclear submarine suPport barges that came to
Cuba last September remain in Cienfuegos.
5
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Tob Secret
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