THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 6 JANUARY 1972

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993065
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: January 6, 1972

T Declassified in Part- Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010300040001-8
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The President's Daily Brief
6 January 1972
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
6 January 1972
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The North Vietnamese evidently are preparing to
begin "phase two" of their dry season offensive
in northern Laos. (Page 1)
VietnaM
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(Page 2) 25X1
On Page 4 we discuss the recent reduction of Commu-
nist pressure in Cambodia.
London is still readying its forces for a hasty
departure from Malta. (Page 5)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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Luang
Prabang.
LAOS: Plaine des Jarres Area
AREA Or
MAIN MAP
Vientiane
\
61
Na K.,ha
-
Ban Ban '
seT ha Tam Ble ngN
phou Ph?i-
? eD fensiv,
? Line N
?
wha Dong
Targets for
enemy attacks.
,
Government
air operations center
Long Tien
_Ban Son
1,0 20 Mi es
' 10 20 Kilometers
_
: ? Government-held location
* Communist-held location
SECRET
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LAOS
A North Vietnamese intercept refers to attacks
planned for today as the opening of "phase two" of
the dry season offensive. Various highpoints between
Long Tieng and Tha Tam Bleung are cited as targets
for battalion-sized attacks.
As in the past, there may be some slippage
in the target date, but elements of the
North Vietnamese 312th and 316th divisions,
supported by the 866th Independent Regi-
ment, are in position to strike at any
time.
The government is continuing to redeploy its
forces around Long Tieng. Additional facilities have
been moved out of the Long Tieng valley, including
some tactical navigation aids. Lao Air Force T-28s
now are operating out of Vientiane, a move that sig-
nificantly reduces their time over targets near Long
Tieng. Two additional battalions from northwest
Laos arrived in the Long Tieng area on Monday and
have taken up defensive positions.
Some increase in enemy activity north of
Luang Prabang, plus the continuing threat
of new attacks in southern Laos, will make
it difficult for the government to deploy
additional units to the Long Tieng area.
1
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
VIETNAM
(continued)
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Kompong Thom.
VINH RACH GIA
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? FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
CAMBODIA
The North Vietnamese left the
Phnom Penh area and by 4 January had moved some 40
miles to the south in western Takeo Province. This
leaves
the Communist Phuoc Long Front within striking range
of the capital's outer defenses.
The pull-back from Phnom Penh apparently
is part of a general reduction of enemy
pressure throughout the country. The Com-
munists have not attacked in strength any
important government position for more
than two weeks. Although they have con-
ducted harassing attacks in the Tonle Toch
region east of Phnom Penh and in several
other areas, these seem designed to keep
Cambodian Government troops away from Com-
munist supply lines.
It is likely that the current Zull in the
fighting stems from the need for Communist
troops to rest and refit after two months
on the Zine, especially in the Route 6 and
Phnom Penh areas. The Communists may also
be trying to obtain as much of the current
rice harvest as possible.
We expect that sooner or later the Commu-
nists will again accelerate their offensive
in Cambodia. In last year's dry season
campaign, they engaged in heavy combat dur-
ing November and December, followed by
three months of relatively low-keyed mili-
tary activity. In April, they initiated
a new round of sharp fighting along Route
4, and another during May and June in the
Tonle Toch area.
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MALTA
Although Britain is being pressed in NATO to
reopen negotiations with Malta with an increased
financial offer, London is continuing to prepare for
withdrawal of its forces. Maltese civilian employees
have been given termination notices, and British of-
ficials have announced that the evacuation of mili-
tary dependents, expected to begin Saturday, will be
completed by 15 January.
The British apparently hope that the ad-
verse economic effects of their withdrawal
will put pressure on Mintoff to temper his
demands. They may also be seeking other
means to resolve the crisis, such as en-
couraging Mintoff's opponents.
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