THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 10 APRIL 1972

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993238
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: April 10, 1972

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,
The President's Daily Brief
10 April 1972
46
Top Secret
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
10 April 1972
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
We report on the current military situation in South
Vietnam on Page 1.
The deadlock continues around Long Tieng, but the
Communists appear to be preparing for another as-
sault on government positions. (Page 2)
On Page 3 we discuss the 15-year Soviet-Iraqi friend-
ship treaty signed yesterday.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
SOUTH VIETNAM
Communist forces, apparently including tanks,
are continuing to advance on An Loc, the capital of
Binh Long Province some 60 miles north of Saigon.
US pilots have reported sighting at least nine bat-
talion-sized formations which appear to be preparing
for imminent assaults on the town. Communications
intelligence confirms that one regiment of the Com-
munist 9th Division and two regiments of the 7th
Division are in Binh Long. In an effort to blunt
the enemy drive, the South Vietnamese commander in
Military Region 3, General Minh, has augmented his
forces in Binh Long with an airborne unit from Sai-
gon as well as the 21st Infantry Division from the
delta.
In the far northern provinces, the Communists
resumed their attacks over the weekend on the South
Vietnamese lines defending Dong Ha, Quang Tri city,
and Hue. The government troops are still holding
against this pressure. The Communists have also
shelled positions in southeastern Quang Tri Prov-
ince, possibly to mask a movement by North Vietnam-
ese forces that have been trying--thus far unsuc-
cessfully--to get south of the provincial capital.
North Vietnamese Army units have mounted
most of the attacks so far, but Communist
local forces and sapper units are beginning
to play an increased role, both in support
of the main force assaults and in harassing
South Vietnamese troop and supply movements.
Further evidence of this is the number of
bridges now, being destroyed in many parts
of the country as well as the increased
ambushes of government ebnvoys heading
for battle zones. Guerrilla and sapper
units are also responsible for much of
the sharp rise in activity in the delta
provinces south of Saigon.
1
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
LAOS
North Vietnamese and government forces remain
deadlocked at Long Tieng. For the past week enemy
action has consisted largely of shelling attacks--
directed principally at government fire support
bases--and small probes. Irregular forces now con-
trol five of the nine major positions on Skyline
Ridge, while the other four are unoccupied because
neither side has been able to hold them in the face
of heavy artillery fire.
The Communists' main force--composed of elements
of seven infantry regiments with artillery, anti-
aircraft, and armor units?remains dug in around Long
Tieng, anclintercepts continue to refer to plans for
new attacks. US-pilots report that the Communists:
are making heavy use of the new road from the Plaine
des Jarres to Sam Thong and that they have sighted
tank tracks along the road betweenSam Thong and
Long Tieng. The pilots also report. that the North
Vietnamese appeat.to be,moving their anti-aircraft
weapons closer to Long Tieng.
In preparing for another attack on Long
Tieng, the North Vietnamese undoubtedly
realize that time is beginning to run out
and that they must either take the base in
the next few weeks before the heavy rains
or begin pulling back. Their failure so
far to take advantage of the diversion of
US air strikes to South Vietnam suggests,
however, that they are encountering sig-
nificant difficulties in readying their
forces for the attack.
The diversionary task forces that Vang.Pao
has-had operating north and east. of the Plaine for
nearly a month are withdrawing. They did. not Suc-
ceed in disrupting North Vietnamese rear supply
lines nor did they cause any enemyforces to pull
back from the Long Tieng. area.
In the south, government forces are making
gains in their effort to clear. North Vietnamese
units from the western,edge.of the Bolovens Plateau.
Irregular units east of Pakse on Route 23 recap-
tured Ban Gnik on Saturday against limited enemy
resistance.
We expect that the North Vietnamese forces
in the 'area--consisting of. elements of two
regiments-will,stiffen-their defenses if
the government forces continue farther east
toward Paksong.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
USSR IRAQ
The signing of a 15-year Treaty of Friendship and
Cooperation yesterday was '-a major step in Moscow's
effort to establish.a political position in t,he Mid-
dZe East:independent of the demands. of the Arab-Is-
raeli conflict and the. Soviet presence in Egypt!
The treaty's military aspect,.provding for continued
cooperation in "strengthening the defenSe capabili-
ties" of each country, falls somewhere between Mos-
cow's similar pacts with India and Egypt concluded
last year. The Indian treaty hqd'no defensecommit-
ment, but the Soviets and Egyptians agreed to develop
military cooperation and the Soviets specifically
agreed to "assist in training Egyptian military per-
sonnel."' None of the treaties provides for mutual
assistance or military coordination in the event of
hostilities.
Although -Egypt remains .central to Soviet policy in
the Middle East, the Iraqi treaty provides one.more
sign that Moscow is intent on cultivatins additional
assets in the area
For Iraq, winch receives
nearly all its military equipment from the USSR, the
treaty marks a further edging away from isolation
within the Arab world as Baghdad seeks support
against Iranian ambitions in the Persian Gulf.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
NOTES
? USSR-Vietnam: The Soviets are sticking to their
gingerly approach in commenting on the current fight-
ing, and are yet to issue a serious, authoritative
statement. On Saturday TASS carried a low-key report
on Secretary Laird's press conference of the previous
day and avoided any mention of the Secretary's re-
marks concerning the Soviet role in the conflict.
The dispatch routinely criticized US actions against
North Vietnam. Also on Saturday a low-level article
in Pravda criticized "the Pentagon" for increasing
its "aggression" in Vietnam.
USSR:
Pakistan; The rift between President Bhutto
and his Faripolitical opposition-is growing. Over
the-weekend a spokesman for Bhutto's party announced
that last month.'s agreement between Bhutto and Wali
Khan,'leader of the opposition coalition in the two
western border provinces, had broken down. Yester-
day Wali. rejected a new proposal, on. governing the
provinces and extending martial law.' When the Na-
tional Assembly convenes this Friday Bhutto seems
likely.to have the votes he needs-to.extend-martial
law,:but Wali is capable of fomenting considerable-
unrest-in border areas if he wants to do so.
? Tanzania: The assassination of Abeid Karume,
Vice President of Tanzania and dictator of the au-
tonomous off-shore island' of- Zanzibar, late Friday
does:not appear to have been part of a.general coup
attempt and Karume's Revolutionary Council remains
in-control., Karume's death will improve President
Nyerere's chances of tightening Zanzibar's loose
ties-with:the mainlancl, for the island's new rulers
can scarcely be as obstinate-as was Karume during
the eight-. years of federation.
4
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
2E251
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