THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 24 APRIL 1972

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993262
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: April 24, 1972

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600200001-7
The President's Daily Brief
24 April 1972
46
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600200001-7
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600200001-7
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
24 April 1972
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
In South Vietnam, the Communists have eased their
pressure against An Loc, but appear to have begun
a major drive in the central highlands. (Page 1)
Political developments in West Germany over the
weekend have done little to resolve the uncertainty
surrounding prospects for ratification of the East-
ern treaties. (Page 2)
Bonn has agreed to defer the conclusion of a general
traffic agreement with Pankow until after ratifica-
tion of the Eastern treaties. (Page 3)
25X1
25X1
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600200001-7
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600200001-7
108 110
Demilitarized Zone
- \prong Ha
,TRI?
\_e
Da,tlang
lLrAtr-oZlij"1 ' MR 1
16-
Route 19
closed
Tonle
. C A M?*.B;0 D I IA
J
r
EnemylireSsure
-\
fifekon decreased --
AM
'RANH
f'HIJOC
3
Capital Special Zone
Gulf of .
Thailand
AN
XUYEN
MR 4
104 ` e
552913 4-72 CIA
108
14 ?
MR 2
South
China
2-
10--
SOUTH VIETNAM
1
MILES
100
110
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600200001-7
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600200001-7
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
SOUTH VIETNAM
The situation around An Loc north of Saigon
eased somewhat over the weekend despite another
round of Communist shellings and ground assaults
around the town early on Sunday-. Government units
recaptured parts of the northern section of the
town from the Communists. South Vietnamese heli-
copters were also able to fly Supplies into An Loc
on 22 and 23 April and to begin evacuating wounded-.
Government sweep operations south and east of the
Binh Long provincial capital yesterday produced
few Contacts, strengthening indications that some
of the Communist units involved in the recent fight-
ing have pulled back to regroup or have begun shift-
ing into adjacent provinces.
In the central highlands, Communist activity
is increasing. On Saturday the Communists in
Kontum Province began. hitting the forward command
post of the South Vietnamese 22nd Division at Tan
Canh with heavy artillery and mortar fire. They
followed up on Sunday with tank and infantry as-
saults, and they are now reported to have overrun
the position. The Communists also succeeded in
cutting Route 14 between Pleiku and Kontum cities,
preventing further movement Of a South Vietnamese
resupply convoy toward Kontum.
Route 19, the primary artery into the
highlands from the central coast, has
been closed for two weeks, fording South
Vietnamese reinforcements and supplies to
travel a long way around, using Route 14.
With both roads out, and with a limited
South Vietnamese resupply capability by
air, the two principal provincial capitals
in the highlands may soon start to run
short of food and other provisions.
In the far north, the Communists shelled South
Vietnamese artillery bases in both Quang Tri and
Thua Thien provinces yesterday, following up in
some instances with ground probes. They also at-
tempted another armor-led thrust into the Dong Ha
area. .In southern Military Region 1, a Communist
rocket attack against Da Nang air base this morning
injured at least eight American personnel. Else-
where along the central coast and in the delta prov-
inces south of Saigon, Communist activity during the
weekend consisted mainly of local force attacks on
government outposts, refugee centers, and land routes
1
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600200001-7
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600200001-7
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
WEST GERMANY
Political developments during the weekend leave
the prospects for ratification of the Eastern trea-
ties precarious. In yesterday's state election in
Baden-Wuerttemberg, all three major parties equaled
?or surpassed their goals and no other party won
legislative representation. As expected, the op-
position Christian Democrats won an absolute major-
ity--53 percent and 65 of the 120 seats. The Social
Democrats won 37.5 percent and 45 seats, an improve-
ment on their showing in the 1969 federal election
and in the last two state elections. Their coali-
tion partners, the Free Democrats, who would have
been satisfied with seven percent, won 8.9 percent
and 10 seats.
In the Bundestag, a deputy unexpectedly resigned
last night from the Free Democratic Party, leaving
Chancellor Brandt's coalition with a bare majority of
249 of the 496 seats.
The deputy presumably will still support
the Eastern treaties as an independent,
and unless his move triggers a chain re-
action, the good Free Democratic showing
in the election should guarantee the
coalition's slight edge on the treaties.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600200001-7
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600200001-7
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
NOTES
West Germany - East Germany: West German nego-
tiator Egon Bahr has told Allied representatives
that Bonn has agreed with Pankow not to try to con-
clude a general traffic agreement until after rati-
fication of the Eastern treaties. According to
Bahr, Bonn feels that in the negotiations so far it
has achieved its two major political objectives:
Pankow has agreed in principle to discuss relations
between the two Germanies and to improve inter-Ger-
man travel. Bahr said that during his talks with
East German negotiator Kohl on 19 and 20 April the
two remained far apart on the key issue of Berlin
travel, but that neither side was prepared to let
this issue stand in the way of a treaty. Bahr and
Kohl have two days of talks scheduled this week and
then will break off until the second week of May.
3
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600200001-7
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600200001-7
,
Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600200001-7