THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 31 MAY 1972

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993329
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: May 31, 1972

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010700280001-8
The President's Daily Brief
31 May 1972
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Top Secret
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
31 May 1972
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The situation in Vietnam is discussed on Page 1.
The Poles, after several weeks of silence on the
President's visit, have begun discussing the trip
extensively. (Page 3)
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China's campaign to revitalize cultural activity
appears to be gaining momentum. (Page 6)
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Kontum City Area
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VIETNAM
Kontum City is still being shelled, and enemy
forces still hold sections on the eastern and northern
edges of the town, but enemy pressure appears to have
let up at least temporarily. Government patrols
around the periphery of the city continue to en-
counter resistance, however, indicating that the
enemy is still nearby in strength.
The attacks against Kontum that lasted
from 25. to 29 May may,repreSent'something
Zese-than a maximum effort by the enemy.,
Two North Vietnamese infantry regiments
and two sapper battalions appear to have
been the main forces involved in these
attacks.. Three other infantry regiments
deployed near the city could be available
for. another stronger attack soon.
In the Hue area, the government's defense line
along. the My Chanh-River appears to have, stabilized.
The South Vietnamese'again hold essentially the same
positions-they-held on 21 May when the latest-round
of North-Vietnamese,assaults.begam., Enemy artillery
fire has recently become, less intense, although in-
tercepts. indicate, that an increase.is.planned.-
To.the.south, at An Loc, a sharp firefight is
under way near the main South.Vietnamese-command
post.in the city. Much of the enemy force that
has besieged An-Loc appears. to be shiftina away ?
hOwever.
US bombing has caused some foreign technicians
to be withdrawn from projects in North Vietnam. ac-
cording to intercepts.
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POLAND
Warsaw, after several- weekS of silence on
President.Nixon's-visit to Poland, has begun to
discuss the trip extensively in the. press and in
public speeches. (There had been no extensive
commentary since announcement of the visit on
19 April,.and no mention of it at all since 19
Mayt the day before,the President left the US.)
Premier Jaroszewicz said in a-speech on 27 May
that-Poland.will receive the President in. the
spirit of its effort to achieve understanding
and cooperation in international affairs.. On
Monday, a government spokesman disclosed some
of. thePresidents itinerary'and'said that Poland
attaches: great. importance to developing its re-
lations .withWashington.
The Poles apparently believe that, in
the wake of the successful Moscow sum-
mit, they can now discuss the visit
more freely. The full itinerary has
not been published, however, indicating
that Warsaw still wants to discourage
large crowds.
3
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HUNGARY-USSR
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CHINA
The campaign to revitalize cultural ac-
tivity, which has been-under way since
last winter, appears to be gaining mo-
mentum.
Last week an editorial appearing in Peking's
three leading publications put authority's stamp
of approval on an increase in creative work in the
cultural sphere. The current phase of the campaign
has produced a flurry of cultural exhibitions and
forums in Peking and most provincial capitals. More
importantly, the regime, as an indication of its
seriousness, has resurrected the slogan "let a
hundred flowers bloom," thereby calling to mind the
period in the 1950s when the party greatly relaxed
its restraints on intellectual endeavors.
It is clear, however, that Peking has no
intention of permitting the sort of un-
fettered intellectual activity that pro-
duced stinging criticism of the regime
during the earlier "hundred flowers"
period.
the present campaign has
the more Zimited objective of restoring
literary and artistic pursuits to the
level existing before the Cultural Rev-
olution.
Even these modest efforts are likely to
meet resistance from ultraleftists in
Peking who are unwilling to countenance
artistic expression that deviates from
the handful of model works popularized
during and immediately after the Cultural
Revolution. The tide seems to be running
in favor of raising cultural standards,
however, and criticism of certain "left"
policies that called for a "liquidation"
of literature and art is appearing more
frequently.
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NOTE
Kenya: Tribal animosities in the:army-are
coming to ahead. Nairobi is feverish with rumors
that a'"coup" by one faction or another is to occur
in the next fewdays, possibly eventonight (EDT).
The tensions are local, and basically arise from-
a drive for total dominance by the Kikuyu tribe,?
to which President Kenyatta.belongs. Members of
another tribe--the Kamba--have-long.been on top
in the military,,, and the Kikuyu want them
out.. One, way or another, the chances of some vio-
lent outbreak seem fairly' good.
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Top Secret
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