THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 17 JUNE 1972

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993359
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: June 17, 1972

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The President's Daily Brief
17 June 1972
46
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
17 June 1972
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The Communists appear to be moving additional forces
into northern South Vietnam; otherwise, the military
situation has not changed significantly. (Page 1)
In southern Laos, government forces are trying to
retake territory, north of Pakse. (Page 2)
Sink Matak and some other veteran Cambodian politi-
cians have established a new party, which evidently
will oppose President Lon Nol. (Page 3)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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104
?16
?14
Tonle
Sap
?12
?10
THAILAND
?31
Gulf of
Thailand
104
553252 6-72
06
CAMBODIA
CHAU
DOG
Mekong
en
KIEN TUONG
AN
GIANG
KIEN
GIANG
DEC
PHONG
DINH
GHUONG
THIEN
AN
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NORTH
VIETNA
QUANG Tel
FSB Bas
LAOS
BINH
LONG
BINH
DUO NG
HA U
MGM!
VINH
LONG
KIEN HOA
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BA XUYEst)
BAC LIEU
MR 4
176
Demilitarized Zone
em
THIJA THIEN
PH LIOG
LONG.
LONG
KHANH
BIEN
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IG
PH UOC
TUY
QUAN NA M
QUANG TIN
QUANG
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Capital Special Zone
MRI ?
BINH
DINH
KHANH
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GAM
'RANH
South
China
Sea
SOUTH VIETNAM
170
3 178 MILES 1110
16-
14-
1 2 ?
10?
c it ? gr.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
VIETNAM
The Communists appear to be moving additional
forces into northern South Vietnam.
Government positions in MR-1 were subjected to
fairly heavy shelling yesterday. In MR-4, fighting
around Tuyen Binh district town in Kien Tuonq Prov-
ince has fallen off. somewhat/
Communist
forces were also active in parts of Kien Phong and
Dinh Tuong provinces.
a
1
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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LAOS: Bolovens Plateau Area
553248 6-72 CIA
? Government-held location
? Communist-held location
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
LAOS
Government forces are attempting to retake.
territory in the Pakse area of southern Laos. On
Thursday four,fresh.irregular battalions were-air-
lifted to. a?point.seven miles north of Khong.Sedone,
the provincial capital that was lost to the Commu-
nists in mid-May. These forces have pushed through
several North Vietnamese blocking positions An
additional four irregular battalions were airlifted
to the west of Khong Sedone yesterday.. The North.
Vietnamese have three battalions, together with
artillery and antiaircraft units, in and near the ?
town.
Government units have;also begun an effort to
clear, the Communists from the area northeast of
Paksa. Four irregular battalions that had been in
reserve along Route 23 are moving north parallel
.to Route 231 along the western edge of the Bolovens
Plateau and have now crossed. the Houei Champi stream,
This thrust 'should prevent, the North Viet-
namese from diverting their .9th:Regiment
toward nong Sedone and also reduce pres-
sure on the Lao Army units holding de-
fenses near the intersection of Routes
23 and 231..
The situation in north Laos remains essentially
unchanged. The Communists still hold most of the
major high ground positions northeast of Long Tieng,
and government forces have made no serious attempts
to dislodge them in the past several days. The with-
drawal of several battalions for rest and refitting
has temporarily reduced the government's strength
in this area. ?
2
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
CAMBODIA
Sink Matak and a number of other veteran-poli-
ticians on.15:June established a new Republican
Party, which evidently will oppose. President Lon
Matak will serve as secretary-general of the
party-. There are rumors in Phnom Penh that several
senior military leaders, including Defense Minister
Sak Sutsakhan,.intend to join,Matak's party.
The rift between Matak and Lon Nol has
slowly broadened since last March, when
Lon Nol jettisoned Matak under pressure
from students. Matak refrained from cam-
paigning for Lon Nol during the recent
presidential election, and last week he
turned down Lon Nol's offer of the vice-
presidency or an ambassadorship. Matak
may have interpreted the proferred post
of ambassador as an attempt by Lon Nol to
get him out of the country and thereby
deny his considerable talents to the op-
position. Lon Nol's relatively poor show=
ing in the election mast likely influenced
Matak's decision to go his own way.
The first objective of Matak's new party
will be to take part in the legislative
elections in September. As things now
stand,,the government's banner in that
campaign will be carried by the Socio-
Republican Party, which is directed by
Lon Nol's brother, Colonel Lon Non. Over
the 'longer term, Matak is intent upon
staking a serious claim to succeed Lon
Nolo He seems certain to be opposed in
this effort by both Lon Non and First Min-
ister Son Ngoc Thanh, who currently are
working together in the Socio-Republican
Party.
3
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
NOTE
Thailand: A Thai investigation of charges
that Chinese Irregular Forces in northern Thailand
are still involved in the ?narcotics trade out of
Burma has not turned up any substantiating evidence.
4
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