THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 12 OCTOBER 1972

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993568
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: October 12, 1972

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011200100001-1
The President's Daily Brief
12 October 1972
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 58( I ),(2).(3)
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
12 October 1972
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
In South Vietnam, heavy fighting continues in the
provinces just north of Saigon amid indications
that a "spectacular" enemy move against the capital
may be imminent. (Page 1)
the planned Communist
strike south of Quang Tri City that was expected in
late August was frustrated by a combination of poor
coordination and allied pre-emption. (Page 2)
uapan
(Page 3)
Communist forces in Cambodia have occupied a number
of government positions along Route 2, but govern-
ment troops are making slow-progress in their ef-
forts to reopen Route 5. (Page 4)
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SOUTH VIETNAM
Heavy fighting continues in the provinces just
north of Saigon. South Vietnamese Rangers and lo-
cal security forces engaged an element of a newly
arrived sapper unit 12 miles north of downtown Sai-
gon on 11 October, and at last report the battle
was continuing. Another major enemy unit, the 205th
Independent Regiment, also moved into the southern
part of the province, and the forward command post
of the Communists' sapper command has been located
in Gia Dinh Province less than 15 miles northwest
of the capital.
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Enemy units, including at least one of battalion
size, have been seen in the southernmost districts
of Binh Duong Province. These forces were said to
be in uniform and well-armed and were under orders
not to engage South Vietnamese forces unless at-
tacked.
Noting this increased Communist activity,
General Weyand expects that a "spectacular" enemy
move against Saigon may be imminent and has ordered
special security measures.
1
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VIETNAM
We now explain why the Commu-
nists failed to launch their expected major strike
south of Quang Tri City in late August. The strike,
designed to cut off and defeat South Vietnamese
troops seeking to recapture Quang Tri City, appar-
ently was frustrated by a combination of poor coor-
dination and allied pre-emption.
an "all-
out offensive" had been planned for late August, fol-
lowing the arrival of two additional regiments in
the area. Some of these forces arrived later than
expected, however, causing indecision that resulted
in attack orders being issued and canceled several
times. the offensive was
finally rescheduled for 4 September. By then, how-
ever, the South Vietnamese buildup in the area just
prior to the final government assault on Quang Tri
City apparently caused additional delays and disrup-
tions.
2
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JAPAN
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Kompong
Chhnang
Bridges
destroyed
Kompong Cham
5.53706 10-72 CIA
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
NOTES
Cambodia: In the past few days, Khmer and
Vietnamese Communist forces have occupied a number
of government positions along Route 2 and now con-
trol much of that highway between the town of Takeo
and the South Vietnamese border. The Communists
apparently are trying to expand their supply corri-
dor that runs through southern Takeo Province into
the South Vietnamese delta. Most Cambodian troops
have now pulled back from the Route 2 area, and
only occasional South Vietnamese cross-border oper-
ations present any impediment to Communist logisti-
cal activities in this area. Meanwhile, government
troops in the northwest are still making slow prog-
ress in their efforts to reopen the short stretch
of Route 5 recently seized by the Communists. Once
the highway is cleared, it will still take several
weeks to repair damaged bridges.
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North Vietnam - Laos: The two aircraft that
bombed the Lao Government stronghold at Bouam Long
on 9 October were North Vietnamese IL-28 jet light
bombers. This is the third time Hanoi's aircraft
have conducted raids outside North Vietnam. AN-2
biplanes bombed a navigational site in northeastern
Laos in 1968, and a MIG-17 attacked a US destroyer
last April.
(continued)
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Burma: According to a Burmese diplomat, a
Burmese decision "to cooperate more" in combating
the illicit narcotics trade will be communicated
to Ambassador Martin in Rangoon soon. The embassy
notes that recently the Burmese authorities have
been trying to curtail opium traffic across the
Thai-Burmese border and placed the principal traf-
fickers under surveillance. The last two commanders
of the military region that embraces the main poppy-
growing area have been replaced because of their
protection of the illicit opium trade. Although
Rangoon may be renewing its own efforts to clamp
down on the narcotics traffic, any move toward joint
suppression efforts with the US still appears un-
likely.
5
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Top Secret
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