THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 17 JANUARY 1973

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993718
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: January 17, 1973

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010014-4
The President's Daily Brief
17 January 1973
45
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of ED. 11652
exemption category 5141),(2/.13)
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010014-4
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A0115-00010014-4
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
17 January 1973
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
A South Vietnamese tells us
that the Communists have established a special com-
mand for Saigon and vicinity in order to cope with
post-cease-fire developments. The new command is
to direct political as well as military operations.
(Page 1)
The North Vietnamese continue to move tanks, artil-
lery, and'supplies toward South Vietnam. (Page 2)
President Marcos today completed his moves to legit-
imize his one-man rule of the Philippines. He
signed into law the new constitution but said he
would continue to rule by martial law. (Page 3)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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Viet Cong Military Region 4
554009 1-73 CIA
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LOA I
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
SOUTH VIETNAM
The Communists have established a special com-
mand for Saigon and its immediately surrounding
area in order to cope with post-cease-fire develop-
ments,
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new command, designated Military Region 4, includes
Saigon's 11 precincts and eight adjoining districts.
the Communists are putting high- 25X1
level, trusted cadre in the administrative positions.
The new command will direct political as well
as military operations. Political agents are to be
given either "strategic" or "tactical" assignments
in accordance with their capabilities and access.
A new military division, probably made up of ele-
ments from existing divisions, will be assigned to
MR 4. An artillery regiment reportedly will be in-
cluded, and at least one infantry battalion and a
sapper company will be located in each district.
the Communists are also
setting up another command, which he calls the
"Eastern Nam Bo Military Region," in five provinces
lying to the north and east of Saigon. This command
is to provide support through Cambodia for military
operations in the new MR 4.-
1
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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CHINA
CHINA
BURMA
Gulf of Tonkin
:yinh
VIENTIANE
DMZ
ue
? %
5
THAILAND
Chan.c
HAINAN
Da Nang
BANGKOK
CAMBODIA
Gulf of Thailand
INDOCHINA
0 100 MILES
0
Capital Special
Zone
South China Sea
18
14 ?
Ii
554011 1-73 CIA
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
NORTH VIETNAM
The North Vietnamese continue to move tanks,
artillery, and supplies toward South Vietnam.
Over 200 tanks, the first of which began moving
south in October, are now spread from southern North
Vietnam to southern Laos. Intercepted messages in-
dicate that they are destined for southern MR 1,
the central highlands and coastal provinces of MR 2,
and the COSVN area. A small number of tanks had
entered Quang Tri Province by last weekend.
Over 20,000 tons of supplies and equipment--
about 40 percent of it ordnance--were moving through
the North Vietnam panhandle in December and early
January, according to intercepted communications.
Additional supplies are going through the Laotian
panhandle. Antiaircraft battalions in that area
have been alerted to protect large numbers of ve-
hicles moving southward.
2
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010014-4
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
PHILIPPINES
President Marcos today completed his moves to
legitimize and extend indefinitely his one-man rule
by signing into law the new constitution. He told
a "people's congress" of officials and civic lead-
ers,that the document had been ratified by the ac-
tion of local citizens' assemblies which have been
in session for the past week. Marcos assumed the
offices of president and prime minister, but said
he would continue to rule by martial law rather
than convene the new national assembly.
Marcos acted at this time in order to
head off a brewing Congressional chal-
lenge to his authority. Lacking any
constitutional forum, the political op-
position now has little recourse but
to bow to the President's authoritarian
course. Most signs point to a rising
level of public disenchantment with his
proclaimed "New Society," however. If
the trend continues, Marcos may find it
impossible to avoid further repressive
measures that would increase his depend-
ence on the armed forces.
3
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
NOTES
Chile: A two-day strike at the Chuquicamata
copper mineis the most serious of the growing pro-
tests over food shortages. The loss of even two
days' output at Chuquicamata, which produces 30 per-
cent of Chile's copper, means a loss of substantial
foreign exchange earnings needed to buy food for
increasingly short-tempered consumers.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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Top Secret
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