THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 21 MAY 1974

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006007962
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: May 21, 1974

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The President's Daily Brief
May 21, 1974
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 5B(1),(2),(3)
declauiried only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
May 21, 1974
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
Britain's Labor government will soon be facing the
same kind of wage demands and strikes that brought
down the Conservatives. (Page 1)
Heavy fighting continues on several battlefields in
South Vietnam. (Page 2)
After heavy supply shipments and unprecedented road
and pipeline construction, the North Vietnamese are
in a better position to support their forces in South
Vietnam than at any time during the war. (Page 3)
The Soviets have replaced their naval force in the
Indian Ocean. (Page 4)
Fighting was at a low level yesterday in the Middle
East. (Page 4)
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UK
In office less than three months,. the Labor
government is Already faced with mounting wage:de?
mands and threatened strikes that are a direct chal-
lenge to prime Minister. Wilson's claim to have re-
stored labor peace. The nation's miners, whose work
slowdown earlier this year brought down the Conserv-
ative government, are on record As wanting to reopen
wage negotiations. In addition, the country's nurses
are threatening a nationwide walkout.
The real crunch between the government and
labor, however, is not expected to come until early
November, when Stage Three wage controls? expire.
Wilson will be forced to seek a new mandate from
the electorate before that time, or ?face the same
fate as the Tories.
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SOUTH VIETdAM
The South Vietnamese are meeting strong Commu-
nist resistance as fighting continues on several bat-
tlefronts. The sharpest action is north of Saigon,
in Binh Duong Province, where the South Vietnamese
are counterattacking against units of the North Viet-
namese 7th and 9th divisions that moved toward major
government military bases late last week.
Farther north, heavy losses on both sides are
reported from continuing battles over several vil-
lages in Quang Tin Province. There also are signs
that the Communists are planning a sharp rise in of-,
fensive activity in the delta provinces,of Military
Region 4.
There are varied motives behind the Communists!
attacks. In the Quang Tin fighting, they are trying
to re-establish control over territory they claimed
at last year's cease-fire, but later abandoned to the
government, In overrunning the government base at
Dak Pek in Kontum Province last week, the Communists
eliminated a lOng-standing Saigon Outpost deep within
their territory. The Binh Duong fighting has been
directed at.small outposts and villages controlled
by Saigon since the ceasefire, but held only by ter-
ritorial forces.
The Communists have used a mix of regular and
provincial forces in their attacks. Main force North
Vietnamese combat units were involved in the drive
against government bases north of Saigon, at Dak Pek,
and probably in Quang Tin Province. Most other ac-
tions during the past few days--the rocketing and
Shelling of government military targets and the ran-
dom shellings of several populated areas--were con-
ducted by provincial infantry units.
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INDOCHINA
The North Vietnamese are now concluding a highly
successful dry season logistic effort. As a result
of heavy supply shipments and, unprecedented road and
Oil pipeline construction since last fall, the.;,cOm*
nists in South Vietnam are now better able to support
their forces than ,at any previous time
During the past dry season, a.Major, North Viet-
namese logistic unit operating along Route .9:incjiorth.
ern Quang:Tri Province may have handled as.r4.40i4
40,000 tons Of ordnance. The bulk of the cargo
shipped along Route 9 was destined for CommUhiS,
Units in South Vietnam, although small amounts went
to forces in Laos and Cambodia. The ordnance, to-
gether With Supplies already in storage, is suffi-
cient to sustainheavy combat throughout South Viet-
nam for more than 18 months.
Over the past year, the Communists have con-
structed or upgraded more than 1,000 miles of roads
and added some 125 mile's of pipeline to the southern
Laos panhandle and western South Vietnam systems.
In addition to permitting near-year-round deliveries .
to South Vietnam, including the COSVN area, the re-
cent road 'Construction also has given Hanoi the abil-.
ity to resupply units in the coastal lowlands in
South Vietnam's military regions 1 and 2 by truck-
something they were unable to do during the 1972
offensive. Deliveries from Vinh to southern South
Vietnam can now be made in two to three weeks.
During the next few months, the Communists prob-
ably Will improve their logistic position further.
Construction and upgrading along the western Supply
corridor in South Vietnam is continuing. 'The'im-
proved road ndtwork in southern Laos also will en-
able Hanoi to move some supplies through this area
during the rainy summer months. However, during the
next few months the Cammunists probably will use the
western supply route in northern South Vietnam for
the bulk of their cargo shipments because more favor-
able weather conditions will prevail.
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NOTES
USSR: The Soviets have replaced their naval
force inIndian Ocean. The new group--the same
type Moscow has kept there over the past year--
consists of a Kotlin-class destroyer, two escort
ships, two minesweepers, and an F-class diesel at-
tack submarine from the Pacific Fleet. A Kresta
II-class guided-missile cruiser, now west of the
Canary Islands en route to the Pacific Fleet, will
probably join the Indian Ocean group for ?a few months,
as a Kresta II cruiser did last year. The incoming
ships are expected to go directly to the Soviet
anchorages in the Gulf of Aden, although two or
three of the smaller ships may follow earlier prac-
tice and make port calls in Iraq.
Israel-Lebanon-Syria: Fighting was at a low
level yesterday on the Golan front, as Israeli and
Syrian forces exchanged intermittent tank and artil-
lery fire. Israeli planes made reconnaissance
flights over the Golan Heights and southern Syria,
but overall Israeli air activity was low. ?There
were no Israeli air or sea attacks against fedayeen
forces inside Lebanon similar to those of the past
few days. Lebanese military officers reported that
a minor engagement occurred between their forces and
the Israelis when an Israeli patrol tried to "occupy"
a hill near Mount Hermon. Beirut also claimed that
Israeli forces shelled a Lebanese border post in the
same area.
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Top Secret
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