THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 7 APRIL 1975

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006014765
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: April 7, 1975

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The President's Daily Brief
April 7, 1975
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 5B(1),(2),(3)
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
I., Of IL A
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
April 7, 1975
Table of Contents
South Vietnam: President Thieu's intention to stay
in power has produced mounting dissatisfaction,
but there is no firm evidence of a serious move
to force him out. (Page 1)
Cambodia: Acting president Koy has made an impas-
sioned plea for supplemental aid as government
officials now realize that any hope of a com-
promise solution has vanished. (Page 4)
Nationalist China: President Chiang Kai-shek's
death will not lead to any immediate or dra-
matic policy changes by the Taipei government.
(Page 6)
Notes: USSR; International Oil (Page 7)
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
SOUTH VIETNAM
President Thieu's obvious intention
to stay in power has produced mounting
dissatisfaction in both military and ci-
vilian circles, but as yet there is no
firm evidence of a serious move to force
him out.
After taking a limited opinion poll, the em-
bassy in Saigon reports that most Vietnamese are
taking a wait-and-see attitude. They welcome the
departure of Prime Minister Khiem, but doubt that
lower house speaker Can is capable of forming a new
cabinet. Although Can is a respected and intelli-
gent politician, he is a close associate of Thieu
and has few contacts among the military. As a na-
tional leader, most
question whether he can
to join the government.
The reactions
may best reflect the general political situation in
the country. ef-
forts to persuade-Thieu to step aside in favor of
an "executive council" headed by General Ky had
failed. Moreover, despite
universal dissatisfaction with Thieu,
the President still had the trump cards and "he is
playing them coolly."
persuaae an impressive group
Military men are reluctant to move against
Thieu, because failure would bring disgrace to them
and reprisals against their families. Religious
groups, especially the Catholics, do not want to
take any action that would help the communists.
Thus, so long as Thieu retains
the loyalty of a few high-level military officers
and the police, his removal will not be easy.
The attitudes of South Vietnam's military lead-
ers will of course be crucial in determining the
government's and Thieu's durability. Former prime
minister Khiem's actions will also be important.
Although there are no reliable indications that sen-
ior military commanders or Khiem--a former military
commander and by rank South Vietnam's senior gen-
eral--are ready to move against Thieu, the feeling
seems to be growing that some way must be found
either to force Thieu from office or to persuade
him to step aside.
(continued)
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We have comments from three separate sources,
all made to US officials with the knowledge that
their remarks would be passed to Washington,.sug-
gesting that moves against Thieu could develop
quickly.' South Vietnam's press director, Nguyen
Ngoc Bich, told a US official on Saturday that reac-
tion to President Thieuls speech the day before
among "many air force officers" was one of extreme
anger and that there wastalk of a."bloody solution."
Bich interpreted these comments-to mean that -a bomb-
ing of the palace or an assassination attempt might
be made .shortly. He claimed that "all armed forces"
are now beginning to rally around former vice presi-.
dent.Ky,. but that Ky himself.is,not.among those
plotting violence.
Bich also stated that Military Region 3 com-
mander General Toan hadttried unsuccessfully all
day Saturday to get an appointment with Thieu. Toan
reportedly wanted to assure the President of his
personal loyalty, but intended nevertheless to ask
him to step down for the good of the country.
There are also indications that General Nam,
Military Region 4 commander, may be ready to end
his support for Thieu. According to Nam's chief of
staff, General Quay, Nam would support Joint Gen-
eral Staff. chief Vien in a power struggle against
Thieu. Quay emphasized, however, that Nam would
not take the initiative in such a move, but that
his support could prove decisive in any confronta-
tion between Thieu and the generals.
An initial survey of reactions to Thieu's
speech by the.embassy'reflects widespread agreement
with Thieulsscharges'of.US.abandonment... On-Thurs-
day, moreover,.a.special assistant in the ministry
of national- defense, Major General Nguyen Ngoc Loan,
warned that some attempts would be made to prevent
Americans.from-leaving.South Vietnam.
There was practically no fighting
in the provinces near-Saigon over the
weekend, but the' level of communist-
initiated military action increased
somewhat in the delta. Officials in
the delta are pleased with their newly
adopted blocking tactics, however, and
with the increased and more effective
air support. Some officials feel that
if the communists do not take Can Tho
in the next few days, they will have to
fall back.
(continued)
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10(4
106
NORTH
VIETNAM
168 lin
Demilitarized Zone
Hue'-}
Phu Bai
Airfield
?16 Da Nang.
THAILAND
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PHNOM PENH*
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Gulf of
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South
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Communist controlled
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110
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557634 4-75 CIA
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The South Vietnamese have reinforced their
forces defending Moc Hoa, a tiny provincial capital
just south of the Cambodian border in the northern
delta. Here too, the communists have been slow in
getting under way and their forces are being struck
hard by government air and artillery. The balance
of forces there now favors the government, and some
officials feel this battlefront could be the first
big test of the resolve of Saigon's forces in the
remaining third of the country.
The commander of the South Vietnamese marine
division, which was recently evacuated from Da Nang,
is-now regouping his units at Vung Tau along the
coast. One of the three brigades being reassembled
and rearmed will soon move closer to Saigon to bol-
ster the confidence of the population in the capital.
Parts of the airborne brigade that were brought
out of the northern provinces have been restingand
refitting at Long Binh. One battalion was sent on
April 4 to reinforce government units at Phan Rang
in Ninh Thuan Province. The government is still
holding small enclaves at Phan Rang and Phan Thiet,
largely because the North Vietnamese have been slow
to occupy these weakly-defended-areas of southern
Military Region 2. There have also been reports'
that the communists have not yet moved into Nha
Trang in force, but Saigon's military presence
there is weak.
Much of the South Vietnamese 2nd Division,
which fled from Quang Ngai and Quang Tin provinces
in Military Region 1, is now in Binh-Tuy Province.
The commander is encountering difficulties in reor-
ganizing the division's 4,000 or so troops because
they have been reluctant to turn in their weapons.
Some troops have been stealingand looting in the
provincial capital of Ham Tan, a seacoast city del-
uged with military personnel and civilians arriving
by boat from the northern provinces.
Hanoi, meanwhile, has begun flying transport
aircraft into the recently. captured Phu Bai air-
field between Hue and Da Nang. The North Vietnam-
ese have been flying helicopters into northern
South Vietnam for several weeks, but this is the
first time transports have flown into this area.
Hanoi is probably trying to move in additional
administrative and technical personnel to stabilize
the civil situation in the northern provinces.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
CAMBODIA
Acting president Saukham Koy met with
US Congressional staff members yesterday
and made an impassioned plea for supple-
mental aid. Khmer communist forces are
now reported to be about three miles from
Pochentong Airport.
President Koy said that a favorable vote on
the aid question would buy him time to arrange an
orderly surrender. He said that under the present
circumstances the "best feasible solution" would be
for the government to give in to Sihanouk's demands
and invite the Prince back to Phnom Penh. He en-
visioned tying the "invitation" to an agreement pro-
hibiting communist forces from entering the city
and allowing the continued delivery of relief sup-
plies.
Koy warned that the government would have no
choice except to surrender unconditionally if the
supplemental aid is not provided. Undoubtedly try-
ing to shock his guests, Koy spoke of the possibil-
ity of a "bloodbath" if the insurgents are allowed
to enter Phnom Penh. His comments indicated, how-
ever, that government officials now realize the
severity of the situation and that any hope of a
compromise solution has vanished.
Ambassador Dean reduced the US mission staff
in Phnom Penh to 58 persons over the weekend. An-
other 102 private US citizens remain in the city,
and the embassy has advised them to leave. So far,
none of the over 600 Cambodians on the embassy's
evacuation list has left. Ambassador Dean believes
that the departure of significant numbers of govern-
ment officials and Cambodian employees of the US
mission would be read as a sign of defeat and make
it difficult to complete evacuation plans. The am-
bassador is also deeply concerned over the possibil-
ity of major insurgent artillery attacks against
the capital in the near future and warns that the
"final extraction" may have to be carried out under
"hostile fire."
(continued)
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CAMBODIA: Phnom Penh Area
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The Khmer communists kept steady pressure on
Phnom Penh's outer defenses over the weekend. West
of the capital, insurgent ground attacks forced gov-
ernment troops to withdraw from two positions on
Route 4. Much military equipment was lost in the
withdrawals and 200 government troops are missing.
The front lines in the sector are now only six miles
from the army's main ammunition dump.
Fighting also increased on the Route-5 front
north of Phnom Penh. Government troops have given
up some ground, and US defense attaches report that
defenses along the highway and on the peninsula
just across the Tonle Sap River are very porous.
The communists also launched new ground attacks
against army units directly north of Pochentong Air-
port where they gained ground.
The US airlift operations continued uninter-
rupted over the weekend, although communist rocket
and artillery attacks damaged four Khmer air force
aircraft and wounded a number of pilots. Intercepted
messages continue to reflect communist preparations
for increased artillery attacks against the airfield
or Phnom Penh itself.
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NATIONALIST CHINA
President Chiang Kai-shek's death
on Saturday will not result in any im-
mediate or dramatic policy changes by
the Taipei government.
Vice President Yen Chia-kan was sworn in as
president yesterday, but he will be largely a fig-
urehead. Real power will rest withy the late presi-
dent's eldest son, Premier Chiang Ching-kuo, who
gradually assumed leadership after his father be-
came seriously ill in 1972.
The main points ofPremier Chiang's domestic
and foreign policies have closely paralleled those
of his father and there is little reason to expect
dramatic-changes now. Since the younger Chiang
assumed effective control-of.thergovernment, there
has been no weakening-of the-Nationalists' staunch
anti-communist stand or their claim-to represent
all of China.- Chiang has shown.no-sign of willing-
ness to reach-an accommodation-with Peking, and
there is little likelihood that his attitude will
change in the near future.
Premier Chiang, however, has placed less em-
phasis in recent:years on the."return-to-the-main-
land" theme with which his father was so closely
identified. He also has attempted to--obtain-greater
participation in the government by- native Taiwanese.
Taipei's ties with the US are-still a key. con-
cern to the Nationalists. -Premier Chiang. can be-
expected to try to. gain reassurance of US commit-
ments to Taiwan,-especially in the light of recent
developments in Indochina. Foreign Minister Shen
Chang-huan, in fact, approached the US ambassador
in Taipei on Sunday with a "private" request for
"some reassuring gesture" from you regarding US
"solidarity" with the Taipei?government.
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NOTES
A Soviet attempt early Saturday morning to
orbit a Soyuz spacecraft with two cosmonauts aboard
ended in failure
The mission was aborted when a problem devel-
oped with the booster shortly after the third stage
was ignited. A Tass announcement yesterday con-
firmed the failure and said that the cosmonauts
were recovered in good health.
ine spacecratt was expected to rendezvous and dock
with the Salyut 4 space station, after which the
crew would have boarded the space station for an?
extended stay in orbit.
The meeting in Paris of oil ''producing? arid 0011-
SUMitig '' states that begins today seems likely to be
a fairly successful affair.
Representatives of industrialized states,
developing countries, and major oil producers at-
tending the week-long session will probably make
some progress on both the agenda and the list of
participants in a major conference later this year.
A successful meeting in Paris, in fact, could be a
watershed in relations between the oil producers
and consumers and open the way to broader interna-
tional recognition of the economic interdependence
of oil importers and exporters.
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