THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 05974117
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: April 26, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 30, 2019
• Publication Date: November 13, 1967

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The President's Daily Brief
cret 13 November 1967
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DAILY BRIEF
13 NOVEMBER 1967
1: Vietnam
2. Israel-Jordan
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The American soldiers released on
Saturday by the Viet Cong are expected
to arrive in the US by commercial flight
this evening. Two of the men are in
fair shape; the third is weak,-, but has
already shown some improvement.
During their stopover in Lebanon,
two of the soldiers--Sergeants Pitzer
and Jackson�are quoted by Embassy
Beirut as saying, "The sooner we get
back to the Special Warfare Center at
Fort Bragg, the better." Sergeant Pitzer
said repeatedly that he wants to return
to Vietnam to continue the fight.
The Viet Cong's interest in getting
as much propaganda mileage as possible
from the release is underlined in a re-
cently received official Cambodian docu-
ment. According to the document, the
Viet Cong representative in Phnom Penh
told the Cambodian foreign minister in
late September that the prisoners would
be released for "humanitarian reasons,"
but with the ultimate aim of encouraging
US antiwar groups and demonstrating
that the Viet Cong had always treated
prisoners well.
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3. Congo
4. Greece-Turkey
5. Egypt
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6. Indonesia
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The meeting of the Organization of
African Unity over the weekend voted in
favor of repatriating the mercenaries.
It imposed stiff conditions, however,
including a demand for payments to the
Congo for the damages which the mercen-
aries have done, and for guarantees that
they will not be allowed to return to
Africa.
These conditions will probably be
rejected by the mercenaries' home coun-
tries. A period of extensive haggling--
with the mercenaries sweating it out in
Rwanda--will probably ensue.
The Greeks have put their air force
on alert, charging that the Turks have
repeatedly violated their airspace dur-
ing the past week. Ankara has already
rejected a Greek protest over the inci-
dents; it maintains that the flights
are for "training" purposes and that
they will continue.
Turkish motives here are still not
clear.
A seasonal rice shortage and re-
sulting price spiral may well create a
major political problem for the Suharto
regime. Suharto effectively blunted
demonstrations last week by youth groups
protesting high prices and corrupt offi-
cials, but continuing political pres-
sures seem likely.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT'S EYES ONLY
Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
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13 November 1967
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Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
for the President's Eyes Only
13 November 1967
I. NOTES ON THE SITUATION
North Korean Pilots: North Korean pilots have
resumed flight activity in North Vietnam after a
two-week hiatus. At least 13 Korean pilots were
detected performing
routine defensive patrols and practice intercepts
between 8 and 10 November. All of the activity
took place out of Kep airfield, which has recently
been restored to use.
The two-week lull in Korean activity may have
been caused by a number of circumstances. Phuc Yen
airfield, for example, was struck for the first
time on 24 October and put out of commission. Kep
airfield had been made unserviceable shortly before
that date. Korean activity had generally been con-
fined to these two fields. Korean pilots may also
have been involved in the movement of North Viet-
namese fighters to bases in southern China in re-
cent weeks. In addition, a new contingent of Ko-
rean pilots is believed to have arrived in North
Vietnam in mid-October. In the past, rotations of
Korean personnel have caused short lulls in flight
activity as the newcomers become acquainted with
their new, and often hostile, environment.
* * *
North Vietnamese Officials Visit Burundi:
Three North Vietnamese diplomats visited Burundi
from 3-9 November to explore the possibility of
establishing diplomatic relations.
the North Vietnamese also
sought to explain Hanoi's position with regard to
"US aggression" in Vietnam. Although the visit
was a private one and not at the invitation of the
Burundi Government, the North Vietnamese were re-
ceived by Burundi's president. We have no informa-
tion as to the results of the trip, but the North
Vietnamese said that they were leaving "feeling
very happy."
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II. NORTH VIETNAMESE REFLECTIONS OF US POLITICAL
ATTITUDES ON THE WAR
Viet Cong Thank Americans Who Participated in
Antiwar Demonstration: A recent Hanoi broadcast in
English reports that the Viet Cong's Committee for
Solidarity with the American People has sent a mes-
sage thanking the Americans who participated in last
month's antiwar week in the US. The message asserted
that the protests--especially the demonstration on
21 October at the Pentagon--"greatly impressed" the
South Vietnamese people. The Viet Cong also ex-
pressed appreciation to the "thousands upon thou-
sands of American youths" who destroyed their draft
cards or "encircled the military induction centers
for many days." The message closed with a predic-
tion that Americans in "yet greater numbers" would
take part in the antiwar movement.
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