THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF - 1968/01/20

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 05974234
• Document Creation Date: July 27, 2018

Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 005974234
The President's Daily Brief
cret 20 January 1968
23
Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 005974234
3.5(c)
4,
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 005974234
104
)
1661�
\ NORTH
\ VIETNAM
.."\t
o
los
Demilitarized Zone
Nein.
-16
4440,7,
THUA THI
Nang
**1
1 CORPS
(1)
'THAILAND
S
Da
ng Ngal
Milgjor
TroopiCo
�
� A
Commun ist
/cent,' _o_tions
(13.t,SeVront)
Kontum�
PLEIkU
Duc Co
Nhon
PHU
BON
e AMB ODI
-12
PH1140
PENH
U0e
NH 1-0 G
L NG
TUYEN
Da Lat�
LAM DONG
KIEN
PHONG
KIEN
HAU
NON IA
TU ON \G\
PLUOG
TUY
-10
NO
P.14 Ou0l;
PHONG
DIN
VINH
BINH
GULF OF
- SIAM
101
AN
XUYEN
B(A......),UY EN
BAC-Li-ell
106
BINK
TUY
III CORPS
Capital Special Zone
198
II CORPS
RANH
OUTH VIETNAM
SE
50
75 i 100 We
75
16
12
10-
69357 1-68 CIA
Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 005974234
TOP RET
DAILY BRIEF
20 JANUARY 1968
1. South Vietnam
2.
3.
TO CRET
Approved for Release 2018/07/26 005974234
The attack on Pleiku airbase yes-
terday is one of many signs pointing
toward an early enemy offensive in the
western highlands.
this offensive will probably
be a series of widespread, coordinated
attacks against the strategic allied
positions noted on the map. There may
also be an attempt to cut Route 19.
The Communists consider Kontum
and Pleiku as a single command, the
"B-3 Front." � There are two major
troop concentrations involving at
least five North Vietnamese infantry
regiments plus extensive combat support
units.
* * *
There have been several bomb in-
cidents in Danang this week and leaf-
lets have been scattered about town
warning the population to stay away
from Americans. US officials in Danang
have taken precautions.
Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 005974234
3.5(c)
3.3(h)(2)
NR
NR
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 005974234
Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 005974234
NR
Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 005974234
Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 005974234
Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 005974234
1Secit
FOR THE PRESIDENT'S EYES ONLY
Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 005974234
/P-Segr�16et 3.5(c)
20 January 1968
' TOP _CRE,T
Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 005974234
Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
for the President's Eyes Only
20 January 1968
I. NOTES ON THE SITUATION
North Vietnam on San Antonio Formula: Hanoi
has not commented specifically on President
Johnson's State of the Union address, but on
18 January it broadcast a recent article again re-
jecting the President's San Antonio formula as an
unacceptable method of getting talks started.
The article is from the 15 January issue of the
Vietnam Courier, a magazine Hanoi puts out in
English and French for international consumption.
It offered an unusually detailed critique of the
US position. It said the San Antonio speech was
unacceptable because it called only for a "condi-
tional cessation" of the bombing. The article
claimed there had been no evolution in the US posi-
tion on negotiations since the President's Baltimore
speech in April 1965, The San Antonio formulation,
it said, specified three prerequisites for the US
to end the air and naval bombardment, and claimed
that this was a challenge to common sense. The US,
it said, does not have a right "to set conditions"
for the cessation of the bombing.
The article also repeated the recent "will
talk" statement of Foreign Minister Trinh and said
that this answered the question of what Hanoi would
do if the bombing stopped.
Mai Van Bo's 16 January elaboration of Trinh's
"will talk" bit is still being stressed by Hanoi.
The Los Angeles Times correspondent in Hong Kong
and Rarrison Salisbury both were referred to the
Bo statement by Hanoi in response to their queries
about clarification of Trinh's formula.',
3.5(c)
3.3(h)(2)
3.3(h)(2)
TO CREt
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 005974234
Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 005974234
Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 005974234
3.3(h)(2)
Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 005974234
Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 005974234
3.3(h)(2)
 Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 005974234
* * *
* * *
-Red Cross Visit Turned Down: Hanoi has in-
formeU-TET-TRTTYETMEWT-Ra�C7-6-ss that it will
not be able to accept the visit of Andre Durand,
the IRC's delegate in Phnom Penh. Durand has been
trying to get to Hanoi for some time in an attempt
to secure Geneva Convention coverage for US pris-
oners in North Vietnam. The North Vietnamese used
their standard excuse for rejecting the visit--
"intensification of the war,"
II. NORTH VIETNAMESE REFLECTIONS OF US POLITICAL
ATTITUDES ON THE WAR
Nothing of significance to report.
TOP CRET
-4-
3.5(c)
3.3(h)(2)
3.3(h)(2)
Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 005974234
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 005974234
cret
Approved for Release: 2018/07/26 005974234