THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 05974277
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: April 27, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 30, 2019
• Publication Date: February 14, 1968

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The President's Daily Brief
Top Secret 14 February 1968
23
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DAILY BRIEF
14 FEBRUARY 1968
1. South Vietnam
2. Communist China
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The major Communist threat now ap-
pears to be centered in northern South
Vietnam. 3.3(h)(2)
North Vietnamese forces are installing
landlines along the Laos - South Viet-
nam border between the Demilitarized
Zone and the A Shau valley. The system
is not yet in service, but work is pro-
ceeding apace. Landlines would improve
enemy communications capabilities and
provide communications security for Com-
munist units stationed in these areas.
3.3(h)(2)
extensive
reconnaissance, maneuvering, resupply,
and battlefield preparation activity by
North Vietnamese forces against allied
positions stretching from Khe Sanh east-
ward across the Demilitarized Zone and
southward to Quang Tri city. North Viet-
namese artillery and infantry units op-
erating in the central and eastern por-
tions of the Demilitarized Zone are also
being heavily resupplied.
The situation at Khe Sanh base and
at Hue did not change overnight.
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3. Communist China
4. United Nations
�TOP
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Algeria has said it will challenge
Taiwan's right to the Chinese seat in
the Security Council when the Council
meets today. Of the 15 Security Coun-
cil members, ten voted for the seating
of Peking in the last General Assembly;
Canada abstained. Several supporters
of Peking on the Council, however, be-
lieve the question should be decided in
the Assembly.
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5. United Kingdom
6. Cuba
7. West Germany
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Treatment of Prime Minister Wilson
by the British press has improved as a
result of his Washington visit. As of
the middle of last week, the newspaper
concensus about his trip was negative;
most papers thought the timing was most
inopportune.
This changed during and after the
visit when the press noted that the
President had devoted more time to the
talks than expected and had gone out
of his way to emphasize the closeness
of both personal and official ties.
The trip is now seen as a clear gain
for Anglo-American connections.
A mass anti-Vietnam rally sched-
uled in West Berlin next weekend will
provide the first test of the Bundestag's
recent statements about keeping student
demonstrations in bounds. Embassy Bonn
believes that this endorsement of deci-
sive police action will assure adequate
protection of US facilities, although
minor damage will probably occur. The
Berlin mission concurs.
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FOR THE THE PRESIDENT'S EYES ONLY
f
Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
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16
14 February 1968
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Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
for the President's Eyes Only
14 February 1968
I. NOTES ON THE SITUATION
Hanoi Plays Down Tet Offensive: The North Viet-
namese are continuing to describe the Communist of-
fensive in South Vietnam as part of a longer term
effort.
An article in the North Vietnamese party daily,
Nhan Dan, on 13 February also suggested that the
curreET-fighting would not be the final Communist ef-
fort. The article referred to the fighting as "the
curtain raising victories" and called it an example
of "relentless fighting and of firm maintenance and
development of the revolutionary struggle."
U Thant's Talks with North Vietnamese: The
North Vietnamese apparently have encouraged U Thant's
efforts to bring about talks on Vietnam, but they
have offered him nothing new concerning their DOSi�
tion.
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Hanoi Allows Some Non-Communist Visitors: After
several months of denying visas to applicants from
non-Communist countries, Hanoi is apparently once
again allowing selected non-Communist individuals to
enter North Vietnam.
* * *
Hanoi Letter to General Westmoreland: Hanoi's
latest English language broadcast to US servicemen
in South Vietnam took the form of an open letter to
General Westmoreland. The letter ridiculed "false
optimism" on the part of the General and claimed
that his attitude did not fit with the fact that the
situation is growing worse for the Americans in
South Vietnam. The broadcast pointed out that the
General's "failure and that of Washington are as
clear as daylight," and that the lesson he should
draw from Vietnam is that "no violence can prevail
over people's war."
* * *
Yacht Phoenix Completes Mission: The Quaker
yacht Phoenix reached Hong Kong on 13 February
after delivering $6,000 worth of medical goods to
North Vietnamese officials at the port of Haiphong.
* * *
II. NORTH VIETNAMESE REFLECTIONS OF US POLITICAL
ATTITUDES ON THE WAR
Hanoi on Senator Kennedy's Speech: North Viet-
nam added a bit more to its coverage of Senator
Robert Kennedy's speech last week in Chicago. In a
domestic broadcast on 13 February, Hanoi quoted sev-
eral sentences of the speech and added that "press
circles in the US" consider Kennedy's statement a
"severe criticism of Johnson's policy." Hanoi has
not yet referred to the speech in its international
English language broadcasts nor have the North Viet-
namese provided any independent comment on it.
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