THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 7 DECEMBER 1968

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1961-1969
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005976501
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: September 16, 2015
• Document Release Date: September 16, 2015
• Publication Date: December 7, 1968

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The President's Daily Brief
7 December 1968
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OW\ I
THE PRESIDENT'S
DAILY BRIEF
7 DECEMBER 1968,
1. Finances
2. Rumania.
'Warsaw
Warsaw Pact
3. France
The main Western foreign exchange
markets remain skittish, with investors
and traders skeptical that corrective
measures will work. Yesterday there was
a good deal of movement from the franc
and pound to the West German mark.
Things had improved for the French and
British by the time the markets closed,
but Friday's trading illustrated traders'
nervousness. They are especially jumpy
before a weekend, when most exchange
rate adjustments are announced.
A Pact summit meeting is planned
to settle details of military exercises
to be held in Rumania next year. The
Rumanian first deputy foreign minister
who passed on this information said Pact
staff officers reached no decisions on
maneuvers when they met recently in Bu-
charest. No firm date has been set for
the summit, although it may be soon.
The Rumanians have been sticky
about the whole subject of maneuvers on
their territory, and, while their lev-
erage is not great, this may explain
why the question has to be handled by
chiefs of state. We anticipate the
Pact leaders would also use this meet-
ing as a forum from which to answer re-
cent NATO statements on Eastern Europe.
Communist labor leaders are show-
ing a new willingness to challenge the
government, and this week took the lead
in organizing strikes in the automobile
industry. Their rally cry is that the
austerity program will wipe out gains
labor made last spring. This new asser-
tiveness contrasts with the cautious
tactics the Communists followed in May,
and seems designed to regain the ground
they lost thereby.
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4. India-
Soviet Union
5. Nigeria
The British, convinced that fresh
supplies of arms have indefinitely pro-
longed the Nigerian!civil 'war, will try
again to mediate. London now plans to
send a cabinet minister to meet with
Biafra's Ojukwu and with ,Gowon. The
minister will try to get them together
for direct negotiations. At the moment,
however, there is .little reason for
optimism. Ojukwu remains unbending in
his determination to keep Biafra alive
and Gowon is convinced his Federal
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forces can still inch forward to vic-
tory.
6.
Australia
"The fortress Australia concept is
no longer in the picture,"
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yesterday. The
Australian went on to say the cabinet
had just finished an appraisal of Aus-
tralia's strategic position and concluded
the frontier really begins in Southeast
Asia.
Canberra strategists will now be
preparing position papers advocating re-
tention of Australian forces in Malaysia
and Singapore after British withdrawal
in 1971. The Australians, however, will
still be looking over ?their shoulder to
make sure the US is behind them.
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7. Pakistan
Pakistani military officers are be-
coming uneasy, about the political situa-
tion and Ayub's leadership.
Ayub seems to have things under
control, and the army has heretofore
been loyal to him.
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Top Secret
FOR THE PRESIDENT'S EYES ONLY
.) Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
2.) North Vietnamese Reflections of US
Political Attitudes
Top Secret 50X1
7 December 1968
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Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
for the President's Eyes Only
7 December 1968
I. NOTES ON THE SITUATION
Liberation Front Communiqu?The Liberation
Front's top leadership has called for a stepped-up
Communist effort in South Vietnam, with special
emphasis on political tactics. A communiqu?
issued by the presidium of the Front's central com-
mittee on 6 December, heavily stressed the role of
the "political struggle" while listing the Commu-
nists' immediate tasks in light of the US bombing
halt and Paris talks.
This reinforces other signs that political tac-
tics are assuming increasing importance in the
enemy's over-all effort in the South. The Front's
statement is another indication that the enemy has
launched an accelerated political, psychological,
and proselyting campaign, probably with a view to-
ward improving the Communist position for a negoti-
ated settlement. It calls, in particular, for
strengthening and expanding Communist influence over
the people of South Vietnam through the movement to
set up a quasi-governmental administrative apparatus
in South Vietnam.
According to the Liberation Radio broadcast,
the communiqu?epresented the decisions of an en-
larged conference of the presidium held earlier
this month to review recent events and "set forth
tasks and trends of activity in the days ahead."
The broadcast indicated that high-level officials
from most parts of the Communist apparatus in South
Vietnam were in attendance.
* * *
Farm Supplies Being Shipped South: Internal
North Vietnamese messages show that large volumes
of agricultural material for the forthcoming rice
planting season are being sent to southern North
Vietnam. These messages show that at least a por-
tion of the large amount of goods currently flow-
ing south is not related to the war effort.
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? Foreign Shipping to North Vietnam in October:
Preliminary trade figures for October show that sea-
borne imports to North Vietnam increased by 22 per
135,000 tons in September to 164,000 tons
in October. This was the highest volume since June.
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II. NORTH VIETNAMESE REFLECTIONS OF US POLITICAL
ATTITUDES ON THE WAR
There is nothing of significance to report today.
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Top Secret
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