THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 29 MARCH 1968

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1961-1969
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005974353
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: September 16, 2015
• Document Release Date: September 16, 2015
• Publication Date: March 29, 1968

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The President's Daily Brief
-7orSevcge.L29 March 1968
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President's Daily Brief
29 March 1968
Israel
LATE ITEM
Four Israelis were killed this.,
morning by a terrorist mine on a farm
inside Israeli territory south of
Lake Tiberias. A US citizen?a re-
cently arrived volunteer worker?was
seriously injured. A Foreign Ministry
official in Tel Aviv told Ambassador
Barbour shortly thereafter that Israel
"must take action." Although the of-
ficial did not speak specifically of
military action, the ambassador notes
the obvious danger that the Israelis
will mount another reprisal. This is
true even though they acknowledge that
past reprisals have not stopped the
terrorists.
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DAILY BRIEF
29 MARCH 1968
1, Vietnam
2. Panama
Signs are accumulating in intercepts
that a new Communist 50X1
offensive may be imminent. In the past
few days there have been six references
in Communist traffic to "N-Day," the Com-
munist equivalent of D-Day. Dates be-
tween 28 March and 2 April have been men-
tioned. The last multiple references to
"N-Day" came just before the Tet offensive.
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We believe the heaviest attacks
could come in the central highlands, co-
ordinated perhaps with assaults against
urban areas and/or against military in-
stallations in the north. An offensive
in the area northeast of Saigon is also
possible. Our information suggests that
mortar, rocket, and artillery attacks
will be featured, although ground attacks
into towns cannot be ruled out.
The pro-Arias National Union yester-
day got out its biggest crowd so far, and
the result was the most. serious clash yet
with the National Guard. The demonstra-
tion--.a peaceful protest march by pro-
Arias women--drew 15,000 people. As the
crowd was dispersing, hoodlums and pro-
Arias activists went into action, burning
cars, looting stores, and attacking
Guardsmen. Two people reportedly were
killed before the Guard got things back
under control.
There may be more violence in the
three days before the Supreme Court meets
on the impeachment crisis. The Guard can
probably keep the lid on, however--al-
though at the cost of increasing popular
resentment.
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3. Czechoslovakia
Lt. Poland
5. Guatemala
Dubcek yesterday made his strong-
est affirmation yet of Czechoslovak sov-
ereignty. His assertion that "responsi-
bility for our internal developments...
rests primarily with...this Communist
Party" was a reply to heavy-handed East
German criticism, as well as to the more
tactfully expressed concern of other So-
viet bloc parties.
Dubcek made his remarks at a Cen-
tral Committee meeting which saw the
elevation of liberals to two key party
posts and the resignation of Novotny
from the party's presidium and secretar-
iat. Ludvik Svoboda, a military hero
known for his advocacy of strong ties
with Moscow, was named state president,
but he is almost certain to be merely
a figurehead.
Although the government forestalled
an open student demonstration in Warsaw
yesterday, student militants are still
demanding redress of their grievances,
including reinstatement of dismissed fac-
ulty members. They have been warned
that the government would equate further
disturbances with antistate activity,
but there are rumors that another stu-
dent rally is planned for next week.
PreSident Mendez has moved to re-
place the commander of the powerftl army
unit in Zacapa and the commander of the
honor guard in Guatemala City. He has
also fired his defense minister and per-
suaded the legislature to censure kis
vice president, and the commander of the
national police reportedly has also seen
replaced. Some of these men seem to
have been involved in anti-Mendez plot-
ting and may have been privy to the kid-
naping of the Catholic archbishop two
weeks ago.
Mendez is taking his politicAl life
in his hands in moving against the coun-
try's traditional arbiters of power, but
he seems to be getting away with it so far.
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6. Soviet Union
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7. Jordan
8. New Zealand
Fatah terrorists have come out of
the shadows and are now operating open-
ly in Jordan, They apparently control
much of the Jordan Valley, where Amman's
authority has almost evaporated. In
Amman itself, the terrorists--or hoodlums
posing as terrorists--now carry arms
and aggressively solicit funds for "Pal-
estine." Taking advantage of an unprece-
dentedly high level of anti-American
popular sentiment, these elements have
begun applying their coercive collection
techniques to US citizens.
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Top Secret
FOR THE PRESIDENT'S EYES ONLY
1.) Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
.) North Vietnamese Reflections of US
Political Attitudes
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29 March 1968
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Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
for the President's Eyes Only
29 March 1968
I. NOTES ON THE SITUATION
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* * *
* * *
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More on Front Interviews: The Japanese corres-
pondent who interviewed Liberation Front representa-
tive Nguyen Van Tien in Hanoi on 25 March continues
to publish copy on the interview. In the 27 March
issue of Asahi, Tien is quoted at greater length on
the accomplishments of the Tet offensive.
He claims that the COmmunists still have local
troops and guerrilla forces inside the city of Hue and
that the Communist-sponsored Revolutionary Adminis-
trative Committee is still functioning. Tien alleged
that Hue was virtually under a state of siege, sur-
rounded by Communist troops who were poised to strike
at "any time."
He also claimed that the Tet offensive had en-
abled the Liberation Army to "double its strength."
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Hanoi's Deputy Foreign Minister Off to Africa:
North Vietnam has opened up its drive for recogni-
tion in African countries by sending Vice Foreign
Minister Hoang Van Loi and a group of Foreign Minis-
try officials to Algiers. The Algerian Government
informed Western news agencies on 27 March that the
arrival of the North Vietnamese delegation was ex-
pected on 3 April as the first step on its tour.
,Hanoi seems to be after diplomatic recognition in
Africa, as well as political support for its position
on the war and negotiations--the same objectives it
is seeking throughout western Europe.
II. NORTH VIETNAMESE REFLECTIONS OF US POLITICAL
ATTITUDES ON THE WAR
Hanoi Quotes US Press: Although Hanoi's cover-
age of the US political scene has picked up somewhat
in the last two weeks, yesterday's domestic broadcast
quoting the North Vietnamese Army newspaper was an un-
usually direct and independent commentary linking the
war to the elections. More typical treatment is
found in an item on Hanoi radio's international serv-
ice on 28 March which leaned entirely on quotes from
the US press.
The item played up colorful sentences from US
news media on the war, which the broadcast described
as an "undeniable stalemate." The New York Times and
Newsweek were singled out as "demanding an end to
the present US strategy in Vietnam." Hanoi quoted
the Times at length on the transfer of General West-
moreiWird?and on the results of the Communist Tet of-
fensive. It stressed the alleged frustration the of-
fensive produced in Washington, the economic impact
of the war, and widespread popular opposition to ad-
ministration policies in Vietnam.
Hanoi Cites Antiwar Petition: Hanoi radio's
? international service yesterday cited "reports from
Washington" that "more than 1,500 American public
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servants have signed a petition to US President
Johnson demanding an end to the US dirty war in
Vietnam." Among other things, the broadcast also
noted the Illinois attorney general's recent ex-
pression of "anxiety over the aggressive policy
pursued by Johnson and company," a speech by Mayor
Lindsay opposing "foolish escalation," and John
Kenneth Galbraith's recent address in which, ac-
cording to Hanoi, he "demanded a cessation of the
US war in Vietnam."
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Hanoi Broadcasts US Serviceman's "Appeal":
Hanoi's English language broadcast to American
servicemen in South Vietnam on 27 March carried
an "appeal" by one "McKinley Nolan," who was de-
scribed as a US enlisted man who defected from
the 1st Infantry Division. The American-accented
voice claiming to be Nolan said he had been treated
well and went on to give a standard Communist spiel
on the war. The "appeal" closed with a suggestion
that US troops ask to return to the US. Once home
they were admonished not to interfere with the
?antiwar demonstrators "who are rising up to over-
throw the American Government."
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