THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 25 MAY 1966

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1961-1969
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005968329
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: September 16, 2015
• Document Release Date: September 16, 2015
• Publication Date: May 25, 1966

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24: CIA-RDP79T00936A004500160001-0
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
THE PRESIDENT'S
DAILY BRIEF
25 MAY 1966
1Or-S-EG-14E-1._ 23
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DAILY BRIEF
-25 MAY 1966
1. South Vietnam
2. North Vietnam
It was a relatively quiet day on
the political front. There were scat-
tered demonstrations in Saigon and else-
where, but none of them got out of hand.
Saigon is doing its utmost to exploit
moderate Buddhist leader Tam Chau's
call for an end to demonstrations "in
order to make peace with the govern-
ment."
- The US Consulate in Hue is still
under siege by a group of some 75 stu-
dents. They set up barricades and tents
for an all night vigil and are restrict-
ing access to the building. Local au-
thorities are unwilling to end this harass-
ment.
There are further reports of disaf-
fection with the "struggle movement" on
the part of officers of the First Divi-
sion in Hue. The two major dissident gen-
erals, Thi and Dinh, however, remain
adamant that Ky and Thieu must go before
there can be peace.
Chief of State Thieu confided to
Ambassador Lodge today that Saigon in-
tends no assault on Hue. Instead, he
said, the government will "blockade"
the city and try to reduce the dissi-
dent stronghold by psychological pres-
sures.
Initial reports on North Vietnam's
early rice crop indicate that it has
not fared well. Hanoi radio has admitted
difficulties during the harvest because
of manpower shortages, and no claims have
been made as to the size of the crop, an
almost sure sign that performance was
poor. The early crop normally constitutes
about a third of annual rice production.
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3. Soviet Union
4. Iraq
5. Israel
We are continuing to find more ICBM
silos under construction for the SS-11
system.
A first look at satellite photog-
raphy of 16-20 May--a particularly pro-
ductive, cloud-free run--so far reveals
about 20 more silos, bringing to nearly
100 the number of these silos we have
ferreted out within the past month. Most
of these were probably started since last
fall, but snow, cloud cover, and the
early stage of the construction prevented
detection until recently.
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I There are
some 350 Egyptian troops stationed in
Baghdad, but we doubt that Cairo would
commit them to support a coup attempt at
this time.
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Uganda
LAKE
KYOGA
KENYA
DEMOCRATIC
REPUBLIC 0
TAM CONG
RWANDA
LAKE VICTORIA
Kogero
?
91, TANZANIA
0 MILES
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6. Uganda
Obote's forces now control Kampala
and the King of Buganda's palace in
nearby Mengo (see map). The King's
whereabouts is uncertain, and he may
have escaped.
Dissidence is continuing in the
surrounding areas of Buganda, however,
where the struggle between the central
government and the proud Bagandan people
is likely to be bloody and protracted.
So far, none of the 760 Americans in the
country have been harmed.
7. Nationalist China Taipei is trying to stir up public
reaction to the US China policy debate.
8. Communist China
For the past month the controlled
press has been featuring editorials
blasting "appeasers" in the US. Scholars
and politicians have been rounded up to
sign open letters expressing "anguish"
over any change in US policy. Today,
the foreign office committee of the Legis-
lative Yuan began a series of three pub-
lic hearings on Chinese-American rela-
tions.
This propaganda barrage may well be
designed to bolster assertions by Na-
tionalist officials that the US debate
would provoke a serious public reaction
on Taiwan.
The adulation of "the thought of
Chairman Mao,!' which has been reaching
crescendo proportions lately, hit a new
high--or low--in:mid-May.
Two Chinese journals carried an ar-
ticle on the "philosophical questions"
involved in the sale of watermelons in
large cities. The article demonstrates
how the correct application of Mao's
thought enabled the author to overcome
"contradictions" and boost the sale of
watermelons in Shanghai by 79 percent.
The Soviets, whom Peking has accused
of being afraid to publish Chinese materials,
yesterday reprinted the article in its
entirety--without commentary.
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9. Rhodesia
Wilson's high-level delegation ar-
rived in Lusaka yesterday to reason with
Kaunda, who says he will risk losing traf-
fic rights on the Zambian-Rhodesian rail-
way rather than knuckle under to Salis-
bury's demand for prepayment on' Zambian
traffic. Rhodesia appears already to
be enforcing its demand, and Zambian
copper is reported to be piling up in
storage areas.
Kaunda says the delegation will be
wasting its breath. In the past, however,
the British have at the last moment dis-
suaded him from disastrous moves, and
may be able to keep him from persever-
ing in this course which would greatly
complicate the general Rhodesian dispute.
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TOP SECRET
TOP SECRET
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