THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 29 DECEMBER 1967

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1961-1969
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005974196
• 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 29, 1967

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The President's Daily Brief
Top Secret 29 December 1967
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DAILY BRIEF
29 DECEMBER 1967
1. Cambodia
2. Laos
Sihanouk has been quoted by the
Washington Post as saying he would
"not intervene" if US troops entered
Cambodia in hot pursuit of Vietnamese
Communists--at least under certain
conditions. One of these conditions
was that he be convinced that the Viet-
namese had entered Cambodia illegally,
and in an uninhabited region. He in-
sisted that Cambodian troops would re-
sist any attacks on areas where Viet-
namese had been living for a long time,
as well as any "incursion" by South
Vietnamese troops.
? Sihanouk is said to have added
that, although he would not invite any
US officials to come for talks, he
would "gladly receive" a personal envoy
from President Johnson.
All this would be a major flip-
flop even for Sihanouk, and we have
no confirmation that he has in fact
changed his standard position, re-
affirmed as recently as two days ago,
that there are no Viet Cong in Cam-
bodia and Cambodia would fight to the
last man if South Vietnam or the US
invaded.
Small-scale skirmishing is con-
tinuing in the southern part of the
country. There is still no indica-
tion, however, that a major Communist
offensive is under way.
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3. Hong Kong
4. Nigeria
5. Rumania
Peking, concerned for some time
over the use of violence in Hong Kong,
probably hopes toning things down will
encourage other dissatisfied, but non-
Communist, groups to join in the "con-
frontation." Local Communist leaders
will probably try to carry out Peking's
directive, but may have trouble rein-
ing in their bomb-throwers.
The federal government plans to
announce on Saturday that all Nigerian
currency will be replaced sometime
next month. Biafra will now have to
try to sell its fairly sizable hold-
ings of Nigerian pounds in a hurry, and
probably at a steep discount. Up to
now, gradual selling of these holdings
has been Biafra's chief source of funds
for the civil war--which is still drag-
ging along.
Moscow is said to have "broken" a
contract to purchase oil drilling
equipment from Bucharest, and to be
pressuring Prague to cancel a large
order for Rumanian-made railroad cars.
This probably stems from Soviet irri-
tation over Rumania's "independent"
stand on important international, issues,
and more such economic reprisals may be
in the offing.
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Top Secret
FOR THE PRESIDENT'S EYES ONLY
Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
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29 December 1967
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Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
for the President's Eyes Only
29 December 1967
I. NOTES ON THE SITUATION
Hanoi Comments on President's Meeting with Thieu:
Hanoi radio's domestic service has broadcast a Nhan
Dan commentary of last Sunday on Thieu's meeting with
President Johnson. Referring to the joint communiqu?
Nhan Dan says, "acting on the orders of his US masters,
TY.Tt-O-F-Thieu shamelessly raved about his national
union policy." The article goes on to ridicule Presi-
dent Johnson's five-point peace proposal and to as-
sert that the Americans themselves have given the lie
to the "cheap, deceitful peace arguments" through "a
series of recent aggressive actions." Included among
these "aggressive actions," according to the article,
is the "urgent airlift" of more US troops last week.
Hanoi's international service summarized a
similar Nhan Dan editorial of the next day. The US
Embassy TE-Sal-On comments that Hanoi's practice of
tying conciliatory statements by the US with alleged
new US acts of escalation has become a standard way
for Hanoi to reject allied peace initiatives.
Red River Crossings: Photography of 15 Decem-
ber shows three causeway-pontoon bridges in place or
under construction across the Red River just north
and south of the recently bombed Paul Doumer Bridge.
The causeways run out from the banks and are con-
structed of rock and gravel laid across exposed sand
bars. Pontoon sections are added where necessary to
complete the crossings. One causeway-pontoon bridge,
located about three-quarters of a mile northwest of
the Doumer bridge, is under construction. Two others,
about a mile and a half south of the Doumer bridge,
are operational. The new Red River crossings are be-
lieved capable of supporting a moderate level of
truck traffic. The causeways should be serviceable
for several months until undermined and washed out
when the present seasonally low water in the Red
River returns to normal about June. There are twelve
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other alternate crossing facilities along the Red
River, half of them within five miles of the Doumer
bridge.
* * *
Heavy Traffic in Hanoi Area During Christmas
Truce: in Hanoi during the 24-
hour Christmas truce observed heavy traffic on all
roads in the Hanoi area and compared it with similar
high volumes of traffic which have occurred during
periods when inclement weather prevented US air ac-
tivity. observed traffic crossing into
Hanoi over what appeared to be two pontoon or boat-
borne bridges (apparently the causeway-pontoon
bridges referred to in the previous item). The re-
cently bombed Paul Doumer Bridge was in almost com-
plete darkness. Heavy traffic was also observed on
highways leading into Hanoi from all directions.
* * *
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* * *
Hanoi Sends More Students
to Europe: Despite
demands on
tinuing to
manpower reserves at home, Hanoi is con?
send large groups of people to bloc
countries
for training.
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on previous groups has indicated that many are being
trained in industrial and technical skills which
would be necessary in the postwar rebuilding of
the North Vietnamese economy.
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II. NORTH VIETNAMESE REFLECTIONS OF US POLITICAL
ATTITUDES ON THE WAR
The Front's Christmas Message to the American
People: The Liberation Front's radio on 24 Decem-
ber broadcast the text of a Christmas letter from
the Front's "Committee for Solidarity with the
American People" to the American people. The
letter contrasted the happiness of Christmas time
in the US with the misery experienced by many Viet-
namese--especially children. It praised those
American people who openly protest the war and
claimed that the coming new year will be marked
by an unprecedented development of the antiwar
movement. The movement, the Front message went
on, will demand that the US Government respect the
American people's wishes, put an end to the war,
and repatriate all US troops.
* * *
Hanoi Reports Antiwar Protest in Texas: Hanoi
in an English language broadcast yesterday re-
ported without comment a recent antiwar protest
in Texas. Quoting Western news sources, the broad-
cast stated that 55 members of the Austin "Com-
mittee to End the Vietnam War" held a one-hour
Christmas day vigil outside the President's ranch
"to protest against the US war of aggression in
Vietnam."
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