THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 25 NOVEMBER 1968

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1961-1969
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005976479
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: September 16, 2015
• Document Release Date: September 16, 2015
• Publication Date: November 25, 1968

\
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600050001-9
.a
The President's Daily Brief
25 November 1968
23
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600050001-9
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600050001-9
THE PRESIDENT'S
DAILY BRIEF
25 NOVEMBER 1968
France
LATE ITEM
The few foreign exchange markets
heard from so far this morning report
trading is light. Both the franc and
sterling were up slightly in the West
German market.
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600050001-9
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600050001-9
;Jun
THE PRESIDENT'S
DAILY BRIEF
25 NOVEMBER 1968
1. South Vietnam
2. France
Thieu had some statesmanlike things
to say about South Vietnam's negotiat-
ing position.
--"The United States, large and
powerful as it is, cannot fight on
without the support of its people;
therefore, if the 'war drags .on without
an end in sight and we do not contrib-
ute effectively to its conclusion, we
cannot expect unending American sup-
port."
--"Reality forces us to recognize
that (the Hanoi leaders) are in fact
the government of North Vietnam; there-
fore, we must negotiate with them."
But, "we cannot allow ourselves to
recognize the National Liberation Front."
--"The present situation forces us
to strive for a limited objective._
Our 'limited objectives' are that the
North Vietnamese cease their aggres-
sion. We want a peace designed to last,
with effective international control
against reaggressiOn."
Thieu never said explicitly that
the government would not negotiate with
the Front, but he repeatedly and firmly
ruled out any postwar coalition with it.
The measures announced by De Gaulle
last night are likely to aggravate do-
mestic problems and, in particular, lead
to new worker-student discontent. Labor
spokesmen already are complaining that
workers will have to bear the brunt of
austerity. If budget cuts deprive stu-
dents of the new universities and facili-
ties promised them, then trouble in that
quarterAS:.a good possibility.
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600050001-9
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600050001-9
,
3. Balkans
4. Czechoslovakia
The political and military:situa-
tion remains quiet.
report no evidence of unusual
military moves in Hunaarv -and Buleria;
50X1
50X1
QUA]
E50X1
no unusual ac- 50X1
tivity in areas next to Rumania.
Yesterday a confused British cor-
respondent triggered concern with a
London Observer story stating Yugoslav
troops had gone on emergency alert be-
cause of an impending showdown with the
Russians. Yugoslav troops are not on
alert. The correspondent apparently
was mixed up over public discussion of
a proposed national defense law.
Cracks are beginning to show in
party unity and the population is be-
coming more alienated as the struggle
about Czechoslovakia's future course
continues. Over the weekend, party
leaders fanned out around the country
to explain unpopular decisions made at
the recent central committee plenum.
They were far from speaking with one
voice, and their comments reflected
the bitterness at the top where, as
?Slovak party chief Husak put it, divi-
sions are "deep and dangerous."
* *
50X1
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600050001-9
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600050001-9
5. Mali
6. West Berlin
50X1'
The new military junta is moving
Mali away from the radical leftist
policies of ousted President Keita and
into the ranks of moderate African
states.
In his first important policy
statement since taking power, junta
leader Traore reversed Keita's social-
ist commitment by pledging to keep
private enterprise and appealing for
?private foreign investment. Traore,
who has installed a provisional govern-
ment in which moderate civilians pre-
dominate, will be looking to the West
in general and France in particular for
help.
Tear gas and truncheons may be
called into play today if radical stu-
dents use the court appearance of one
of their leaders as a pretext for vio-
lence. The students seem to be look-
ing for trouble and the police are in
a mood to oblige.
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600050001-9
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600050001-9
Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600050001-9
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600050001-9
Top Secret
FOR THE PRESIDENT'S EYES ONLY
1.) Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
2.) North Vietnamese Reflections of U S
Political Attitudes
Top Secret 50X1
16
25 November 1968
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600050001-9
?
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600050001-9
;Jun
Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
for the President's Eyes Only
25 November 1968
I. NOTES ON THE SITUATION
Le Duc'Tho's Return: The tough statement Le
Duc Tho made at the Paris airport Saturday seems in-
tended to raise the propaganda pressure on the US
for forward movement in the Paris talks. As he
stepped off the plane after some six weeks of con-
sultations in Hanoi, Peking, and Moscow, Tho demanded
the immediate opening of a "four-party conference"
and refused to consider the next round of talks as a
"two-sided affair." Other Hanoi spokesmen have
pressed hard on this issue in the last few days, and
though the calls for immediate talks were not accom-
panied by any dire threats, their reiteration has
added to the noise level.
Tho's "summons" to the US was accompanied by
the boast that if the US does not comply with the
"legitimate demands of the Vietnamese people," these
demands will be won on the battlefield.
* * *
Hanoi Propaganda Efforts in West Europe: Hanoi's
propagandists continue to fan out over Western Europe,
reports a scheduled visit of a
North Vietnamese Red Cross delegation to West Germany
within the next few weeks. Some of Hanoi's propaganda ,
people in Paris have also invited West German organiza-
tions connected with the world peace movement to come
to France to meet with them.
* * *
II. NORTH VIETNAMESE REFLECTIONS OF US POLITICAL
ATTITUDES ON THE WAR
US.Youth.Activities: Hanoi Radio on its inter-
national service continues to play up domestic US ,
opposition to the war. In an English language broad-
cast, on 23 November,' Hanoi pointed to a 16 November
50X1
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600050001-9
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600050001-9
statement by folk singer Joan Baez urging American
youth to resist the draft. The same broadcast
cited a denunciation of US draft laws by a 16 No-
vember meeting of Catholic bishops in Washington,
and student protests at Notre Dame University .aimed
at CIA and Dow Chemical "recruiting" activities.
50X1
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600050001-9
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600050001-9
Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006600050001-9