THE PRESIDENT'S INTELLIGENCE CHECKLIST 26 JANUARY 1962

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1961-1969
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005992161
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: September 16, 2015
• Document Release Date: September 16, 2015
• Publication Date: January 26, 1962

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THE PRESIDENT'S INTELLIGENCE CHECKLIST--26 JANUARY 1962
1. LAOS: MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS:
A. AN ENEMY FORCE, INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE NORTH VIETNAMESE
BATTALION, HAS OUTFLANKED GOVERNMENT TROOPS DEFENDING NAM THA, A
MAJOR BASE IN NORTHWEST LAOS, AND HAS REACHED A POINT A FEW MILES
SOUTH OF THE TOWN.
B. THE THREAT TO NAM PHA MAY BE A RESPONSE TO PHOUMI'S EFFORTS
LAST MONTH TO CAPTURE THE ENEMY BASE AT MUONG SAI, SOUTHEAST OF NAM
THA. GOVERNMENT FORCES IN THIS AREA HAVE BEEN PUSHED BACK IN TWO
OTHER ACTIONS IN JANUARY.
C. WE CANNOT SAY YET WHETHER THE ATTACK ON NAM THA WILL BE
PRESSED HOME, BUT WE SEE SOME POSSIBILITY THAT THE COMMUNISTS HAVE
DECIDED PHOUMI CAN BE MADE MORE TRACTABLE WITHOUT GREATLY INCREASING
THE RISK TO THEM. WE NOTE ALSO THAT CHINESE COMMUNIST INFLUENCE IS
STRONGEST IN THIS AREA, AND DO NOT RULE OUT A SPECULATION THAT THE
CHINESE MAY HAVE DECIDED TO UPSET THE APPLE CART.
D.
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VIET MINH STRENGTH IN LAOS AT ABOUT
9,000: 10 INFANTRY BATTALIONS TOTALLING 5,000 MEN, PLUS 2,000 ASSIGNED
AS STIFFENERS TO PATHET LAO UNITS AND 2,000 IN HEADQUARTERS AND SUPPORT
UNITS. THE CHANGE (UP FROM 5,100)
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2. LAOS: POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS:
A. PHOUMI TOLD AN AMERICAN OFFICIAL YESTERDAY THAT "HIS COLLEAGUES"
ARE ADAMANT ON THE DEFENSE AND INTERIOR CABINET POSTS AND THAT THE KING
SUPPORTS HIM.
B. HE PLANS TO SEND A NONCOMMITTAL MESSAGE TO SOUVANNA TODAY OR
TOMORROW, SAYING HE WILL DISCUSS ISSUES WITH HIM IN LUANG PRABANG,
BUT SAID THERE IS NO POSSIBILITY OF MEETING THERE AS EARLY AS THE
29TH, SINCE DETAILS SUCH AS SECURITY HAVE TO BE ARRANGED,
C. PHOUMI AGAIN CLAIMED RE DID NOT KNOW WHERE THE US STOOD, AS
"WE THREATENED TO WITHDRAW SUPPORT BUT CONTINUED TOGIVE IT."
D. PHOUMI DENIED RECEIVING ANY CHANGE OF ADVICE FROM SMUT SINCE
THE LATTER TOLD HIM TO MAINTAIN HIS POSITION IN BANGKOK LAST SUNDAY.
3. CHIANG EXPECTS OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE AGAINST THE MAINLAND THIS YEAR:
AMBASSADOR DRUMRIGHT BELIEVES CHIANG IS CONVINCED THAT DETERIORATION
OF THE COMMUNIST ECONOMY AND OF POPULAR MORALE WILL MAKE THIS THE MOST
FAVORABLE TIME FOR ACTION. PREPARATIONS FOR MAINLAND OPERATIONS BEGUN
LAST SUMMER SLACKED OFF IN THE FALL, BUT THE PACE HAS PICKED UP AGAIN
RECENTLY. DRUMRIGHT EXPECTS ANOTHER APPROACH FOR US SUPPORT OR FOR
GREATER FREEDOM OF ACTION SOON.
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4. SOVIET LIAISON OFFICER IN TIRANA FLIES HOME:
WE THINK HIS DEPARTURE SIGNALS THAT ALBANIA IS NO LONGER IN THE
WARSAW PACT, BUT IT IS NOT CLEAR WHICH SIDE SUCCEEDED IN PROVOKING
THE OTHER INTO TAKING THE INITIATIVE.
5. PUNTA DEL ESTE SIDELIGHTS:
A. EMBASSY QUITO SEES A POSSIBILITY THAT CUBA MIGHT PROPOSE THAT
THE CONFERENCE NULLIFY THE 1942 RIO PROTOCOL SETTING THE ECUADOR?PERU
BOUNDARY. THE EMBASSY FEARS THAT CUBAN INVOCATIONS OF THIS EMOTIONAL
ISSUE AS ECUADOR'S "ONLY FRIEND" WOULD MAKE IT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT
FOR ECUADOR TO VOTE AGAINST CUBA.
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D. THE BRAZILIAN AMBASSADOR IN WASHINGTON HAS BEEN EXTREMELY
BUSY SELLING THE BRAZILIAN POSITION TO THE US PRESS.
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6. REACTIONS TO SOVIET MEMORANDUM TO WEST GERMANY:
A. ULBRICHT IS CLEARLY UNHAPPY ON KHRUSHCHEV'S APPROACH, AND IS
HAVING DIFFICULTY TONING DOWN HIS HARSH LINE TO GET IN STEP.
7. CONGO:
A. THE SITUATION IN KATANGA REMAINS STUCK ON DEAD CENTER, IT NOW
APPEARS THAT THE GROUP OF MERCENARIES DISMISSED BY TSHOMBE WERE PLOTTING
AGAINST HIM; WE DO NOT INTERPRET THEIR DEPARTURE AS AN INDICATION THAT
HE IS GIVING IN.
B. THE USSR HAS ASKED FOR AN IMMEDIATE UN SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING
ON THE CONGO. AMBASSADOR STEVENSON EXPECTS THEM TO ATTACK U THANT.
C. THE UN HAS RECAPTURED THE GIZENGIST COLONEL PAKASSA AND MAY
CHARGE HIM WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MASSACRE OF STATIONS AT KINDU
LAST NOVEMBER.
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8. NOTES:
BOURGUIBA HAS
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ANNOUNCED THE SUSPENSION OF NEGOTIATIONS ON BIZERTE "TO FACILITATE
SETTLEMENT OF THE ALGERIAN PROBLEM, WHICH APPEARS IMMINENT."
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FURTHER ACTION ON KASHMIR PENDING AN INDIAN REPLY ON THE BLACK MISSION,
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C. KHRUSHCHEV IS BACK IN MOSCOW.
D. WE HAVE NOTED SIGNS OF SOME SORT OF UNUSUAL SOVIET NAVAL
OPERATIONS IN THE WESTERN ARCTIC.
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E. THE CHINESE ARE HAVING SERIOUS DIFFICULTIES WITH DISSATISFIED
FOREIGN STUDENTS,
F. AMBASSADOR ELLRIDE SAYS PORTUGAL IS "VERY DEFINITELY" RELATING
OUR UN VOTE ON ANGOLA TO THE AZORES BASE RENEGOTIATION.
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I . THE VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT'S ? INABILITY TO CONTROL THE VIOLENCE OF
THE LAST FEW DAYS ?.?WH ICH HAS NOW SUBS IDED? ?HAS STIRRED UP CONSIDERABLE
DISSATISFACTION .AMONG CIVILIAN AND MILITARY LEADERS.
J. THE GUATEMALAN GOVERNMENT HAS DECLARED MARTIAL LAW FOLLOWING
THE ASSASSINATION OF THE CHIEF OF YDIGORAS' SECURITY FORCE. .WE SEE
NO INDICATION THAT HIS GOVERNMENT IS IMMEDIATELY THREATENED.
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