THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 20 MARCH 1975

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006014750
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 18
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: March 20, 1975

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The President's Daily Brief
GM.
March 20, 1975
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Exempt (torn general
declassification schedule of EO. 11652
exemption category 513( ),125,(3)
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
March 20, 1975
Table of Contents
Vietnam: The government has abandoned Quang Tri
Province, following a series of communist at-
tacks. (Page 1)
Cambodia: Neak Luong continues under heavy pres-
sure, but ground action around Phnom Penh re-
mains inconclusive. (Page 4)
Mexico:
(Page 5)
China - Nationalist China: China has announced
that it will grant amnesty to nearly 300 im-
prisoned Nationalist "war criminals"; the
move is probably designed to signal Peking's
desire for a negotiated settlement of the
Taiwan matter. (Page 6)
USSR:
are moving ahead with
(Page 7)
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the Soviets 25X1
their SS-19 ?CBM program.
Thailand: Khukrit Pramot's new coalition government
is likely to be unstable. (Page 8)
France-NATO: Paris is looking for ways to increase
cooperation with NATO. (Page 9)
Note: Turkey (Page 20)
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NORTH VIETNAM
Military Region 1
Demilitarized Zone
SOUTH VIETNAM
South China Sea
C\)
o 25 5p Miles
I
0 25 50 Kilometers
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
VIETNAM
The government has abandoned Quang
Tri Province, following a series of com-
munist attacks.
A large North Vietnamese force, supported by
tanks, yesterday attacked government outposts along
Route 1 in eastern Quang Tri Province. The region
commander had pulled out most of his regulars the
previous day, and South Vietnamese regional forces
reportedly gave up their positions after offering
only token resistance. The local commander hopes
to rally his troops and make a stand at the My
Chanh River, which separates Quang Tri and Thua
Thien provinces. The government built extensive
defenses in this area after the cease-fire in 1973.
The region commander has also ordered the evac-
uation of civilians from the province. Except for
a few thousand civilians who have relatives living
in communist-held areas, the evacuation was nearly
completed by Wednesday evening. Most of the refu-
gees are going to Hue.
The government is realigning its remaining
forces in Thua Thien and Quang Nam provinces. A
ranger group, supported by tanks and artillery,
holds positions just south of the My Chanh River.
The South Vietnamese 1st Division is located on the
high ground along Route 1 between the Bo River and
Hai Van Pass, and the one remaining marine brigade
in Thua Thien Province occupies defenses just south
of Hue.
The region commander already had shifted sev-
eral of his marine brigades south for the defense
of Da Nang and the lowlands of eastern Quang Nam
Province. Preliminary reporting indicates the
South Vietnamese are now moving much of their heavy
artillery and armor from Hue to Da Nang.
The loss of this firepower will make it diffi-
cult to defend Hue. The communists have more than
two full divisions supported by armor, artillery,
and air defense units in the area. Recent report-
ing clearly indicates the North Vietnamese plan to
attack the city this month. They began intermittent
shelling of the city late yesterday.
(continued)
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Demilitarized Zone
Gulf of
Thailand
104
Capital Special Zone
196 198
South
China
SOUTH VIETNAM
190
MILES
.-?
557508 3-75
?
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
In the central highlands, a government mili-
tary convoy from Kontum and Pleiku cities has reached
a river in Phu Yen Province, but is having difficulty
crossing because a bridge is out. So far, the col-
umn has not been harassed by communist forces, but
there are reports that North Vietnamese units are
moving into position to attack. Remnants of the
South Vietnamese 23rd Division have reached western
Khanh Hoa Province, but it is not yet clear how much
of the division will get out of Darlac Province. An
airborne brigade, which was to have been brought in
from Military Region 1, will be moved into western
Khanh Hoa to hold a strategic mountain pass and pre-
vent the communists from moving into the lowlands.
North of Saigon, government troops are proceed-
ing with the evacuation of Binh Long Province. Sev-
eral units and a dozen 105-mm. howitzers were to be
flown out by today, and other units will attempt to
move south on Route 13. South Vietnamese units have
made little progress in their drive to push enemy
troops away from Route 1 in the southern part of the
province. A recent rallier has reported that commu-
nist units, including the 3rd and 5th divisions, have
been ordered to capture Tay Ninh City during the cur-
rent offensive. So far, the communists have not made
a frontal assault on the city.
Although the communists initially did not block
the flight of refugees from the highlands and other
areas being evacuated by government forces, they now
seem to be threatening to prevent the civilian pop-
ulation's exodus. The Viet Cong's Liberation Radio
has issued an appeal to "compatriots" in the central
highlands to stay in their homelands and "build a
new life." The communists regularly make such ap-
peals to encourage defections to their side, but this
is the first such broadcast since the government began
withdrawing from the central highlands. Although it
specifically cites only the current exodus from the
central highlands, it presumably applies countrywide.
The broadcast also requested "compatriots" to
coordinate their actions with members of the "peo-
ple's army" to be ready to "cope with Thieu's trick
of compelling people to evacuate." This means that
members of the Viet Cong's political apparatus will
work with North Vietnamese main-force units to try
to prevent further widespread movement of people out
of the new communist'"liberated" areas.
(continued)
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
the President outlined the basic motives behind his
decision and what he hoped these moves would gain.
Thieu said the deci-
sion had been forced upon him by the drastic altera-
tion in the military balance in the South. He main-
tained that since the signing of the Paris Agree-
ments, the North Vietnamese had infiltrated such
large numbers of men into South Vietnam that his
forces were now outmanned in Military Regions 1
through 3. Moreover, because the US had not re-
placed the government's weapons losses on a one-
for-one basis, as permitted by the Paris Accords,
his forces are now outgunned in these three regions.
Thus, he maintained, the "defense of the nation
must be reorganized along new lines" and that to
continue efforts to defend the entire country would
result in "unavoidable and great losses of terri-
tory" and troops.
In an apparent effort to justify his actions
and give hope to his supporters, Thieu argued that
in 1976 the US would have "an elected president with
resulting prestige" and that this would make it
"possible for aid to be increased." Thieu said
he did not expect a "miracle" during the next two
years of the present administration and he believes
that his reorganization scheme will trade ground
for time.
Thieu also talked about the possibility that
the North Vietnamese would be willing to enter into
"real peace talks" after they had captured several
provinces. He assumed that they would probably try
to demand the establishment of a coalition govern-
ment and that the US might try to pressure him to
accept such an arrangement. He indicated that such
US pressure was applied on him during the prelim-
inary negotiations in 1972 on the Paris Accords,
but that as long as he is president he will "let
arms and legs be cut off" but he would never ac-
cept the "suicidal solution" of a coalition gov-
ernment.
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Cambodia: Lower Mekong
Oudong
PHNOM
Tool Leap. PENO
Government
operation
stalled Pochentong
Airport
Govern nt
esecures are
15
Prey Veng.
Prek T naot
Gayer ent
defense
1.4
*tetitiv
'Jong
2
30
Takeo
SOUTH VIETNAM
0 Miles 10
557506 3-75 CIA
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CAMBODIA
Neak Luong continues under heavy
pressure, but ground action around
Phnom Penh remains inconclusive.
Khmer communist gunners continue to pound the
neighboring Mekong River towns of Neak Luong and
Banam with artillery, mortar, and recoilless rifle
fire. An ammunition dump at Neak Luong was hit and
exploded yesterday. The navy now plans to withdraw
all vessels from Neak Luong as soon as the barricade
across the river to the northeast can be destroyed.
The navy's departure could be a major blow to the
morale of government defenders at both towns.
In the Phnom Penh area yesterday, government
clearing operations northeast of Tuol Leap lost
momentum. Nine rockets landed at Pochentong air-
port--three struck Cambodian air force facilities,
damaging one aircraft. The fighting is inconclu-
sive on most other fronts around the city, except
along the Mekong where some government units forced
the insurgents to withdraw from an area directly
opposite the Phnom Penh waterfront.
Several recent intercepted messages indicate
that the communists are shifting units from the
Mekong front to Phnom Penh's southeastern defenses.
The communists presumably hope to force the gov-
ernment to withdraw troops from the more active
battlefronts in the north in order to reinforce
the southeastern approaches to the city.
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MEXICO
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CHINA - NATIONALIST CHINA
China announced yesterday that it
would grant amnesty to nearly 300 Na-
tionaZist "war criminals" currently in
custody. The move seems clearly de-
signed to emphasize Peking's plans for
Taiwan's peaceful reunification with
the mainland. The announcement was
probably also intended to underscore
to the US China's desire for a nego-
tiated settlement of the Taiwan matter.
The Chinese have been emphasizing their con-
ciliatory policy toward the bulk of Taiwan's popu-
lation for some time. At ceremonies last month
commemorating the anniversary of the 1947 uprising
on Taiwan, the principal speaker noted that on Tai-
wan "the patriots are many and the traitors are
few," and called for increased contact between the
mainland and Taiwan. For the past few years, Pe-
king has urged Taiwan residents to visit rela-
tives on the mainland and has guaranteed their safe
return to Taiwan. The obvious message is that, with
a few exceptions, the mainlanders now on Taiwan will
be well treated after the "liberation" of the is-
land.
According to the Chinese announcement, the
pardoned "war criminals" are chiefly Nationalist
military men, but also include Nationalist govern-
ment officials and "secret agents." Peking has not
released any names, but has said that the "war
criminals" would be presented at a banquet, pre-
sumably soon. Peking also announced that those
pardoned would be given the choice of remaining in
China with full citizenship rights or returning
to Taiwan.
There is little likelihood that Nationalist
China will respond to Peking's action.
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ICBM Silo Conversion
SS-11 to SS-19
??,e,
557510 3-75 CIA
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Hki
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USSR
the Soviets are
moving ahead with their SS-19 ICBM pro-
gram. Conversion of SS-11 silos to house
the SS-19 has started at the Kozelsk mis-
sile complex--the third complex at which
conversion for this missile has been un-
dertaken.
The SS-19, which carries six MIRVs, became
operational late last year with the completion of
the first launch group of ten silos at Derazhnya.
Since then, the Soviets have completed at least
two other groups at the Derazhnya and Pervomaysk
missile complexes and have installed missiles in
them. A fourth group probably has been completed,
Silo conversion is now in progress at five
launch groups at the three complexes, and the
Soviets are expected to start converting silos for
the SS-19 at the Tatishchevo complex soon.
At the four complexes there are in all 410
silos that may eventually house the SS-19. Included
in this total are 60 new SS-19 silos started before
the signing of the SALT Interim Agreement and com-
pleted in early 1974. An improved variant of the
SS-11 is installed in these silos.
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THAILAND
Khukrit Pramot's coalition govern-
ment, which won a vote of confidence in
the National Assembly yesterday, is likely
to be unstable.
The new government is conservative and most
of its members, including Prime Minister Khukrit,
are basically sympathetic to maintaining close
ties with the US. Foreign Minister Chatchai may,
however, be an irritant in Thai-US relations be-
cause of his own political ambitions.
Khukrit recently stated that he favored a one-
year timetable for withdrawal of US forces, but this
was a tactical move to meet pressures from members
of the National Assembly and the press. He has also
stated that it would be difficult, given the politi-
cal climate in Thailand, to undo a recent cabinet
decision revoking the tin mining concession of a
joint US-Dutch firm. The decision was made by his
brother's interim government last week to placate
the political left.
Khukrit is reported to believe that his govern-
ment may not last more than six months. The govern-
ment depends on the cooperation of seven political
parties, most of which are politically more conserv-
ative than Khukrit. The conservatives offered
Khukrit the prime ministership--even though they
do not entirely trust him--in order to attract par-
liamentary support from the political center and
left.
Khukrit's cabinet is representative of Thai-
land's vested interests. It is composed largely
of businessmen and retired police and military
officials. The conservatism of most of the cabinet
is clearly out of step with Khukrit's more liberal
views. Strains are likely to be aggravated by
Khukrit's arrogant manner. Cabinet members such as
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Praman,
who owns much of Thailand's textile industry, may
prove less responsive than was the Sanya caretaker
government to demands for social, economic, and
political reforms. The new government could, there-
fore, become an early target of attack by student
activists, intellectuals, and the press.
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FRANCE-NATO
France reportedly is Looking for
ways to increase cooperation with NATO.
fresi-
dent Giscard has approved "Glmsted, but
important," collaboration with the Al-
liance's integrated military command,
which France left in 1966.
Giscard has authorized talk
an effort to determine the wartime role French
forces would have in Germany within the framework
of the NATO integrated command.
s in
Giscard is known to have a more open attitude
toward cooperation with NATO than his predecessors,
but he clearly is not prepared to move toward ac-
tual re-entry of French forces into the Alliance's
integrated command. Giscard's government, however,
has lately been showing interest in several NATO
activities.
Paris
is studying ways of tying its communica i.n sys-
tem into the NATO network. The French NATO repre-
sentative has said that he wants to participate in
SHAPEX 75, an Alliance exercise on organizational
problems.
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NOTE
Turkish President Koruturk yesterday designated
Justice Party leader Suleyman Demirel to try to form
a government.
Demirel's center-right Nationalist Front, which
consists of four parties, is just six votes short of
a majority in Parliament, and Demirel may be able to
pick up additional support from dissident members of
the Democratic Party. Koruturk had been reluctant
to name Demirel, in part because he believes that
the inclusion of two irresponsible, extreme right-
ist parties would soon lead to a breakdown of the
government. The presence of these parties in the
government might also arouse leftists to violence.
This would in turn create more uneasiness among the
military, who ousted Demirel in 1971 and have re-
mained strongly opposed to him.
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Top Secret
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