THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 6 MAY 1970

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005977440
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: May 6, 1970

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A008300050001-0
The President's Daily Brief
6 May 1970
27
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
6 May 1970
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
Allied cross-border operations into Cambodia have
met only limited enemy resistance. In Saigon, a
dispute between two Buddhist factions and an in-
crease in militant student activity could result
in serious civil disturbances. (Page 1)
Sihanouk's government-in-exile and the military
situation within Cambodia are discussed on Page 3.
' In Laos, the southern provincial capital of Sara-
vane may be the next Communist target. (Page 5)
? Soviet
Page 6.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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New Allied Drive Meets Little Communist Resistance
Demilitarized Zone
Qu '*g "NI
Sava naiilriet
'MAIL 14
u?ng Ngai
Base area co tains
Communist tidos. for
central
Lomphal
Tonle
Sap
98437 5-70 CIA
IV CO RS
ung Tau
MILES
t---IVC/NVA base area along
Cambodian border
?
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
SOUTH VIETNAM - CAMBODIA
The allied drive from the central highlands
into Cambodia has not yet encountered any major en-
emy combat units. The regional Communist headquar-
ters complex in this area contains extensive support
facilities and houses command elements responsible
for enemy operations throughout the central highlands.
US and South Vietnamese sweeps through enemy
sanctuaries farther south appear to be closing in on
fairly large Communist military complexes including
a base in the Fishhook area which may be one of the
dispersed components of COSVN. In the .Parrot's Beak,
allied units are moving into what appears to be an
extensive enemy training and logistics base.
American armored forces operating out of the
Fishhook area ran into some of the stiffest enemy
resistance to date yesterday at the border town of
Snuol. The allies have reported killing some 2,500
enemy troops in the Fishhook and Parrot's Beak op-
erations, with air strikes and in scattered small
clashes. Some 2,200 enemy weapons, 230 vehicles,
and about 450 tons of rice, have been captured or
destroyed.
The South Vietnam Government's internal prob-
lems have been complicated by a conflict between
rival Buddhist factions over who shall occupy a
pagoda in Saigon. Each faction has forcibly evicted
the other from the pagoda this week and more seri-
ous armed clashes between the two major sects are
possible.
The An Quang Buddhists have long resented
the fact that the Quoc Tu faction is rec-
ognized by the government as the official
Buddhist church in South Vietnam. Sporadic
attempts at reconciliation?the most recent
was Last month--seem merely to have fur-
thered hostility between the two factions.
(continued)
1
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
the present confronta-
tion between the groups poses a new and po-
tentially explosive problem for the Thieu
government. If the government uses undue
force to maintain control, it will be vul-
nerable to fresh charges of heavy-handed-
ness.
The government may also soon face more trouble
with the students. Control seems to be slipping from
fairly moderate student leaders to a more militant
group.
//The government, clearly concerned,1 has ordered
all schools and universities in South Vietnam closed
indefinitely.
2
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CAMBODIA
The government unveiled by Sihanouk in Peking
yesterday is a mixed bag of veteran politicians and
younger, more energetic leftists, Penn Nouth, a
well-known Cambodian politician who has served as
prime minister in past Sihanouk governments, has been
picked to head the "Royal Government of National
Union."
Nouth's long loyalty to Sihanouk and his
political prestige made him the logical
choice for the position, but because of
his age and his poor health, he probably
will be only a figurehead. Government
leaders in Phnom Penh who had hopes that
Nouth might be persuaded to return will
be disappointed that he has lent his name
to Sihanouk's cause.
As anticipated, a number of prominent Cambodian
leftists were given key portfolios in the cabinet,
including national defense, interior, and informa-
tion. These individuals, three of whom were leading
members of the National Assembly until SihanoUk's
1967 purge forced them to flee the capital, are
young, capable, and at one time had some following
among, the youth and intellectuals in Cambodia.
The new government is nominally under the di-
rection of the "National United Front of Cambodia,"
whose chairmanship is held by Sihanouk and probably
will continue to function in the Chinese capital.
The announcement did not. make' any further mention
of Sihanouk's own plans to return to Cambodia,
The Chinese quickly endorsed the new gov-
ernment, and broke diplomatic relations
with the Lon Nol government--the first
time Peking has taken the initiative in
breaking relations with another state.
It was almost certainly first coordinated
with Hanoi, which probably will issue a
similar announcement shortly. Formation
of the government-in-exile probably was
in train for some time and flows logically
from previous Communist actions and pro-
nouncements. Its timing, however, may have
been finally fixed by US military moves
in Cambodia.
(continued)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
3
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Cambodia: Current Situation
THAILAND
)
tambang
Senmonorom
RertdIy
thi;eatenti1,6rti-
inibrgents
Kh?narak "7.)
Phdurninvine
Kompong Som
(Sihanouk ville) iN AY
1\11, ?
40' NL 0%/Th\Th
ea MiMot
ghting
Held by/VC
aigon
TN A M
OF
SIAM
50
MILES
N
SOUTH
CHINA SEA
98436 5-70 CIA
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In military action in Cambodia, Communist troops
still hold both banks of the Mekong River at the Neak
Luong ferry crossing. No significant fighting has de-
veloped as yet between government defense forces dug
in at the village of Koki Thom, several miles north
on Route 1, and Communist elements said to be advanc-
ing toward them. To the north, heavy fighting has
been reported near the town of Prey Veng, which has
been cut off from possible reinforcement by Communist
blocking forces on the major road into the area.
In the southwest, a.fragmentary army message .in-
dicates that the gulf town of Khemarak Phouminville
may be in danger of falling to the Communists.. In
late March the town was attacked by Cambodian insur-
gents.
The government is continuing to blame Vietnamese
residents of Cambodia for many of the recent military
reverses. It has ordered a daily 20-hour curfew for
all Vietnamese in Phnom Penh. This course runs some
danger of stimulating a blood bath against the Viet-
namese Communists in the capital despite the govern-
ment's cooperation with Saigon in setting up a repa-
triation program.
4
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Laos: Current Situation
VIETNAM
?Jong Khe
Ban Karai
Pass
ong Hai
25 5,0 Miles
emilitoorzed Zone
Quong
In
avanno
%,
.?. ,t5
, .. I i.,; .. I2 .
lil .4., .
150 ,Corn - nist
4-4,4 ?? % -- 4- - 4 7 ,trOOPS
`aotian pilotsc ''
w ., ? 2-
repor ;spotting. -, -?on, Beiri
? :l sjt,.11et ' ' t ? 4
A I'i .3c?t Saravane
200 Co muriist I -I
.- 4 ,... ?b
f '
trot? s 5 / .'
14 )
?
THAILAND .. ' 7,"" ? , (.? if-) \ )/
- .?
... ,f .--:.: ? ? 0'9 a n e A VIETNAM
k - i A , 1 ...
N... It
a. -07.
0,64,131)tovens - r s.:?..
i
t
7.-
...--, .:`,0ittite'?u;?) r: -) et ,?.
.
Recent.1, Ai,' t
Communist ttopeu
- attacks
Do Nan
Kontum
eiku
-178438 5-70 CIA
CAMBODIA
Stung Treng
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LAOS
company-size enemy for-
ces north and west of Saravane have increased appre-
hensions that the Communists may soon attack Sara-
vane. Although these units were still some distance
from the town, their presence tends to support ear-
lier reports from villagers that a movement of new
Communist units into the region is under way,
enemy troop move-
imental size are moving toward the Toum-
ments of re
lane area,
The Communists apparently are capitalizing on
this uneasiness by spreading leaflets in Saravane
that the town will be attacked on 20 May. Persons
recently escaping from Attopeu reported that similar
warnings were posted there shortly before the town
was seized.
Saravane is a provincial capital which,
despite. enemy control of much of the sur-
rounding countryside, has remained free
from attack. It is possible, however,
that the Communists are looking for another
relatively cheap victory in southern Laos
to help compensate for their continuing
frustrations in the north.
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USSR
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USSR:
NOTE
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