THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 3 FEBRUARY 1971

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005992459
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: February 3, 1971

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The President's Daily Brief
3 February 1971
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THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
3 February 1971
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
Hanoi has issued an open communique on the meeting
Monday of the Communist Party central committee.
(Page 1)
In his talks with Pompidou, Brandt won support for
the general purposes of Ostpolitik but received
little encouragement on specific issues. (Page 2)
In Laos, Communist forces overran Muong Soui yester-
'-day but its loss will be of more psychological than
strategic importance at this time. (Page 4)
Photography shows that Egyptian river-crossing
equipment is still stacked at a depot near Cairo.
(Page 5)
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NORTH VIETNAM
An unusual open communique issued Monday following
a meeting of the Communist Party central committee
has set the Zine that more will be required of the
North Vietnamese people in the coming months to
meet the needs of what is seen as a long war ahead.
Concentrating on the home front, the communiqug--
the first open one since 1964?leaves no doubt that
the party leadership expects to call on the North
Vietnamese for greater sacrifices than were antici-
pated just two years ago.
The party calls for better domestic performance in
a way it has been urging for the past year, espe-
cially since Sihanouk's ouster. The government
clearly intends to follow practical, expedient pol-
icies designed to induce maximum popular response
to its directives. The communique pays Zip service
to the longer term goals of developing heavy indus-
try, further collectivizing agriculture, and gener-
ally building a more orthodox Marxist state, but in-
dicates that an all-out effort to support the war
comes first.
At a similar central committee gathering held in
the spring of 1969 to discuss the full range of war-
related issues, the party established a new policy
of fighting the war on a lower key so as to preserve
its forces for the long haul. The guidelines for
this policy did not begin to appear in the South,
however, until after COSVN issued its Resolution
Nine that summer.
Whatever the reasons for the current publicity, we
expect that tactical advice, based as in the past
on a secret resolution covering Communist prospects
in the war, will soon be disseminated to party au-
thorities down the line.
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FRANCE - WEST GERMANY
In his talks last week with Pompidou, Brandt
won renewed statements of support for the general
purposes of Ostpolitik, but received little encour-
agement on specific issues. Brandt agreed with Pom-
pidou that inter-German discussions of Berlin must
await four-power authorization, but found Pompidou
unresponsive to his proposals for seeking means to
hasten a settlement in the four-power forum.
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THAILAND
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LAOS
_CHINA
2?
THAILAND
GULF
OF
TONKIN
Communist-controlled territory
Contested territory
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ARCA TION
LINE
THAILAND
MILES
550910 2-71 CIA
CAMBODIA
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LAOS
Communist forces yesterday overran a small gov-
ernment force defending Muong Soul northwest of the
Plaine des Jarres on Route 7.
Muong Soui was recaptured by government
irregulars under Vang Pao last October.
It has been virtually deserted by its ci-
vilian inhabitants for several months,
however, and was only lightly garrisoned
by the government. Its fall will be of
more psychological than strategic impor-
tance at this time.
The attack may have been carried out by
elements of the 174th Regiment of the
North Vietnamese 316th Division which has
been massing west of the Plaine for sev-
eral weeks in preparation for the expected
dry season campaign.
There are also reports that three government
outposts north and east of Luang Prabang have come
under attack. The extent of the enemy thrust in
this area is not clear.
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Soviet Rocket Launcher Seen Near Cairo
550909 2-71 CIA
?FROG short range surface-to-surface missile and transporter-
erector-launcher, seen here in a Soviet parade.
Range about 40 nautical miles
CEP 500 Meters at maximum range
Warhead weight 1200 lbs (conventional)
Warheads available ?high explosive
(in Warsaw Pact forces) ?nuclear
?chemical
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EGYPT
Satellite photography shows no
change in the amount of equipment at Egypt's major
river-crossing equipment depot near Cairo. The
pontoons, boats, and bridging equipment photographed
at this installation in late October are still
stacked throughout the area. At the FROG-7 missile
storage depot, also near Cairo, 12 transporter-
erector-launchers were identified, along with 13
resupply vehicles. Most of the FROG equipment was
observed at this installation in late October.
Before a major amphibious operation, the
Egyptians would have to assemble and move
most of the equipment at these installa-
tions into position near the Canal. It
would take only a few days to ready the
equipment, however, if the Egyptians were
to decide to do so.
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NOTE
Ecuador: Rumors of a military take-over are
increasing in frequency and intensity, according to
the American Embassy. President Velasco appears to
be alienating military figures by making all deci-
sions unilaterally, including the recent one to re-
quest withdrawal of the US military assistance and
advisory group. The ambitious cabinet rivals, Min-
ister of Defense Acosta and Minister of Government
Martinez, are ready to use any clear signs of mili-
tary dissatisfaction to gather armed forces support
for an attempt to succeed Velasco.
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