THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 1 APRIL 1969

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005976700
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: April 1, 1969

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The President's Daily Brief
/ April 1969
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
2 April 1969
LATE NOTES FOR THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF OF
1 APRIL 1969
I. MAJOR PROBLEMS
VIETNAM
There was no significant enemy activity in Vietnam during
the daylight hours today.
SOVIET AFFAIRS
The Czechoslovak party leadership issued a statement
following yesterday's meeting of the Central Committee pre-
sidium. The statement was highly critical of those Czech citi-
zens, especially party members, who took part in last weekend's
anti-Soviet demonstrations. Progressive presidium member Josef
Smrkovsky was singled out by name "for certain utterances at
variance" with the party resolutiOn of last November. The
communications media were also criticized, including the party
daily Rude Pravo. Politika, a weekly magazine, was "suspended
temporarily because of grave political errors." (FBIS 16, 2 Apr)
There is nothing significant to report on the Middle
East or Europe.
II, OTHER IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
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MAJOR PROBLEMS
MIDDLE EAST
Although the Israelis have carefully avoided an out-
right rejection in advance of the four-power talks, their
displeasure with the talks is becoming ever clearer
Tel Aviv's latest
rhetorical salvo was fired Monday by Foreign Minister
Eban, who told Ambassador Barbour that Israel was grow-
ing nervous at an Iraqi buildup in Jordan. When pinned
down by the ambassador, he said it was an increase in
Iraqi artillery which really exercised the Israelis,
and he intimated Jordanian civilians might be shelled
if a duel with the new artillery broke out.
We have seen no signs of an Iraqi buildup. In fact,
about 3,000 troops were sent home recently to fight the
Kurds. This brought Iraqi troop totals in Jordan down
to something under 20,000. There are several thousand
more Iraqis just across the border in Syria.
Recent statements by Minister of Defense Moshe
Dayan that he is not "comfortable" in the ruling Labor
Party could signal the beginning of domestic political
turmoil in Israel. Dayan said--for the first time pub-
licly--that he has not yet made up his mind whether to
? leave the party but will make that decision well before
the fall elections.
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Dayan wants to be prime minister but has no independ-
ent political machinery outside the party. His departure
from the party would probably result in the breakup of
the national coalition, perhaps even causing damaging break-
offs from the Labor Party itself.
EUROPE
Embassy Paris believes the French will continue, and
even intensify, their efforts to lure London and Bonn into
discussing alternatives to a supranational European Com-
munity. Even if they fail, they will place themselves
on record as being willing to seek solutions to the cur-
rent impasse and will be in a better position to resist
further pressures for UK entry into the Common Market.
The embassy believes that De Gaulle at 78 realizes his
successors are unlikely to continue his ultranationalist
policies. Therefore, he figures he mist contrive major
and lasting changes before time runs out. While he does
not want to leave or scuttle the Community, an irrational
move by an old man in a hurry is always possible.
SOVIET AFFAIRS
The. new wave of anti-Soviet demonstrations brought
Soviet Defense Minister Grechko ?and First Deputy Foreign
Minister Semyenov to Prague yesterday. Tensions in the,
city are at their highest pitch since the immolation of
a student in January.
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The violence against Soviet installations, equip-
ment, and personnel during the night of 28-29 March was
more widespread than originally reported. Burning of
Soviet buildings and cars or attacks on Soviet troops
occurred in nine cities, and lesser incidents apparently
took place elsewhere.
The Czechoslovak authorities are clearly concerned.
The leaderships of the federal, Czech, and Slovak govern-
ments met yesterday in an unusual joint session to decide
on what to do next. One thing they will have to do is
mute the anti-Soviet tone of Czech media reporting the
rioting.
VIETNAM
There is nothing significant to report.
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OTHER IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS
COMMUNIST CHINA
The long-postponed party congress?the first in 13
years--opened today in Peking. The, agenda includes dis-
cussion of a "political report" by Mao's heir, Lin Piao,
adoption of a new party constitution, and election of
a new central committee. The congress will attempt to
project an appearance of normality following the ex-
cesses of the Cultural Revolution. We expect, however,
that the policy and personnel issues dividing the top
leadership will persist.
SOVIET UNION - PAKISTAN
Pravda today carried the first Soviet analysis in
any detail of the recent developments in Pakistan. Ayub's
behavior is put in a generally favorable light. Criticism
of the opposition is especially strong for unnamed extrem-
ist "pro-Peking" and "pro-American" elements. In general,
the article leaves the impression that Moscow is relatively
satisfied with the interim regime, and the fact that the
extremists are unnamed probably means that the Soviets want
to avoid alienating any political figures prematurely.
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LAOS
The situation remains serious. In the face of re-
cent Communist gains, government troops have launched a
limited counteroffensive in the northeast.
The operation, designed to forestall a major Communist
push south of the Plaine des Jarres that Lao military lead-
ers still believe is imminent, has so far resulted in the
capture of two strategic positions near Route 4, an impor-
tant Communist supply route east of the Plaine. One of the
positions is Ban Pha, a government base that had fallen to
the enemy in February, and the other is located on Phou
Khe mountain, from which the guerrillas will be able to
place artillery fire on Route 4. The enemy offered little
resistance to the assaults.
Other government ground actions have not fared as well,
although harassing attacks along Route 7 have probably caused
the enemy to divert troops to protect the road. The ground
offensive is being conducted in conjunction with an aerial
campaign of unprecedented scope against Communist positions
near the Plaine des Jarres. Although it is still too early
to assess the results of these actions, the recent movement
of a North Vietnamese battalion out of the Plaine area sug-
gests the attacks may be achieving their tactical purpose.
If the offensive continues to go well, it may also
do much to repair the shattered morale of government troops.
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The danger is that the Communists might feel that the
government and the US, rather than themselves, have taken
action to upset the political-military balance in the
northeast, and may react sharply to the thteat to their
rear areas. The loss of additional important positions
could set in motion a chain of circumstances that would
result in the collapse of the government presence in Sam
Neua and Xieng Khouang Provinces. The Meo guerrillas,
who have borne the brunt of the fighting over the past
seven years, have virtually reached the end of their rope.
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