THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 15 AUGUST 1972

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993465
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: August 15, 1972

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011000130001-0
The President's Daily Brief
15 August 1972
45
Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011000130001-0
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011000130001-0
Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 5B( 11,121.(3)
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011000130001-0
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011000130001-0
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
15 August 1972
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
enemy deploy-
ment patterns suggest that increased Communist mil-
itary activity in South Vietnam is in the offing.
(Page 1)
Japan's Prime Minister Tanaka is rapidly preparing
the political ground for normalization of relations
with China. (Page 3)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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Demilitarized Zone
.91uang Tri
ou.4.-Nd`
MR 1
THAIL
Ka NTUM
BINH
DINH
Tonle
Sap
CAM BODI
.RHU
BON
DARLA
PHU
YEN
HANFI
,UANG
DUC
TUVEN
PHUOC
0
BI
LNG
OC
NINN
WAN
.LAIN DONG
HIEN
TUONG
CHAU
DOC HONG
HAU
NGHIA
BIEN
HOA
.BINH
TUY
IGON
PHUOC
TUY
AN
CLANG
GIANG
Gulf of
Thailand
104
CHUONG
THIEN
AN
XUYEN
VINH
BINH
BA XUV N
176
R4
R3
Capital Special Zone
110
16-
14-
MR 2
South
China
Sea
12-
10-
SOUTH VIETNAM
17. MILES
110
1110
553463 6-72
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
VIETNAM
reports outlining enemy intentions
throughout South Vietnam suggest that increased Com-
munist attacks could begin soon.
reports, including prisoner
and rallier interrogations, indicate that the Commu-
nists would like to pick up the pace of action be-
tween now and late August. The Communists are tell-
ing their cadre that another round of offensive
action will undercut US policy on the war and force
concessions from Washington.
The string of terrorist, sapper, and small-
scale infantry attacks of the past few
days may mark the opening of this effort.
On the battlefields, sustained enemy artillery
fire continues to impede the South Vietnamese Ma-
rines.' effort to retake Quang Tri City. The commu-
nists continue to have, difficulties, however. In
a'message exchanged between elements of the North
Vietnamese 304th Division near Quang Tri City, one
'unit reported that "the enemy was successful at two
fronts; we are being butchered."
In the highlands, Communist pressure against
government positions in northwestern Pleiku Province
is continuing. A border ranger camp was hit with
mortar and recoilless rifle fire, the third such
attack in a week. Other enemy action included the
ambush of a convoy on Route 19 and the Adestruction
of a large amount of artillery ammunition stored
near Pleiku city.
Farther south, the COSVN senior tactical com-
mand that earlier directed operations around An
Loc has moved into South Vietnam from Cambodia.
The command is now about 17 miles southwest of An
Loc, in position to direct the elements of the Com-
munists' 7th and 9th divisions that have recently
moved into this area.
(continued)
1
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Sweden will give $67 million in aid to North
Vietnam over the next three years, a $22-million
increase over the last three-year .aid program.
Since 19/0, $10 million of the annual allocation
has been set aside for redevelopment and was only
to be released after hostilities ceased. Under
the new program, the $30-million so earmarked will
be released now.
2
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
JAPAN-CHINA
Prime Minister Tanaka is rapidly preparing the
political ground in Japan for normalization of re-
lations with China. An article in Sunday's edition
of the newspaper Mainichi, which bears all the ear-
marks of a trial balloon, describes a draft declara-
tion prepared by the government for signature during
Tanaka's visit to Peking in September. The newspaper
indicated that the draft largely corresponds to the
views expressed by China's leaders through "informal
contacts."
Indeed, the ?draft appears to accept the
course toward normalization laid out by
Chou En-lail
/ We be-
lieve that the Chinese would have no prob-
lems with the declaration should Tanaka
put it forward during his visit.
The floating of the declaration appears
designed to keep Tanaka ahead of public
opinion and his parliamentary opponents,
without committing him irrevocably on
specific issues. It also is intended to
win the backing of a majority of the rul-
ing Liberal Democratic Party and thus to
neutralize the opposition of the party's
right wing.
3
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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