THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 13 MARCH 1969

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005976667
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 15
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: March 13, 1969

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The President's Daily Brief
13 March 1969
To
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TOP SECRET
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy _Approved for Release 2016/07/18 -"Eliok:RDP79T00936A006900080001-3
14 March 1969
LATE NOTES FOR THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF OF
13 MARCH 1969
I. MAJOR PROBLEMS
MIDDLE EAST
Israeli jets early today struck at Arab guerrilla posts
in northwest Jordan. Amman claimed there were a number of
civilian casualties. (FBIS; press, 14 Mar 69)
UN observers report a considerable strengthening of
Israeli forces in the Suez Canal sector, beginning the
evening of 12 March.
EUROPE
There is nothing significant to report.
SOVIET AFFAIRS
There is nothing significant to report.
VIETNAM
Enemy-initiated activity continued at a generally low
level through the early hours of 14 March.
II, OTHER IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS
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KOREA
North Korean border guards yesterday again fired on a
US outpost along the western sector of the DMZ. No casual-
ties were reported. (Press)
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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VIETNAM
Recent developments in North Vietnam back up other
evidence that Hanoi is planning to go ahead with addi-
tional military actions in the South which run a high risk
of US retaliation.
Hanoi clearly believes that stronger Communist military
action is needed to get things moving in the right direction
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
in Paris. Nothing in its current actions suggest it is likely
to be deterred by the threat of US air attacks. It must
calculate that the public outcry against escalation of the
war would be directed mainly against the US if new air strikes
were launched against the North. Moreover, the North Vietnam-
ese almost certainly are confident that the bombing would not
last long and that they could, in any event, get it stopped
fairly easily by yet another temporary curb on their tili:
tary activity in the South.
In South Vietnam, Communist 50X1
divisions in the III Corps - Saigon sector have been noted
recently moving to forward staging areas. Major Communist
forces are now in position to launch heavy, coordinated at-
tacks against allied bases and urban areas throughout Tay
Ninh Province and adjacent areas, as well as against the
Bien Hoa - Long Binh military complex. Although the enemy's
divisional forces do not yet constitute an immediate threat
to Saigon itself, there are some indications of preparations
by independent Viet Cong forces in the Communist subregions
south and east of Saigon for possible combat operations
against the capital.
Enemy action remained at a generally low level during
the past 24 hours. In I and III Corps, however, ARVN units
took heavy casualties in clashes with Communist units.
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FOR 11-1E PKESIDEN I ()ALI'
14 March 1969
LATE NOTES FOR THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF OF
13 MARCH 1969
I. MAJOR PROBLEMS
MIDDLE EAST
Israeli jets early today struck at Arab guerrilla posts
in northwest Jordan. Amman claimed there were a number of
civilian casualties.
EUROPE
There is nothing significant to report.
SOVIET AFFAIRS
There is nothing significant to report.
VIETNAM
II. OTHER IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS
KOREA
North Korean border guards yesterday again fired on a
US outpost along the western sector of the DMZ. No casual-
ties were reported.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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EUROPE
Britain's position in international payments took a
sharp turn for the worse last month with the emergence of a
trade deficit of about $150 million. Imports edged up $30
million despite the braking effect anticipated from the re-
strictive measures adopted last November. Even more dis-
couraging was the fall of $96 million from January in ex-
ports. This decline--the largest since the devaluation--
is partially explained by the US dock strike.
SOVIET AFFAIRS
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A Soviet TU-95 heavy bomber participating in a
large-scale exercise violated US airspace over Shemya
Island in the Aleutians yesterday.
The bomber was taking part in a training mission
launched from the central USSR and involving 19 heavy
bombers and at least eight tanker aircraft. This mis-
sion may be part of a major exercise under way in the
Long Range (Strategic) Air Force.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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MIDDLE EAST
There is nothing significant to report.
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IL OTHER IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS
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PERU
PHI LI PPI NES
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PAKISTAN
There are persistent rumors that martial law will soon
be declared in East Pakistan. These rumors may be true be-
cause conditions there have reached a state of near anarchy
and the provincial government has virtually abdicated its
authority to student leaders.
Ayub's initial claims that he had made real progress
in his negotiations with a disunited opposition seem prema-
ture. The agreement he announced today probably includes
the only changes he would like to see made.
Nevertheless, East Pakistani leader Mujibur Rahman, whom
Ayub evidently agreed to back as his successor called the
conference a complete failure because it did not resolve
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fundamental regional issues,. Mujibur--a long-time advocate
of autonomy for East Pakistan--said he has pulled his party
out of the moderate eight-party opposition coalition which
has been negotiating with Ayub. Nujibur almost certainly
believes that he cannot afford to support an agreement which
contains no concessions to improve EastPakistan's position
relative to West Pakistan.
It seems unlikely that any agreement can be effected
without Mujibur's cooperation. Ayub has warned that if a
workable compromise is not reached he will propose his own
solutions.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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