THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 14 JULY 1972

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993409
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: July 14, 1972

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The President's Daily Brief
14 July 1972
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 513(1),(2),(3)
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
14 July 1972
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
In South Vietnam, heavy fighting is continuing around
Quang Tri City. (Page 1)
Mao Tse-tung's role as the ideological leader of
China apparently is being modified. (Page 2)
Soviet
(Page 3)
The Soviets
the Egyptians
(Page 4)
Belgium has reacted sharply to French efforts to
align the European Community behind Paris' Middle
East policy. (Page 5)
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
VIETNAM
? Heavy fighting is taking place on three sides
of Quang Tri City as the Communists, continue to
stiffen their resistance to the government's drive.
Tank-led infantry assaults have been directed against
South Vietnamese Marines north and east of the city
and against airborne troops to the south.
On 12 July, the headquarters of the 'North Viet-
namese 325th.Division established communications
with the senior Communist military authority in
northern South Vietnam, suggesting that it may be
planning to cross the DMZ into Quang Tri Province.
One Of its regiments has been there for two months,
and a second apparently crossed over some time dur-
ing the past week. Its third regiment is still in
North Vietnam, but has recently been noted moving
southward.
? The Communists are maintaining pressure against
government positions southwest of Hue. Outpost
Checkmate, recaptured by the government, on 12 July,
was later struck by more than 200 mortar rounds. ,
Hue was shelled yesterday, and government bases at
Da Nang were attacked by rockets.
In the delta, fighting has eased somewhat, al-
though the Communists remain active in southern
Chuong Thien Province where the capital of Kien
Long District and three. government outposts were
attacked yesterday. Fighting around the threatened
district town of Long Dinh in Dinh,Tuong Province
has ended following the arrival of government rein-
forcements.
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CHINA
Mao Tse-tung's role as the ideological
leader of China apparently is being modi-
fied.
In the past week or so, Chinese public media
have increasingly urged party cadre to acquire a
thorough knowledge of the "Marxist stand, viewpoint,
and method." Since the Cultural Revolution, the
focal point of political study in China has usually
been expressed in terms of the "thought of Mao Tse-
tung" or "Marxism - Leninism.- Mao Tse-tung thought."
While references to these formulations continue to
appear, it is clear from the open media(
the need to
grasp classical Marxist theory has become the prin-
cipal theme at cadre study sessions.
This changing emphasis is related in part
to the continuing campaign against Mao's
former heir, Defense Minister Lin Piao.
During his period of political ascendancy,
Lin sought to popularize the study of Mao's
thought through the wide dissemination--
principally in the little red book--of se-
lected quotes from Mao. For several months
now, Peking has denounced this practice,
and the little red book has been notably
absent from public use.
The current emphasis on developing an under-
standing of general Marxist theory seems,
however, to be more than just an effort to
impugn Lin. By stressing the contribution
of earlier Marxist theoreticians, the re-
gime may be preparing the ground fora
China without Mao. In this vein, a People's
Daily article broadcast on 11 June, while
containing nothing that would denigrate
Mao's historical position, went to unusual
lengths to explain that no leader is irre-
placeable.
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USSR
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USSR-EGYPT
The particular target of Soviet criticism
appears to be a series of articles being
written by the influential editor of the
semiofficial al-Ahram, Muhammad Haykal.
Haykal, who played a key role in US-Egyp-
tian efforts to reach agreement with Is-
rael last year, has never been popular
with the Soviets, and his current articles
?have clearly touched a raw nerve. Among
his charges are that the stalemate in the
area makes the Arab states more dependent
on the USSR, deepens the split between
them and the US, and prevents the Arabs
from debating the pros and cons of the So-
viet presence in the Middle East.
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BELGIUM FRANCE
Belgium has reacted sharply-to French pressures
to align the European Community behind what it con-
siders an excessively pro-Arab Middle East policy'.
The US Embassy. in Brussels was recently shown in-
structiOns to Belgium's embassies in Community cap-
itals and Washington to consult with Community col-
leagues when faced with French political initiatives
on Middle. East questions. If the French persist in
promoting "flagrantly" pro-Arab positions, Belgian
diplomats are enjoined to seek Community support to
isolate Paris. The Belgians believethat Paris
broke A commitment.to redraft in more balanced terms
its UN Security Council resolution on 26 June con-
demning Israeli reprisal raids into Lebanon.
Friction between France and its Community
partners over their endeavor to develop
common policies toward the Middle East is
not new. The Dutch have Outspokenly op.-
posed France's pro-Arab stance. Last year
all five of Paris' Community partners were
.outraged when the French told UN Secretary-
? General Thant about a supposedly confiden-
tial position paper developed in the Com-
munity.
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NOTE
Libya: Chief of State Qadhafi has not been
seen in public since late last month when he re-
turned from meeting with his Arab confederation
partners, Presidents Sadat and Asad, deeply disil-
lusioned by the lack of any decisions to end the
stalemate in the Middle East. In venting his frus-
trations, Qadhafi apparently quarreled with Minister
of Economics Jallud, a key member of the Revolution-
ary Command Council, over the formation of a new
?
cabinet and threatened to give up his chairmanship
of the RCC and his governmental posts. The temper-
amental Libyan leader in the past has frequently
sulked in seclusion, but the absence of his signa-
ture on RCC decrees since 1 July and heavy patrols
around RCC headquarters give evidence that a serious
split may have developed in the council.
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