Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
3.5(c)
DIRECTORATE
DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
Central In Bulletin
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
inp-Seerer
I) 1 1
C LL4
8 March 1968
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
Jo' p-Secrer
Controlled Dissem
The CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN is produced by the
Director of Central Intelligence to meet his responsibilities for providing
current intelligence bearing on issues of national security to the President,
the National Security Council, and other senior government officials. It
is produced in consultation with the Departments of State and Defense.
When, because of the time factor, adequate consultation with the depart-
ment of primary concern is not feasible, items or portions thereof are pm-
((need by CIA and marked with an asterisk.
Interpretations of intelligence information in this publication represent
immediate and preliminary views which are subject to modification in the
light of further information and more complete analysis.
Certain intelligence items in this publication may be designated specifically
Lor no further dissemination. Other intelligence items may be disseminated
linther, but only on a need-to-know basis.
WARNING
This document contains classified information affecting the national security
4:4 the United States within the meaning of the espionage laws, US Code
'Title IS, Sections 93 794, and 798.
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
jsrT
8 March 1968
Central Intelligence Bulletin
CONTENTS
Vietnam: Situation report. (Page 1)
Czechoslovakia: Pressure is building up for Novotny's
resignation. (Page 3)
Cambodia:
(Page 7)
Panama: Robles' denunciation of impeachment efforts
closes door to compromise. (Page 9)
Warsaw Pact: Sofia meeting (Page 10)
'DD2,s-Eeitr7
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
3.5(c)
3.5(c)
3.3(h)(2)
3.3(h)(2)
3.3(h)(2
3.3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
104
,-Demilitarized Zone
e-
L
THAILAND
1 Tonle \
C AMB ODI
Sop
5..
GULF OF
� SIAM
Hue
CHUA THIE
a Nang
( ANG NAM �
f---
KoNTum
1
1
f
PLEIKU
/
,,,�,/,....\�..................�
PHPHI?(
I
' \.,.�,..,,,
-, - - . / YEN ,
)
.1.)
, .,.
(.1"(1)LIAING DUC1 \---- ;,,."?,,, ., 4 1 �:',"' ', -.' - �
C)7"131--AartC-m,e/,, ----11-; -
\,
�_/,......�.;\ (3uc .,,,N i N H
.r.A:,- :RA. H,
r LONGI 'L'�c LAM DONG ?
- ,-- I
L.__ .--
t
114. 11 PI H /`-�, /c'
�L
't
kNoc,NC- F ONG
s.1-1,,,p,s1-1
)._ ' '----
'_(n -.,N,,. 'I EN
�c....,\ \ T U ON G ,
JAIN
(
�
j r4
r:IPNIG
4211I'lck
C11 JONG _'S/
/ TFFIEN
"
� - 4-44, 4,4 -444- 444:-. 4444,-4,4 -4,44-444.-4I 44 .22,
BINH
BINH HUAN"."-''`," �
TUY
P C
V ng au
C N
N H �A) , capita pety
t 003..
(iz -
1 , SOUTH VIETNAM
102.
�FTENT1AL.
25 50 7,5 100 Mei
O 25 50 75.. 1 61) Kdorneters
69848 3-68 CIA,
8 Mar 68 CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Map
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
*Vietnam,:
South Vietnam: The high level of Communist rocket
and mortar attacks of the past several days has tapered
off sharply.
Heavy ground fighting has, however, been reported
near the Demilitarized Zone, in the western highlands,
and in northwestern III Corps.
In Darlac Province, the South Vietnamese Army
45th Regiment sustained heavy losses in two days of
fighting with a reinforced North Vietnamese battalion
northeast of Ban Me Thuot. During the initial phase of
the action, the enemy killed the commanding officer of
one of the South Vietnamese battalions and forced his
troops to withdraw in complete disorder. Two addi-
tional South Vietnamese battalions brought into the bat-
tle on the second day also met stiff resistance.
The fighting is still going on. Failure to dislodge
the Communists in this instance would have a serious
effect on the government units involved and impair their
aggressiveness in future operations.
A motion of no confidence in the government of
Premier Loc has been placed before the Lower House,
but it is not expected to be acted upon for some weeks.
Action on the government budget has priority on the
agenda, and any formal recommendation of no confidence
must have the approval of both houses of the assembly.
The motion was apparently based on a petition
sponsored by the New Society Bloc, an opposition fac-
tion strongly representing southern viewpoints. It re-
portedly seeks the removal of certain individuals cited
as incompetent for failing to detect Communist plans
for the Tet offensive. Named in addition to Loc were
Minister of Defense Nguyen Van Vy, Minister of Interior
Linh Quang \Tien, and Police Director General Nguyen
Ngoc Loan.
8 Mar 68
_1.02-SEC-RET
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
3.5(c)
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
3.3(h)(2)
69847 3-68 CIA
3.5(c)
Chinese Hydrofoil PT Boat
Ha Tou Naval Support Facility 3.3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
8 Mar 68 CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Map/Photos
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
Approved for Release: 2019/04/1
7 CO2989258
North Vietnam: The Chinese have delivered at
least one modern hydrofoil torpedo boat to North Viet-
nam.
The Hu Chwan, built and designed by the Chinese,
may be useful to Hanoi for protecting coastal waters.
The boats should be good for hit-and-run tactics and
could be used against US naval forces in the Tonkin
Gulf. (Maps/Photos)
8 Mar 68 2
_TDP--,sEeitrir
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
3.5(c)
3.3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
Czechoslovakia: Pressure is building in Prague
for the resignation of President Novotny.
The defection to the United States of Major General
Jan Sejna is being exploited to discredit Novotny and
other opponents of new First Secretary Dubcek, includ-
ing Defense Minister Lonisky, Minister of Interior
Kudrna, and Prosecutor General Bartuska.
The party presidium has launched an investigation
into the circumstances of the defection, and the National
Assembly, which has lifted Sejna's immunity from pros-
ecution as a deputy, is demanding a separate inquiry.
Both Lomsky and Kudrna have been ordered to submit a
detailed report on the defection at a cabinet session set
for 13 March. Apart from looking into the circumstances
which "enabled" Sejna to defect, the investigation will
also cover his role in the aborted mobilization of a tank
division in support of Novotny during the January
leadership crisis. Other officials are said to be im-
plicated with Sejna.
The Sejna affair has come at an opportune time for
the Dubcek faction, elements of which have intensified
the struggle against the conservatives in the past few
days. On 5 March Novotny was explicitly attacked in a
news conference by Josef Boruvka, an agricultural
specialist who was brought into the party presidium in
January. On 7 March, Radio Prague, in its foreign
broadcasts, for the first time attacked Novotny by name,
linking his son to Sejna.
The tempo of attacks on Novotny should increase
markedly, and it is possible that he will soon resign.
Defense Minister Lomsky, along with party chief
Dubcek, had been attending the Warsaw Pact meeting in
Sofia, which ended yesterday. His presence undoubtedly
was an embarrassment to the rest of the Czechoslovak
delegation. The matter of his ouster will be complicated,
8 Mar 68 3
y_sli;eit-E-r
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
3.5(c)
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
ES
however, because he has long enjoyed Soviet support in
return for his loyal direction of the Czechoslovak armed
forces.
8 Mar 68 4
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
3.5(c)
3.5(c)
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
8 Mar 68 CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Map
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
Available
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
_I-Li-r---"Lrl%1�.-Lr--1
8 Mar 68
5
_IDR,S.1.'7
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
3.5(c)
3.3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
--1-1.1-r--rSite=
8 Mar 68 6
TOP S-Fle-RET
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
THAILAND
1
\ H .ttartIttat,,/
ichertiarak
'houJnit cO It,
4 f
Phnom Thbenk
Meanchey
Ports,,t
KornpotAK
1,1t.rt)
�
Nt.)f lit/011g
Chttriallg,1
Komptimg Spt7tu
NOM
. Prey
Veng
akttmtiu
Communist Camps
Sihanoukville . Karripot
�
ke,ttn 7**,
25 50 Miles
25 50 K.lumeters
69842 3-68 CIA
k
DAO PHU
WOG
(Vietnam)
t rtg C11,11)
(..,
SOUTH
r-�������*"
"Chau DocL�......\ AiGON
(RVN Prov.)V IETNAM
Giang���
(Viet Con9 Prov.)
8 Mar 68
1-11711.1%71711 A T TXTrTurl T T 'UMW" LI 17) T TT L E TIN Map
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
3.5(c)
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
:112-P--S-MrG-Wer
Cambodia
3.5(c)
3.3(h)(2)
details on the location and func- 3.3(h)(2)
tion oi communist eases situated on Cambodian terri-
tory opposite South Vietnam's Chau Doc Province.
the Communists reached an
understanding with a sympathetic Cambodian military
officer as early as 1960. This permitted them to con-
trol and tax trade across the border and to locate at
least three small camps on Cambodian soil.
The camps, moved frequently to avoid detection,
were used for district and provincial level meetings
as well as for training purposes. On a number of oc-
casions they were used to stage attacks into South Viet-
nam. The Communists had to keep their presence in
Cambodia as unobtrusive as possible in order not to
compromise the local Cambodian officers who were
acting without authorization from Phnom Penh,
in re-
cent months pressure from Phnom Penh for tighter
border controls, along with disquiet among the Cambo-
dian population over the Communist presence, has im-
pinged on Communist activities.
the Communists opened an important supply
route through southern Cambodia as early as 1966�
assertions, particularly that substantial
quantities of military hardware have passed over this
route,
did not say whether such
supplies were drawn from Cambodian stocks or brought
8 Mar 68
7
_10-P--,SEeftrr
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
3.3(h)(2)
3.3(h)(2)
3.3(h)(2)
3.3(h)(2)
3.3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
in clandestinely through Sihanoukville or elsewhere
along the Cambodian coast.
8 Mar 68 8
_TOR-SEefMT
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
3.5(c)
3.3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
*Panama: President Robles' public denunciation
of the opposition's motives in attempting to impeach him
may have destroyed any chance of compromise.
In a nationwide speech yesterday, Robles labeled
the impeachment proceedings as "illegal and immoral."
Spurning a summons from the National Assembly com-
mission investigating the accusations against him, Robles
said his constitutional duty was to prevent a "temporary"
political majority from dictating to the executive and that
therefore he views the assembly's action "completely
null."
Earlier yesterday, Robles obtained a municipal
court order enjoining the assembly from impeaching him.
The legislators are expected to meet this morning and re-
ject the injunction. It is not clear whether they will also
hear the commission's report on the impeachment charges.
claim that Robles'
latest moves can only worsen the crisis. Opposition
leader and presidential aspirant Arnulfo Arias
considers the door to a negotiated settlement ciosea.
3.5(c)
3.3(h)(2)
3.3(h)(2)
3.
3(h)(2)
8 Mar 68
9
_TaP�SPieRET
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
8 Mar 68 r1TPNTmrAT. ThT'T.TT(1'MrT. RUT
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258_,LETIN Map
3.
Approved for Release:, 2019/04/1
NOTES
7 CO2989258
3.5(c)
*Warsaw Pact: The two-day meeting of the Warsaw
Pact Political Consultative Committee ended in Sofia
yesterday without any sign of a new Soviet-Rumanian
confrontation. There are varying 'reports on what
was discussed; a final communique is to 'be re-
leased today.. Moscow did broadcast an unusually flat
statement yesterday noting only that "the meeting adopted
appropriate decisions on the questions under discussion,"
omitting any of the usual fulsome assertions of a com-
plete unity of views.
8 Mar 68
10
111QT�SEGRLErhr
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
3.3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
lop-Seeret-
jop_Seeret�
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258
Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 CO2989258