THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 05974285
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: April 27, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 30, 2019
• Publication Date: February 19, 1968

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The President's Daily Brief
71"0-13--Sexet._ 19 February 1968
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DAILY BRIEF
19 FEBRUARY 1968
1. South Vietnam
The new round of Communist attacks
has been directed thus far at targets
in the southern provinces. Vinh Long
in the delta and Phan Thiet on the coast
east of Saigon have received the heaviest
ground assaults. Casualties on both
sides, however, have been considerably
lighter than during the Tet offensive.
Saigon itself appears to be a high-
priority enemy target. It received spo-
radic rocket and mortar fire overnight,
and additional high-level Communist com-
mand elements have moved in nearer the
city.
The battle for the Citadel area of
Hue continues to be indecisive.
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2. Soviet Union
3. Pakistan
4. United Kingdom
TO-19�S-EeRE-T-- -
3.3
In a continuing effort to play
down the seriousness of Ayub's illness,
Pakistani newspapers over the weekend
carried pictures of him in pajamas and
robe with a newspaper in his lap. De-
fense Minister Khan--one of the three
men currently holding the government
reins--told Ambassador Oehlert that Ayub
might wish to make a trip to Britain and
the US as part of his recuperation. Khan
suggested a meeting with the President
might be arranged.
A public opinion poll taken early
this month gives the Tories a 22.5 per-
cent lead--the greatest enjoyed by any
party in the 31-year history of British
polling. If this margin holds up, the
Labor Party stands to lose five of the
six seats for which by-elections are
now pending.
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5. Laos
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Over the strong objections of the
Polish member, the International Con-
trol Commission has voted to visit the
embattled city of Saravane. A prelim-
inary ICC group is headed that way to-
day and the commissioners are expected
�to follow about mid-week. Thus far,
Laotian Army forces still hold the city.
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-Tap-Seeret_
FOR THE PRESIDENT'S EYES ONLY
Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
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19 February 1968
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Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
for the President's Eyes Only
19 February 1968
I. NOTES ON THE SITUATION
Communists Focus Attention on Northern South
Vietnam: Despite the relative lull in new fighting
so far in the northern part of South Vietnam, Viet-
namese Communist propaganda continues to zero in on
that area in particular. Recent Viet Cong and Hanoi
broadcasts strongly imply that new military attacks
will be accompanied by efforts to take over adminis-
trative control of wide areas in that part of the
country.
The North Vietnamese party daily on 18 February
carried an editorial praising "initial victories" in
the current "general offensive and simultaneous up-
risings" in central Vietnam (most of I and II Corps).
It claimed that Communist forces have "turned the
military and political tide" there and quoted a com-
muniqu�rom the Communist command in that region say-
ing that "vast rural areas" had been "liberated" and
Saigon's control had been broken in a "string" of
provincial capitals and towns. According to the paper,
this put the Communists in a position to "overwhelm
the enemy in many areas," and it promised even bigger
and more resounding victories in the future.
Similarly, Hanoi came down hard on 18 February
with an endorsement of the establishment of a new
"People's Revolutionary Committee" of Thua Thien
Province and Hue city, which was announced by the
Viet Cong radio last week. The announcement claimed
this committee was in process of taking over the ad-
ministration of Thua Thien and Hue, and that Saigon's
authority had been "liquidated" or was disintegrating.
The new "provisional administration" allegedly has
been set up under the auspices of the Hue city "Na-
tional, Democratic, and Peace Alliance," a front
group unveiled by the Communists at the opening of
the Tet offensive. Le Van Hoa, who was surfaced
earlier as head of the Hue "alliance," was also said
to be chief of the new "revolutionary committee."
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Hanoi said the committee had decided to "wipe
out the South Vietnamese administration structure
at all levels," and to "recognize" new revolution-
ary committees allegedly being set up throughout the
Thua Thien Province.
Much of this doubtless is sheer propaganda de-
signed to bolster Communist claims that "revolution-
ary elements" from all parts of South Vietnamese -
society are rising up to topple the Thieu-Ky govern-
ment. The persistence of the claims, however, and
their continued evolution in the Thua Thien - Hue
area suggests the Communists are determined to estab-
lish some sort of new political structure in this
region through political agitation and organizational
efforts now being conducted in both urban and rural
areas.
Morale in Hanoi:
morale is high now because the people are convinced
that the Communists have achieved important successes
in the South in recent weeks. The people believe the
war will be over after a complete Communist victory
within one or two months.
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Pham Van Dong on the San Antonio Formula: Father
Berrigan, who has been in Hanoi in connection with
the release of the US pilots, told the press about
Pham Van Dong's statement, but the press has garbled
the report. The following, according to Ambassador
Sullivan, is the correct version: "President John-
son has given the impression that the San Antonio
formula is an easy one to agree to. That formula how-
ever, is unacceptable. It imposes conditions. John-
son demands productive conversation. That imposes
conditions. Only a conqueror can ask this. We re-
peat our demand for unconditional cessation of bomb-
ing. At that time we will talk seriously. When we
make war, we do it seriously. So when we talk of
peace, we will do that seriously."
* * *
More on Trinh's Interview of 8 February: The
French ambassador in Laos informed Ambassador Sul-
livan last week that Foreign Minister Trinh did not
answer one of the questions posed by the French cor-
respondent. That question was about the level and
the composition of the negotiating teams which Hanoi
has in mind for the talks it says it will agree to
after a US bombing halt. The question was designed
to draw out Hanoi on the role it envisaged for the
Liberation Front in the talks. In his response to
the question, Trinh simply noted that he preferred
not to answer it now, but "would be pleased to re-
consider at a later date."
Ambassador Sullivan has the impression that
Paris may be feeding questions to the French corres-
pondent in Hanoi in an effort to smoke out answers
of interest to French policy.
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II. NORTH VIETNAMESE REFLECTIONS OF US POLITICAL
ATTITUDES ON THE WAR
�Hanoi on Antiwar Activities in the US: On Sat-
urday, Hanoi's international broadcast service re-
ferred to a speech of 15 February by John Kenneth
� Galbraith. Hanoi reported that Galbraith had "pointed
out that the Saigon regime would certainly be defeated
t".�
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and its army would disintegrate." The broadcast
went on to say that Galbraith had also "stressed
that the recent military offensive of the National
Liberation Front testifies to the wide support
being given the Front by the population."
The same broadcast claimed that more than
4,500 US law professors �and students from 50 uni-
versities had signed a statement opposing US
policies on Vietnam. The drive to collect signa-
tures is continuing, the broadcast claimed. �
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