Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XXIV, Laos Crisis

22. Memorandum From the Counselor and Chairman of the Policy Planning Council (McGhee) to Secretary of State Rusk⁰

Washington, March 3, 1961.

SUBJECT

• Laos—Meeting with the President

The following action decisions were taken in the meeting with the President today with respect to Laos:

(1) Plans are to be formulated under the leadership of Defense for the taking of the Plaines [sic] des Jarres by RLG forces within the present level of military escalation in Laos.

(2) There will be a meeting within three or four days between State, Defense, and CIA to approve these plans.

(3) Ambassador Johnson is, before his return to Washington, to see Souvanna Phouma in order to sound him out as to his general views and to whether and under what conditions he would be willing to come into a new government in Laos.¹

(4) U.S. efforts to achieve a broadening of the base of the Laotian government are to be continued.²

(5) As soon as the situation permits, a high level U.S. representative, presumably Ambassador Gavin, would see General DeGaulle in an attempt to get the French to cooperate better with us in achieving our objectives in Laos.

(6) Admiral Felt and a U.S. officer currently serving in the front lines in Laos are to be asked to come back to Washington immediately for consultation.

(7) The possibility was discussed of Admiral Felt returning via Laos as a means of showing evidence of U.S. support. It is not believed, however, that any final decision was made in this matter.

(8) It was agreed that the Department would give maximum publicity to the recent Russian build-up of arms in Laos, along the lines of the New York Times article of March 1.

I am sending a copy of this to FE who I assume will take necessary action for the Department.

0. Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Laos: General, 3/2/61–3/12/61. Secret. According to the President’s appointment book, the President met with Vice President Johnson, Rusk, McGhee, McNamara, Lemnitzer, Dulles, McGeorge Bundy, Rostow, and others at this meeting which lasted from 3:15 to 5:15 p.m. (Ibid., President’s Appointment Book)
1. Omit Item 3: No firm decision taken on this matter (per Mr. McGhee). [Footnote in the source text.]
2. Part of this effort was to encourage discussions between Phoumi and Souvanna in Phnom Penh. Accounts of Phoumi’s discussions with Souvanna there on March 9 and 10 are in telegram 1671 from Vientiane, March 11. (Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/3–1161) The CIA prepared a background memorandum on these meetings for Clifton at his request. (Memorandum from Dulles to Clifton, March 16; Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Laos: General, 3/16/61–3/19/61)