24. Memorandum From the President’s Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Rostow) to President Kennedy0

SUBJECT

  • Situation in Laos as of Task Force Meeting, Tuesday, March 7, 1961
1.
As we have feared, the Communists launched a probing offensive against Phoumi’s men. Without much fight, our boys fell back, apparently beyond the crucial crossroads. It is not yet clear whether Phoumi’s forces have the capacity to rally; nor is it yet clear how vigorously the Communists will exploit the initial breakthrough.
2.
The Laos Task Force meeting,1 in addition to considering certain measures to harden our defensive position in Viet-Nam, Thailand, and elsewhere in Southeast Asia, considered a variety of measures which might be taken urgently to maintain morale and to maintain a minimum military position capable of giving us a basis for negotiation of neutralization. None of these seemed promising; but the Pentagon will go to work and we will evidently consider the matter with Admiral Felt.
  1. Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Laos: General, 3/2/61–3/12/61. Secret. A note on the source text indicates that this memorandum was delivered verbally at 9:30 a.m.
  2. See Document 23.