358. Memorandum From Michael V. Forrestal of the National Security Council Staff to President Kennedy0
Meeting on Laos, May 12, 1962
You will no doubt wish to have an over all discussion with the Secretaries of State and Defense and General Lemnitzer on the U.S. reaction to the events in Laos. There are, however, three specific matters up for discussion:
[Page 747]Letter From You to Khrushchev (attached)1
Chip Bohlen has recommended that instead of your calling in the Soviet Ambassador, it would be preferable for you to send a personal message to Khrushchev through your special channel. Chip’s argument is that in a matter of this sort it is safer to put what you wish to say in writing, rather than to entrust it to an oral communication, which is subject to distortion in the transmission. He feels that the impact would be the same. I should imagine that your decision will depend upon the extent to which our course of action is precisely decided today. It may be that the fuzzier oral approach to the Russians would serve your purposes better.
Phoumi
Averell wants to try to cause Phoumi’s withdrawal from the Lao political scene into a purely military capacity. He suggests that we take advantage of the recent events to get Phoumi to revert to his previous status as a purely military commander, attempting at the same time to put Phoui Sananikone in as the civilian head of government. Averell’s hope here is that Phoumi could be replaced by another political figure who would be committed to carrying out negotiations in good faith and leave Phoumi in the military field, where he would be more easily pressured into following U.S. military advice. (Draft telegram attached.)2
U.S. Moves
At the last meeting you postponed a decision on ordering the battle group to Nong Khai in Thailand opposite Vientiane. Averell is inclined to recommend waiting a day or two on this, unless the situation deteriorates more rapidly. His reasoning is that such a move should wait until we have a chance to make our wishes about the makeup of the Lao Government more clear to Phoumi and the other Lao leaders. A paper has been prepared by Mr. Hilsman discussing this and other moves (attached).3
Miscellaneous
You should consider the press treatment to be given any decisions which come out of this meeting.
Averell has received Khrushchev’s thanks for his birthday message.
- Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Laos: General, 5/10/62–5/16/62. Top Secret.↩
- See footnote 3, Document 354.↩
- For the telegram as sent, See Document 361.↩
- See Document 359.↩