Office of the Historian

378. Memorandum From Michael V. Forrestal of the National Security Council Staff to Secretary of State Rusk0

Washington, May 24, 1962.

SUBJECT

  • Presidential Meeting on Laos, May 24, 1962

At the meeting on the situation in Laos held in the Cabinet Room at 4:30 p.m. today,0 the President requested contingency planning in the event of a breakdown of the cease fire in Laos for action in two major areas:

(a)
the investing and holding by Thai forces with U.S. backup of Sayabouri Province (being that portion of northern Laos to the west of the Mekong River); and
(b)
the holding and recapture of the panhandle of Laos from Thakhek to the southern frontier with Thai, Vietnamese or U.S. forces.

In connection with the above contingency plans, the President desired an estimate of the military value of the Mekong River in Sayabouri Province as a defensive barrier in relation to the cost of taking and holding it.

The President also asked that the above planning be undertaken unilaterally by the United States without discussion at this time with the Thais or the Lao.

The President also indicated that he contemplated keeping U.S. forces in Thailand during the period of the 3-Prince negotiations and the early days of the government of national union, i.e. as long as they serve a necessary purpose.

[Page 790]

The President observed that a cable would have to go in answer to Bangkok’s 1844.1

Michael V. Forrestal2
  1. Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Meetings and Memoranda Series, NSAM 157. Top Secret. Also sent to the Secretary of Defense, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. McGeorge Bundy sent this memorandum to the above addresses as NSAM 157, May 29. (Department of State, S-S/NSC Files: Lot 72 D 316, NSAM 157)↩
  2. The meeting lasted until 5:25 p.m. and was attended in addition to the President by Rusk, McNamara, McCone, Lemnitzer, Gilpatric, Taylor, McGeorge Bundy, and Forrestal. (Kennedy Library, President’s Appointment Book)↩
  3. In telegram 1844 from Bangkok, May 24, Young raised four policy questions and asked for guidance on them. They were: 1) defending the right bank of the Mekong in Sayaboury Province should the Pathet Lao-North Vietnamese forces threaten it; 2) what to do if the Thai tried a pre-emptive occupation; 3) what to do in the case of a renewed breach of the cease-fire on the order of Nam Tha; and 4) the date for withdrawal of U.S. forces. (Department of State, Central Files, 792.00/5–2462) Telegram 1844 is printed in volume XXIII.↩
  4. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩