Office of the Historian

441. Memorandum from Michael V. Forrestal of the National Security Council Staff to President Kennedy0

Washington, February 4, 1963.

U.S. Assistance to Kong Le

Captain Shepard1 has reported your interest in Kong Le’s request for direct U.S. help, which was reported in Vientiane’s 1092 (copy attached).2 At the moment, our policy toward Kong Le is to give him all the non-munitions-type of support he asks for which is approved by Souvanna Phouma. In line with this policy we have been sending him health and comfort items such as cold weather clothes, uniforms, blankets, soap, etc. We have also sent him a small amount of communications equipment. We have not sent him any munitions.

It has now become evident that Kong Le has been requesting more supplies than Souvanna Phouma has been willing to approve and is now requesting weapons. This raises a new problem with which Unger is now wrestling, i.e. do we support Kong Le independently of Souvanna? Such a policy runs two risks: first, it would be a split with [Page 933] Souvanna; and second, it could be construed as a violation of the Geneva Accords in that it would be providing equipment without the approval of the RLG.

At the moment we are confining ourselves to expediting all the supplies to Kong Le that Souvanna has approved, some of which have not yet arrived due partly to CINCPAC’s reluctance. I am trying to help State by getting the JCS to prod Admiral Felt once again on this problem.

I think we ought to let Unger try to work this out in Vientiane by pressuring both Souvanna Phouma and the French to be more responsive to Kong Le’s needs for assistance. He is doing this today.

  1. Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Laos: General, 1/63–2/63. Secret. Drafted by Forrestal.↩
  2. Captain Tazewell T. Shepard, Jr., USN, Naval Aide to the President.↩
  3. Not printed. Kong Le requested petroleum, oil, and lubricants to permit the completion of the Khang Khay-Plaine des Jarres road before the rainy season, and weapons, clothing, and equipment for his forces as reported in this telegram, February 2. (Department of State, Central Files, DEF 19–3 US-Laos)↩