March 9–June 28: Buddhist “Struggle Movement”; Emphasis on Non-Military Programs; Escalation of the Bombing
91. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 15–1 VIET S. Secret; Flash; Exdis. The source text does not indicate the time of transmission; the telegram was received at 3:21 a.m. and passed to the White House, DOD, and CIA.
92. Memorandum From the Presidentʼs Acting Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Komer) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library National Security File, Memos to the President—Robert Komer, vol. 21. Confidential. The source text is marked with an indication that the President saw the memorandum.
93. Notes of Meeting
Source: Johnson Library, Meeting Notes File. No classification marking. Valenti took the notes. The meeting was held in the Cabinet Room and Bromley Smith also took notes. (Ibid., National Security File, Bromley Smith Files)
94. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Confidential. Repeated to CINPAC for POLAD. The source text does not indicate the time of transmission; the telegram was received at 12:26 a.m.
96. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 15 VIET S. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by Unger and U. Alexis Johnson, cleared by Moyers, and approved by U. Alexis Johnson.
97. Note From the Executive Secretary of the National Security Council (Smith) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, vol. XLVIII. No classification marking.
98. Memorandum From the Executive Secretary of the National Security Council (Smith) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, 2EE, Primarily McNamara Recommendations re Strategic Actions. Secret. Attached to the memorandum is a note indicating that the President told his secretary at 11:30 a.m. on March 19: “Tell Brom Smith to try to prepare a memorandum giving a careful survey and/or study of how to best use the next 60 days to make the maximum effort with bombs, troops, and everything else against infiltration before the rainy season, and we ought to provide any extra planes, bombs, etc., and find out how best to use napalm. I want it to be a good report showing everything and every way being explored … very comprehensive study.”
99. Intelligence Note From the Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (Hughes) to Secretary of State Rusk
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, vol. XLIX. Secret; Controlled Dissem; No Foreign Dissem.
100. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Secret; Priority; Nodis. The source text does not indicate the time of transmission; the telegram was received at 11:05 a.m. and passed to the White House.
101. Memorandum From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Secretary of Defense McNamara
Source: Department of Defense, Records of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 9155.3 (24 Mar 66). Top Secret.
102. National Security Action Memorandum No. 343
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Komer Files, NSAM. Secret. In forwarding NSAM No. 343 to the President on March 28 for his signature, Komer noted in his covering memorandum: “Joe Califano and now Bill Moyers have finally worn down Secretary Rusk and others in State who wanted to fit the Vietnam job to their conception.” (Ibid., Memos to the President—Robert Komer, vol. 21) Rusk expressed some of his objections and concerns in telephone conversations with Califano on March 24 and with Moyers on March 28. (Department of State, Rusk Files: Lot 72 D 192, Telcons)
103. Telephone Conversation Between President Johnson and Secretary of State Rusk
Source: Johnson Library, Recordings and Transcripts, Recording of Telephone Conversation between Johnson and Rusk, Tape F66.13, Side A, PNO 3. No classification marking. This transcript was prepared by the Office of the Historian specifically for this volume.
104. Memorandum From the Presidentʼs Special Consultant (Taylor) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, vol. XLIX. Secret. Komer forwarded the memorandum to the President at 6:15 p.m. on March 29. (Ibid., Memos to the President—Robert Komer, vol. 21)
105. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Secret; Priority; Nodis. The source text does not indicate the time of transmission; the telegram was received at 8:22 a.m. and passed to the White House.
106. Action Memorandum From the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Unger) to Secretary of State Rusk
Source: Department of State, EA/VN-Vietnam Working Group: Lot 72 D 219, Rolling Thunder Memos, 1966. Top Secret. The source text is marked with an indication that Rusk saw the memorandum.
107. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Johnson Library, Country File, Vietnam, vol. XLIX. Secret; Immediate; Nodis. Drafted by Rusk, cleared by U. Alexis Johnson, and approved by Rusk.
108. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rusk to President Johnson
Source: Department of State, Bundy Files: Lot 85 D 240, WPB Chron. Secret; Exdis. The first page of the source text bears the notation, in Ruskʼs handwriting, “not used, except orally, DR. “An unsigned copy of the memorandum, without Ruskʼs notation but marked “WPB Chron,” is in the Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, vol. L.
109. Notes of Meeting
Source: Johnson Library, Meeting Notes File. No classification marking. Valenti took the notes. The meeting was held in the family dining room on the second floor of the White House.
110. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 23–8 VIET S. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. The source text does not indicate the time of transmission; the telegram was received at 3:50 a.m. and passed to the White House, CIA, and Department of Defense.
111. Memorandum From the Presidentʼs Special Assistant (Valenti) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, vol. L. No classification marking. In his April 4 covering memorandum to the President, Valenti noted that there was one vital piece of information that he had not yet seen concerning the “so-called mutiny of SVN troops.” (Ibid.)
112. Notes of Meeting
Source: Johnson Library, Meeting Notes File. No classification marking. Valenti took the notes. The meeting was held in the Cabinet Room. The President returned to the Oval Office from the Cabinet Room at 8:42 p.m. (Ibid., Presidentʼs Daily Diary)
113. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Bundy) to Secretary of State Rusk
Source: Department of State, S/S-VN Briefing Books: Lot 70 D 207, Vietnam, Mar-Aug ʼ66. Secret. Drafted by J.J. Helble of FE/VN.
114. Draft Scenario Prepared in the Department of Defense
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, McNamara Vietnam Files: FRC 77–0075, Vietnam, 1966. Top Secret; Sensitive. Presumably drafted in OASD/ISA. The source text is stamped: “Sec Def has seen, 9 Apr 1966.” Attached to the source text is a 14-page draft paper, “Some Thoughts About Vietnam,” dated April 4. Referring to the paper printed here as “a possible scenario,” the paper concludes: “All factors taken into account, we should seriously consider seizing the opportunity offered by the I Corps crisis to change our policy with respect to Vietnam and to disengage from the war there.”
115. Memorandum From the Presidentʼs Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Memos to the President—Walt W. Rostow, vol. 1. Top Secret; Eyes Only. Copies were sent to Moyers and Valenti.
116. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 15 VIET S. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by William Bundy, cleared by Rostow and McNamara, and approved by Rusk.
117. Telegram From the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Vance) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, vol. L. Secret. The source text does not indicate where Vanceʼs telegram originated.
118. Memorandum From the Presidentʼs Special Assistant (Rostow) to Secretary of State Rusk and Secretary of Defense McNamara
Source: Johnson Library, Warnke Papers, McNaughton Files, McNTN II. Secret. Copies were sent to Vance, U. Alexis Johnson, Helms, McNaughton, William Bundy, Moyers, and Valenti.
119. Memorandum From the Presidentʼs Special Consultant (Taylor) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, Box 260, Gen. Taylor. Secret. Copies were sent to Rusk and McNamara. Attached to the source text is a note indicating that the President told his secretary on April 13: “I want reactions right away. See what they are doing to carry out the suggestions made—as soon as possible.” Unger commented on Taylorʼs memorandum in a memorandum to Rostow, April 15. (Ibid.) Rostow jotted his own reactions on a copy of the memorandum located ibid., vol. LI.
120. Telegram From the Presidentʼs Special Assistant (Komer) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Komer Files, Memos to the President, March-June 1966. Secret; Eyes Only. Komer dated his message April 12, but it was not sent to the President at the LBJ Ranch in Texas until April 13.