June 1–July 15: Soviet Involvement and Possible North Vietnamese Restraint
288. Information Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Memos to the President, Walt Rostow, Vol. 86. Secret; Harvan.
289. Information Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Files of Walt Rostow, Meetings with the President, May–December 1968 [2]. Secret; Harvan; Plus. A notation on the memorandum reads: “Lunch item.”
290. Memorandum From the President’s Special Counsel (McPherson) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, Office Files of Harry McPherson, Memoranda for the President (1968) [2 of 2]. No classification marking.
291. Telegram From the Embassy in France to the Department of State
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, Harvan Paris Todel—Paris Delto VII. Secret; Flash; Nodis; Harvan; Plus. Received at 10:52 a.m. In an undated covering note to the President, Smith noted: “Harriman and Vance report on today’s Tea Break exchange. Hanoi is linking halt in shelling of Saigon and release of three U.S. prisoners to our B–52 strikes north of the DMZ. North Vietnamese agreed to another private talk, possibly Friday.” Additional discussion of the tea break is in telegram 17455/Delto 392 from Paris, July 3. (National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, IS/OIS Files: Lot 90 D 345, Paris Peace Conference on Vietnam, 1968–1969, Delto Chron.) Reports on the July 3 formal session are in telegrams 17406/Delto 346 and 17408/Delto 376, both July 3. (Ibid.) Jorden’s notes of this session are in the Johnson Library, William Jorden Papers, WJJ Notes.
292. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow)
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, Harvan Misc. & Memos, Vol. V(a), 7/68. Secret; Sensitive. This memorandum was transmitted as telegram SSWH 0007 from Rostow to Bromley Smith, July 7, with the request to forward it to both Paris and Saigon. (Ibid.) It was sent to Saigon as CAP 81557 to Bunker and to Paris as CAP 81558 to Harriman and Vance, both July 7. (Ibid.)
293. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Lyndon Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Files of Walt Rostow, Vietnam—W.W. Rostow. Top Secret; Sensitive; Literally Eyes Only for the President. The notation “ps” on the memorandum indicates that the President saw it.
294. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, IS/OIS Files: Lot 90 D 345, Paris Peace Conference on Vietnam, 1968–1969, Todel Chron. Secret; Priority; Nodis. Drafted by Bundy, cleared by Rostow and Jeanne Davis of S/S, and approved by Rusk. Repeated to Paris for Harriman and Vance.
295. Information Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Files of Walt Rostow, Kosygin [3]. Secret. A notation on the memorandum by the President reads: “Walt—Call me Monday about this. L.”
296. Paper Prepared in the Central Intelligence Agency
Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Executive Registry Subject Files, Job 80–R01580R, 266—Vietnam. Secret. Sent to Rostow with copies to Katzenbach and Nitze. In the attached covering memorandum transmitting a copy of the paper to Helms, July 12, William Nelson, Chief of CIA’s Far East Division, wrote: “This memorandum responds to a request from the Director of Central Intelligence to Chief, Far East Division for a briefing paper on the above subject for passage to the Secretary of State and other senior government officials.” In a separate attached covering note transmitting a copy of the paper to Rusk, July 15, Helms wrote: “Here is the report on Agency efforts to induce defections in South Vietnam. This is in response to your request of me some days ago. It is clear from paragraph 11 that additional organizational work needs to be done in Saigon inside the American community. You might want to raise this as an item in Honolulu.” In another attached covering note transmitting a copy of the paper to Rostow, July 15, Helms wrote: “Secretary Rusk asked me for the attached report and I have sent him the original. In my note covering this paper, I have suggested to Secretary Rusk that he may want to raise the organizational problem outlined in paragraph 11 with appropriate individuals in Honolulu later this week.” A notation on this covering note reads: “Identical notes with Xerox to: Katzenbach and Nitze.”
297. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in France and the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, A/IM Files: Lot 93 D 82, HARVAN-(Outgoing)-July 1968. Secret; Priority; Nodis; Harvan; Plus. Drafted by Katzenbach and Rusk, cleared by Rostow and John Walsh (S/S), and approved by Rusk. An analysis of this telegram is in a July 12 memorandum from Rostow to the President. (Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, Harvan Misc. & Memos, Vol. V(b) 7/68) At the end of Rostow’s memorandum, the President wrote: “Vance is cleared for Tuesday return.” Vance returned to Washington on July 16.
298. Telegram From the Ambassador to Vietnam (Bunker) to the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) and Secretary of State Rusk
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Memos to the President, Walt Rostow, Vol. 88. Secret. In a covering note transmitting a copy of the telegram to the President, July 15, 5:35 p.m., Rostow wrote: “This back channel message from Bunker on how Thieu is building a big national political party will interest you. He’s learning; but the party has a long way to go.” The notation “ps” on the covering note indicates that the President saw the telegram. It was re-transmitted as telegram 32844 from Saigon, July 17. (National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 13 VIET S)