September 1-October 1, 1968: Efforts To Move the Peace Talks Forward; the Ohio Exercise


31. Summary of Meeting

Source: Johnson Library, Transcripts of Meetings in the Cabinet Room. No classification marking. A full transcript of the meeting is ibid.


32. Telegram From the Embassy in France to the Department of State

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, A/IM Files: Lot 93 D 82, HARVAN-(Incoming)-September 1968. Secret; Flash; Nodis; HARVAN/Plus. No transmission time is indicated; the telegram was received at 11:29 a.m.


33. Telegram From the Embassy in Norway to the Department of State

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967-69, POL 27-14 VIET/OHIO. Secret; Immediate; Nodis; Ohio/Plus. Received at 9 a.m. Repeated to Paris for Harriman and Vance from Davidson.


34. Telegram From the Embassy in France to the Department of State

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, A/IM Files: Lot 93 D 82, HARVAN-(Incoming)-September 1968. Secret; Nodis; HARVAN/Plus. No transmission time is indicated; the telegram was received at 2:26 p.m.


35. Notes of the 591st Meeting of the National Security Council

Source: Johnson Library, Tom Johnson’s Notes of Meetings. No classification marking. The meeting was held in the Cabinet Room. Those attending were the President, Rostow, Rusk, Clifford, Nitze, Ball, Wheeler, Helms, Fowler, Marks, Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Joseph Sisco, Christian, Bromley Smith and Nathaniel Davis of the NSC Staff, and Tom Johnson. (Ibid., President’s Daily Diary) A full transcript of this meeting is ibid., Transcripts of Meetings in the Cabinet Room. For Smith’s notes of this meeting, see Foreign Relations, 1964–1968, vol. XXXIII, Document 432.


36. Notes of Meeting

Source: Johnson Library, Tom Johnson’s Notes of Meetings. Top Secret. The meeting was held in the second floor dining room of the White House. It immediately followed an off-the-record meeting between the same men that began at 1:43 p.m. (Ibid., President’s Daily Diary)


37. Intelligence Memorandum Prepared in the Central Intelligence Agency

Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Job 80-R1580R, Executive Registry Subject Files, 266-Vietnam. Confidential. A notation on the memorandum reads: “This memorandum was produced solely by CIA. It was prepared by the Office of Current Intelligence and coordinated with the Office of National Estimates and the Director’s Special Assistant for Vietnamese Affairs.” An attached covering note from Helms to Rostow transmitting a copy of the memorandum, September 27, reads: “You asked for a memorandum on this subject some time ago. Here it is.”


38. Telephone Conversation Between President Johnson and Republican Presidential Nominee Richard Nixon

Source: Johnson Library, Recordings and Transcripts, Recording of Telephone Conversation Between Johnson and Nixon, September 30, 1968, 6:45 p.m., Tape F68.06, PNO 5-6. No classification marking. This transcript was prepared specifically for this volume in the Office of the Historian.


39. Telephone Conversation Between President Johnson and Vice President Humphrey

Source: Johnson Library, Recordings and Transcripts, Recording of Telephone Conversation Between Johnson and Humphrey, September 30, 1968, 7:30 p.m., Tape F6810.01, PNO 4. No classification marking. This transcript was prepared specifically for this volume in the Office of the Historian. Humphrey called from Salt Lake City, Utah. Rostow was with the President in the Oval Office during the conversation. (Ibid., President’s Daily Diary)


41. Telephone Conversation Between President Johnson and George Ball

Source: Johnson Library, Recordings and Transcripts, Recording of Telephone Conversation Between Johnson and Ball, September 30, 1968, 8:15 p.m., Tape F6810.01, PNO 6. No classification marking. This transcript was prepared specifically for this volume in the Office of the Historian.


42. Telephone Conversation Between President Johnson and Senator Everett Dirksen

Source: Johnson Library, Recordings and Transcripts, Recording of Telephone Conversation Between Johnson and Dirksen, October 1, 1968, 10:31 a.m., Tape F6810.01, PNO 7. No classification marking. This transcript was prepared specifically for this volume in the Office of the Historian. Johnson telephoned McCormack immediately after this conversation at 10:45 a.m. and discussed the same topics. (Ibid., Recording of Telephone Conversation Between Johnson and McCormack, October 1, 1968, 10:45 a.m., Tape 6810.01, PNO 8-9)


43. Memorandum From the Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (Hughes) to Secretary of State Rusk

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967-69, POL 27-14 VIET/OHIO. Secret; Nodis; Ohio/Plus.