219. Notes of Meeting1
Washington, October 14, 1968, 1:40 p.m.
NOTES OF THE PRESIDENT’S MEETING WITH
- Secretary of Defense Clark Clifford
- Secretary of State Dean Rusk
- General Earle Wheeler
- Admiral Thomas Moorer
- General Leonard Chapman
- General John McConnell
- General Bruce Palmer
- Bromley Smith
- Walt Rostow
- George Christian
- Tom Johnson
- Joining the Meeting:
- Senator Richard Russell
- General William Westmoreland
Secretary Clifford: There have been instructions issued on authority to release nuclear weapons [1–1/2 lines of source text not declassified].
The project’s code-name is “Furtherance.”
We recommend three major changes:
[3 paragraphs (8 lines of source text) not declassified]
We all recommend this.
Walt Rostow: We think it is an essential change. This was dangerous. We recommend going forward.
General Wheeler: All the Joint Chiefs of Staff and commanders have been consulted. We recommend approval.
General McConnell: I concur, Sir.
General Chapman: I concur.
Admiral Moorer: I concur.
- Source: Johnson Library, Tom Johnson’s Notes of Meetings, October 14, 1968—1:40 p.m., Foreign Policy Advisory Group Meeting, Box 4. Eyes Only for the President. The meeting was held in the Cabinet Room. The President asked Senator Russell, Secretary Rusk, and General Westmoreland to join the meeting as soon as they arrived at the White House, but they did not get there until 2:22 p.m., 2:45 p.m., and 3:15 p.m., respectively, and probably were not present for this discussion. (Ibid., President’s Daily Diary) A record of Part II of this meeting is ibid., Tom Johnson’s Notes of Meetings, October 14, 1968—1:40 p.m., Foreign Policy Advisory Group Meeting, Box 4.↩