February 1964–October 1966: Consideration of Reintroduction of U.S. Troops Into Thailand; U.S.-Thai Bilateral Military Planning; Concern Over the Insurgency in the Northeast; Deliberations Over the Level of Military Assistance
265. Memorandum From Michael V. Forrestal of the National Security Council Staff to the Presidentʼs Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Thailand, Vol. I, Memos, 11/63–11/64. Secret.
266. Letter From the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Hilsman) to the Ambassador to Thailand (Martin)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 26 THAI. Secret; Official-Informal. Drafted by Pickering on February 28.
267. Letter From the Ambassador to Thailand (Martin) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Bundy)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 26 THAI. Secret; Official-Informal.
268. Telegram From the Embassy in Thailand to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, DEF 6 US. Top Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Repeated to Vientiane and CINCPAC for POLAD. Passed to the White House.
269. Letter From the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (Solbert) to Michael V. Forrestal of the National Security Council Staff
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 68 A 4023, 320.2 Thailand. Top Secret. Drafted by P.R. Knaur of DOD/ISA. Copies sent to Harriman, McGeorge Bundy, and William Bundy.
270. Paper Prepared by Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Bundy)
Source: Department of State, Bundy Files: Lot 85 D 240, Special Papers, April/June 1964. Secret. Bundy prepared this paper for an Executive Committee meeting of the National Security Council to be held on May 24. For a record of the discussion at the EXCOM meeting, during which the issue of troops to Thailand was not raised, see Foreign Relations, 1964–1968, vol. I, Document 172.
271. Memorandum From the Deputy Director, Far East Region (Loftus) to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (McNaugton)
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 68 A 306, Thailand 000.1—091.3. Secret.
272. Telegram From Secretary of State Rusk to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 1 ASIA SE–US. Secret; Immediate; Limdis. Repeated to Vientiane, Saigon, CINCPAC for POLAD, London, Paris, and New Delhi. Passed to the White House. Rusk was in Bangkok for less than a day on May 30 en route from New Delhi and Saigon to the Honolulu Conference.
273. Memorandum for the Record
Source: Department of Defense, JCS Official Records, 9510 (1 June 64). Top Secret. The meeting in Honolulu, June 1–2, was primarily to discuss Vietnam and was attended by 55 people including the top civilian and military advisers. This is a record of the Opening Plenary Session of the Honolulu meetings. Certain portions of the plenary session on Vietnam are printed in Foreign Relations, 1964–1968, vol. I, Document 187.
274. Telegram From the Embassy in Thailand to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 1 ASIA SE–US. Secret; Exdis.
275. Telegram From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Commander in Chief, Pacific (Felt)
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, Southeast Asia, Vol. III, Memos A, 6/14–8/14. Top Secret. Drafted by Colonel H.H. Reichner of JCS (J–5) and released by D.C. Flickinger, Deputy Director, Implementation Division, JCS.
276. Memorandum From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Secretary of Defense McNamara
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 68 A 4023, Thailand 000.1—(092 Thailand), 1964. Top Secret.
277. Letter From President Johnson to Prime Minister Thanom Kittikachorn
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Thailand, Vol. V, 10/66–2/67. Secret. This letter was transmitted to Bangkok in telegram 2315, June 19, and was drafted by Pickering, cleared by Trueheart, William Bundy, McGeorge Bundy, and Rusk. (Department of State, Central Files, POL 1 ASIA SE–US)
278. Memorandum From Director of the Joint Staff (Burchinal) to the Acting Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (LeMay)
Source: Department of Defense, JCS Official Files, 9155.2 (8 May 1964) Top Secret. Prepared by Captain H.S. Jackson, USN, Pacific Division, Joint Staff.
279. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Thailand, Vol. I, Memos, 11/63–11/64. Secret; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Pickering. The meeting took place at the White House. According to the Presidentʼs Daily Diary, July 24, this meeting began at 6:25 and lasted until 6:40. (Ibid.) In a July 24 briefing memorandum to the President Thomson and Komer informed Johnson that his meeting with Prapass (Praphat) “is basically to butter up Thailandʼs probable next Prime Minister.” (Ibid., National Security File, Country File, Thailand, Vol. I, Memos, 11/63–11/64) Rusk and Harriman also sent Johnson a briefing memorandum, July 23. (Ibid.)
280. Telegram From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Commander in Chief, Pacific (Sharp)
Source: Johnson Library, National Security Files, Country File, Vietnam, Southeast Asia, Vol. III, Memos A, 6/64–8/64. Top Secret. Drafted by Colonel H.H. Reichner of J–5 and released by Major General P.S. Emrick, Director for Plans and Policy.
281. Information Memorandum From the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Green) to Secretary of State Rusk
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 23–9 THAI. Secret. Drafted by Pickering. A note on the source text indicates that Rusk saw it.
282. Memorandum From the Director of the Office of Southeast Asian Affairs (Trueheart) to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Green)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 1 ASIA SE–US. Secret. Drafted by Pickering. Green wrote “Helpful, Thanks, MG” on the source text.
283. Telegram From the Embassy in Thailand to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Secret; Immediate, Exdis. Repeated to CINCPAC, Saigon for Westmoreland, and Vientiane. Pierce Arrow was a series indicator relating to the North Vietnamese attack/attacks on the U.S. Destroyer Maddox in the Gulf of Tonkin and the U.S. response to it. Passed to the White House, Department of Defense, and CIA.
284. Memorandum From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Secretary of Defense McNamara
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files: FRC 69 A 7425, Thailand 381. Secret.
285. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Thailand, Vol. II, Memos, 8/64–3/65. Secret; Limdis. Drafted by William Bundy. The time of the meeting is from the Presidentʼs Daily Dairy. (Ibid.) The meeting was held at the White House. The Department of State copy of this memorandum indicates that it was approved by the White House on December 14. (Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S) Komer and McGeorge Bundy sent the President a briefing memorandum for this visit in which they stated that “the main thing is to add your strong assurance to him of our determination to check the spread of communism in Southeast Asia and to stand firmly behind our commitment to Thailand.” (Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Thailand, Vol. II, Memos, 8/64–3/65) Rusk sent the President a December 9 briefing memorandum that also made this point. (Ibid.)
286. Memorandum for the Record
Source: Department of State, S/S-Special Group (Counter Insurgency) Files: Lot 68 D 451, Minutes of Meetings, Jan.–Dec. 1965. Secret. Drafted on February 2.
287. Telegram From the Embassy in Thailand to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, DEF 19–3 US–THAI. Top Secret; Priority; Limdis. Also sent to the White House, DOD, JCS, and CINCPAC.
288. Telegram From the Embassy in Thailand to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, DEF 6 US. Top Secret; Priority; Exdis. Repeated to CINCPAC.
289. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (McNaughton) to Secretary of Defense McNamara
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 70 A 1265, Thailand 091.3 MAP. Secret. A note on the source text indicates that Under Secretary of Defense Vance saw it
290. Memorandum From the Special Assistant (Moore) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Bundy)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, DEF 19–8 US–THAI. No classification marking.
291. Letter From the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Bundy) to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (McNaughton)
Source: Department of State, Bundy Files: Lot 85 D 240, Misc. Chron. Secret; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Pickering and Moore. A note on the source text indicates that the original was hand delivered to McNaughton.
292. Letter From Secretary of Defense McNamara to Secretary of State Rusk
Source: Department of State, S/S-Conference Files: Lot 66 D 347, 10th SEATO Meeting, CF 2498. Top Secret.
293. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 70 A 3717, 333 Thailand. Secret. Drafted by Drachnik and approved by McNaughton on May 24. The meeting was held in McNamaraʼs office at the Pentagon.