Office of the Historian

224. Telegram From the Presidentʼs Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson in Texas1

Washington, December 29, 1967.

CAP 671233. Herewith the message I have just dispatched via back channel, in your name, to Ambassador Bowles, as instructed by Jim Jones.

In my four years of the Presidency, I have asked very little, if anything, of the Indian Governments. I am asking something now; namely, that at the highest level they make a maximum effort, through the ICC, to end Communist use of Cambodian territory.

I believe the Indians sincerely want peace in Southeast Asia and desire authentic neutral status. This is the time for them to act in terms of both objectives.

Unless the ICC can, at last, perform effectively in the case of Cambodia, the war may well spread.

India should now move promptly and effectively to prevent this.

I count on you to devote full time, if necessary, to this task.

  1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, 5E (1)a, 5/66–1/68, Cambodia. Confidential. Received at the Johnson Ranch at 10:20 a.m. Central Standard Time.1↩